It seems like forever ago already but I eased off mountain biking in May to focus on some longer road rides in preparation for touring from Berlin back to my hometown in Yorkshire.
For 11 days, two mates and I winged it as we headed west, meeting some amazing people along the way. We were put up by an old friend in Potsdam, some farmers in The Netherlands, we gatecrashed a motorbike festival night and even managed to blag camping on a football pitch at Münster with access to the clubhouse all night.
I’m still dreaming of how their bike lanes have better surfaces than our roads!
With two GoPros logging our journey, here are some edited highlights and there’s a longer edit of the full tour on my YouTube channel.
Has anybody got any suggestions for future tours? I’ve ridden from home to Paris via Belgium and done the Outer Hebrides already but keen for more adventures.
cracking that mate.
anyone who cycle tours knows that it is THE best way to enjoy bikes...... FACT
as for a tour to enjoy, the Lofoten islands is pretty special.
start in Tromso and plan any route south aiming to finish in Reine or A.
then ferry back to Bodo to fly home.
* waves*
I am looking at north sea to black sea via the Rhine and Danube.
If its more about the journey than the destination pick a country and plot an interesting route around it. Netherlands and low countries is great easy riding if a weird place. I love riding in France as well. Lots of green roads on old railways
Eurovelo routes are heavily used so you meet loads of other tourers if thats a priority.
Follow one of the pilgrimage like camino Santiago?
Looks like fun,been too long since I did a decent bit of touring.
That looks bloody epic!!
Great vid.
How about the Iron Curtain Trail, Eurovelo 13 though the northern bit could be "interesting" at the moment with the current state of Russia...
We rode from Basel to Amsterdam a few years ago mostly following the EV15 route. We did take a more direct route a couple of days as we only had 6 days of riding. The EV15 route was mostly well surfaced paths and quiet roads and although mostly flat was enjoyable.
We have booked a flight to Split, Croatia for April next year with a return flight 1 week later from Tirana, Albania.
St Malo to Nice is a great ride, a few holiday companies have organised rides and one can be 'inspired' by the routes outlines they have on their web sites.
This guy reckons Turkey. There's 9 other tantalising options here too, including the 'stans- somewhere that I would love to go to some time!!
Thanks for the comments on my video and for the inspiration for future trips. Looking forward to what happens next!
A few years ago I did Stranraer to Dunbar. Coast to coast. Train stations either end. A combination of back roads and a few off road bits of the Southern Upland Way. Suitable for either a tourer/gravel bike, or as I did a 26" hardtail with a rack and panniers.
200 miles over 4 days.
Stranraer - Kendoon Youth Hostel.
Kendoon to Moffat
Moffat to Melrose
Melrose to Dunbar.
Write up at https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=3jc&doc_id=2205&v=6t
Berlin to home is something I've thought about - I want to go to Berlin, and I lived for a year in Osnabruck so keen to revisit, and then experience cycling in Holland. Will watch the vid later, thanks for posting!
My youngest, pre uni bought a heap hipster fixie in Berlin, rode it to Copenhagen where he sold it. There's apparently a pretty well known flat route along canals and quiet tracks and roads? He had his cheap round Europe kit in a big rucksack, and kipped in bus shelters and beer gardens, exactly as a teenage lad on the loose should. Er that's it. Just he was never into riding bikes particularly (my fault no doubt), so I guess I'm saying how hard can it be?
Here we go, it's part of EuroVelo7 from the north of Norway to the Med. Hmm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin-Copenhagen_Cycle_Route
Super video that really enjoyed watching it... makes you feel like you are one of your mates and along for the ride with you!
Is there a story behind the Prostate Cancer UK top?
I'm an "interested party"!
My ongoing story
Thanks @Stanley I’m glad you enjoyed it. There’s a longer version of the full trip if you wanted more!
I entered a 24 hour ride at Silverstone a few years ago and I chose Prostate Cancer UK as a charity to raise money for. In the end, the event was sadly cancelled but because I’d already begun raising money I arranged to ride around Dalby Forest for 24 hours instead.
I’ve read through your blog @Stanley and have full respect for your approach to how you’re working through things. Sorry to hear how things are and I wish you all the best. Look after yourself 🙂
