UK to Prague via northern Germany

[JamieMM]

Hi,

I'm planning a ride from the UK to Czech Republic, starting with a ferry to the Hook of Holland, across northern Germany, most likely via Berlin and down into Prague. It's looking like it's going to be in the region of about 650 miles and I've got two weeks to get it done. Due to me carrying a bit of extra weight (panniers and beer belly) and the desire to stop for a day every so often when I fancy it, I'm not expecting to have time to ride the full route.

I'll probably catch a train for a portion of Germany to make up time and wondered whether anyone has any experience of regions across Germany that are less desirable/pleasant to ride that isn't the end of the world if I miss. I don't want to be spending days riding through grim or boring areas, only to find nearing the end of my trip, I've run out of time and have to potentially bypass some fantastic roads approaching Prague, just to catch a plane. The family will be visiting the in-laws in Prague so no problems with arriving early (just not too early!)

I'm not great with hills either, hence the reason for crossing Germany in the north rather than the south (maybe one for next time when I'm a bit fitter).

Looks like I'll be travelling through Hannover, Wolfesburg, possibly Madgeburg, Berlin and Dresden.

On the flip side of that, are there any places/towns etc that are really worth a visit and possible detour?

Thanks in advance

[iviehoff]

and wondered whether anyone has any experience of regions across Germany that are less desirable/pleasant to ride

Large parts of northern Germany are rolling fields with a lot of wind turbines, though with fairly frequent woods interspersed. The latitude of Hanover and Wolfsburg more or less represents the southern end of that less interesting terrain, so if you made your trajectory just a bit further south you'd find more interesting, hillier, terrain. Also it gets a bit more interesting once you cross into the former East.

The area around Dresden and adjacent parts of Czech are particularly interesting - the Saxon-Bohemian Switzerland they call it.

[Dudley Manlove]

I did something similar - went across the top to Hamburg, followed the Elbe cycle down thru Dresden, Prague, then over the hills to Vienna. I missed Berlin, but then you can't do it all.

I seeing some of the half-empty East German towns was an eye-opener. As Iviehoff says, the area just south of Dresden is worth visiting and stopping a day or two to explore on foot - the 'Saxon Alps' are not very high, maybe a few hundred metres, but some very strange rock formations and very pretty. I don't remember too much of the route south of that to Prague. Once south of Prague the route to Vienna is quite hilly, but I enjoyed that part of the country much more (if you choose to go further than Prague, you should be fit by then). It would be shame to miss Hamburg, but then I did the same with Berlin - the dockyards are really impressive, as is coming into town thru them by ferrry, which you will have to do. All big the big cities you probably want to spend 3-4 days off bike having a nose around to do them some justice, but everyone is different.

/edit - just looking at your time limit, I think Berlin + Prague may be too much of a stretch, at least if you're gonna spend any time in them. Even if you just buzz thru, capital cities tend to big a bugger getting in and out of (for example getting out of Prague - I only set off around mid-day but it took me all afternoon and I ended up in a campsite on the outskirts after only doing 25miles).

[foxyrider]

Forget Berlin its too far off route unless you use the train from say Hannover then down to Leipzig or Dresden.

I would take a more direct approach across Holland to Duisburg then go along the Ruhr (a nice cycle route taking you up into the central German hills), maybe go via Kassel then through Thuringen to Saxony and on into Czech. An alternative might be to follow the Rhein then Main to Bamberg, drop down to to Nurnburg/Regensburg via the Main/Donau canal and cross more directly to Prague.

The former has some climbing but nothing too strenuous, the latter is almost entirely riverside with plenty of accomodation options as well as railways if you start feeling the strain!

[Ron]

The Elbe Radweg is a cycle route that follows the Elbe from Cuxhaven to Prague, the route is signed throughout and Bikeline produces a two part guide, it is a popular route and other guides are available. The route follows the river so few hills to climb.

[foxyrider]

The Elbe Radweg is a cycle route that follows the Elbe from Cuxhaven to Prague, the route is signed throughout and Bikeline produces a two part guide, it is a popular route and other guides are available. The route follows the river so few hills to climb.

And very good the guide is too, but its a long way from Hook of Holland to Cuxhaven! - i'm doing that next year and have 10 days allocated, i think its too long a route for the OP's time, the Elbe doesn't have much rail following it either so rail usage often means lengthy diversions.

Unless i've got more time i'd advise missing 'northern' Germany out and spend a more relaxing ride going much more directly on a more southerly route, leave the north for another trip.

[b1ke]

We took a tandem round Europe a few years ago. Started from Dieppe and went north through Belgium and Holland, then into Germany north of the Ruhrgebiet. Crossed northern Germany to Berlin and then headed down to Prague and onwards.

