I quote; Hello, I will be biking from London to Athens taking most of Eurovelo 5. If you are interested you will be able to find Eurovelo 5 infor on my site. I will be blogging throughout the whole ride to give more detailed info on this route.About […]
Didn’t find much to say about Eurovelo 5 from Paris. Too busy herding around the kids. I did notice that one of the streets just round the corner from our accommodation was rue St. Gothard and was a darn sight flatter than the pass that shares its name. […]
I posted yesterday that I was thinking of removing part of the route and avoiding Brussels and most of Belgium. It does make sense on all levels apart from the one that wants me to tick the box of having followed the route of the Eurovelo 5. George […]
I’ve discussed much on here recently; Mark Beaumont, butterfly handlebars, commuting, Twitter, Geoff Boycott(!)… but not much of Eurovelo 5 and my plans to cycle from Reading to Brindisi kicking off on Sunday 18th July, a little over two-months away. So here is a summary of progress I’m […]
It will be midnight before I get home but the evening was certainly worth the trek. Mark Beaumont came across as an interesting and humble guy. Just like he comes across in his book actually and it was interesting that he said he would be writing another one […]
A name from the earlier days of this blog has just emailed; Jonathan Scott is an Australian who is planning to cycle from Rome to London and he is one of the people to be listed down there on the left as a Eurovelo 5 / Via Francigena […]
I do find the statistics of the Internet fascinating almost to the point of geekdom, hence the previous post. It is, for example, depressingly fascinating (but very predictable) that the USA dominates the list of the 100 most-visited sites and that Google tops that list. Interesting that Luxembourg (a link with […]
There is a lull in action on the Eurovelo 5 front; I think the election is drawing my attention away from cycling. The Couchsurfing Group has a new (2nd) member, a certain Joe Barnett but I know little about him…. On the other social networking site that is Warmshowers, […]
My immigrant handlebars (Modolo Yuma etc…) are winging their way to the UK as I type! She was a bigot in my opinion (the kind of person who starts sentences with “I’m not a racist but….”). My handlebars are just as welcome as all the other hard-working residents of our country […]
I have spent tha last week banging on about butterfly handlebars so it is a relief to post about the Eurovelo 5 again, albeit during a “nuit blanche”; I have man flu and can’t sleep…. So, as one does on such occasions, I was browsing the list of […]
If, on a Sunday morning at 8.30am I am spending time reading a document written by “Policy Department B, Structural and Cohesion Policies” for the “Directorate General for Internal Policies” of the European Parliament, I do wonder whether my cycling adventure along the route of Eurovelo 5 has […]
Rachel McCormack emails from Ireland; Hi Andrew, Just happened to come across your website and found it very interesting and quite relevant to me and partner Giovanni. We are finalising preparations for our bike challenge which will see us mountain bike from Dublin, Ireland to Santa Maria di […]
Pan-European cycling might catch on a bit more if this volcanic cloud hangs around much longer. Mark Beaumont is stuck in the French Alps; I did suggest via Twitter that he cycle back (see feed to your left…), as did lots of other people by the sound of […]
Making progress, but not quite there yet! Thanks to Massimo in Benevento I have some detail south of Rome but north of Rome still lacks a day by day breakdown, as does the bit between Luxembourg to Strasbourg. This latter stretch has given George Jemmott some issues on […]
Long-time readers will remember that last summer, in order to see if I was physically capable of cycling day after day on a long journey by bike, I decided to cycle along the Pennine Cycleway from Berwick-upon-Tweed to Derby. It took me nine days and I stayed in a […]
I put the question above on Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree forum (nope, me neither if you are asking the obvious question!). I quote myself; I’m planning to cycle from the UK to Italy this summer along the route of the Eurovelo 5. However, the route is very aspirational and […]
One little debate on this website can now come to an end as I have a tent! Just delivered and kind-of pitched in my living room with the help of a couple of chairs, a pair of sandals and a pot plant. I may have to use the […]
Now that my detailed itinerary has hit the Italian border, my efforts need to turn to La Via dei Pellegrini in Italy itself. Regular readers of this blog will know that the Eurovelo 5 cycle route, although often associated with the Via Francigena pilgrim route does not really follow the same path. The […]
I joined Warmshowers.com last night. Mark Beaumont mentions the site in his book about cycling around the World and I have mentioned them on here before. They are a Couchsurfing service specifically aimed at cyclists. Apart from setting up a profile, I have started a forum thread about […]
I just came across these webpages which have been archived on the BBC website. They are about Jane Tomlinson and how she cycled from Rome to Leeds in May 2004. Here is an extract about Jane Tomlinson from Wikipedia; Jane Emily Goward was born in Wakefield in Yorkshire in […]
This is an interesting read; I will have similar issues along the route of the Eurovelo 5 in just a few months time… It encourages in my quest to have a secure route in place before I leave.
