Baltic States

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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Psamathe
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Joined: 10 Jan 2014, 8:56pm

Baltic States

Post by Psamathe »

Don't know if I'll be up to a tour this summer but thinking about where in the hope I am and wondering about R1 across Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and maybe into Estonia (probably costal'ish). But I dislike cycling in the rain and from what I've seen that region has a lot of rain days even in the summer. But a "rain day" might be a brief shower vs chucking it down all day.

It would certainly be interesting but then there is always France with good weather. I enjoy cycling in France but done it several times before so it's something of a "known quantity" without much challenge or interesting new experiences.

Does anybody have experience of the region, weather and/or other challenges cycle touring?

Thanks
Ian
Jdsk
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Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Baltic States

Post by Jdsk »

The eastern Baltic was top of our list before the outbreak. But probably starting in the north and working down. Long trip to get there by train and ferry.

Baltic summers can be great. I don't like hot weather and you don't often get settled hot heavy continental summers.

Taking a tent?

Jonathan

PS: It would be funny if we were on the same route at the same time again! : - )
Last edited by Jdsk on 11 Jan 2022, 8:38pm, edited 1 time in total.
Psamathe
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Re: Baltic States

Post by Psamathe »

Initial thoughts would be camping (campsites rather than wild camping)

My weather worries (rain) is e.g.
Screenshot 2022-01-11 at 20.18.55.png
from https://www.holiday-weather.com/vilnius/averages/
except the graph of rain days seems to conflict with the table plus a rain day could be a brief shower (OK) or chucking it down all day (not OK).

Other sites are not quite so bad e.g. https://weatherspark.com/countries/LT which says 10 rain days per month June and July

Other Baltic countries look marginally better - I chose Lithuania as it's sort of part way along the route.

Vague thoughts at the moment but I'd be thinking of a cycle out and cycle back, maybe slightly different routes in detail (subject to 90/180 constraint)

Ian
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MrsHJ
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Re: Baltic States

Post by MrsHJ »

Google says mostly afternoon thunderstorms, especially in inland areas. It’s somewhere I’ve fancied visiting too. I’ve wanted to do the Baltic loop for some years and this section looks a lot more interesting than trekking through a lot of trees up from Stockholm.
st599_uk
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Re: Baltic States

Post by st599_uk »

Psamathe wrote: 11 Jan 2022, 7:37pm Don't know if I'll be up to a tour this summer but thinking about where in the hope I am and wondering about R1 across Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and maybe into Estonia (probably costal'ish). But I dislike cycling in the rain and from what I've seen that region has a lot of rain days even in the summer. But a "rain day" might be a brief shower vs chucking it down all day.

It would certainly be interesting but then there is always France with good weather. I enjoy cycling in France but done it several times before so it's something of a "known quantity" without much challenge or interesting new experiences.

Does anybody have experience of the region, weather and/or other challenges cycle touring?
You've missed a country off your list - Russia. If you're cycling the coast from Poland to Lithuania you will pass through Kaliningrad.

For that you need a visa, you need to enter and exit at an official Port of Entry (there are a few major road crossings that count) and you have to provide your itinerary and accomodation bookings to get the Visa.
A novice learning...
“the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.”
Psamathe
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Re: Baltic States

Post by Psamathe »

st599_uk wrote: 12 Jan 2022, 9:21am
Psamathe wrote: 11 Jan 2022, 7:37pm Don't know if I'll be up to a tour this summer but thinking about where in the hope I am and wondering about R1 across Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and maybe into Estonia (probably costal'ish). But I dislike cycling in the rain and from what I've seen that region has a lot of rain days even in the summer. But a "rain day" might be a brief shower vs chucking it down all day.

It would certainly be interesting but then there is always France with good weather. I enjoy cycling in France but done it several times before so it's something of a "known quantity" without much challenge or interesting new experiences.

Does anybody have experience of the region, weather and/or other challenges cycle touring?
You've missed a country off your list - Russia. If you're cycling the coast from Poland to Lithuania you will pass through Kaliningrad.

For that you need a visa, you need to enter and exit at an official Port of Entry (there are a few major road crossings that count) and you have to provide your itinerary and accomodation bookings to get the Visa.
I'd wondered about that. Either go round th inside but I'd checked and you can apparently get e-visas to enter that area (free, online and at short notice). I does not seem the same constraints are Russia (except is is Russia but different).
https://www.bicycle39.ru - except e-visas temporarily suspended so I can't check if UK citizens can use it (maybe not) but my thought was Poland round the east of Kaliningrad into Lithuania. But early days thinking about it vs other possibilities.

Ian
Jdsk
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Re: Baltic States

Post by Jdsk »

Psamathe wrote: 12 Jan 2022, 10:50am
st599_uk wrote: 12 Jan 2022, 9:21am
Psamathe wrote: 11 Jan 2022, 7:37pm Don't know if I'll be up to a tour this summer but thinking about where in the hope I am and wondering about R1 across Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and maybe into Estonia (probably costal'ish). But I dislike cycling in the rain and from what I've seen that region has a lot of rain days even in the summer. But a "rain day" might be a brief shower vs chucking it down all day.

