A long weekend is barely adequate to savour the delights of Holland but does allow just enough time to get a flavour of this unusual and surprising country. Arriving early on Friday after a night on the ferry ensures a full day for sight seeing and our first stop was at the massive Keukenhof gardens, a visual treat for any gardening enthusiast. Acres of landscaped gardens are laid out with extravagant beds of tulips, hyacinths and daffodils creating an impressive and colourful quilt of cultivated blooms.

From Keukenhof we made our way to our hotel in Volendam, an old fishing village with a traditional harbour on the Zuiderzee. Volendam has great character with its twisty narrow streets interlaced with small canals and a very pretty seafront all of which makes it a popular tourist attraction.

On Saturday we embarked on a tour around the Zuiderzee visiting ‘The Golden Circle’ of towns and villages that fringe this remarkable enclosed sea. In 1932 the Zuiderzee was dammed off the sea by the construction of a huge dike, the Schellinkhouterdijk, which effectively created a huge inland lake, Ijsselmeer. Our tour involved driving across this massive man-made construction which now carries a dual carriageway. Once over we continued the journey around the circle but now driving along little country roads that took us past the traditional windmills and very distinctive tall Dutch barns complete with the farmhouse built into them. There are numerous villages, museums and places of interest to visit and this area could easily provide many more days of exploring.

Arriving at the Keukenhof Gardens

Geometric layout for gardens

Formal beds and sculpture, typical features of the Keukenhof gardens

Schellinkhouterdijk an incredible feat of engineering. The open sea is right of the picture

Our hotel in Volendam was the setting for the tour dinner which was enlivened by Tom Koning a ‘Zanger and Dee-Jay’ who kept the party dancing far into the night. The Spannder Hotel is worth a mention with its ground floor set out in traditional old Dutch style complete with low ceilings, dark wood panelling, numerous alcoves, oil paintings, and labyrinthine passages but by contrast the upstairs bedrooms were bright and ultra modern combing the best of both worlds.

Traditional Dutch scene

David Wardingley in his MGB outside the Hotel Spannder in Volendam

Just a few of the MGs outside the hotel at Volendam

Derek and Hazel Mayhew and their Midget alongside Colin and Valerie Richardson with their BGT

Our hotel in Volendam was the setting for the tour dinner which was enlivened by Tom Koning a ‘Zanger and Dee-Jay’ who kept the party dancing far into the night. The Spannder Hotel is worth a mention with its ground floor set out in traditional old Dutch style complete with low ceilings, dark wood panelling, numerous alcoves, oil paintings, and labyrinthine passages but by contrast the upstairs bedrooms were bright and ultra modern combing the best of both worlds.

After two days of sunshine the last day in Holland grew steadily more overcast and we made our return journey in showers of rain but even this did not deter some of the group from sight seeing on their way back to catch the return ferry. Holland has a great deal to offer and we all wished that we could have stayed longer and explored the region more extensively.

Derek and Bobbie Blundy outside the Spannder Hotel

Geoff Hack and Marlies Zijlmans are based in Holland

Richard Ladds