European Holiday 2021 suggestions ( flattish terrain )

[Danny_Nicol]

Hi all

im new to the forum So hi im from Hull (UK)

im just seeing if anyone has any good ideas on road cycling holidays in Europe 2021 ?

I've been cycling on my road bike since just after the start of lock down and been getting in steady 50 mile rides

I'm looking at poss doing a nice bike somewhere in Europe next year maybe 5 days or some thing can anyone recommend anywhere ?
I'd prefer flat as im not a great hill climber.

Any websites that i can book through etc pay monthly options would be great.

Many thanks

[Psamathe]

Depending on what you are looking for I'd say no need to "Any websites that i can book through etc pay monthly options". My EU tours I've just booked a ferry ticket (normally day before) and gone, camping, just turn up at camp sites and stay.

I can only comment on camping tours, but e.g. Netherlands. Depending on where you live, ferry Harwich to Hoek then lots of nice flat countryside on cycle lanes, loads of excellent campsites, etc. Cheap, no booking, flexible. Self-cater or restaurants.

Ian

[Jdsk]

Welcome.

Are you looking for supported holidays or cycle touring where you organise everything?

Camping or not?

Have a look at EV15 : the Rhine from the source in the Alps to Rotterdam. Very flat from Basel to Rotterdam and a lot is traffic free.
https://en.eurovelo.com/ev15
https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=142347&p=1550839&hilit=ev15#p1550839

And "suggestions for a long, safe route pls":
https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=142347&p=1550839

See discussion on passport dates, visas, health insurance etc after 1/1/2021:
https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=142391

Have fun.

Jonathan

[PitPony]

You’re in Hull, so overnight ferry from Hull to Europort in Netherlands.
Then the world is your oyster. Netherlands is very cycle friendly and flat (but watch out for the wind). Ideal for a first short continental tour.

[foxyrider]

You’re in Hull, so overnight ferry from Hull to Europort in Netherlands.
Then the world is your oyster. Netherlands is very cycle friendly and flat (but watch out for the wind). Ideal for a first short continental tour.

and of course you have options to go further into say Germany or Belgium without meeting much vertical resistance. But be warned, after one tour along the Dutch / German coast i struggled to ride up the ramp back onto the ferry which was far steeper / higher than anything i'd ridden in 3 weeks!

[Mr.Benton]

I have taken the ferry from Hull to Europort and then toured the Netherlands a couple of times with the family. In 5 days there are plenty of options.
There are plenty of books, maps and guides on line for destinations. There are options to visit windmills, cities, beaches, old towns just choose the ones that appeal and join them up to form a route of the required distance.
The first time we went I used this book for planning https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cycling-Nether ... 1900623196 but it wasn't necessary to use it for navigation as the cycle paths are well signed.
There are options for camping, hotels and hostels.

Overall I think the Netherlands is a good place for your first tour, especially as you are next to the ferry terminal.
I have also seen adverts for holidays based on a canal barge offering cycle rides during the day but I have never been on one so can't comment.

[simonhill]

You probably know, but we don't - the biggest question is what accommodation. If hotel/B&B, etc then you travel lighter. If camping, you will be heavily loaded. You need at least a rear rack, panniers and reasonably lightweight camping equipment.

So you see, lots of options already.

As you are in Hull, then the ferry to Netherlands is a good idea. You could also considered flying. With a budget airline you could get a return to The South of Europe for under £200. Also you could fly out and cycle back, In the last 2 years I've flown to Basel and Bordeaux and cycled back.

More options.

Not so convenient unless you fancy a bit of a drive first, but Normandy and Brittany is a favourite with tourers. Ferries from Portsmouth.

Google maps have a "terrain" option which show how hilly an area is.

[jacobean]

May I suggest the Czech Republic.

Lovely wide and mostly flat back roads .

You could start off in Prague and head south to Bohemia.

I did this a few years ago and it ended up being a very relaxing holiday.

(You can easily take a train out of Prague if you want to avoid the extensive cobblestones in the suburbs)

[atlas_shrugged]

Danube Cycle Way (DonauRadWeg)

Passau to Vienna and beyond. Absolutely charming.

[Jdsk]

We rode from Passau nearly to Vienna a few years ago. 2 tourers and 2 recumbent trikes. Hotels and B&Bs.

Flat and overwhelmingly traffic free. Interesting Baroque towns and buildings. Good food. Made the mistake of visiting Mauthausen. Very little wildlife as the river is so controlled in concrete banks and there aren't many marshes or pools or backwaters.

Great for getting E quickly, and good rail connections.

Jonathan

[st599_uk]

Hi all

im new to the forum So hi im from Hull (UK)

im just seeing if anyone has any good ideas on road cycling holidays in Europe 2021 ?

I've been cycling on my road bike since just after the start of lock down and been getting in steady 50 mile rides

I'm looking at poss doing a nice bike somewhere in Europe next year maybe 5 days or some thing can anyone recommend anywhere ?
I'd prefer flat as im not a great hill climber.

Any websites that i can book through etc pay monthly options would be great.

Many thanks

As you're in Hull, heading to the Netherlands is an easy way.

From Rotterdam Europoort you could do a nice loop around Arnhem, Zwolle, Hoorn, Haarlem/Amsterdam.

Really flat (beware this means it can be difficult to shelter if it's windy), nice towns and villages, tulip fields, windmills, the craziest cycle path you've ever seen.

The routes in Holland are well signposted, mainly separated from traffic and the food is good. Might be worth buying the cycling atlas or downloading the GPS files.

https://www.hollandcyclingroutes.com/lo ... cle-routes

In most villages there's a set of tools in a box that's useful if you haven't got the right tool with you.

Also there's a cyclists association that can help with B&Bs: https://www.vriendenopdefiets.nl/nl
Farm style campsites: https://www.vekabo.nl/

And finally, to show how extensive the bike path network is:

[simonhill]

Just a reminder that the OP said 5 days.

Of course 5 days could be 2 travelling and 3 cycling or 5 days actual cycling. Some feedback would be useful.

[Kapalasa]

Could those who've bicycle toured using ferries from England to Europe (particularly Hull) please advise approximate prices? Also is prebooking essential?

[Jdsk]

Do you mean during the outbreak, because that's changed quite a lot of things... ?

Hull to Zeebrugge is closing:
https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=141435&hilit=hull+closed

"Rotterdam, or anywhere, anywhere but home.":
https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=141973&hilit=europoort

Jonathan

[Psamathe]

Could those who've bicycle toured using ferries from England to Europe (particularly Hull) please advise approximate prices? Also is prebooking essential?

NOT to/from Hull but my previous tours (Summer 2018 and Summer 2019) I left UK Portsmouth->Caen booking the day before (I don't do advanced planning too well). 2019 overnight ferry (sleeping in a seat/floor) one way £55 incl. bike.

Couple of months later both tours returned Hoek to Harwich, booked the day before online; overnight one-way £95 (more expensive as for over-night that company/route require you have a cabin which increases the cost).

But that is just one person a couple of trips where I have no time limits i.e. if ferries were full I'd head-off somewhere else for a week and try again or a different route as and when ready. No "need to get back for work" which might be very different.

Ian