Just thinking about summer 2012 and where to go. Some of you have helped me before so you know this, but... We travel as a family of 4. Youngest is 9. My mother might come - she's nearly 70 and unfit. We all did Donaueschingen - Passau last summer which was great but (of course) dead easy. I think we are up for something a bit more challenging this time - but not by much as (truth be told) my 9 year old is a bit of a wuss, and my mother isn't getting younger. So it doesn't have to be dead flat (we can do a couple of days of moderate hills), but mostly dead flat is probably right!
I'm probably not as adventurous/free-and-easy as most on here, and I definitely don't want to set out without a proper path definitely planned. (I'd be fine with that if just me and my husband, but not with small children and an active-but-elderly-novice.) I was thoroughly spoiled by the Bikeline maps for the Danube route last summer, and would like more of the same for the next family trip. So....
I'm thinking that Holland down to Basel (Switzerland) would be good because:
(a) we can catch a ferry (easier with five people and five bikes - actually four bikes, since one's a tandem!);
(b) we have good family friends to stay with in Basel, so we can have a few days of gentle collapse at the end before heading back;
(c) I've found some detailed guides/maps;
(d) we like to camp unless the weather is dreadful, and I'm thinking that this is a reasonable region for camping.
So the plan is to get the ferry to Hoek van Holland, and then some specific questions...
1. I'm thinking that getting the train from Hoek van Holland to Eindhoven would help because it will cut a bit of length off (maybe 150Km or so), without requiring so many changes of train etc as to be a nightmare with all of our bikes/luggage. Would I be missing amazing natural beauty/sights worth seeing if we did this? Does it make sense?
2. The trains to do this are called (I think) 'Sprinter' and 'Intercity'. As far as I can tell, you can take your bikes on these with a ticket outside rush hour. Anyone know if this is correct? If there's no room on a single train, we can split into two groups and catch the next one, so we don't all have to fit at the same time.
3. The guide I'm thinking of getting has this route for Eindhoven to Maastricht. (Bottom right of picture.)
And it has this route for Maastricht to Basel:
Looks good to me - but what do I know?!! (Wish I could go right down to Rome, though... that would be GREAT!)
Any thoughts, O Wise Ones?
4. The guides themselves look good and detailed (although in Dutch):
http://www.cyclingeu...te/fotos/deel/1
I have a bit of German, which means I can decipher some basics, but not too much else.
I'd be really grateful for any thoughts/advice/suggestions.
I'm probably not as adventurous/free-and-easy as most on here, and I definitely don't want to set out without a proper path definitely planned. (I'd be fine with that if just me and my husband, but not with small children and an active-but-elderly-novice.) I was thoroughly spoiled by the Bikeline maps for the Danube route last summer, and would like more of the same for the next family trip. So....
I'm thinking that Holland down to Basel (Switzerland) would be good because:
(a) we can catch a ferry (easier with five people and five bikes - actually four bikes, since one's a tandem!);
(b) we have good family friends to stay with in Basel, so we can have a few days of gentle collapse at the end before heading back;
(c) I've found some detailed guides/maps;
(d) we like to camp unless the weather is dreadful, and I'm thinking that this is a reasonable region for camping.
So the plan is to get the ferry to Hoek van Holland, and then some specific questions...
1. I'm thinking that getting the train from Hoek van Holland to Eindhoven would help because it will cut a bit of length off (maybe 150Km or so), without requiring so many changes of train etc as to be a nightmare with all of our bikes/luggage. Would I be missing amazing natural beauty/sights worth seeing if we did this? Does it make sense?
2. The trains to do this are called (I think) 'Sprinter' and 'Intercity'. As far as I can tell, you can take your bikes on these with a ticket outside rush hour. Anyone know if this is correct? If there's no room on a single train, we can split into two groups and catch the next one, so we don't all have to fit at the same time.
3. The guide I'm thinking of getting has this route for Eindhoven to Maastricht. (Bottom right of picture.)
And it has this route for Maastricht to Basel:
Looks good to me - but what do I know?!! (Wish I could go right down to Rome, though... that would be GREAT!)
Any thoughts, O Wise Ones?
4. The guides themselves look good and detailed (although in Dutch):
http://www.cyclingeu...te/fotos/deel/1
I have a bit of German, which means I can decipher some basics, but not too much else.
I'd be really grateful for any thoughts/advice/suggestions.