As I recall northern Germany was pretty pedestrian, although the old East, as others have mentioned, is more interesting. A more relaxed feel than some of the West.

Heading out of Berlin, we opted for Poland. After a day of truck dodging on very poor roads we went back to Germany and headed to Liberec in northern Czech.

Czech Republic was good. Avoiding main roads is sensible. Countryside is pleasant, lots of cheap camping and cheap food.

On a two week schedule, I'd be looking at pedalling Holland just for those easy red cycle lanes. Maastricht is pleasant and if you can somehow work Amsterdam into your schedule, it's worth spending a day pedalling round the city as part of the bicycle army.

I'd get a train from just inside the German border to where the old East starts and pedal to Berlin.

Berlin is excellent although you probably already know that. I'd be inclined to stay in the Kreuzberg or Friedrichshain district for a couple of days, but then I'm a bit of a hippy. If you carry an Ipad, you might prefer Mitte. Then pedal the rest of the way to Prague.

Just to say that Germany had cycle lanes all the way to Berlin and beyond so safe riding. If you want easy riding, then you'll definitely get that. Czech is hillier, but consequently has better views.

No idea about the other German towns mentioned although I've heard Dresden is very nice.

There's a map of our route on the Europe tour of my signature.

[groberts]

As a matter of interest, what maps do you use when in Holland and Germany, that is without taking too many? I find the 150,000 Michelin in France quite acceptable, is there an equivalent?

[foxyrider]

The ADFC (German version of CTC) maps are very good giving enough info to be useful without going to too many sheets. I also use the bigger scale motoring maps you can find in bookshops/service stations often in double sided sheets for not much money. Of course if you decide to follow the rivers the Bikeline guides, although only in German are very good - the Main for example is in one book costing @ £10 and includes hints on bike shops, restaurants and accomodation besides step by step instructions and very clear mapping.

[Ron]

Bikeline guides, although only in German are very good

The Elbe guide is available in English, also some others.

http://www.esterbauer.co.uk/db_rtb_allg ... eihe_id=RB

[Ron]

As a matter of interest, what maps do you use when in Holland

Good cycling maps can be purchased from ANWB shops in the Netherlands.
There is no UK equivalent to the ANWB, a sort of cross between Tourist Information and AA/RAC

[Anne Sels]

Hi - I live in Germany and cycled a couple times through the Netherlands without using a map even because they have their numbered 'Fietspunktroute' maps everywhere. The system is getting a little dated though and I have ridden by some markers so tend to print out a map and write down the villages I'll pass through so if I lose the actual fietspunktroute I can always follow the normal city/km white and green/red signs. The old LF mushroom routes are more direct and not always included on the fietspunktroutes - these are designed to keep cyclists off the busier streets and offer more scenic options so I sort of mix and match (cutting through villages instead of going around them).
Germany has paths but they are just now starting to convert some to the fietspunktroute numbered systems. Unfortunately the routes in Germany are provincial and not uniform...it may be a good idea to see if you can find an existing route name (checking the national cyclist forum adfc is a good place to start) and print out that route name or logo...often route logo stickers or addition signs are added to the already bike routes (the white/green city/km signs). If you enter relatively north and want to stay up there, there is a well known river route called Roemer Lippe. It starts at the roman city of Xanten near the dutch border (there is a youth hostel here and a excellent roman archeological park/museum/colosseum)..it's almost directly eastwards along the river Lippe towards Paderborn, after that there are a couple mountain ranges, but nothing like the Alps. I haven't done that route but visited a cycle travel show and it looked interesting. You could also go south down the Rhine and pick up the Paneuropa route I think either in Mannheim or two days down from Kehl/Strasbourg...hmmm, I'd actually recommend staying at the campground in Mainz Kastel and heading eastwards away from the Rhine towards Darmstadt where you can pick up the Bergstrasse route to Heidelberg - from there follow the Neckar River Valley eastbound, this is part of the Paneuropa route (Paris-Prague). I also have a wonky knee so avoid hills, there are some but they aren't too tough. I wrote about some recent tours in NL, the Rhine and Bergstrasse on my blog which I'll link up here, with the campgrounds I stayed at, etc. It is a bit industrial in the Ruhr area but the middle Rhine picks up after Bonn it's a very scenic ride, especially between Koblenz and Bingen. So here are a couple sites I use and can reccommend:

http://en.camping.info/campsites
This is a great camping site...I like the map search function. You will get some photos and reviews and best of all a link to the campsite website if they have one. This past year I relied on my printed maps for campsites because it was a couple days into my journey so I hadn't a realistic idea of where I'd end up...one day 2/3 of the campgrounds we checked had been closed for several years .

http://www.fietseropuit.nl
This is in dutch but easy to figure out...it's a planning tool using their fietspunktroute

http://suburbiadeutschland.blogspot.de/ ... cycle.html
Shameless...my blog - it's not that great, done via ipad and simply challenged with all that anyways - but I try to give an honest account and like to share quirky things and travel tips...this one was my first cycle camping tour in NL but I cycle there regularly on day trips. I did the Bergstrasse just last month and wrote about that as well.

