e.g. Scottish Home to North Shields Ferry Terminal - circa 165 miles / 5 hours riding
Notwithstanding the aforementioned comments about where riders might be starting from I have used our base in Glasgow for illustrative purposes in this days route.
Depart home are make your way to a meeting point.
The first for those setting off from the west of Scotland will be at Bothwell services. The next for those in the central belt is Peebles and for those starting in the east Newton St Boswells.
There isn’t much in Otterburn but the creperie makes a nice stopping point as does the café in the mill shop to help break the journey. There are also public toilets on the A696 just before you cross the Otter Burn if you just need a short break before continuing the journey.
Folks arriving from the south should make their own way to the docks or consider other crossings and grouping in the continent. The ferry departs at 17:00 and you must be there is advance so suggest you arrive no later than 16:00 but earlier is recommended. I plan to be there by 15:00.
The overnight ferry departs North Shields and arrives at 09:00 tomorrow morning in IJmuiden, Netherlands. Each rider or couple can have a private cabin and dinner and breakfast is included onboard.
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IJmuiden or Roterdam to Mons ~ 320km (200 miles) ~ 5 hours riding
Take the overnight ferry from Newcastle to Ijmuiden or Harwich or Hull to Rotterdam depending on which is closest to your UK home.
By the time you disembark and get on our way it will be probably about 11:00 and so we use major roads from Amsterdam or Rotterdam to Waterloo all progressing south from the Netherlands into Belgium taking the ring road around the eastern side of Brussels before stopping at the site of the battle of Waterloo (about 2 hours ride from the Rotterdam port and 3 hours from Ijmuiden).
There is a restaurant at the Waterloo site and a few others near the entrance that makes an ideal lunch stop. The climb up the lion’s mound, erected between1824 and 1826 by the Crown of the Netherlands, affords excellent views of how the battle field site was. Tickets to enter the visitor attraction are about €20 so if this does not appeal it might be best to grab a bite to eat and continue our journey. If you want to view then we need to allow about 3 hours and we would need to end the day close by.
I suggest we continue and circle to the east then south to Chateau de Beloeil a moated stately home of the Princes de Ligne in part dating from the 1500’s though much of what you see today dates from early 1900’s because it was rebuilt after a fire devastated the property. As with the Waterloo site you need to allow time to fully explore to building. Depending on individual interests you may want to stop. Some might be happy to simply see the exterior and continue the ride so another topic for discussion.
This brings us in the Wallonia region of Belgium at Mons. Without stops this could be as little as a 4 hour ride using Autostrade to make quicker progress. The route from Waterloo becomes more interesting and the following days will be use more challenging roads.
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Mons to Bouillon ~ 240km (150 miles) ~ 5 hours riding
From Mons we head east towards Charleroi then south to the Eau d’Heure Lakes and onwards to Chimay where we shall pass the Grand Prix circuit. Some might want to visit Chateau de Chimay the home of the Princes of Chimay for the past millennium. This is another ancient structure that was once destroyed by fire but rebuild just before WWII
We then head into Ardennes country where the road affords great views rising to about 420m where if interested we can stop at Hitlers secret bunker near Bruly-de-Pesche, as we crisscross the Belgium/French border before reaching Bouillon where a rather magnificent medieval castle is perched above the town.
Our hotel is situated on the riverbank and the castle can be reached by crossing the bridge over the Semoy and taking a short climb. The view from the top makes it all worthwhile.
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Bouillon to Saarbrucken ~ 285km (180 miles) ~ 6 hours riding
The journey begins with a twisty road through the Parc national de la Valle de la Semois a forest trail as we make our way east to into the Parc naturel Haute-Sure Foret d’Anlier and across the border into Luxemburg and onwards to the lac de la Haute-Sure. We stop near Lultzhausen for a stroll onto the floating bridge for those who want a snapshot of the lake. There is also a bistro that is open makes a nice coffee stop.
We leave Luxemburg and enter the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany. Here there are many great roads to ride so I know you will like the ones I have chosen that lead us to Bitburg where we stop for lunch.
We next turn south towards Stausee a German lake near the borders of Luxemburg and France and onwards to Saarbrucken where our hotel sits on the banks of the Saar river opposite the theatre.
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Saarbrücken to Sipplingen ~ 320km (200 miles) ~ 6 hours riding
We depart Saarbrücken in a south easterly direction along the L105 a rice curvy road with cycle path running along side crossing that brings us down to the French border France. About 40 minutes into our journey some might want to stop at the Parc Archeologique European at Bliesbruck-Reinheim. It is an exhibit of Celtic and Roman ruins including the tomb of a Celtic Princess that sits right on the German/French border before we press on through the Mouterhouse, Lemberg and Niederbronn Forests before reaching the pretty town of Haguenau. The down dates from the 12th century and grew around a hunting lodge where at one time the Crown Jewels of the Holy Roman Empire were stored for safety. The town has passed back and forth between German and French ownership and this is reflected in the architecture.