It looks to me as if the Swiss National Route 3 – full details are here – segways perfectly with the Italian National Route 3; La Via dei Pellegrini. What joined up thinking! This sign (take your pick of the language) is the one to follow in Switzerland (but will it […]
The Internet is great… for lots of things. But one thing it doesn’t do well is lingering over big things. That’s why, although you can see almost any piece of art you may wish to see within a few seconds by tapping its name into Google image search, […]
I just set this up. Click on the picture to access it directly if you are already a Couch Surfer…
Just catching up with some people who have been in contact with me and who I have contacted over the past few months…. George Jemmott continues his journey to Calais and you can read his blog here. It will be interesting to see his GPS data when he […]
Well so far, my aim to make Good Friday “Bloody Marvelous Friday” is going to plan. I’ve picked up the bike from AW Cycles and they have, as promised, changed the handlebars for a set that are much wider and have far more space to place my hands […]
It’s been a few weeks since anyone new has been in contact with me who is in some way interested in the cycling to Italy project so I am delighted to have been emailed by a guy called Neil Shirley who is planning on cycling from Oxford to […]
Google Earth does give interesting perspectives on the Eurovelo 5 route. By clicking on this link and then selecting “View in Google Earth” you too can have a middle-of-the-night play, just like I’m doing now….
Yesterday’s practical pilgrimage day got me thinking about crossing the Alps again. The Via Francigena crosses the mountains at the Great St. Bernard Pass. The Eurovelo 5 crosses at via the Saint Gotthard Pass. I have just found a useful website all about cycling in the Alps. Its […]
Meeting my niece in London after the meeting yesterday was the thin end of the wedge. Several beers later I arrived home in Reading and then tackled a bottle of wine so, as I write, I have a little bit of a hangover. What follows is a more […]
Interesting afternoon. There were a variety of people to listen to. None had actually cycled to Rome although cycling was referenced quite a lot, as was camping which of course is relevant. My main thoughts however are about why I am following the Eurovelo 5 from Calais to Switzerland […]
Reading is 1° west, 51° north. Brindisi is 18° east, 41° north. That is an easterly shift of 19° and a southerly shift of 10°. Pythagoras tells me that (assuming the Earth is flat, which it clearly isn’t unless you adhere to what these guys say – great quote: ““Deprogramming […]
My first rough attempt at a route for the Eurovelo 5 is now on my Sanoodi profile – click here to see it. I’d like to refine this is the months to come but the basic profile of my journey is here. Can you spot the Alps?
Remember I asked George Jemmott (him of GPS fame) about the photo at the top of his new Eurovelo 5 website? Well here is the answer: It just so happens that the only picture I have of my bicycle and trailer together is there in front of that American […]
I believe in competition; it gives people an opportunity to benchmark what they do and try and make improvements. It sometimes gets bad press when it encroaches on things like health care or education, but I am generally very supportive to the whole concept of the chase. It’s just […]
I honestly don’t write this blog for anyone apart from myself and to begin with that was fortunate as no-one else read it. However, as Google began to pick me up and as links began to appear elsewhere on the Internet directing people to this blog, I have […]
Here it is; Cycling Day Date (w/e) From To Time Kms Cum. 1 18/7 Reading London 4h35 65 65 2 19/7 London Canterbury 6h41 94 159 3 20/7 Canterbury Dover 1h54 27 186 3 20/7 Calais Saint Omer 3h08 44 230 4 21/7 Saint Omer Lille 4h40 65 […]
This organisation have their annual meeting in London at the start of March. I wonder if it would be worth going along? I don’t consider myself a pilgrim due to my complete lack of any religious belief, but could be interesting. It describes the meeting on their website: “The Practical […]
Following on from the previous post which refers to academic research in the USA, I have just received this interesting email from Todd Rygh in Washington State along the same lines. Most people who contact me via this blog have questions about the route or the bike or the equipment […]
Iain Harper has contacted me via the Bike Radar forum I mentioned yesterday. There is some really useful practical advice in his email and it is worth the read. As the list of “tags” at the end shows, he manages to pack in a whole host of different […]
Ian Hendry is planning to cycle the Eurovelo 5 this coming summer – a bit earlier than me – and as you can see, he has bought a new bike….
