Cycle tour to Prague.

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I've got a months holiday over Easter next year and am planning to fit in a cycle tour from London to Prague. Are there any particular routes any of you would recommend? I'm also planning to wild camp as much as possible; do any of you have any experience/recommendations of wild camp places on the way to Prague?
 

Glow worm

Legendary Member
Location
Near Newmarket
I haven't done it myself but plan to some day- the way I'd go would be Harwich to Hook ferry, then the Rhine Cycle route from Rotterdam to S. Germany then onto the Danube Cycle route all the way to Prague (and beyond of course), Not sure if they link up but can't be that far.
 
Coincidence. I was just researching a quick Munich - Prague - Munich trip. There is an official route, all sign-posted etc (but German cycle routes can be on non-tarmaced roads - should be easy enough to find alternative roads though). There is a map here on the offical site (in German), scroll down a bit:
http://www.bayernbike.de/regionen/o...ger-land/fernradweg-muenchen-regensburg-prag/
I've ridden parts of it and it usually takes the scenic route and not the direct route.

Overview over long distance routes in Germany (EuroVelo4 might be a good option for you, Altmuehltal is also very nice):
http://www.radnetz-deutschland.de/en/radnetz-deutschland.html

This seems more comprehensive and covers Belgium as well as other cycle touring info:
http://www.radkompass.de/
Google Translate usually does a good job.

Maps of cycle routes here:
http://www.fahrrad-tour.de/odeutschindex.htm
Click on the map to zoom in

I'm pretty sure the Danube takes a sharp right turn into Austria and Hungary and doesn't go to Prague though, so that route might be a bit of a detour (I found it a bit boring as well) ;-)
 

snorri

Legendary Member
Another possibility would be to follow the LF1 from Hook of Holland towards Den Helder but veering inland at some point towards Middenmeer for Den Oever to cross the Afsluitdijk, and on to Groningen, into Germany at Bunde on to Leer, Varel and Nordenham for ferry across the Weser to Bremerhaven. On then to Wischhafn for ferry across the Elbe to Gluckstadt then join the Elbe Radweg. Alternatively, cross the Elbe from Finkenwerder to Hamburg and join the Elbe Radweg there and follow the Elbe Radweg to Prague. When I followed this route I used campsites and hostels all the way
Elbe Radweg Bikeline Guides http://www.stanfords.co.uk/Europe-Bikeline-MapGuides-of-Long-distance-Cycling-Routes_SI00000235
 
OK it's in Dutch but there is a really good route from the Dutch/German border to Prague described in this book. I've done it twice. The route leads you along river valleys (Rhine, Weser, Mainz etc.) so its easy on the knees. The route is fairly good signposted in Germany although you have to keep your eyes open. Its not as good posted in Czechia and, confession time, we took the train a couple of times. But the maps are understandable by all and theirs a GPS file you can by and download. Highly recommended. 1100 km from the border to Prague.

praag_cover.jpg
 

rich p

ridiculous old lush
Location
Brighton
Bear in mind that some people (:whistle:), find too much riverside cycling stultifyingly dull.
 
Location
Midlands
Midi for me is a transit route - atlantic to med - visa versa - Ive done it so many time - however- a few interesting towns on route if you take the time to stop and look - first time i did it i didn't and wasn't that impressed - but over the years the likes of Castelnaudary, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Valence de Agen et.al. have grown on me plus the aqueducts at Agen and Moissac never fail to impress me - a bit messy on the southern side of the watershed but the Voi de Herault is a nice ride - and not stopping to poke around Carcassonne is a sin - on a nice sunny day it can be just wicked to toddle along in the sunshine on the tree lined banks - if you have never done it its a good starter tour - 3 days you don't get to smell the roses much

As to rivers in general and in particular Northern Europe - The flat European Northern Plain is a desert compared to the Midi - the rivers are where the interesting towns are - its a matter of stopping and bothering to look - the view of a tourist who cycles not a cyclist who tours and I make no apologies for that - the number of times I've spoken to people at campsites and asked "what did you think of so and so?" - to be told "oh we didn't stop"
 
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OP
OP
Jefferson Meriwether
Location
Worthing
Sounds like a grand ride, if you undertake it please write it up, with plenty of photos....

I'll definitely do a write up with photo's. I certainly plan to undertake it; my wife & I are planning to start a family sooner rather than later & the Easter hols may be the last chance I have to do a cycle tour before the pitter-patter of tiny feet arrive.

Midi for me is a transit route - atlantic to med - visa versa - Ive done it so many time - however- a few interesting towns on route if you take the time to stop and look - first time i did it i didn't and wasn't that impressed - but over the years the likes of Castelnaudary, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Valence de Agen et.al. have grown on me plus the aqueducts at Agen and Moissac never fail to impress me - a bit messy on the southern side of the watershed but the Voi de Herault is a nice ride - and not stopping to poke around Carcassonne is a sin - on a nice sunny day it can be just wicked to toddle along in the sunshine on the tree lined banks - if you have never done it its a good starter tour - 3 days you don't get to smell the roses much

As to rivers in general and in particular Northern Europe - The flat European Northern Plain is a desert compared to the Midi - the rivers are where the interesting towns are - its a matter of stopping and bothering to look - the view of a tourist who cycles not a cyclist who tours and I make no apologies for that - the number of times I've spoken to people at campsites and asked "what did you think of so and so?" - to be told "oh we didn't stop"

I do fancy stopping at places along the way for a look around. I'm of the persuasion that cycle touring is all about enjoying the journey, not about getting to the destination as quickly as possible; I feel it would be wrong to cycle straight past beautiful places because I'm in a rush to get to Prague. Having said that, I also want to make sure I get to Prague to look round there too; I don't want to spend so much time looking round places on the way that I run out of time & have to cut the tour short in order to get back for work.
 

snorri

Legendary Member
Bear in mind that some people (:whistle:), find too much riverside cycling stultifyingly dull.
True,but some of us find scenery which does not include water and boats or ships stultifyingly dull. The variety of Elbe ferries alone made the Elbe trip interesting for me. I often crossed over on one ferry and returned on another a little upstream just in order to inspect more closely the workings of the vessels:smile:.
 
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