in planning » Advice wanted for trip

Hi,
An opputunity has arisen for me and the wife for our first European trip at the start of September, we would quite like to travel from the UK to southern Germany and beyond but I have a few questions please to people who have already done this my questions are as follows:

1. My idea on the first day would be to ride from Calais France to Heidelberg Germany where we would stay for two nights then move south. Has anybody stoped in Heidelberg and can you recommend somewhere to stay.

2. Having never traveled abroad on the bike only in the car should I be concerned with finding accommodation with secure parking for the bike because here in the UK I would not like to leave my bike overnight out on the road.

3. The date for my trip is fairly flexible but the dates I was planing I have just realised my insurance runs out on the day I planned to return, does my cover need to extend beyond the date of return.

4. Any other recommendations for the trip welcomed.

If you like the excitement of not knowing where you'll be staying at night then just head off.

I don't so I use trusty booking dotcom to line up all my stops and then enjoy - playing / fighting / swearing at - delete as appropriate good old Garmin Basecamp to plan my daily routes. Anything up to 250 miles is usually OK for me. That's a whole episode in itself.


I'm making my 4th annual trip to Germany this summer, July instead of previous September rides so that I can attend the BM, bash at Garmisch.


As above, any hotel should provide enough online info to let you determine parking arrangements, local facilities, etc.

I've enjoyed parking on a busy pavement in Cochem, my own private lock up garage in Bad Herenalb and all sorts in between. I carry a steel cable with stout shackle for tying the front wheel to my crash bar. At least it may stop some kiddo from trying to wheel the bike around. But you'll never beat 4 strong boys with a van. I've never met a problem.

As I'm north of Hadrian's Wall, I use the DFDS bus from North Shields to Ijmuiden (or Newcastle to Amsterdam).

Right now I'm tweaking my routes using KURVIGER .DE that can figure out twistier paths from A to B avoiding motorways. Sometimes too twisty.

Enjoy.

Hi Wessie,

Nice Reply, thanks, I did my first long trip with the wife a few weeks ago to Scotland, that took 6 hours with one fuel stop and one 30 minute stop for nourishment, total distance in one day 298 miles mainly on single lane roads as I find the A1 boring although I did come back on the A1. My idea for the start of the trip was to travel down to Folkstone and stay in digs for the night then catch an early shuttle.

After Heidelberg I would like to visit some castles, some quaint German towns/villages then maybe Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France and who knows whatever next, I don't like making plans as such just see how I feel on the day and just ride, so long as I'm back at Calais 14 days later after setting off thats all that matters.

If you have any recommendations for break down cover and travel insurance that would be appreciated.

I tend to go down to Folkestone and through the tunnel 30 minutes and stay at Ibis at Calais on the same area as the Chunnel, large shopping mall near the Ibis with many eateries, then off early to Europe.

Once we stayed in Liege and pulled up outside our digs in the centre, a local biker who pulled by us said, you are not leaving your bikes there tonight guys are you, we said why, he said they will not be there in the morning. As it happened the Ibis pointed towards very secure locked parking, but it served as a lesson and secure parking is paramount.

Ged

Thanks to all who have contributed and I particularly like the idea of staying the night at the IBIS hotel, I will check out the travel insurance as I also have some medical issues, so thanks again to all.

Zitat von wessie im Beitrag #7

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Zitat von boxter im Beitrag #6

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I tend to go down to Folkestone and through the tunnel 30 minutes and stay at Ibis at Calais on the same area as the Chunnel, large shopping mall near the Ibis with many eateries, then off early to Europe.

Once we stayed in Liege and pulled up outside our digs in the centre, a local biker who pulled by us said, you are not leaving your bikes there tonight guys are you, we said why, he said they will not be there in the morning. As it happened the Ibis pointed towards very secure locked parking, but it served as a lesson and secure parking is paramount.

Ged

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that Ibis near the Tunnel is in Coquelles Cité d'Europe not Calais...

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Zitat von wessie im Beitrag #5

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If you load the booking.com app onto your phone or tablet then you can check hotel availability each afternoon - there are plenty of other apps but I have found booking.com gives the best range

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Well Wessi Covered most things we are leaving the midlands beginning of September tunnel at lunch time Mons is our fist stop then onto Bernkastle 2nd night Barden Barden 3rd night we have a planed stop in Hiedelberg very little motorway, take it easy & enjoy the ride we per book using booking .com for accommodation have done this across Europe Parking you may have to pay for it at the hotel sometimes but it say this on the listing
may see you at the tunnel
Brian

Zitat von wessie im Beitrag #11

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My phone has the Chrome browser for such purposes.
Topcashback is quite good, especially if you are the DFV*

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If you want a relaxed start and fewer miles on the first day, take the overnight Harwitch/Hoek ferry. Get a good nights sleep, off at 0730 in the morning and closer to the autobahns than Calais. The most relaxing way to cross the channel.

You can hit Heidelberg in a day using the autobahn. A good option if you want your “real” tour to begin at Heidelberg. Just remember to keep to the right and check your mirrors (there is always someone way faster than you on the autobahn and German lane discipline is first class).

and you need to ride the B500