EuroVello 15, Rhine Route?

[Slick]

So, despite a really poor year of cycling, I'm thinking about a small cycling trip to watch Scotland at the Euros this summer, as per a conversation with @AndyRM

If nothing else, it will rouse me from my slumber and hopefully force me back on the bike in the new year as I try and regain some of my fitness.

Apparently there is a group of guys planning on leaving from Hampden but my time will be restricted so as long as I'm around Cologne for the 19th of June, I'll be happy. I've no real interest in getting a ticket, my interest is in the journey and maybe a couple of days enjoying the fan zones before heading home. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

I've looked at the Rhine Route a couple of times but never had the chance to do it, so as it pretty much takes me to where I need to be, I thought I would use as much of this route as possible. As I'm coming from Scotland, my preference is to get the overnight boat from Newcastle to Ijmuiden but that would mean a bit of a convoluted route to pick up my planned route as soon as possible, so I'm looking for suggestions. I would also be camping for most of it, although I'm not totally against the idea of a night in a nice hotel now and again. My understanding is wild camping is a no no, so would also like a couple of suggestions for good camp sites along the way and some tips as to whether I would need to stick rigidly to a plan or just pull into any site and pitch my tent.

This looks like a solo trip as my usual peloton are all otherwise engaged and Mrs Slick is only in the maybe camp right now, but if that changes it will mean hotels all the way.

Has anyone done this route or similar, or has anyone got a better and probably more sensible idea?

https://en.eurovelo.com/ev15

 

[Gwylan]

Can you make the Hull to Rotterdam route?
Then the river route is pretty easy. Did it about 20 years ago.
We limped from big town to big town. Tend to be campsites along the river banks.
We did B&B on the fly. Find tonight's bed this morning and wander off.
Enjoy.

 

[Slick]

Can you make the Hull to Rotterdam route?
Then the river route is pretty easy. Did it about 20 years ago.
We limped from big town to big town. Tend to be campsites along the river banks.
We did B&B on the fly. Find tonight's bed this morning and wander off.
Enjoy.

Rotterdam would probably make much more sense, I think I was just being lazy. Yes, I could make Hull, even if I just jumped the train at some point.

Did you do the entire route? I would like to go back and do it in full another time, maybe flying out and cycling back.

Thanks for the tip re camp sites and B&B, that's pretty much how I'd like to do it.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I rode it from Amsterdam a few years back; it was the cheapest way to get our Bakfiets delivered.

Riding from Ijmuiden to Amsterdam is, I'm told, very simple, or you can take the river bus from the port to Amsterdam Centraal. We cycled along the canal from Amsterdam to Utrecht and the lovely Wijk bej Duurstede, and then followed the old Rhine through Arnhem to the Rhine at the German border. It was very easy and very well signposted all the way.

Germany is the same; well signed, mostly flat and traffic free or traffic light.

I've cycled a bit of the upper Rhine near here and it's the same conditions as in the north.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

I'm thinking about a small cycling trip to watch Scotland at the Euros this summer,

What a cool thing to be contemplating!

I’ve done the Rhine nearly all the way, parts of it many times and for me, the river really only comes into its own in Germany, and south of Cologne at that.
NL is great for cycling so I wouldn’t be feeling compelled to rigidly follow a line on a map - I’d look to hit the places that were interesting to me.
In any case, putting a bike on a train in NL to skip to a starting point is normally straightforward and cheap. Logistically, I'd imagine easier on that side than the UK side.

A cycling map of NL. There is no shortage of dedicated cycling paths!!

tips as to whether I would need to stick rigidly to a plan or just pull into any site and pitch my tent.

Campsites in NL are very used to cyclists rolling up without a reservation. Maybe not so much for groups or at the coast, though. I wouldn’t let camping anxiety bother me. Hotels, though, may be different, especially at weekends. Practically everyone can speak English so a phone call can be a quick way to check.

CycleTravel suggests a pretty straight line from Amsterdam to Utrecht to Nijmegen. From Nijmegen you can follow the river all the way down to Cologne, although CT suggests a more direct route after Nijmegen. Utrecht and Nijmegen are lovely cities. There’s always Arnhem, too, close to Nijmegen.

