The Rhine Ride (14th May - 28th May 2014)

Day 8 Mulhouse to Sundhouse.......Turn left at the honeysuckle bush.

A day with very long, straight, stretches of road through forest and canals, saw very little of the Rhine. Eventually, it started to zig-zag through back lanes with small open fields. Sundhouse came upon us at about 4 pm and we asked around if there were any places to stay. It was made quite clear to us that there wasn’t. Still, we were pointed to a large farm building on the edges of the town where the farmer rented out Gites. Met an elderly lady and was very welcomed. It was a most wonderful house with the largest solid old French furniture I had ever seen. After about 30 mins the husband turned up a showed us upstairs to the house where there was the most luxurious apartment. A mad rush down to the supermarket which closed at 6 pm brought food enough to feed an army. Then spent the evening eating and drinking. A most wonderful place, the village consisted of some very old houses. This was an area well-fought over during the war and appeared to be wondefully restored.

Day 9 Sundhouse to Druisenheim......A road to nowhere.

We seem to be some sort of test track road. It meanders for miles and miles. Large security gates and signs saying this road may be closed. We see no sign at all of the Rhine as it's on the other side of a very large bank. We try to ride on this but it's too bumpy, so it's back to this road. It appears to be at least 20 miles long eventually, we join a Rhine cycle path after crossing back onto the German side. There was a cafe at this point it as the weather was extremely hot it was very welcome. At a place where the road disappeared meant taking a ferry over to the other side, we diverted off left into Druisenheim and stayed in a dull old-fashioned hotel but it met our needs very well. Had a particularly nice meal in a restaurant in the main Square that evening.

Day 10 Druiseheim to Maintz....... A bit of cheating today!

Arrived in Mainz by train from Kurlshrue. Just getting too boring and not seeing the river as it is behind a great big flood embankment. The train journey was superb in that the bike carriage was behind the driver and all that was between us was a large glass panel. It was as if we were in the cab! Mainz was busy and hot and the Youth Hostel was quite a bit away but we found it in the end. Very busy and took the opportunity for bike repairs. In the morning we split up and I went to have new spokes.

Day 11 Mainz to St. Goar...... Main tourist area and has lots to see - a great ride.

Started off badly by finding the route very difficult to follow. Went through acres of well-tended allotments and eventually joined the river paths. Good for cycling as we were able to stop whenever we wanted not like those in cars who are restricted by the fast road/ rail squeezing into the side of the river. Lots to see and another nice ride. Hotel at St Goar was very good and nice meal there in the evening. Although did get a bit drunken.

Day 12 St. Goar to Ramegan..... Lots of crossings on ferries - getting into big cities

Journey loses its scenic appeal from here - and it starts to rain!

Can’t get the route wrong!- just follow the very wide cycle path along the river. We split up again agreeing to meet at Koblenz at the Deutsch -Eck monument. Which we did within a few minutes of each other. I think we took at least three ferries over the Rhine and back again as we followed to E15. This was a good day's ride, finishing at an excellent hotel with very modern rooms and overlooking the river. A ferry was running below us and again a very nice meal. We were their only customers.

Gorge area has superb bike roads - much better for seeing the sights.

Day 13 Ramegan to Kleve. A long train ride - Bonn to Kleve

Not much more to say really. Scenery had run out. Big cities are a nightmare. Fed up with large industrial scenery. But mainly because we are still about a week away from getting home. And...it's raining. Kleve turns out to be a bit poor really. Stayed in a business hotel. Terrible evening meal in fast-food curry place.
Crossed the river several times today, mostly by ferry.
Arrived in Kleve - by train.

Day 14 Kleve to Culemborg.... First experience of Dutch signposting.

First experience with Dutch signposting. Got here by cycling in and out, over and under the Dutch border. As usual, the route map was far too complicated and we were taken under the wing of the elderly Dutch gentleman to seemed to have a pedal-powered electric bike. We tried to discuss the route with him using our maps but he ended up riding with us for ages waiting at every junction to make sure we followed him. It was a nice ride although the weather was a bit shitty.
At Culemborg the rain got heavier and after visiting the tourist office gave us a B&B guide we found ourselves yet again struggling for accommodation. Eventually, we ended up at this farm just outside of town and it was a little gem. Ideal arrangements with farm produced food including bread. Went into town for a meal and had a particularly nice meal at a very trendy sort of place.
Checked out the railway station for tomorrow and trains leave every 15 mins to Utrecht. There was a huge multi-storey cycle-parking building next to it with thousands of bikes stacked in it.

Had excellent accommodation on a farm. Cabin with everything we needed including fresh food.

Day 15 Culemborg to Rotterdam...... Yes, by train.

Culemborg itself was a nice town. It was from here we caught the train to Hook of Holland. We had run out of time and were finding the intricacies of town cycle paths without a map just too difficult.

THE END