Category: Le Grand Tour

Le Grand Tour: Day 61 – Hรผrth/Cologne To Arnhem (16km + Train + 70km)

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Today has been a real joy. Everything came together in a celestial meeting of cycle touring, travelling, people, places, weatherโ€ฆ I loved it. Even the trains joined the party after an initial reluctance to play ball at Cologne station this morning. With only 48 hours of this continental odyssey remaining, I couldnโ€™t wish to have spent a more enjoyable day in the saddle. Even that pesky wind which, for much of the past week, has been annoying me in a manner that usually only a tiresome Year 9 student can achieve came to the party and blew me along the banks of the Rhine willing me to get to Rotterdam on time. Fabulous. I only wish you could have been here.

Le Grand Tour: Day 60 – Braubach To Hรผrth / Cologne (121km)

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Itโ€™s now day 61 and itโ€™s turning out to be a โ€˜funโ€™ morning. Iโ€™m booked onto a train to Xanten from Cologne but in chaotic scenes very reminiscent of taking a train in the UK, there is some confusion regarding the train that arrived on platform 4 a few minutes ago, wouldnโ€™t let passengers on and then scarpered. I need to change at Duisburgโ€ฆ Iโ€™m forcing myself into โ€˜zenโ€™ mode. It might have been easier to keep cycling and take the train from a quieter station. The plan was to arrive in Xanten – famed for its Roman ruins I Iearnt last night – then cycle over the border into The Netherlands. Come back later today to find out if that ever happens or whether Iโ€™m still here in Germany. Or indeed Cologneโ€ฆ

Le Grand Tour: Day 59 – Gernsheim To Braubach (135km)

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Such a contrast after three tedious days of cycling. The Rhine has come back to me! It was an epic day in terms of length – 130km – but also in terms of the environment. Finally the steep-sided Rhine valley has materialised and those cliff-top castles have appeared. Today was up there with some of the best cycles of the entire summer 2022 โ€˜Grand Tourโ€™ journey. Enjoy the pictures and the videos as I have little energy to add much to what you can seeโ€ฆ

Le Grand Tour: Day 58 – Philippsburg To Gernsheim (110km)

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In the context of a two-month cycle around Europe I can put up with a few days here and there of uninspiring or troublesome cycling but I do feel for all those people who set their heart of cycling the Canal du Midi or, more pertinently to this week, from Basel to where I am now (about 20km south-west of Frankfurt). It really is keep-your-receipt stuff but unlike a pair of jeans from Marks & Spencers, you canโ€™t take a cycling holiday back to the shop and ask for a refund.

Le Grand Tour: Day 57 – Kehl To Phlippsburg (123km)

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The best thing about day 57 is that it wasnโ€™t day 56. Thatโ€™s not to say that day 57 will go down in history as being a great day of cycling but it wasnโ€™t anywhere near as monotonous as yesterdayโ€™s cycle. And in contrast (because itโ€™s not all about the cyclingโ€ฆ), yesterday evening was fun chatting with Dave from Seattle, the German chap and the French family with their very funny two boys. Tonight here in Phillipsburg itโ€™s just me and the chap in the next tent who I saw for the first time about 30 seconds ago. Heโ€™s wearing a dressing gown and a head torch. Itโ€™s not a look that I have ever coveted on a campsite but who knows? Itโ€™s only 9pm. The evening could yet turn out to be an entertaining oneโ€ฆ

Le Grand Tour: Day 56 – Kembs To Kehl (120km)

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About 80% of today was deathly dull. Why did I end up cycling the Rhine-Rhรดne Canal again after having cycled it north to south in 2010 and been bored just as rigid back then? I suppose it was because I ended up on the French side of the Rhine last night. Tonightโ€™s short video is a boring one reflecting the day quite wellโ€ฆย 

Le Grand Tour: Day 55 – Konstanz To Kembs (59km + Train + 19km)

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Baselโ€ฆ You almost ruined my day. More later on that score. Basel aside, today was up there with one of the best days of cycling and Iโ€™m so delighted that Iโ€™ve been able to sample at least some of the delights of the shore of the Bodensee. It was the stuff of cycling dreams; beautiful scenery, nice weather, great cycle paths, fascinating places to visit and a satisfying distance covered. Itโ€™s one of those days when you are better off not reading this drivel and just watching the video.