advice wanted re:Danube - Passau to Vienna/wild camping

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
Post Reply
nerocircus
Posts: 2
Joined: 23 Nov 2015, 8:07pm

advice wanted re:Danube - Passau to Vienna/wild camping

Post by nerocircus »

Hi all
Just signed up - there appears to be a wealth of information on this board which I look forward to delving into, but to start me off I was hoping for a few pointers regarding a trip a friend and I hope to make next year.
We did a week last year round holland and loved it, and want a similar experience again. It was enough of a challenge for me that I could just make it without wanting to give up! I'm not the fittest, and I don't get out as much as I should, so the flat land was a godsend.

Anyway, looking to do a week next year again and we are considering taking the ferry from newcastle to amsterdam, and a train from there to passau, where we could cycle on to vienna. Have done some reading on this already, but would love some extra input on the following.

1. I'm right in thinking it's all pretty flat on this route?
2. We intend to wild camp for the most part, with hammocks (have recently discovered the joys of a hammock versus a tent, which we used last time). Are there ample spots en route where we could wild camp out of everyone's way, with enough tree-lined areas for scope for stringing hammocks?
3. I'm guessing any spots which are suitable, campfires would be a no-no?

I'm sure to have loads more questions, but these are the three main ones I have for now, so will ease in slowly being my first post...

Many thanks
Vorpal
Moderator
Posts: 20700
Joined: 19 Jan 2009, 3:34pm
Location: Not there ;)

Re: advice wanted re:Danube - Passau to Vienna/wild camping

Post by Vorpal »

There are previous threads about cycling down the Danube.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=97030 has some other threads linked.

If you do a forum search on 'Danube', I'm sure that you will find others.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
iviehoff
Posts: 2411
Joined: 20 Jan 2009, 4:38pm

Re: advice wanted re:Danube - Passau to Vienna/wild camping

Post by iviehoff »

I can't find a definitive statement as to whether wild camping is legal in Austria - one website suggests on the basis of nothing that it is "generally discouraged". It is certainly illegal in Germany, and Germany is the kind of country where random passers-by say "you can't do that" for sins as small as parking your car wonkily, and one feels they might even alert the authorities for something as terrible as wild-camping. Nevertheless cycle tourists do wild camp in Germany and mostly get away with it provided they are sufficiently stealthy about it, though a German I met told me he thought England was easier to wild camp. Al Humphreys only got busted by the police for wildcamping in Germany when he made the mistake of camping in an urban park - he was rudely awoken at 5am or something and hauled off to the station. Broadly speaking we can say that Austrians tend to be rather like the Germans, although a bit more relaxed. And there is much more space in Austria to be stealthy about wild camping. Though given the level of traffic on popular cycleways in that region of Europe, you might have to find a way of moving away from it to camp.
nerocircus
Posts: 2
Joined: 23 Nov 2015, 8:07pm

Re: advice wanted re:Danube - Passau to Vienna/wild camping

Post by nerocircus »

Thanks for the replies, and I will indeed look more thoroughly through the past topics. I had looked through a couple already but maybe just got a little too excited and posted before reading rest.
The level of traffic by the Danube was one thing I was concerned about re wild camping. I did see something on another site suggesting there were lots of suitable spots though but it didn't elaborate too much. Don't much fancy being hauled off to the station though haha, I'd certainly be careful about trying to find somewhere off the beaten track, just conscious I need somewhere with plenty trees too...
Again, thanks for the replies.
Vorpal
Moderator
Posts: 20700
Joined: 19 Jan 2009, 3:34pm
Location: Not there ;)

Re: advice wanted re:Danube - Passau to Vienna/wild camping

Post by Vorpal »

I don't know if it is strictly illegal to wild camp in Austria, but technically one must have permission to do so. Anyone can use uncultivated open lands and forest in Austria, but to cycle or camp, permission is required.

https://www.bmlfuw.gv.at/forst/wald-ges ... mwald.html

has relevant detail and links to the regulations.

I think people usually get away with it in areas where population is low. I'm not so sure I would try it along the Danube route, without going well off the track.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
iviehoff
Posts: 2411
Joined: 20 Jan 2009, 4:38pm

Re: advice wanted re:Danube - Passau to Vienna/wild camping

Post by iviehoff »

It's a long time ago now, but I remember once trying to follow an off-road cycle route in Austria and losing it. Taking a convenient ungated/unfenced track to travel the 500m or so back to the road we could see, we went close to a farmhouse, and from the way he waved his fists and chased after us, I guess the farmer wasn't too happy about us cycling along his track.
Barrenfluffit
Posts: 797
Joined: 20 Oct 2009, 5:31pm

Re: advice wanted re:Danube - Passau to Vienna/wild camping

Post by Barrenfluffit »

The route is generally level but its a big river in a valley. Where the valley is narrow you can end up climbing over bluffs etc. The path may follow the meanders while there is a more direct shortcut.

Also in a narrow valley things you need or want to see are likely to be uphill.

The books listed some free camping places in Germany; can't remember about Austria.
nirakaro
Posts: 1578
Joined: 22 Dec 2007, 2:01am

Re: advice wanted re:Danube - Passau to Vienna/wild camping

Post by nirakaro »

As well as campsites (kampingplatz?), in Germany you sometimes see a 'zeltplatz' (tent-place?). The one I used was basically a field where you could put a tent up free for one night, with a bar adjacent where you could use a tap and a toilet. Nice halfway house between campsite and wild camping. I think there's one at Passau, and one at Linz.
User avatar
bikes4two
Posts: 1306
Joined: 12 Jan 2010, 10:14pm
Location: SE Hampshire, UK

Re: advice wanted re:Danube - Passau to Vienna/wild camping

Post by bikes4two »

I'm wondering if the flow of migrants in and through the EU will make the authorities even more sensitive to wild campers?

I've just started a thread on this topic here - it will be interesting to see what others think.
Without my stoker, every trip would only be half a journey
Dudley Manlove
Posts: 249
Joined: 18 Jun 2009, 10:41am

Re: advice wanted re:Danube - Passau to Vienna/wild camping

Post by Dudley Manlove »

I don't know much about this section of the Danube, but as a general point cycling down rivers...fisherman often put up tents while they're out fishing at night, if they can get away with it I don't see why we can't with a bit of common sense. For all intents to anyone casting a casual glance you're probably there fishing too.
Post Reply