Germany tour

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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Therealsouthstander
Posts: 267
Joined: 5 Oct 2012, 9:22pm

Germany tour

Post by Therealsouthstander »

I have the chance of a cheap flight to Germany next month so I'm looking into a 8 or 9 Day cycle/Camping trip..

My flight would be into Frankfurt but I can get the train anywhere to start the tour..

Can anyone recommend an area or route on quiet roads with campsites, preferably in the South for a chance of better weather?

Many thanks
Elizabeth_S
Posts: 254
Joined: 27 May 2013, 3:18pm
Location: somewhere

Re: Germany tour

Post by Elizabeth_S »

I'm very fond of the Schwabische Alb south of Stuttgart. It is an overlooked area, I've mainly walked there but there are lots of cycle routes and it is very popular with local cyclists. (It isn't a range of hills, alb is an upland meadow and there is an escarpment.) My colleague tells me that it has been in 32 C in Stuttgart already; she is a real sun lover
http://www.schwaebischealb.de/Aktiv/Rad ... -Radrouten
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foxyrider
Posts: 6044
Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 10:25am
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Re: Germany tour

Post by foxyrider »

Lucky sod!

You could ride straight from the airport as I did last year. You could explore the Pfalz Weinstrasse down to Karlsruhe then follow the Rhein north back to Frankfurt. Reasonable supply of camping and plenty to see/do - railway museums, castles, Roman remains, vineyards, spa towns, zoo's, Speyer technical museum, Worms - pretty easy riding, not a great deal of traffic and I had very pleasant weather last year - but we can never guarantee that eh?

or

Go east, follow the Main for a while, follow the Limes radweg up into the hills north of Frankfurt if you like more of a challenge, perhaps spend some time in the Westerwald.

but of course if you want to spend precious riding time hopping trains at no little expense, you can get trains from the airport although you might need to change for some more distant destinations, Basel and the Rhein across to Bodensee could be very pleasant (they've had storms even there this week), Stuttgart has been mentioned from there go east to Aalen, the Ries and Bavaria or south along the Neckar, perhaps making a loop via the Donau and up to Aalen and back. The camping in Stuttgart is 15 mins ride from the station and 5 mins from the Mercedes museum next to the Neckar.
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
Therealsouthstander
Posts: 267
Joined: 5 Oct 2012, 9:22pm

Re: Germany tour

Post by Therealsouthstander »

Yes lucky sod indeed :D

Right that's the flight booked so at least that's done.. Now for the planning...

I'm looking at the possibility of heading to Koblenz then down the Mosel area to Luxembourg City... From here I would like to follow the French/ German border to Basle before heading towards Stuttgart and Heidelberg and back to Frankfurt..


Not sure if this is a bit much but I'm comfortable cycling around 70 miles per day but if need be I could jump on a train for the less interesting areas...

Does anyone have any experience of this route ?
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foxyrider
Posts: 6044
Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 10:25am
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Re: Germany tour

Post by foxyrider »

Think you might be pushing things a bit in your time window - first and last days will limit you time wise to 6/7 days proper ride. Its 2 hours train from Koblenz to Trier but more like 3 days following the river by bike as it twists about a fair amount. I looked at doing the Mosel loop as part of last years trip and decided i couldn't do it justice in under a week.

My advice would be do the Mosel loop or do the Rhein/Basel bit otherwise you won't have time to enjoy the beer, scenery or the beer! :D
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
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