Belgium??

[Woodtourer]

We are currently in Nuremberg and working our way to our final destination of Amsterdam. When we get to Koblenz, Germany we plan to head West as we want to tour Belgium on our way to Amsterdam.
Wondering if anyone has some route suggestions??
Thanks!

[Cyril Haearn]

Germany, Plus One! You 'must' visit the railway museum in Nuernburg and the museum of wooden tools*(Holzgeraetemusem), Burg Brandenstein

Went to Belgium once, visited the Grottes de Han, one goes up the hill on a tram, then into the cave, out on a boat
* not been there, really want to go
And the cycle museum in Bad Brueckenau
etc etc

Where may we read about your exploits?

[chocjohn9]

There are decent cycle paths everywhere in Belgium. Even through farmers fields.

Here is a good starting reference point -

http://www.fietsroute.org/cycling/national-cycle-routes

Almost all canals have cycle paths next to them.
Cars acknowledge your existence too..... but where there is a cycle path, you have to use it.

[Cyril Haearn]

What about language, I know German is spoke in a small corner of Belgium
Chocjohn has posted about this before, link?

[mjr]

The flatter way would be to continue NW on EV15 to its junction with EV3 and take that West into the north edge of Belgium.

A longer alternative with more Belgium would be to ride the northern edge of the Rheinland-Pfalz route to where it meets the Eifel-Ardennen Radweg and follow that into Belgium, then the Vennbahn south to RAVEL L163 and pick up EV5 to Brussels, Gent, Bruges, then Damme, Sluis, Breskens, Vlissingen and basically along the coast to Amsterdam.

Disclaimer: except the Vennbahn, I've only ridden bits of the others, not all of those you'd need, and none of L163.

[mjr]

What about language, I know German is spoke in a small corner of Belgium
Chocjohn has posted about this before, link?

Not that small and very lumpy. Easily two days to cycle it NS, less EW. Ostbelgien.

[mjr]

Cars acknowledge your existence too..... but where there is a cycle path, you have to use it.

Only where it has a round sign, surely? Rectangle-signed ones are optional like in France and NL, aren't they?

[chocjohn9]

Where there is a cycle path you have to use it. Signage or no signage. If you don't cars will pap and/or drive close to you as a "well, you shouldn't be there" warning. Nice
Language wise, this section is in the Flemish region, so Flemish/Dutch is spoken but you will easily get by with English. I wouldn't try French.
It is a flat region but beware of the wind. Hedges are few and far between so there's little rest bite...

[mjr]

Where there is a cycle path you have to use it. Signage or no signage. If you don't cars will pap and/or drive close to you as a "well, you shouldn't be there" warning. Nice

Not my experience. I've even accidentally ignored compulsory cycleways and had no rebuke from passing motorists. However, when cycleways are as good as most there seem to be, it's not a hardship to use them.

I've checked and only the round ones seem to compel https://www.code-de-la-route.be/textes- ... e/109-art9 - the rectangular optional cycleway signs are shown in F99 onwards.

I agree about trying English before French in Flanders if you don't speak Vlaams.

[Tangled Metal]

What about in the French speaking parts? Try French like you'd do in France or English like you would in Netherlands and Flemish speaking parts of Belgium?

BTW we're off brim zeebrugge through to South if Antwerp (Limburg) next week. I think that's Flemish speaking, is that right? I'm not clear on where the boundaries for first language are in Belgium.

Anyone tried the cycle path through the water or on the trees yet? We're planning on checking them out.

[chocjohn9]

As a guide, people in the French region aren't half as good at English as the people in the Flemish region.

Anyone tried the cycle path through the water or on the trees yet? We're planning on checking them out.

??