Thoughts on Eurovelo 7 and 9

[rosyandjim]

Hi

We're heading that way in the summer and am considering heading south on the 7 from Sweden to Prague and then nipping across onto the 9 and heading down to Ljubljana.

I was wondering if anyone had used these routes and either recommends them or advises against?

Also does anyone know where I could get map for these routes from.

Thanks.

[ThimbleU]

Hi,
I am just collecting and composing GPS tracks of eurovelo 7.
Results are available on http://www.biroto.eu/TRO1.php?route=RT00000410
At this point of time there is a lack in my collection in Sweden between the western lakeshore of Vättern lake to Fjärås at the Ba2ltic Sea Coast.
Hope that helps for planning.

Udo

[andymiller]

Probably too late for you, but for anyone else who is interested: the EuroVelo 7 route in Italy runs from the Brennero Pass via Bolzano/Bozen and Trento to Verona and Mantova. From there you'd need to get the EuroVelo 8. The name of the route varies depending on where you are - I'm not sure what it's called in the German-speaking Sud-Tirol, but in the Trentino it's called the Pista Ciclabile del Val d'Adige, and in the veneto as you head for verona the pista ciclabile Val d'Adige sole, and then from Peschiera del Garda to Mantova the Pista ciclabile del Mincio. EuroVelo 8 through the provincia di Ferrara is called the Fe20, as you go north you pick up a route signposted by the Veneto region as the E something or other and the ciclovia delle isole della laguna veziana - or something like that.

The cycle route along the Adige/Etsch valley provides a very very welcome alternative in a very busy transport corridor - but that doesn't necessarily make it a good choice of route: although places like Bozen and Brixen are well worth a visit. Veroana and Mantova are lovely as is Ferrara. The Po is river is magnificent and you can cruise along the flood defences for hour after hour - but don't expect to find much in the way of services - or even water.

In July and August this is one of the hottest areas of Italy - often hotter than Sicily - I would go in early Summer or late-September.

If I were aiming for Ljubliana I would go take the PusterBike cycle route which runs through the PusterTal/Val Pusteria from Brixen/Bressanone via Bruneck/Brunnico to Tolbach/Dobbiaco. From there you can take take a cycle path (or road) to Cortina d'Ampezzo and from there through Friuli.

[rosyandjim]

Thanks for the replies. I'm sure they will help others in the future. We are now in Macedonia and came a totally different way to the way we intended, you can read bout it on our little odd blog if you want to: http://rosyandjimstourdeworld.wordpress.com/

[Vernee]

I am planning to cycle from Vienna down the Eurovelo 9 through Slovenia to the Adriatic. Then picking up Eurovelo 8 and then Eurovelo 7 down through Italy to Rome. It seems very difficult to actually find any detailed info or maps of any of these routes. I have managed to get maps covering the route at 1:200,000 scale but no definitive routes for Eurovelo yet.

I am also unsure about a GPS product that might cover the areas.

Anyone with advice would be gratefully received. I have already contacted the Eurovelo coordinator for each country and on,y the Austrian one has managed to get back to me with a map of Eurovelo 9 through Austria.

[andymiller]

I am planning to cycle from Vienna down the Eurovelo 9 through Slovenia to the Adriatic. Then picking up Eurovelo 8 and then Eurovelo 7 down through Italy to Rome. It seems very difficult to actually find any detailed info or maps of any of these routes. I have managed to get maps covering the route at 1:200,000 scale but no definitive routes for Eurovelo yet.

I am also unsure about a GPS product that might cover the areas.

Anyone with advice would be gratefully received. I have already contacted the Eurovelo coordinator for each country and on,y the Austrian one has managed to get back to me with a map of Eurovelo 9 through Austria.

The easy question to answer is what map. I'd look to getting one of the Velomap maps. Garmin City Navigator is fine if you want a commercial product - or their TrekMap which is pretty pricey.

The problem with EuroVelo is that a lot (most?) routes are called something else on the ground.

First places to start are:

www.bicitalia.org (EV7 and EV8);

www.alpe-adria-radweg.com which runs from Salzburg to Grado on the Adriatic Coast.

http://www.drauradweg.com/

[andymiller]

A quick footnote on this.

I had thought that the Eurovelo 7 went over the Brennerpass - and certainly looking at an early route report from the European Cyclists Federation this seems to have been the original plan - but according to at the ECT routes database, it follow the Drauradweg and crosses the Austria-Italy border between Lienz and Tolbach (Dobbiaco). From Tolbach it then follows the Pusterbike cycleway to Fortezza to the north of Brixen from where it goes south towards Bozen - you can download a pdf map here. Both options are well mapped on the bicitalia website (or follow the link in ThimbleU's post above).

As far as the EV9 is concerned the ECF routes databaseshows it joining up with the EV8 near the border between Slovenia and Croatia. However, you could head for Italy along the coast via Muggia and then on to Trieste or there's the Pista Ciclopedonale Giordano Cottur which follows the old railway line between Trieste and Draga Sant'Elia on the border with Slovenia. I have found an account (in Dutch) from Eurofietsers of the route which seems plausible - although given tht I can't find any other information this is a cases of the one-eyed man (with an eyepatch over the good eye) being king.

[ThimbleU]

Hi,
EuroVelo routes compiled from OpenCycleMap, often using the local routes, are available at:

EuroVelo 7: http://www.biroto.eu/TRO1.php?route=RT00000410 and http://www.biroto.eu/TRO1.php?route=RT00000590

EuroVelo 8: http://www.biroto.eu/TRO1.php?route=RT00000415

EuroVelo 9: http://www.biroto.eu/TRO1.php?route=RT00000411

The track files are in Garmin gpx format. Using eg a Garmin Oregon should make navigation all over the routes easy.

To be able to download the track files you need to be a registered user on biroto.eu, but the usage of the portal is free of charge.