My wife Janet, and I (Robin) headed of to Europe for another cyclecamping tour this spring. Our last tour was documented in "European Tour 2017".
I hope to be able to post the full story of this year's trip in this thread, along with details of our kit and bikes.
European Tour 2019 – Year of the Headwinds!
Friday 3rd May – Day 0
Time for the off!
Bikes are sorted, kit checked and packed. We had ridden the bikes just once on a short shakedown ride to make sure they worked OK, but other than that had not been on a bike since last September – we will have to get fit as we go!
Everything loaded onto our little green Fiat Qubo, picked up younger daughter who was to drive the car home and off to Portmouth in plenty of time for the 20.15 ferry. Meal on board then off to our cabin for a good night's sleep.
Seabreeze, our Hedgehog mascot on the ferry waiting for the off.
Saturday 4th May – Day 1
St Malo to La Chapelle aux Filzmeens
The ferry docked at 8.15am, and we soon cycled round to the small ferry to cross to Dinard. Weather was cold, grey and very windy – a rough crossing!
At Dinard we soon found the V2 which here is an old railway track and headed south in the cold, rain and wind. We soon got down to Taden where we joined the canalside trail along the Rance. Through Dinan along the canal/river, stopped at Evran for food shopping, a supermarket up the hill, then on to La Chapelle to a very smart campsite a couple of kilometres from the canal. Cold, and some rain all the way, but the campsite had a bar where we could sit inside for a while.
58km.
Sunday 5th May – Day 2
La Chapelle aux Filzmeens to Rennes
Very cold night with a hard frost, but dawned sunny. We were slow away due lack of practice, and the very low temperatures, but we were away by 10.30 alonge canal path over the Channel/Atlantic watershed to Rennes. We found a nice campsite in parkland, and a bar by a lake where we had a beer in slightly warmer weather.
55km, Total 113km.
Seabreeze watching the rabbits play the pigeons at rugby next to the campsite.
Monday 6th May – Day 3
Rennes to Bourg du Comptes
Very cold with another hard frost, but clear skies. Up late again due to cold. As we will be on the road for much of the summer we really don't have anything in the way of cold weather gear, so these frosts are about the limit for the summer gear we have.
Away by 10.45, still cold and now cloudy. Followed roads back to the Ille canal, followed the towpath into Rennes, then the “Velo Express” route through town. Picked up the Vilaine towpath out of town, southwards on variable surfaces to Bourg du Comptes, a supermarket for food supplies, and a basic campsite. Weather finally brightening and a bit warmer.
40km, Total 153km
To be continued...….
I hope to be able to post the full story of this year's trip in this thread, along with details of our kit and bikes.
European Tour 2019 – Year of the Headwinds!
Friday 3rd May – Day 0
Time for the off!
Bikes are sorted, kit checked and packed. We had ridden the bikes just once on a short shakedown ride to make sure they worked OK, but other than that had not been on a bike since last September – we will have to get fit as we go!
Everything loaded onto our little green Fiat Qubo, picked up younger daughter who was to drive the car home and off to Portmouth in plenty of time for the 20.15 ferry. Meal on board then off to our cabin for a good night's sleep.
Seabreeze, our Hedgehog mascot on the ferry waiting for the off.
Saturday 4th May – Day 1
St Malo to La Chapelle aux Filzmeens
The ferry docked at 8.15am, and we soon cycled round to the small ferry to cross to Dinard. Weather was cold, grey and very windy – a rough crossing!
At Dinard we soon found the V2 which here is an old railway track and headed south in the cold, rain and wind. We soon got down to Taden where we joined the canalside trail along the Rance. Through Dinan along the canal/river, stopped at Evran for food shopping, a supermarket up the hill, then on to La Chapelle to a very smart campsite a couple of kilometres from the canal. Cold, and some rain all the way, but the campsite had a bar where we could sit inside for a while.
58km.
Sunday 5th May – Day 2
La Chapelle aux Filzmeens to Rennes
Very cold night with a hard frost, but dawned sunny. We were slow away due lack of practice, and the very low temperatures, but we were away by 10.30 alonge canal path over the Channel/Atlantic watershed to Rennes. We found a nice campsite in parkland, and a bar by a lake where we had a beer in slightly warmer weather.
55km, Total 113km.
Seabreeze watching the rabbits play the pigeons at rugby next to the campsite.
Monday 6th May – Day 3
Rennes to Bourg du Comptes
Very cold with another hard frost, but clear skies. Up late again due to cold. As we will be on the road for much of the summer we really don't have anything in the way of cold weather gear, so these frosts are about the limit for the summer gear we have.
Away by 10.45, still cold and now cloudy. Followed roads back to the Ille canal, followed the towpath into Rennes, then the “Velo Express” route through town. Picked up the Vilaine towpath out of town, southwards on variable surfaces to Bourg du Comptes, a supermarket for food supplies, and a basic campsite. Weather finally brightening and a bit warmer.
40km, Total 153km
To be continued...….