In all honesty, the final stretch to Cologne whether on the official route or not is not the most inspiring. With time, there are a variety of interesting diversions to be made in that part of the world. My fear would be that the final stretch from NL to Cologne would be enough to kill off a desire to return in the future to do the whole thing.

You haven’t mentioned the time you do have or getting back? And I think Cologne is your destination - you’re not going further south?
In which case, my suggestion is to approach Cologne from the south.
For me, the stretch between Mainz and Bonn/Cologne is the most authentic river experience.
Frankfurt should be well connected by train or plane, that’s a hop and a skip from Mainz and then on to a glorious river run all the way to Cologne. Alternatively, make your way to the border and having done some research, catch a train down as far as you like and ride back up to Cologne.
From Cologne make your way back to Amsterdam or Rotterdam for the ferry. Ryanair operate out of Maastricht and Eindhoven on your way back if that’s better.

You mention a lack of cycling and a need for getting out of a slumber, in which case I’d suggest parking the logistics for the moment and focusing on the inspiration. What are you interested in? There’s no shortage of War memorials in that part of the world. Quite a few breweries to visit, especially if taking a detour through Belgium. Great food, especially in Germany. Cologne’s a beautiful city, a trip to one of the traditional beer (kolsch) halls a must.
In the meantime, a write up on the Dutch part of the Rhine
And the German part.

And there’s always CGOAB:

There are numerous bike guides for the route too, if that's your thing and I used o have a copy of a book about the myths legends of the Rhine - a great read before and during the rides.

A search of these fora too will throw up previous discussions.

And here's a piccie from around Bingen.

Did it about 20 years ago.

And

We did B&B on the fly.

Meaning no disrespect, a lot has changed in 20 years. AirBnB hosts, as an example, often look for a minimum number of nights. And June is heading into the busy time. A solo camper or couple should have few issues but an off the cuff hotel/B&B approach may be stressful and expensive.

There's a great tour in there somewhere! Best of luck!

 

[Kevberlin]

Cycling Germany is a joy, regardless.

 

[Gwylan]

It's a long time ago now.
We came back from Koln to Brussels on the train
I was living there and off peak trains were easy to use, then.

The Belgian Railways site is pretty multilingual. And they know bikes.

 

[Slick]

I rode it from Amsterdam a few years back; it was the cheapest way to get our Bakfiets delivered.

Riding from Ijmuiden to Amsterdam is, I'm told, very simple, or you can take the river bus from the port to Amsterdam Centraal. We cycled along the canal from Amsterdam to Utrecht and the lovely Wijk bej Duurstede, and then followed the old Rhine through Arnhem to the Rhine at the German border. It was very easy and very well signposted all the way.

Germany is the same; well signed, mostly flat and traffic free or traffic light.

I've cycled a bit of the upper Rhine near here and it's the same conditions as in the north.

I cycled from Ijmuiden to Utrecht a couple of years ago now, probably more as I think about it because it was before covid. Our route planning was next to non existent at that time as there was certainly no pleasant canal route, or certainly for no more than a few miles each time. I loved Utrecht, but it was more for the cycling infrastructure than the architectural significance of their magnificent buildings. I will take a look at that route, sounds interesting. Thanks for posting.

 

[Slick]

What a cool thing to be contemplating!

I’ve done the Rhine nearly all the way, parts of it many times and for me, the river really only comes into its own in Germany, and south of Cologne at that.
NL is great for cycling so I wouldn’t be feeling compelled to rigidly follow a line on a map - I’d look to hit the places that were interesting to me.
In any case, putting a bike on a train in NL to skip to a starting point is normally straightforward and cheap. Logistically, I'd imagine easier on that side than the UK side.

A cycling map of NL. There is no shortage of dedicated cycling paths!!
View attachment 716420

Campsites in NL are very used to cyclists rolling up without a reservation. Maybe not so much for groups or at the coast, though. I wouldn’t let camping anxiety bother me. Hotels, though, may be different, especially at weekends. Practically everyone can speak English so a phone call can be a quick way to check.

