To Vlieland

Goodbye Den Berg - the long cycle to Oudeschild with its fascinating shipwreck museum. And the first haring broodje, as delicious as ever.
On up to Cocksdorp, wait for the ferry, eat smoked eel, quaff a dunkeblonde and then.. the ferry. Ahem. Panniers off, bikes lashed inside the rails and off we went. The mate plied us with a filthy liquor for €2 and then got the ladder (!) ready for beaching. Meanwhile a crammed eight wheeled monster truck was espied coming over the sands. I still don’t know how they managed to get the day trippers off the rear of that truck via the ladder, above the breaking waves, squeezed them past us and the bikes, and then passed the bikes, panniers over the ladder and finally ourselves onto the truck. Job done though!
As for the rest, the campsite, amidst the dunes, was a disappointment - huge and institutional; we got down town just in time for the restaurant kitchens to close. But a friendly barman did offer to make us snacks. I chose meatballs. When it arrived it was singular. It was seriously the best meatball in the world.