RftCtC - Ride from the Coast to Cologne

[redfalo]

The ever-glorious Friday's ride to Paris made me think about further options for weekend rides on the Continent. From the Channel to Cologne could be a nice one.

Here's the outline: Get the train to Harwich on a Thursday evening (or, if you have the time, ride there on Thursday during the day), then catch the night ferry arriving Hoek of Holland 7.45 am on Friday morning.

Ride 83 miles to Eindhoven and spend the night there. Cycle another 83 miles to Cologne on Saturday. Climb the Cathedral (the 509 steps will be by far the hardest climb on the entire ride, apart from the ramp at Harwich ferry port) and then have a Kölsch or two, served by the rudest waiters on the planet.

As for the way back on Sunday, there are many options. Those of us with folders (or road bikes that can be bagged) could take the high speed train via Brussels. Leave Cologne 11.43am, arrive London St. Pancras 4.03pm. Cheap advance tickets start at 59 euros. Or take the Megabus, leaving 11am arriving Victoria 8pm.

Alternatively, one can train back to Hoek of Holland, leaving Cologne around 8am arriving in Hoek 13:02pm. The afternoon ferry leaves 2.30pm and arrives 8pm. Or take the plane, either Germanwings from Cologne/Bonn or BA/Lufthansa/Easyjet from Duesseldorf airport (one hour on the train).

Anyone interested? As for dates in 2014, either 18-20 July (the Welsh night ride apparently will happen on a different date) or the 19-21 September would work for me.

Olaf

 

[Andrew Br]

You grabbed my attention with Kölsch (not sure why that's pasted in 'kin huge and bold but there you go) 'cos Helen and I developed a taste for it when we were in Koln a few years ago.
As you would expect, our research was extensive and thorough ..........

We won't be available for a ride there this year but, in the future, maybe.

I suppose that it would be too grim (cold) to ride there for the Christmas markets ?

.

 

[mmmmartin]

I suppose that it would be too grim (cold) to ride there for the Christmas markets ?.

heading east in the winter? Isn't that what the corporal with the silly moustache did? And that short French bloke with the funny hat? I recall they found it a bit chilly. Even @dellzeqq might wear longs for that one.

 

[mmmmartin]

As for dates in 2014, either 18-20 July (the Welsh night ride apparently will happen on a different date) or the 19-21 September would work for me.

For the first I am riding across the top of France and for the second I am riding the Dutch north coast islands. However, all this palaver with boats, trains, planes, etc makes me look at acquiring a folder.

 

[redfalo]

I suppose that it would be too grim (cold) to ride there for the Christmas markets ?

.

Well, that's an interesting thought, to say the least. An upside might be that finding a date would be easier, because cycling calenders are not so cramped at that point of the year.

Cologne X-mas markets start on 24 Nov. http://www.cologne.de/events/christmas-markets

@Mice and I did the Schalke ride to Gelsenkirchen in early November 2012. It was alright, but we were lucky in terms of rain. It's a big gamble though. The odds of going through two character-building days are quite high.

 

[StuartG]

Yes I'm very interested but July is too soon after my late return from the Bordeaux Tour. September would be good. I'm not into weather in that part of the world but would there be less chance of it being very hot and maybe even less chance of rain?

 

[mistral]

Expressing an interest, July is OK and Sept would be too

 

[CharlieB]

Interested. It's high time I made a trip to ihre vaterland. Mind you, the mad Beatle fan in me would want to return via Hamburg.

 

[redfalo]

Unfortunately, the Bealtes Exhibition left Cologne in 1999 (and now is in Halle an der Saale). I'm afraid you have to put up with BAP in Cologne: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bap_(band)

It's about 300 miles from Hook of Holland to Hamburg, plus quite a pain to get back to the UK (unless you take a plane).

I think July might be a bit too soon for organising Cologne ride. Mid-September should still be alright in weather terms.

 

[CharlieB]

For the first I am riding across the top of France and for the second I am riding the Dutch north coast islands. However, all this palaver with boats, trains, planes, etc makes me look at acquiring a folder.

I thought you had that Airnimal?

 

[AKA Bob]

@redfalo I like the sound of this....

 

[redfalo]

@redfalo I like the sound of this....

Great! I just realised that the July date clashes with your Brompton ride from Reading to Richmond, which is another argument in favour of 19-21 September.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I'm interested in the September option on a folding bike.

I've had a Kölsch or two in Cologne in my time. I was baffled when served a Stößche. Then, elsewhere, it took me a long time to figure out the beer mat thing.

 

[redfalo]

Another trap to avoid in Cologne is thinking a "Halver Hahn" has anything to do with chicken.

 

[wanda2010]

Expressing an interest subject to any annual leave left and colleagues booking hols/absences during that time.