Summer's coming ... what can I do?

[Lone Rider]

Hi everybody,

I'm at a loose end - I don't know where to go in the summer holidays. Nothing too strenuous, or adventurous, Europe is fine... Who has an interesting suggestion for a cycling holiday. About two weeks. Not too many hills.

 

[mickle]

Scotland? Scotland is wicked.

 

[Lone Rider]

isn't wicked a synonym of nasty?

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

My vote is to ride along the German rivers (because that is what I am doing). They are flat (ish), scenic and well signposted..there is good beer and good campsite facilities I am told.

Wesser, Fulda, Eder, Main, Donou, Rhine...take your pick...I am going to try and do all of them

 

[rich p]

I can recommend the river paths in Luxembourg (Sauer, I think), and Germany (Rhine, Neckar, Mosel). Scenic flattish and friendly natives.

 

[Lone Rider]

I went to Germany two years ago and bought a second-hand bike (to avoid plane problems) for 50€. I cycled along the Mossel and part of the Rhine rivers and had a great time. I certainly recommend the German rivers for a relaxing holiday.

 

[mickle]

I meant wikkid, as in 'well wikkid'. Innit.

 

[HJ]

Scotland? Scotland is wicked.

Ditto


Failing that start in Innsbruck and follow the Inn to where it meets the Danube in Passau, down hill all the way. If that is not adventurous enough try starting in St. Moritz there is a bigger drop getting to Innsbruck. Scenery is fantastic, locals are welcoming and passes through cycle friendly countries, what more do you want?

 

[vernon]

Hi everybody,

I'm at a loose end - I don't know where to go in the summer holidays. Nothing too strenuous, or adventurous, Europe is fine... Who has an interesting suggestion for a cycling holiday. About two weeks. Not too many hills.

Channel to Med - Calas to Montpellier at 100km/litre of wine should do the trick. It did the trick for me last year.

 

[maurice]

Channel to Med - Calas to Montpellier at 100km/litre of wine should do the trick. It did the trick for me last year.

Do you have a blog or anything on that trip vernon? Doing pretty much the same with a Calais to Nice run in June.

 

[Lone Rider]

I did North Sea to Med last year - from Amsterdam to Milan. I followed the Rhine to Switzerland, took a train through the Alps, then continued in Italy. Cycling in Holland and Germany was 99% on cycle paths beside rivers which meant stressless kilometers of pleasure. Italy was different and I gave up near Milan to take a train for the last stretch. The whole journey was about 1,300 kms in two weeks.
Vernon, don't you find that wine drains your energy while cycling?

 

[tredder]

at the end of the month I am going on a short tour of the Netherlands, to avoid the Airport agony, I picked up a cheap crossing on the ferry...

http://www.stenaline.co.uk/ferry/rail-and-sail/holland/

They sella rail & ferry deal which gets me from my home town through to Amsterdam.....

 

[Lone Rider]

Failing that start in Innsbruck and follow the Inn to where it meets the Danube in Passau, down hill all the way.

This looks interesting - 320 kms and downhill all the way.

Where did you get the graph? It certainly makes it easier to choose a route when you can get an idea of the terrain that you are going to find.

 

[vernon]

Do you have a blog or anything on that trip vernon? Doing pretty much the same with a Calais to Nice run in June.

I didn't keep a blog but the route I used was based on a CTC route to St Tropez from Calais. I used the route as far as Orange before branching off for the Carmargue.

TOWN
CALAIS
Wissant
Marquise
Desyres
Beussent
Montreuil
Abbeville
Yzeux
Amiens
Roye
Noyon
Blerancourt
Soissons
Chateau-Thierry
Montmirail
Sezanne
Mesgrigny
Troyes
Verrieres
Ville Noyenne
Merry-s-Arce
Chatillon-s-Saône
Dijon
Beaune
Chaion-s-saône
Cuisery
Pont-de-Vaux
Pont-de-Veyle
Trevoux
Lyon
Pierre Benite
Grigny
Givors
Vienne (West Bank)
Tournon
Valence
Le Teil
Viviers
Pierrelatte
Orange
Borges
Caumont-s-Durance
Senas
Aix-en-Provence
St Maximin
Brignoles
Le Cannet des Maures

Alternatives:-

1) La Garde Freinet
Grimaud
ST TROPEZ

2) Le Muy
St Maxime
ST TROPEZ

3) Le Muy
St Aygulf
ST TROPEZ

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I know this sounds a bit daft, and not at all adventurous, but why not start from your own front door (depending where you live) and discover new places in your area? I went off for a week last year around an area of Shropshire I thought I knew really well and was amazed how much more there was to it.
Otherwise, why not have a themed tour? Me and a previous girlfriend did the Western Front, from the Somme to Ypres, on bikes a while ago. All we had to do was get the ferry to Calais and off we went.