Thinking of home to Zagreb

[Dave Davenport]

I've just started planning our summer tour and at the moment have this in mind;
Portsmouth to Caen ferry
Due east ('ish) to Strasbourg
Southern Germany
Over the Austrian alps
Through Slovenia
Into Croatia and fly home from Zagreb
Once we're out of France it will all be new to us but looking at the interweb, there seem to be plenty of camp sites. Any thoughts, advice, suggestions appreciated, especially for routes through the mountains.

 

[Polite]

Wow! How long are you planning to do this trip in?

 

[vernon]

I didn't find too many campsites along the Danube in Croatia so I wild camped on several nights. Beware of minefields in Croatia.

 

[oldjontrev]

Keep away from the Islams

 

[Dave Davenport]

Wow! How long are you planning to do this trip in?

About four weeks, should be around 1200 miles.

 

[Dave Davenport]

Keep away from the Islams

?????

 

[Glow worm]

?????

Quite. I hadn't realised the BNP had entered the travel advice business !

 

[jay clock]

Dave, as usual a look at CGOAB may help. Sounds like a nice ride. One option that slightly reduces the bike bag/box return flight issue is to fly out and cycle bag. Allows easier packing going out ( cardboard box in place of plastic bag)

Enjoy the planning and the journey!

 

[jay clock]

Just read your report from Barcelona to Santander, and can echo the comments about the Logrono loo block! And there was a sign there that said

 

[Dave Davenport]

Dave, as usual a look at CGOAB may help. Sounds like a nice ride. One option that slightly reduces the bike bag/box return flight issue is to fly out and cycle bag. Allows easier packing going out ( cardboard box in place of plastic bag)

Enjoy the planning and the journey!

Trying to avoid cycling into the (usually) prevailing westerly across northern France. We'll be flying BA so will just take a couple of CTC plastic bags with us, it's what we've used in the past anyway.

 

[Blue Hills]

I didn't find too many campsites along the Danube in Croatia so I wild camped on several nights. Beware of minefields in Croatia.

yes i've heard about the minefield problem. Also maybe in one of the adjacent countries. Do you have any hot tips for avoiding something more than a bump in the night?

 

[Dave Davenport]

It's only about 20 miles from the Slovenian border to Zagreb and I've only heard good things about Slovenia so we shouldn't need to worry about mine fields.

 

[smith4188]

Once in Zagreb check out the Museum of Broken Relationships. It's lovely.

 

[Brains]

How about:

Home to Harwich
Hook of Holland to the Rhine
Into Germany
Follow the Rhine upstream to Frankfurt,
Follow the river Main to the Donnanau Canal
Into Austria
Follow the Danube downstream as far as Vienna
Turn south and with a bit of careful advance planning you can get to Zagreb without too many hills in the way
(Clue: Follow the rivers and rail lines!)

Basically flat all the way!
You would also have campsites, B&B's etc all the way
And between Hook of Holland and Vienna you are on dedicated cycle path nearly all the way
Get the 'BikeLine' books for the best maps and route descriptions

 

[robjh]

yes i've heard about the minefield problem. Also maybe in one of the adjacent countries. Do you have any hot tips for avoiding something more than a bump in the night?

Stick to the roads or to well-trodden paths in areas where mines are signposted. It's as simple as that. In Croatia, any areas with potential undiscovered mines are clearly marked with scary red signs.

But if you're only going as far as Zagreb you needn't worry anyway, the conflict areas were on the eastern side of Croatia near the borders with Serbia and Bosnia.