It would certainly be interesting but then there is always France with good weather. I enjoy cycling in France but done it several times before so it's something of a "known quantity" without much challenge or interesting new experiences.

Does anybody have experience of the region, weather and/or other challenges cycle touring?
You've missed a country off your list - Russia. If you're cycling the coast from Poland to Lithuania you will pass through Kaliningrad.

For that you need a visa, you need to enter and exit at an official Port of Entry (there are a few major road crossings that count) and you have to provide your itinerary and accomodation bookings to get the Visa.
I'd wondered about that. Either go round th inside but I'd checked and you can apparently get e-visas to enter that area (free, online and at short notice). I does not seem the same constraints are Russia (except is is Russia but different).
https://www.bicycle39.ru - except e-visas temporarily suspended so I can't check if UK citizens can use it (maybe not) but my thought was Poland round the east of Kaliningrad into Lithuania. But early days thinking about it vs other possibilities.
More experiences and advice, please.

Thanks

Jonathan
st599_uk
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Re: Baltic States

Post by st599_uk »

Psamathe wrote: 12 Jan 2022, 10:50am I'd wondered about that. Either go round th inside but I'd checked and you can apparently get e-visas to enter that area (free, online and at short notice). I does not seem the same constraints are Russia (except is is Russia but different).
https://www.bicycle39.ru - except e-visas temporarily suspended so I can't check if UK citizens can use it (maybe not) but my thought was Poland round the east of Kaliningrad into Lithuania. But early days thinking about it vs other possibilities.
The UK isn't one of the countries on the list for e-Visas: https://electronic-visa.kdmid.ru/klgd_country_en.html
But there are some UK visa agencies who seem to say they can get you one.

I think you'd need to check with the Russian Embassy Visa service in London if you want to be 100%

I've been to Russia twice and Kaliningrad once - the second Russia and Kaliningrad one was a FIFA special, so not normal Visa rules, but the first was relatively simple to get, but did need an itinerary.
A novice learning...
“the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.”
Psamathe
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Re: Baltic States

Post by Psamathe »

st599_uk wrote: 12 Jan 2022, 12:17pm
Psamathe wrote: 12 Jan 2022, 10:50am I'd wondered about that. Either go round th inside but I'd checked and you can apparently get e-visas to enter that area (free, online and at short notice). I does not seem the same constraints are Russia (except is is Russia but different).
https://www.bicycle39.ru - except e-visas temporarily suspended so I can't check if UK citizens can use it (maybe not) but my thought was Poland round the east of Kaliningrad into Lithuania. But early days thinking about it vs other possibilities.
The UK isn't one of the countries on the list for e-Visas: https://electronic-visa.kdmid.ru/klgd_country_en.html
But there are some UK visa agencies who seem to say they can get you one.

I think you'd need to check with the Russian Embassy Visa service in London if you want to be 100%

I've been to Russia twice and Kaliningrad once - the second Russia and Kaliningrad one was a FIFA special, so not normal Visa rules, but the first was relatively simple to get, but did need an itinerary.
For the purpose of planning (early stages) it's probably easier to bypass Kaliningrad. For me maybe a 5 day detour but I'm fortunate in that the only clock I'm up against is 90/180 Schengen visa but then I don't have a destination, just out for a ride.

Ian
simonhill
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Re: Baltic States

Post by simonhill »

I don't know about the enclave, but when Russia announced the new tourist e-visa, they specifically excluded the UK. I think I posted about at the time.

Yes, you can get a tourist visa in the normal way, but I think they are well over £100.
Psamathe
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Re: Baltic States

Post by Psamathe »

simonhill wrote: 12 Jan 2022, 1:13pm I don't know about the enclave, but when Russia announced the new tourist e-visa, they specifically excluded the UK. I think I posted about at the time.

Yes, you can get a tourist visa in the normal way, but I think they are well over £100.
From when I investigated a couple of years ago (for the possibility of a couple of days stop-over on a flight), all sorts of other constraints as well (e.g. hotel bookings, set entry dates, etc.) making it not really viable for cycling through (and certainly not for a couple of hundred miles that do have a detour). Plus you have to visit a visa centre (e.g. London) and rail fares start adding to that cost ...

Ian
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MrsHJ
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Re: Baltic States

Post by MrsHJ »

Maybe a train hop around to avoid Kalingrad etc. I’ve been on polish trains before but not tested them with bikes. I was wondering about ferries but I don’t think they go along the coast, only across the Baltic.
Jdsk
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Re: Baltic States

Post by Jdsk »

Thanks, all.

Very helpful.

Jonathan
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Tigerbiten
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Re: Baltic States

Post by Tigerbiten »

If you are going to the Kaliningrad Oblast, double check your GPS.
Because it's part of Russia, some pan European mapping software doesn't show any roads there.
It was one reason I cycled "around Russia" on my way back from Riga, my Garmin just had crossed hatched lines over the whole of the Oblast.

Luck .......... :D
willem jongman
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Re: Baltic States

Post by willem jongman »

Kaliningrad is a highly militarized zone, so may soon not be that accesible given current tensions.
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