It’s a month since I registered with Google Analytics and the picture you can see here is not a cross-section of a particularly strenuous day on the Eurovelo 5 but the visititor numbers in the last 30 days to this site. Interesting that people stay for an average of […]
Jimmy Clark writes in blue, I respond in red…. Hi Andrew, Hope you don’t mind me emailing you, absolutely not!!! This blog would have died a death a long time ago without them I think 🙂 I found your email on the your blog on ctc.org. Mmmm… Makes me wonder if […]
Michael in Canada writes: Hello again. I have scowered the internet and came across the same info you were kind to show me in your blog. I am working on four main logistical tasks at the moment. Time and money, trying to get fitter, flight coordination and developing a […]
If you have read the previous post, I was wondering who Michael was (he had left a brief message in the chat box). Now I know; he has sent an email. He writes in blue, I answer in red: Hello Andrew, Hello Michael – thanks for the email […]
Just recieved the following email. Rob’s comments in red, my comments in blue: Hi Andrew Just been looking at your blog which is very helpful and inspiring. Thanks! Me and my girlfriend are planning to cycle London to Istanbul in May (for our honeymoon) and are considering route […]
Hi George Thanks for your email – your enthusiasm is infectious! I’m glad to be in touch with another person who is interested in the Eurovelo 5. My initial enthusiasm was not the Eurovelo 5, simply an interest in cycling and a wish to do something a bit […]
Just received this interesting email. George has also commented on the earlier post about maps: Hi there Andrew!I just found your site about EuroVelo5, and I’m rather excited. Introductions first – I’m George Jemmott, a silly American who is similarly interested in EV5. I think we might be […]
I mentioned a few posts ago that I might contact a couple of people who I know who may be interested in meeting me en route to Puglia in the summer. One of those people was Claus, my friend in Stuttgart. I trained as a teacher with Claus in […]
Today was a first: I recieved an email from someone who I actually know and who has contacted me as a direct result of seeing this blog! The person concerned is James or “Jim” as he now is. He is my sister-in-law’s brother (or, as he reminds me […]
From: RichardTo: AndrewSubject: Maps Hi Andrew, Hope you’ve had a good Christmas. I see you’ve been busy on the blog. I’ve started telling people about my plans and am very much committed and excited about the trips. I think I will plan to try meet you in Brussels […]
As you can see, piecing all the maps together in a long line would have been impossible in my relatively small living room, but here they all are stacked up on one another. I have followed the route from Calais and the good news is that there is […]
Just found this description on Bicitalia: perhaps my initial thoughts of following the Ciclopista del Sole were a tad premature as number 3 follows more closely the Via Francigena…N°3 La Via dei Pellegrini (The Pilgrim Route)This route is along the old Via Francigena as far as Rome (thus […]
I was only thinking earlier this week that no-one had been in contact for quite a few weeks about the blog and cycle to Italy…. and then this happens:From: “Richard Burton”Sent: Wednesday, December 09, 2009 3:17 PMTo: AndrewSubject: Puglia 2010 Hi AndrewI keep getting drawn back to your […]
…or “The Slow Movement” which has nothing to do with a difficult bowel situation and everything to do with walking and cycling. A nice concept for a “movement”. There have been a few people visiting this website via the website of “Il Movimento Lento” so I went to […]
It’s nice for someone to email again about the cycling next summer – it’s been a while since anyone has done so.Chris Hammersley writes:Just out of interest, how have you come up with this route? Have you avoided going down the east coast of Italy for a reason?I […]
….this is being sent via my new i-pod touch. It is an amazing piece of kit which is so incredibly well designed. It really has brought surfing the Internet to the sofa for the first time without having to balance a laptop on your knee or strain your […]
Just arrived back home from my visit to the Cycle Show at Earls Court in London (see entries below). A little bit disappointed: it is cycling pornography – undeniably beautiful objects everywhere; brushed chrome this and carbon-fibre that… but little of practical use that will help me in […]