CycleTravel suggests a pretty straight line from Amsterdam to Utrecht to Nijmegen. From Nijmegen you can follow the river all the way down to Cologne, although CT suggests a more direct route after Nijmegen. Utrecht and Nijmegen are lovely cities. There’s always Arnhem, too, close to Nijmegen.

In all honesty, the final stretch to Cologne whether on the official route or not is not the most inspiring. With time, there are a variety of interesting diversions to be made in that part of the world. My fear would be that the final stretch from NL to Cologne would be enough to kill off a desire to return in the future to do the whole thing.

You haven’t mentioned the time you do have or getting back? And I think Cologne is your destination - you’re not going further south?
In which case, my suggestion is to approach Cologne from the south.
For me, the stretch between Mainz and Bonn/Cologne is the most authentic river experience.
Frankfurt should be well connected by train or plane, that’s a hop and a skip from Mainz and then on to a glorious river run all the way to Cologne. Alternatively, make your way to the border and having done some research, catch a train down as far as you like and ride back up to Cologne.
From Cologne make your way back to Amsterdam or Rotterdam for the ferry. Ryanair operate out of Maastricht and Eindhoven on your way back if that’s better.

You mention a lack of cycling and a need for getting out of a slumber, in which case I’d suggest parking the logistics for the moment and focusing on the inspiration. What are you interested in? There’s no shortage of War memorials in that part of the world. Quite a few breweries to visit, especially if taking a detour through Belgium. Great food, especially in Germany. Cologne’s a beautiful city, a trip to one of the traditional beer (kolsch) halls a must.
In the meantime, a write up on the Dutch part of the Rhine
And the German part.

And there’s always CGOAB:

There are numerous bike guides for the route too, if that's your thing and I used o have a copy of a book about the myths legends of the Rhine - a great read before and during the rides.

A search of these fora too will throw up previous discussions.

And here's a piccie from around Bingen.
View attachment 716419

And

Meaning no disrespect, a lot has changed in 20 years. AirBnB hosts, as an example, often look for a minimum number of nights. And June is heading into the busy time. A solo camper or couple should have few issues but an off the cuff hotel/B&B approach may be stressful and expensive.

There's a great tour in there somewhere! Best of luck!

First class @HobbesOnTour some great information there. Somewhere in there, there's the possibility of a tidy we circular route which could be really interesting.

My first small tour was fantastic but the planning was woeful but I probably should be able to come up with something of interest with the information on this thread.

Thanks again.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Somewhere in there, there's the possibility of a tidy we circular route which could be really interesting.

Depending on how much distance you want to do and time available there really are some wonderful options. Don't forget, there are often two sides to the river and in different directions with different perspectives it's really not "doubling back".

My first small tour was fantastic but the planning was woeful

I used to live in NL and regularly set off with plans....... that rarely lasted beyond the first river or canal Spontaneity is easy there.
I think NL is especially good for bike touring because there is so much dedicated cycling infrastructure and the language is easy.

I'd heartily recommend CycleTravel for generating an interesting Touring route once I knew where I wanted to go. I've learned to trust its decisions when it diverts from an "official" route. Its overnight feature makes planning a multi-day trip very straightforward. It will show campgrounds close to your route as well as other accommodation (Booking). The only quirk I don't like, especially noticeable in NL, is the tendency to bypass towns. I like visiting towns.

It looks like you have lots of time to plan this and the danger might be information overload! There are lots of options!

There is a campground just outside of Cologne - along the river - that, if I recall correctly had good security and a guard on night duty. If you wanted to camp there, I'd definitely suggest making reservations asap.

Best of luck and don't forget there's a Travelogue section for when you're done!

 

[Slick]

Depending on how much distance you want to do and time available there really are some wonderful options. Don't forget, there are often two sides to the river and in different directions with different perspectives it's really not "doubling back".


I used to live in NL and regularly set off with plans....... that rarely lasted beyond the first river or canal Spontaneity is easy there.
I think NL is especially good for bike touring because there is so much dedicated cycling infrastructure and the language is easy.

