Where to go, what to do?

For reasons that I won't go into here SWMBO and I will be riding our
bikes from stockholm back to the UK in early August.

This will be her first trip of any length and I don't want to put her
off entirely.

Since it's my first trip to the land of the Scandy naves the question
is as subject.

The rough plan is to take anything up to 7 days to meander south
through various countries and come back on either the Eurotunnel or a
cheap ferry from somewhere. Final destination is London.

Advice from the foak is therefore sought as I'm sure you know better
than I:

1. how far to plan to go in a day (It's my first trip of more than a
couple of days too, but I'm on the BMW and she's on a faired B6, so
I'm expecting her to want to stop first.)
2. Should we go for big miles days with a full day off somewhere, or
try for riding a bit every day?
3. What should we stop for on the way?
4. Which bits are boring and should be bypassed on the autoroute /
bahn / whatever the naves call a motorway?

I await comments with antici

 

My own preference is for big miles to start with, to build up a
'reserve'. Once you've got the main distance covered, you can ease up
a bit.

I did this trip back in the 1980s: across to Helsingborg in Sweden,
short ferry to Helsingor in Denmark, down to Robdyhaven and then
another ferry to Puttgarden in Germany (I think there's a bridge now,
or something), and then through Germany Holland, Belgium, France. We
did it with one night on the road (in Germany).

Stopping: Spend some time in Goteborg in Sweden. Stockholm, your
starting point, obviously: the Vasa warship museum is unmissable (like
the Mary Rose only a complete ship). The open-air zoo and craft centre
at Skansen is good.

Food and especially drink is expensive in Sweden. Petrol stations are
all good places to eat, mind. The insect population will encrust your
visor to the point of opacity between fuel stops.

Hamburg is great. The lakes around Ratzeburg (south of Lubeck) are
good, too. Unfortunately, you're not coming through the most scenic
part of Germany, really.

In Holland, Amsterdam (obviously), and also Scheveningen (the beach
side of Den Haag). Utterly amazing long beach, nice seaside town,
superb eats, good beer.

Belgium - Ypres is a must if you can, for the preserved trenches,
museums, all the WW1 thing. Heartbreaking, most of it.

In Germany, just take the main roads and look for a sign saying
Gasthof when you want to stop. Works for me. Holland - no idea. France
- head for village or town centre and pick a hotel. Always choose the
hotel from the menu posted up outside - works for me. Remember you
won't get fed at most French hotels on a Sunday night.

 

Thank you very much.

Loads of useful info, and you've probably crystallised our route back
across the wet to be Hook of Holland to Harwich rather than
Eurotunnel.

Unless we do Ypres, which sounds harrowing but worth it.

Cheers TOG.

 

Particularly the Last Post at the Menin Gate.

Bruges is nice too.

We always plan to stop two nights (at least) in one place (usually a
town) every few days. It gives you the option of biking without
luggage if you fancy it, wandering around town if you want a day
without biking, and a chance to dry wet clothes if the weather's crap.

 

Oh yes, good call. Utterly lovely town, and for beer and chocolate,
you can't beat it.

Damn good idea. Coo, you're lucid these days. The meds are working,
then?

 

" "

 

I'd go for a play around Sweden/Norway.

Oslo, Viking Museum and Vigeland art park.

The roads round the Telemark region are a delight.

Check out the crazy roads around Lysebotn/Prekestolen and the
Lysefjord.

Stavangar -> Newcastle ferry is 24 hours.

Time to relax before a quick flit over the Yorkshire moors/Sutton Bank
to see how small the UK wild/steep parts are compared to Norway/
Sweden.

Overall it keeps the miles down and off M/ways so you can both enjoy
the riding rather than the feeling you have to eat big miles.

HTH.

 

A lot longer than that nowadays. It's stopped!

 

The original idea was to go out via Newcastle/Harwich/something -
Goteborg, and that's stoped too. We're having to go Harwich to
Esbjerg in Denmark, and then hightail it to Stockholm in 2 days. We
wanted different scenery on the way back...

 

Thanks.
My brother is recommending that as well. We'll try for a rainy day
while we're out there!

 

I dunno where you live, but you could come back Zeebrugge-Hull. If you
do, let us know what it's like. We usually go Newcastle-Ijmuiden
(living on Wearside), but Hull-Zeebrugge would be an alternative if we
wanted to end up nearer France.

 

Hahahaha! That'll add a bit to the journey.

Leo, you may want to take some waders, the North Sea's only about 90
feet deep.

 

"It only comes up to there on the ducks"

 

Metres. And most of it's a lot deeper than that anyway.

 

You'll be mixing up feet and metres.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, boots

NASA-stylee?

 

You could try the DFDS freight boats from Gothenburg. They have
passenger space and they are clean, and run daily. Look at
DFDSTorline.com and click on the passenger link. 7 days Stockholm to
North Sea ports isn't leaving much time for sightseeing. We did a
similar run then had a day in Bruges to wind down.

I've done Esbjerg, then rode over to the Danish east coast (4 hour run)
then ferry to Sweden but now they built the bridge over Ostersund, ferry
crossings to Sweden are much less frequent (Grena - Varberg) unless you
cut over to Helsingor. Really depends on your available time.

Most recently I've used DFDS from Immingham as I can't be arsed to spend
long hours riding, getting tired, and then not enjoying the good bits.
You either spend a day and a half riding from Holland or Belgium, or
spend a day on boat to Sweden.

I'd take my time in Sweden. Stay off the usual routes, as the E4 is a
soporific ride and scary if the weather is wet with all the big trucks,
and \ or spend time in one country rather than "do" Europe.

Steve

 

London.
Unlikely we'll be going to Hull.

 

Now I didn't know they took passengers on freight lines. That is
definitely something to look at in detail.

Thanks for that.

 

heh.