I forwarded Jean-Marie’s detailed maps to my two contacts in Australia and received the following replies: AndrewI only have a brief minute to reply, but thank you ever so much for these maps!!!! Outstanding details!!! I’ll reply in more details shortly. As we are overdue some enthusiastic conversation […]
Jean-Marie Vion has come up trumps with the map that you can find in the previous post. He writes: Bonjour Andrew,Voici l’itinéraire qui à été fait pour une de mes connaissance pour le trajet Bruxelles – Aoste (Italie). Peut-être intéressant pour toi.Jean-Marie Indeed it is Jean-Marie! Thanks. I’ll […]
Brussels to Aosta
My commute home continues to be faster and faster! I’m down to 21 minutes and 30 seconds. Amazing. The journey in the other direction is proving more difficult to improve upon: it hasn’t budged since the 18th August. Anyway, more news from Jean-Marie in Belgium. He’s sent me […]
Just been using this map and the information in the previous post to update the Google Map a bit. It’s a long term project to finalise the route…. Note the possibility of either following the route 1 (Ciclopista del Sole) or route 3 (Via dei Pellegrini – the […]
The following are the key details from the ECF EuroVélo map about EV5 with identified cycle routes in red, linked to sources of information on the net:England (180 km)Reading to London – NCN 4London to Canterbury to Dover – NCN 1Northern France (140 km)CalaisCanal de Calais to Saint […]
I do actually know more about the route of the EuroVélo 5 than I thought: I have just dug out the ECF EuroVélo map itself and on the back is the following route description. “This is another pilgrim route, also called Via Romea Francigena leading from Canterbury to […]
“Ian invited you to join the Facebook group “Bugger off Facebook, it’s warm outside…!!”.” That was the email from Facebook. I joined but did point out on the group that I was not in Australia and that my days are getting colder. Although not today! Bright sunshine and […]
I don’t end to have the time (or energy) to post mid-week in term term but today is an exception as it’s been a busy Puglia 2010 day. Recieved a couple of emails, one from Kevin Payne at CTC who has pointed me in the direction of someone […]
Frustrated in my efforts to find detailed information about the details of the EuroVélo 5 route, I have gone to the top and just sent an email to the European Cyclists’ Federation asking for any updates.Rue Franklin281000 Brussels,Belgiumphone: +32 2 880 92 74fax: +32 2 880 92 75office@ecf.com […]
John Davies, the Audax cyclist from Willsden has emailed back with some more details of the Audax route from Calais to Brindisi. He writes: Attached is an article from the most recent edition of Arrivée, the magazine of Audax UK. It doesn’t really give you much information about […]
I was just having a look at Mark Beaumont’s updates on his blog and noticed he had a terrain profile of one of his stages – it was provided by a company called Topocoding. So I followed the link and plugged in the main towns that make up […]
Stanfords‘ map & book shop in London is a great place to spend an hour or so in central London. I never remember where it is exactly and always end up wandering around the streets near Leicester Square tube station for a while until I bump into it. […]
John Calver emailed me a few months ago asking for information about the route I was planning on taking. I emailed back at the time explaining that I hadn’t really got that far. He was planning to cycle from Calais to the Italian border in July this year, […]
Need to get back to thinking about next year’s little adventure to Italy. I am so glad to have completed the trip this summer, albeit a much shorter journey and over a longer period of time that I will need take next summer. I did 350 miles over […]
Both Ian Hendry and Jonathan Scott have now got their blogs up and running! Ian has chosen the name “Hendo2010” and Jonathan “Cycling Via Francigena“. Ian is cycling London to Rome but probably a bit earlier than me in summer 2010. Jonathan is cycling Rome to London in […]
The EuroVélo 5 route has a Facebook group… so I joined of course. The other two members are Ian Hendry – the man from Adelaide who I’ve mentioned and quoted from before and a guy called Massimo Mazzone who writes in his opening post:“Let’s improve the route! It’s […]
Ian Hendry, the guy from Adelaide has been in touch again and gives some useful musings about distances etc (he is in blue, my comments in red):I was anticipating 100km+ per day from Waterloo to Central Rome (only going to Rome as it will easier to fly out […]
Already worth the £36!Just found this route description – not particularly detailed – but worth a look (England to Israel in 1979!). You’ll need to be a member of CTC to access it.
