Has anybody used the European cycle route network?

[Charlotte Hayden]

Hello,

I'm new to all this forum stuff so very sorry if this has already been posted somewhere and I've missed it!

I've been doing some research in to touring through Europe and came across the European cycle route network and was wondering if anybody has used it? http://www.eurovelo.org/routes/
And also if they were interesting/good routes?

Thanks
Charlotte

 

[steveindenmark]

I think a lot of people on here have used these routes Charlotte. I was on the North Sea Cycle route in Denmark last week.

I just dont think the home site is very good.

Steve

 

[andym]

Hi Charlotte

It all depends which one - standards can vary a lot both between and within countries: some routes offer long stretches of traffic-free asphalt cycleway, while for others there may not even be a fully-agreed and mapped route.

They're all potentially interesting - which countries are you interested in?

The best-quality routes are probably the routes along the major rivers.

 

[Charlotte Hayden]

Thanks, that's all really good advise

Well a few options at the moment maybe the London to Rome route or combining a few routes and looking at some of these countries- Germany, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, switzerland and Norway.

Also I'm worried about safety being a woman and possibly being alone! In those countries did anybody have any problems?

 

[Brains]

I've cycled extensively in Denmark, Germany and Austria on their cycle networks, all of which leave the UK 'network' to shame.
As far as safety goes, as a lone woman you would be as safe in most areas of the countries you mention as you would be in similar areas of the UK.
Let me put it this way, the only place I've seen naked cycle riders (male and female, of all ages) is northern Germany and no one batted an eyelid, can you imagine that in England ? (They seem to go to the beach and take nothing but a towel to sit on and a bike to get there)

The German long distance cycle network is a joy, it all signposted, it is very well mapped (get the Esterbauer BikeLine books, mostly in German, some in English, but it's the maps you want, reading the text is optional)

If I were doing London to Rome my route would be Harwich/Hook ferry, follow the Rhine to the Main, then the Main/Danube canal, down the Danube (classic cycle route), up the River Inn route and the the classic Via Claudia roman road/cycle route to Venice. Basically no hills between London and Saltzburg. How to get from the top of Italy to the bottom, I'll leave to you, but it's a very bumpy country, you will have more hills in the 100 miles south of Venice than in the previous 1,000 miles across Europe, also if you are going to get hassle, then it will start in Italy, But you could always take the bike on the train down Italy.

 

[sparkyman]

I second the above comments, though for variety follow the Rhine to Switzerland and visit Basil and Zürich and the south Switz lakes and get the best scenery in Europe IMO

 

[BigonaBianchi]

I think riding alone is as safe or unsafe as travelling alone by any other means. I've met several lone lady riders on tours across Europe and the USA and none of them had had any bad experiences even when we spoke about the safety issue. I think as a lone lady cyclist you just need to be safety aware and you will be fine.

 

[hoopdriver]

The Danube Bicycle Path is brilliant

 

[Charlotte Hayden]

Thanks guys this has all settled my nerves and made me feel better about it!

 

[andym]

As far as the London to Roma route (EuroVelo 5) is concerned. This is based on the traditional Via Francigena. the Italian section is also called the Ciclovia dei Pellegrini (Pilgrims cycleway).

I don't know anything about the sections through France and Switzerland, but I've cycled quite a lot of the Italian part. The route has two variants: one (the Moncenisio variant) runs through Piemonte and Liguria, while the other crosses the Appenines further east. They join up on the coast north of Pisa, and then the route heads inland through Toscana and Lazio.

The Moncenisio section is primarily quiet road and is a very good route. I assume the main route through Piemonte is similar. Through Toscana and Lazio the route (so far as I can tell) follows the hiking trail where this is cyclable - taking advantage of the 'strade bianche' (unsurfaced roads), in the region. It would be a great experience if you are planning on travelling light and staying in pilgrims' hostels (with a credential). But bear in mind that of the route options available to you through that area, it's the one that involves the most climbing, and if you are travelling fully-loaded would be quite challenging. If you are cycle-camping it's not the most convenient option. I'm working on a route that follows the traditional route but makes use of the surfaced roads.

