How Mieke turns a bike & boat trip into a week you’ll never forget

In our latest Boat Bike Tours podcast episode, host Ennie sits down with tour leader Mieke van der Werk to talk about something you can’t put in a brochure: atmosphere.
Not the route, not the ship and not even the food.

But that feeling when a group of strangers slowly becomes something like a little floating community. And when you listen to Mieke, you understand exactly why that happens.

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Mieke didn’t plan to become a tour leader. She was working as a chef on board a ship, preparing meals while watching the cycling groups head out every morning. “I was standing there with the potatoes,” she says, laughing. “Watching the tour guides put on their jackets and go cycling with the guests. And I thought: I want to do that.” So she picked up the phone. Called Boat Bike Tours. And not long after, she was guiding her first trip. That was six years ago. Now, she has decided to guide full-time this season. Not because she has to, but because she genuinely loves it. “Who gets paid for cycling around with wonderful people all week?” she says. “It’s just an amazing job.” And she means it.

The first evening: A simple question

The first day of a tour is always interesting. People arrive from different countries. Different backgrounds. Some talk easily. Some hold back. Mieke doesn’t force anything. She just creates a moment.
“I often do a small icebreaker,” she explains. “I ask everyone: Who are you? And what is your wish for this trip?” It’s simple. But it changes the energy in the room. People say things like: Good weather. Trying local wines. Making new friends. Switching off from daily life. On the last evening of the trip, they look at the list again. “And very often,” she says, “the wishes come true.

It’s not the Tour de France

Every group is different. There are always a few who want to cycle faster. And others who prefer to take their time. Mieke handles it the way you’d hope someone would.
“We divide the group,” she says. “A faster group and a relaxed group. Not a slow group. A relaxed group”, she insists. Because this isn’t about proving anything. It’s about experiencing something. “It’s not the Tour de France,” she says. “It’s a holiday.”

And once guests understand that, once they notice the castles on the Moselle, the endless skies above Friesland, the tiny villages that look like they belong in a fairy tale, most of them naturally slow down.
“You can just cycle and look,” she says. “But it’s more interesting to look and really see.” That’s her style.

She doesn’t overwhelm guests with dates and construction years. She talks about how people live. About farmland. About birds. About why cows wear sensors around their necks. She’ll stop on the side of the road just because something is worth noticing. And somehow, that makes the landscape feel personal.

What about the rain?

Some guests worry about the weather before they arrive. A whole week on a bike? What if it rains? Mieke shrugs gently. “We go cycling anyway.” Sometimes someone decides to stay on board when it’s drizzling in the morning. And when the group returns, wet maybe, but laughing, that person often says, “I wish I had gone.” Because it turns out: getting a little wet isn’t the problem. Missing the shared story is.

Evenings that feel like home

Back on board, there’s dinner. And if you listen to Mieke talk about the food, you can tell she’s still a chef at heart.
“The kitchens are tiny,” she says. “But what comes out of them is amazing. You’d be happy to get that in a restaurant.”
Guests often arrive with modest expectations about the meals. And then you see it: the raised eyebrows, the phone cameras coming out, the applause for the chef at the end of the week.

But what really lingers isn’t just the food. It’s the atmosphere after dinner. Maybe a short walk through town. Maybe a wine tasting. Maybe a quiz night. Or maybe just a drink together on deck while the sun goes down.
“If they want to join, they’re welcome,” Mieke says. “If they want to do their own thing, that’s fine too. It’s their holiday.” There’s no pressure. Just possibility.

The real secret

Spending weeks in a row with different groups might sound exhausting. But when asked how she recharges, Mieke smiles.
“I get energy from the people,” she says. “It’s not just giving. It’s taking as well.”
And maybe that’s the difference. She doesn’t perform. She doesn’t try too hard. She simply enjoys cycling through vineyards, standing in front of castles, watching guests discover something new. “If you enjoy your job,” she says, “it doesn’t feel like work.”

At one point in the conversation, she describes the experience of being on board like this: “You put your brain in the freezer. And you just enjoy.”

The biggest compliment

When asked about her favorite memory of the season, she doesn’t name one big dramatic moment. “There are just lots of nice things,” she says. “Every week brings something.” But the real highlight? “When guests ask: Can we book again when you are guiding?” That’s when she knows it mattered. And after listening to her, you understand why. Because when someone like Mieke is guiding your trip, you’re not just joining a tour. You’re joining a week that feels personal. Relaxed. Human. And maybe, by the end of it, a little bit like home.

Inspired to start your own adventure

To plan your own bike and boat adventure, call us at (203) 814-1249. You can also send an email to info@boatbiketours.com, if you prefer. Either way, we’ll be happy to help. And don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated on our latest tours and special offers. We’d love to welcome you on board!

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