Source of the Rhine
Friday 2nd July - Sunday 11th July 2010
| Duration |
9 Nights / 10 Days or (
8 nights / 7 days )* |
| Tour Area |
Switzerland / Black Forest / Rhine Valley |
| Status |
Escorted Tour (E) |
| Accommodation |
3 & 4-Star Hotel's |
| Mileage |
120-300 miles per day (longest day 350 miles) |
| Approx Tour Mileage |
1700 miles |
| Roads |
Combination of Motorway, A and B Roads |
| Skills |
Suitable for experienced rider |
Great scenery and fantastic roads as we follow the river Rhine
on its journey across Europe
There is no doubt that at 820 miles (1320 km) the Rhine is not only the
longest river in Europe, but one of the most important. It rises in
the Swiss Alps issuing from the Rheinwaldhorn Glacier 3,353 m above sea
level and flows generally north, passing through or bordering on Switzerland,
Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, France, and the Netherlands before emptying
into the North Sea at Rotterdam.
It
has always been an ambition of mine to follow the river from its source
to its mouth, and so using a number of good quality hotels, we have put
together a tour taking you through seven different countries as we follow
the rivers course from its source in the beautiful Swiss Alps to where
it enters the North Sea in the lowlands of Holland, Along
the way we will have the opportunity to ride some of Switzerlands best
Alpine passes, see the aquamarine waters of Lake Constance, be impressed
by the spectacular Rhine falls and enjoy the best scenery and biking roads
that the Black Forest can provide. Keeping
in touch with the river has it grows in size we take a two night break
in the Rhine Gorge with its fairytale castles and chocolate box houses
before completing our journey to the Sea.
Tour Format
Day 1: Friday 2nd July Today,
you should make your own way to Hull, where we will catch the P&O overnight
ferry to Zeebrugge. It is possible to board early evening,
which allows plenty of time to relax and enjoy the onboard facilities. A
2 berth en-suite cabin is included in your package
(alternative crossings available - see below).
Day 2: Saturday 3rd July
(350 miles) An
8.30am arrival means we get a good start for our journey across Belgium
and France to our first nights stop in the Burgundy region. Here
we meet up with any fellow riders that have taken the Channel crossing.
Day 2: Sunday 4th July (219 miles) Our
journey today sees us leave France via the Jura mountains to Switzerland
and the shores of Lake Geneva (Lac Leman. France). A
cross country route takes us to Interlaken in the Bernese Oberland
which lies between Lakes Thun and Brienz and at the feet of the three famous
peaks Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. Your hotel tonight
will be at a 3 star hotel overlooking Lake Brienz. An evening meal is included
in your stay.
Day 3: Monday 5th July (270 miles) Leaving
the valley bottom behind we enter the Swiss Alps proper as we climb
some of the best mountain passes you will have ever ridden. With
a choice of ways, either the Sustenpass or Grimsel
& Furkha passes you are spoilt for choice, but all routes
take you over the Oberalpass and past the glaciers and
lakes from which the water comes to form the
Rhine proper at Reichenau. The Rhine flows north providing the border
between Switzerland and Liechtenstein and
then Austria before finally entering
Lake Constance. For our acommodation this evening, we briefly enter
Austria to a 4 star hotel overlooking the lake, once again an evening meal
is included.
Day
4: Tuesday 6th July (128 miles) Today we ride
along the southern shores of Lake Constance (Bodensee. Germany).
Some 63km long and 14km wide it is the third largest fresh water lake in
Central Europe and supplies most of the drinking water for SW.Germany.
The
regulated Rhine flows into the lake in the southeast, through the Obersee,
the city of Konstanz (Constance) and
the Untersee and flows out near Stein am Rhein. Our next stop is
at the magnificant Rhine Falls, not so much for their
height (a mere 23m) as for their impressive breadth (150m) and the sheer
drama of the place, with the spray rising in a cloud of rainbows above
the forested banks. Turning
Northwards, we leave the Rhine to wander past Bern as we enter the Southern
Black Forest to pick up some bike friendly roads and make our way to
our next stop for the next two nights, a 4 star hotel on the banks
of lovely Lake Titisee. Your
stay includes rooms with lake views and full buffet Breakfasts.
Day 6: Wednesday 7th July
(free day) The
Black Forest (Schwarzwald) is perhaps best known by most for
its Cuckoo clocks and a rather nice cake! However, this area has much
to offer in scenery, attractions and some great biking roads, your guide
will be able to advise you on these. If you fancy a day off the bikes,
you can relax at your hotel overlooking the beautiful lake,
take a boat ride,or perhaps catch the train to the historic town of Frieburg.