If you're interested in routes to Roma there's also the EV7 - the Italian section is called the Ciclopista del Sole (an ironic reference to the main Italian motorway the Autopista del Sole). This runs from the border with Austria via Bologna and Firenze. This will take you to Mantova (or Verona) almost entirely on traffic-free asphalt cycleways that are probably as good as anything you'll find anywhere. South of Mantova it mainly follows quiet roads. A lot of people branch off at Firenze and go via Siena before picking up the route at Siena.

A section of the EV7 is also used by the Via Claudia Augusta ( http://viaclaudia.org )

The EV7 links with the Drau Radweg which follows the river Drau in Austria, which in turn links (I *think*) with the Danube cycleway and I think it would be possible to do a circular tour using the two northern branches of the EV7 in Italy (one is goes from the Brenner Pass to Bozen (Bolzano) while the other is the PusterBike cycleway which connects Bozen with Toblach (Dobbiaco) and then Lienz in Austria.

I'm currently working on a series of articles on the routes to Roma for my website http://italy-cycling-guide.info . I'm aiming to publish these in the next few weeks. ll post again on this thread when I do (I'm assuming you are subscribed to this thread).

PS One of the many great things about cycling in Britain is that people generally keep their clothes on. Call me old-fashioned, cynical, or jaded, but IME this is usually A Good Thing.

The National Cycle Network is also an extremely valuable resource for touring cyclists and in planning a tour in the UK I would always start by looking at the NCN routes - even if I didn't follow them blindly.

 

[vernon]

I cycled EV6 from Nantes to Budapest taking in France, Switzerland, Germany, Slovakia and Hungary. I'm male and usually cycle solo. I've met quite a few female solo cyclists on the route and they seemed unworried about being by themselves.

The route is scenic for most of the way. There's plenty of places worth visiting and a never ending supply of folk wanting to talk to you when you stop for a break.

Have a look at the routes mapped out by the Bikeline books. I have the Elbe cycleroute ones and the Rhine Cyclepath ones. I've cycled from Prague to Magdeburg and one the whole it was a magnificent route though some parts close to the Elbe were still suffering from the April floods and the occasional diversion had to be taken.

 

[Blue Hills]

If you're interested in routes to Roma there's also the EV7 - the Italian section is called the Ciclopista del Sole (an ironic reference to the main Italian motorway the Autopista del Sole).

PS One of the many great things about cycling in Britain is that people generally keep their clothes on. Call me old-fashioned, cynical, or jaded, but IME this is usually A Good Thing.

Great post - I'll look out for those updates on this thread Andy.

I've always thought of that Italian highway as the autostrada del sole (is autopista an alternative in homage to the Spanish?) - a notorious building project taking many many years, subject to maintenance almost as soon as bits are opened and a major source of funds for various mafias - so the cycling route is very much recommended.

I'm intrigued by your homage to British clothed cycling - is naked cycling a problem in Italy? For you? - Italians generally in better shape than Brits in my experience though I did find a news web site in the south of Italy in a place I know well which appeared to be raging against red light running (fair enough) and also shirtless cyclists - in view of the heat I could understand it and I wasn't aware that even in Italy there was a law against it, apart from the bella figura edict.

Apologies if my post seems somewhat facetious/not technical routy enough.

 

[andym]

Every so often Spanish words pop up in my head instead of the Italian ones.

The remarks about people not getting their kit off were a tongue-in-cheek response to to Brains' comments about encountering naked cyclists in Germany and how this is something you would never see in England. Amen to that, and long may it continue to be the case.

 

[Charlotte Hayden]

So much choice, it's so hard to decided!
And the North Sea coast path does sound cool, how long did it take you and how many miles were you doing a day?

 

[snorri]

And the North Sea coast path does sound cool,

Do it Charlotte!
The section of the North Sea cycle route between Den Helder and Boulogne was my introduction to foreign cycle touring. Apart from just enjoying the experience, it was a good confidence builder, encouraging me to take on more adventurous routes in the following years.