Also - if you don't mind investing in route maps, publicpress.de has a series of maps of existing German routes without all the blah blah like the booklet ones...might just check here to see what routes could be possible options for your tour...

Hope this novella provides some help.

[groberts]

Some great information Anne + you've touched on my next question: what is camping like in Holland and Germany + sources of information?

I am planing to cycle from either the Hook of Holland or Amsterdam to Berlin - any natural / good routes I should consider?

[foxyrider]

Also - if you don't mind investing in route maps, publicpress.de has a series of maps of existing German routes without all the blah blah like the booklet ones...might just check here to see what routes could be possible options for your tour...

The only problem with the PP route booklets is the lack of detail on the maps - i've got several and providing you don't need to move off the route they are fine but any deviation can leave you without a clue!

[Anne Sels]

Hi Groberts...

Well I quite like camping in NL - they all speak fluent English and love cycling so have often been approached by friendly dutch people inquirying about my tour, had offerings of hot tea and once during a storm my dutch neighbor told me she had to peek out her camper window a couple times to make sure I was ok in my little tent...very friendly people and they are easy to engage conversations with and often share tips. I try to find campgrounds with good ratings, they often have a 'green camper' discount for cyclists (not using a motor vehicle I guess). The only time I felt insecure was when I chose to stay at a vacation park place, the sort with permanent camper homes. You can read more about my experiences in my blog which I had linked, I try to give honest reviews. I am not sure but think that wild camping is illegal in both countries.

Germany can be a little more challenging with language and have lesser wifi hookups, but some owners really take pride in their campsites and keep them very tidy. Since stumbling across the campsite search site (linked in my last post here) I really just use that, check reviews, sometimes click onto their links or check their rating with tripadvisor. Note that camping is very popular in both countries, generally there is 'always a spot for small tents and cyclist" but if you are travelling during a four day bank holiday on a sunny weekend you may not be so lucky (bank holidays are generally the church holidays such as Pentacost). Oh - if you didn't know already...FKK is the abbreviation for the German term for nudist colonies, they do have quite a few of those actually, so when planning you might just want to keep that in mind if searching about.
I do agree with Foxyrider, using prepared route maps can be frustrating because of limitations, the pp maps are just really a good price without the extra tour book bits they are available at most bike and book shops as well...the adfc maps are better but you may need to get these ahead of time. I like the security of having a printed map with me as my devices always seem to have moods when I travel. I will go to http://www.bikemap.net/en/?tab=top#/z15 ... 51/terrain and search using typing in the a and b cities in my tour (or section thereof) and print out a map. Because people can post freely here it has become a hot mess, not sure how to filter this site best...but use the a/b search over racing and MTB routes. I'm sure there are better online sources but every once in a while I will cross a route someone posted here that seems useful for my needs. Basically what I do is print it out in half or quarter sheet size, additionally I write down the cities I will pass through and ignore the printed route and just follow the bike path signs from city to city (in both countries they are white with cities/km in green, sometimes red).

More and more themed/named routes are being put together by communities and tourist boards, they often just add their route sign or sticker to the existing city/km signs. Paths in NL are generally seperate from car traffic, they do allow scooters on their paths so you need to take care, also the shared stretches can be a bit frightening because the dutch motorists do not swerve or slow for cyclists...I guess everyone is so used to the tighter situations and stay very steadfast in their paths. The German routes are a combinations of bike paths and agricultural paths, often in/near cities they are shared with pedestrians, but give a little ring and they will allow you to pass. Most are paced, sometimes you will have a stretch along a well packed gravel path.

If you prefer to have a proper route ahead of time...you can pick up the EuroVelo15 (Rhine Route) in Rotterdam ... then at Xanten/Wesel switch to the Lippe Römerroute (search the net for their logo, the route interchanges between the Lippe river and Wesel canal) to Paderborn...from there I would use a map from bikemap.net - looks like they list a couple ca. 500 km from Paderborn, flattish. The Ruhr (river/canal) route is just a bit south of the Lippe, the two run almost parallel so both could be good ways to work yourself eastwards, depending on where you enter Germany.

Here is a dutch site with a English translation offering advice about their Cycling paths and both the LF routes (long distance) and Fietspunktroutes (junction system)...they even have a LF route planner. http://www.nederlandfietsland.nl/en