Yet Another Cycling Forum

General Category => Rides and Touring => Topic started by: robgul on 27 November, 2018, 07:52:18 am

Title: Poland to UK - route help wanted
Post by: robgul on 27 November, 2018, 07:52:18 am
Early days but I'm working on a plan for a route from Poland to the UK for a charity ride - anyone have experience, local knowledge etc.?

I need to keep the fine detail private at the moment - it's a rather novel charity ride venture.

Rob
Title: Re: Poland to UK - route help wanted
Post by: Rod Marton on 27 November, 2018, 08:50:48 am
From where in Poland to where in the UK? This will make a difference to your route.

I've ridden to Poland three times, taking different routes each time. For preference I would keep south, say leave Poland at  Nachod, along the northern edge of the Czech Republic to Cheb, then head west through Oberpfalz and northern Bavaria towards Schweinfurt, then skirt north of Frankfurt towards Limburg, then down the Lahn to the Rhine. If you are heading to Calais then cut along the Mosel to, say, Cochem, then straight across Belgium, if to the Hook you will have to head up towards Aachen, but I don't know that area.

This route should avoid most of the major conurbations and take you through some quiet and scenic countryside.

If you want to avoid the Czech detour you could cross straight into Germany at Goerlitz and across Saxony. I wouldn't go north of this: northern Germany is not as scenic as the south and can get very windswept.
Title: Re: Poland to UK - route help wanted
Post by: quixoticgeek on 27 November, 2018, 10:11:00 am

What route are you trying to take across the wet bit?

Coming west from Eastern Europe, you're likely to find that the Ardennes are between you and your sea crossing, There are a couple of routes through the Ardennes that are relatively flat (see the northern route some take on the TCR each year). Luxembourg is also quite lumpy.

If you can confirm where you're planning to cross the north sea, and where you're starting in Poland, we can provide some more useful info.

J
Title: Re: Poland to UK - route help wanted
Post by: Rod Marton on 27 November, 2018, 12:29:12 pm
Just to warn you, my route would take in the Riesengebirge/Krkonose, Fichtelgebirge, Spessart, Taunus, Hunsrueck and Eifel before you reach the Ardennen. You won't find even the hilly bits of the Ardennen much of a challenge after that lot.

Having said that, none of these ranges is particularly challenging, mostly rolling with long drags rather than steep gradients. Probably the worst hill would be the climb out of the Mosel valley into the Eifel, whichever way you go you have to gain ~400m elevation.