The route continues through the Black Forest National Park to Freudenstadt which sits on a high plateau. Renowned for its clean clean air makes the city a popular health resort and includes Rockefeller and mark Twain in past visitors who came to improve their health. This is where we break for lunch. There is a lovely town square with parking to one side and it is the site of Germanys largest Market Place.
We arrive in Freudenstadt on the L404 a great twisty road and leave on the L405 another great twisty road that shall bring us to Schenkenzell on the banks of the Kinzig river. Our route then follows the course of some of the river tributaries as we continue south to Dauchlingen where we take another rest break before ending the day at a hotel in Slipplingen overlooking Lake Uberlinger part of Bodensee.
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Sipplingen to Innsbruck ~290km (180 miles) ~ 5 hours riding
Heading easterly along the north shore of Bedensee we reach Lindau the western point along the Deutche Alpenstraße. After a short stop an Lindau we start to follow Germany’s oldest tourist trail, the Alpenstraße, as far as Füssen where we deviate south to Innsbruck. First though we pass through the market town of Scheidegg and onwards to Bad Hindelang, famed for its sulphur springs, where we break for lunch.
As our journey east continues we pass many of the lakes that dot the route including Grüntensee and Weißensee in the Pfronten area all before reaching Füssen where we stop for another refreshment break. The town features a gothic castle and is surrounded by parkland and farmland. The river Lech flows around the town and Forggensee sits just to the north.
This is where we leave Alpenstrasse to turn south and cross the border into Austria. Unless the weather takes a turn for the worst we shall the mountains on the Innsbrucker Strasse rather than the network of tunnels. The roads here are generally good with mountains and forest all around. We will however need to stop to buy a vignette just in case we deviate onto roads that require them.
The day ends at joining the Seefelder an alpine pass that brings us into Innsbruck, the capital of the Austrian Tyrol where our hotel sits on the bank on the Inn the river that flows through the city.
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Innsbruck Rest Day
A day to do as you please in and around Innsbruck, the capital of Tyrol since 1429 and the 5th largest city in Austria.
The city nestles in a valley with mountains rising well about 2000 meters all around that you might want to go and explore, or staying in the city there is The Goldenes Dachl (Golden Roof), close to the hotel. It is a landmark structure located in the Old Town (Altstadt) section of Innsbruck and is considered the city's most famous symbol. A short stroll would bring you to the Imperial palace and Ambras Castle amoung the interesting many other buildings. There are numerous shops and other places of interest.
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Innsbruck to Gozd Martuljek~ 340km (212miles) ~ 6 hours riding
Heading east from Innsbruck we find the Grossglockner, the highest mountain in Austria, where we turn south to cross the Grossglockner High Alpine Road, the highest surfaced mountain pass road in Austria. On this 47km road you will get outstanding views before heading east again towards Villach.
Villach is a picturesque town in the state of Carinthia in Austria overlooked by the 11th century, Landskron Castle. The town is located on the Drau River and attracts many tourists due to the gothic architecture, charm and the nature that surrounds the city. It is the second largest city in Carinthia impresses with its green landscape and varied lakes. In the area around Villach you will find the Faaker See, the Ossiacher See, the Silbersee and the Aichwaldsee. Also noteworthy is the commitment shown by the city of Villach. It was named "Alpine City of the Year" in 2014 for its efforts to protect the environment and renewable energies and was given the title of "European Reformation City" in the same year.
We pass through the city and cross the border into Slovenia to end this day at what will be our base for the next four nights a charming spa hotel at Gozd Martuljek. less that 10 miles from Villack Gozd Martuljek offers better value for money and is an excellent base for touring the days ahead.
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Gozd Martuljek circuit via Bled ~ 260km (160miles) ~ 6 hours riding
This route heads east from Gozd Martuljek to Mojstrana where we join the 907 that winds a little up the mountain before flowing through the Radovna valley and onwards to Lake Bled where we stop for photographs. I’m sure if you ask anyone to think of Slovenia the image that will come to mind is that little church out on the island on Lake Bled. Our route then continues to Lake Bohinj, Slovenia’s largest lake, where we take a coffee break.
The 909 and 403 are great twisty roads surrounded by tree lined mountains and brings us to where three rivers converge; the baca, Idrijca and Soca the latter of which we follow to Tolmin where we stop for lunch.
As we begin our return loop we pass the gateway to Mangart, Slovenia’s third highest mountain, and the highest road in the country. At the top we take a loop along the Italian border before descending again towards Bovec to rejoin the 206 along the Soca rover where we take another brief stop to view some waterfalls and a ruined fort.
Next we cross the Trenta and Vršič Pass where there are about 20 hairpin bends on the south side and a 22 on the north. Just off the roadside you will see a monument and later if you venture into the woods you can visit a small wooden Russian Chaple. Getting into the car park is very tight as we approach from the south so it this appeals give me plenty warning so I can ensure you negotiate the turn safely. Parts of this road are cobbled which can be slippery especially in the bends so added care is needed as we make our way back to the hotel.
