Roots tour 2013 ...

[malverncyclist]

... is the working title of a trip I originally planned for this year, but had to be postponed to next May/June.

I am planning to cycle from Malvern (where I live) to Bonn/Germany, where I was born and spent the first 22 years of my life. My question is around routing from either Calais/Dunkirk or Oostend via possibly Gent/Brussels, Liege to Luxembourg (from there I'll follow Moselle valley to Koblenz and downstream the Rhine to Bonn, finish under Beethoven's statue .

does anyone has any contacts with e.g. a Belgian/French cycle touring club who I could ask questions re a suitable route, quite possibly connecting youth hostels, possibly also doing a bit of sleeping under stars . Or even experience of such a route which I could look at.

thanks

Martin

[malverncyclist]

Continued from another thread. In the middle of planning. Day 3 from Streatham to the coast. Looks like a 70 miler through Kent. Madness?

[malverncyclist]

exploring option of 55 miles from Streatham to Ashford (doable even in Kent). 22 miles the next morning to either catch the 10 am ferry to Dunkirk or the 12.00.

Means either an early start and dash to ferry (brings back memories but in the car or motorbike, not bicycle) and comfortable arrival in Oostend OR the midday ferry and a mad dash at the end to Dunkirk 50 odd miles and if weather is foul maybe not a great option ...