Well I worked it out and it appears that I am (see previous post). There is the Wikipedia entry over there on the left with the added links – the route link and the link to this blog at the bottom. I’m impressed but at the same time […]
If you type in “EuroVelo Route Number 5” into Google, you get 5,420 answers (put the accent on vélo – I am a French teacher after all – and, strangely, you get 5,570). Whichever way you do it, entries number two and three are me! The blog is […]
Just recived the following email from a guy in Adelaide. My comments to his various points are in red….Hey Andrew,My name is Ian Hendry and I’m from Adelaide, South Australia (yes, Tour Down Under territory). I have just been reading your Puglia 2010 blog after googling away looking […]
At the risk of sounding like Humphry Littleton…. I have received two letters, well, two emails. Both of them asking about the same issue: the route I will be taking in 2010 to Puglia.Firstly from Constantin Anastasopoulos:“Hi,i am planning to follow your route but in the opposite direction, […]
How about this email I have just recieved from Claudio in Parma:“Salve Andrew. I’m not really familiar with blogs and all this kind of things, but I’minterested in your idea to cycle the EV5 if I understood your palns. I Live near Parma and maybe I can help […]
This blog is supposed to be about cycling from Berkshire to Puglia in August 2010 and about my steps towards that goal. The last couple of posts have appeared more like therapy on a confessional blog. Today’s is back on the point – cycling. The views are both […]
Swine flu is a bit worrying…. let’s hope we all make it to August 2010. A British Airways member of cabin crew is reporting flu like symptoms after having returned from Mexico City and has been hospitalised. Mmmm…Anyway, my new friends in New Zealand have replied:“Thanks for that […]
A couple of new links – and useful ones by the look of them.I was contacted by a lady in South Africa a couple of weeks ago who goes by the name of “Amawalker”. She had seen this blog and has kindly put a message of the Yahoo […]
Despite the technical problems with my chain and the resulting train journey to work on Monday, the rest of the week went to plan, to the extent that I have a “plan” in the first place for my cycle from Reading to Henley-on-Thames and back! It’s about 16 […]
There is a risk of this blog becoming a bit monotonous: I just went swimming again this morning but refrained from sending a Twitter message…Jon in Australia has emailed back. I had told him that I aimed to get from Reading to Berkshire in a maximum of six […]
The are some questions to which I need to find a definitive answer over the course of the next few weeks. Let’s set 10th June 2009 – my 40th birthday – as my deadline. The questions are:– Do I do my cycle ride for charity?– If so, which […]
It is a strange thing, but being on holiday for six weeks every summer means that you forget the passage of time and struggle to say what day it is. With my blog vote (still four votes), however, I can say that it is 714 days until I […]
Still waiting for my maps!
I have another vote – and my plan is still “inspired” after (only) 4 votes!I couldn’t sleep last night so when I eventually did nod off it wasn’t until 10.30am that I woke. Expecting to feel very stiff after yesterday’s efforts, I was glad to discover that my […]
…is to cycle the route from London to Brindisi in the summer of 2010.
The route starts in London, passes through Canterbury, Dover and Calais, Brussels, Luxembourg, Strasbourg, Basel, Luzern, Milan, Parma, Siena, Rome and ends on the the Adriatic coast in Brindisi.