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Gozd Martuljek North Circuit ~ 275km (170 miles) ~ 5 hours riding
This circuit north from Gozd Martuljek into Austria includes the Nockalmstrasse and continues to Hochrindl. This circuit opens up amazing scenery with high peaks all around.
We begin by crossing the border from Slovenia to Austria and making our way to the north shore of the Milstatter See then follow the course of the river heading north to Wetschenbach where we deviate to the east taking our first stop at a pension in Innerkrems.
Leaving Innerkrems we join the Nockalmstrasse (pictured right) then we follow to the course of the Gurk to Kleinglödnitz.
Turning south again we reach Feldkirchen in Kärnten then pass the Ossiacher See and Faaker See on our way back to the hotel.
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Gozd Martuljek circuit west ~ 280km (175miles) ~ 5 hours riding
There are numerous minor roads that lead up to villages in the maintains just south of Gozd Martuljek some are little more than gravel tracks and any rider up for a bit of added adventure may wish to consider exploring these. Those who prefer to stick with paved roads will head west today beginning by following the course of the Sava river and onwards to cross the border into Italy where at Pontebba we join the SP10 that takes us north to the Austrian border and past ski resorts as we descend towards Rattendorf where the road follows the Gail river as we progress further west to Kötschach-Mauthen where we stop for a refreshment break.
Changing direction again we now head south into the Plockenhaus, a popular hiking area, and onwards to the Plocken Pass which brings us back into Italy and a succession on hairpin bends as we climb the mountain and onwards to Paluzza and Tolmezzo. On reaching the Tagliamento river we alter course turning back to the north to Moggio where we break for lunch at either the restaurant here on one a little further on near Saps.
The twisty roads continue as we make our way back through Pontebba this time turning south towards Dogna the east to Chiusaforte. Here there is a waterfall and a little fortress near the road that is an interesting place but no ideal spot to stop. The road then leads us to a ghost town and next a Cafe by another waterfall that makes a good spot for afternoon refreshments.
The final leg takes us past Lago del Predil where some might want to rider over the pass to Slovenia and back again because the plan is to continue to Lago di Fusine before crossing back to Slovenia and completing our route.
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Gozd Martuljek to Innsbruck 320km (200miles) ~ 5.5 hours riding
We depart Gozd Murtuljek taking a nice twisty road over the Austrian border then head in a westerly direction to Kötschach-Mauthen, a part of the Gail Valley that was first settled around 200 BC. These days the town mainly processes lumber. There is a spot by the roadside that makes a good refreshment stop just opposite the war museum.
As we leave Kötschach-Mauthen we will be riding the B111, a narrow twisty road, that curves up the mountain. On one of the hairpin bends we cross a river, just to our right is an old watermill, it is not the easiest place to stop with a group of bikes but if we can it makes an interesting photographic stop. Some churches we pass later are also quite picturesque. A bit further on we leave Carinthia and enter Tyrol and after that we cross from Austria into Italy. This brings us to Lago di Valdaora and Rasen-Antholz where we stop for lunch.
Our train leaves later in the day so we have time to play and the Strada Furcia (SP43) that loops down to Marebbe offers just that. This single track twisty roads winds up and down the hills giving great views as we pass the ski resorts. The return leg affords an opportunity to pass through some tunnels though the Strada Piscia (SP56) can be fun and technically challenging if we do not venture quite as far as Marebbe. Either road will bring us back to the E66 about 10 miles from where we left it. Then we continue to Brenner where we take another short stop. We complete the journey crossing the Brenner pass to reach Innsbruck where we board the overnight train to Dusseldorf.
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Dusseldorf to Ijmuiden ~ 275km (170 miles) ~ 4 hours riding
As we disembark the train at Dusseldorf and make our way towards Amsterdam you will note the flat landscape is a dramatic contrast to what we left behind at Innsbruck. This of course makes is a little challenging to find the twisty roads that bikers love but there are a few curves if we follow the course of some of the rivers, We begin by heading west to Venlo where we take a short break then north to Blitterswijckseweg and onwards to Arnhem where we stop for lunch at the Music park.
The route continues west to the medieval old town centre of Amersfoort, voted Europe's city of the year 2023, where we shall stretch our legs with a walk around the old town then we continue towards Amsterdam where there might be an opportunity to visit the sights before heading to the port at Ijmuiden.
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e.g. North Shields to Glasgow ~ 190 miles ~ 5 hours riding
For those taking this ferry crossing, there is a Premier Inn about a mile from the port that has a large car park at the front and will be an ideal place to regroup if .
We leave the docks and head north east into the Kielder Forest Park stopping for morning coffee on the banks of the reservoir.
The route will continue westerly on narrow quiet backroads across moorland and soft rolling landscape through Newcastelton, Langholm, Lockerbie where we might break for lunch.
After lunch we progress westerly bypassing Dumfries going towards the Galloway Forest Park breaking for afternoon tea at Thornhill, then cross the Monnock Pass to Leadhills before joining the motorway to make our final miles home.
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