I'd heartily recommend CycleTravel for generating an interesting Touring route once I knew where I wanted to go. I've learned to trust its decisions when it diverts from an "official" route. Its overnight feature makes planning a multi-day trip very straightforward. It will show campgrounds close to your route as well as other accommodation (Booking). The only quirk I don't like, especially noticeable in NL, is the tendency to bypass towns. I like visiting towns.

It looks like you have lots of time to plan this and the danger might be information overload! There are lots of options!

There is a campground just outside of Cologne - along the river - that, if I recall correctly had good security and a guard on night duty. If you wanted to camp there, I'd definitely suggest making reservations asap.

Best of luck and don't forget there's a Travelogue section for when you're done!

I'm not much of a story teller, but I'll certainly give it to go.

 

[cwskas]

I'm not much of a story teller, but I'll certainly give it to go.

Nothing to it, just take a few pics along the way, when you go back to look at them they will remind you of something to say. Even an old fart (like me) can do it!

 

[TomDW]

I did EV15 last year, leaving the route at Chur, Switzerland and onto Italy. Especially in NL there is no set route particularly as there are so many cycle paths. We detoured from Rotterdam and went to beautiful Dordrecht & Biesbosch then along de Waal to Woudrichem before joining the Rhine again at Arnhem. Xanten in Germany is a great place to stop and explore.

As others have said the route from Mainz to Bonn is beautiful but getting there is complicated. That said with a bit of research you could also make a interesting route to Cologne. We took the ferry from Harwich - Hoek Van Holland. My friend returned after 10 days & took a train from Duisburg back to the ferry but it was quite long winded. Don't rely on Flixbus ever!

 

[Slick]

I did EV15 last year, leaving the route at Chur, Switzerland and onto Italy. Especially in NL there is no set route particularly as there are so many cycle paths. We detoured from Rotterdam and went to beautiful Dordrecht & Biesbosch then along de Waal to Woudrichem before joining the Rhine again at Arnhem. Xanten in Germany is a great place to stop and explore.

As others have said the route from Mainz to Bonn is beautiful but getting there is complicated. That said with a bit of research you could also make a interesting route to Cologne. We took the ferry from Harwich - Hoek Van Holland. My friend returned after 10 days & took a train from Duisburg back to the ferry but it was quite long winded. Don't rely on Flixbus ever!

Thanks for the tip regarding Flixbus, I'm more likely to head for the train station than the bus station should ever a bailout be required.

After reading the good tips from others, I reckon I might need to leave this for another time and do this as a stand alone challenge as I now have quite a few different options from my favoured port of Ijmuiden.

That said, there's still plenty of time to decide, and I've worn Mrs Slick down, so looks like she will be joining me after all. The only issue with that is, camping is no longer an option and it will be hotels all the way.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Thanks for the tip regarding Flixbus, I'm more likely to head for the train station than the bus station should ever a bailout be required.

After reading the good tips from others, I reckon I might need to leave this for another time and do this as a stand alone challenge as I now have quite a few different options from my favoured port of Ijmuiden.

That said, there's still plenty of time to decide, and I've worn Mrs Slick down, so looks like she will be joining me after all. The only issue with that is, camping is no longer an option and it will be hotels all the way.

Now that camping is off the table and with some time in advance you can check out vrienden op the fiets. My understanding is that it's a network of hosts, normally into cycling, who offer accommodation at a set cost. It's a chance to meet locals, mine some local knowledge and cheaper than hotel/B&B equivalents.
I have never done it but often seen it references here - unfortunately they always seem to be fully booked so advance planning is required.

Another alternative is Warmshowers, a kind of couchsurfing for touring cyclists. Certainly not the organisation it once was.

It's not for me to poke into marital affairs but I took to camping out of necessity in my mid forties, sure I would hate it, but it has turned into one of the things I love most about bike adventures. More surprisingly, an old girlfriend took to bike adventures and camping (in NL) like a duck to water. Facilities are so good and so frequent they remove a load of doubt and anxiety and offer up a tremendous sense of freedom.

Best of luck to the two of you!