Day 7: Thursday 8th July (260
miles) -
today sees us take the famous B500 northwards along the
spine of the Black Forest to Baden Baden. Described by the Ducati Sports
Club of the UK as one of their favourite routes, there is no doubt the B500
with its fast, open twisting bends is a road not to miss.
The rest of the
day sees us continue to follow the Rhine until we enter the popular Rhine
Valley. The
valleys steep vineyard-covered mountains punctuated by scores of fairy-tale
castles and chocolate box houses have made this, along with the neighbouring
Mosel one, of our favourite places. The day ends at another 4 star hotel
- this time on the banks of the Rhine - which will be your base for the
next two nights. Evening meals and secure parking are included in your stay.
Day 8: Friday 9th July
(free day) Another chance to relax and spend the
day as you wish. There is certainly plenty to see and do in this, Germany’s
most romantic region, attracting many visitors with its vineyards, river
valleys and castles. If you want a day off the bikes,
Boppard has lots to see, with parts of the town dating back to Roman times. The
nearby chairlift takes you to the “Vierseenblick” offering
fantastic views of the Rhine below. We can advise you on various routes
, which will not only take you to some of the popular
tourist attractions, but offer some the best biking roads in the area. For
those interested, there is the opportunity to visit the famous Nurburgring.
Day 9: Saturday 10th July (246-317 miles) Today,
we say goodbye to those taking a Channel crossing (317 miles) whilst we follow
the course of the Rhine as we a leisurely ride back to Rotterdam (246
miles) for the late afternoon ferry. The Rhine enters Holland and together
with the rivers Meuse and Scheldt forms the largest river delta in Western
Europe before splitting further and finally flowing into the North Sea.
Having
completed our journey, its time to board, stow our bikes,
and make for the bar ready for another evening’s
entertainment on this overnight ferry.
Day 10: Sunday 11th July The
ferry docks at 0800 hrs, just time to have breakfast and bid farewell before
making our way home.
Accommodation
A two berth en-suite cabin is included on both legs
of your ferry crossing from Hull. All accommodation on
this tour is of either of 3 or 4 star quality. All bedrooms are
en-suite with the usual facilities you would expect, such as TV, telephone
and hairdryer. Many have fridges, balconies, and free Wi-Fi
access. It would take too long to itemise all the different hotel's
facilities, however items such as fitness rooms, spa, sauna and swimming
pools are all included, so we suggest you take your swimming gear.
Evening meals are included at all hotels with the exception
of our two night stop by Lake Titisee in the Black Forest, giving you
the opportunity to eat out in Frieburg or take a short stroll into Titisee
itself.
Three of your hotels enjoy lakeside views and your
final hotel in keeping with the
subject of our tour, enjoys an enviable position on the banks of the River
Rhine. Run by the family Gawel, this is the best 4 star hotel in
Boppard. The hotels' ‘Art
Nouveau’ style
has welcomed many famous guests since it first established in 1877. Renovated
in 2003, it has retained its character whilst offering the modern facilities
you would expect of a 4 star hotel.
Your stay includes an excellent buffet breakfast and all evening meals. You
will have full use of the hotel's leisure facilities which include a gym,
solarium, sauna and lovely indoor swimming pool. Your bike is not forgotten,
as secure indoor parking is also included in for your stay.
| Tour prices are inclusive of the following |
* Return overnight Hull - Zeebrugge/Rotterdam
ferry with 2 berth en-suite cabin
(departs
2100hrs - returns 0800hrs) **
|
| * 7 Nights' en-suite accommodation at 3 & 4
star hotels |
| * 5 Evening meals |
| * 7 Regional breakfasts |
| * Full use of the hotel's leisure facilities |
| * Undercover parking where available |
| * Maps and route instructions as appropiate -
Garmin routes available |
| * Services of experienced Tour Guide |
| Not included |
| * Meals onboard ferry |
| * Tolls (Vignettes) for Switzerland (approx £27)
|
| Tour Cost |
|
| Two persons, one bike, shared room |
£875 each |
| One person, one bike, shared room |
£950 each |
| One person, one bike, single room |
£1075 (based
on single hotel room and cabin share on ferry) |
| Deposit £95
each |
|
** Ferry Choice
The tour is priced using the P&O Hull-Rotterdam Ferry. Should you wish
to use an alternative crossing, please contact us and we will adjust the
costs accordingly.
Note*: -
If your time is limited, or you do not wish to travel northwards to Hull, you
may make your own ferry arrangements and join the tour at the first nights
hotel stop in France (Saturday 3rd July) and leave on our last night in Boppard
(Friday 9th July).
Insurance
On all European tours (including Southern Ireland) we require clients to take-out
some form of Personal Travel and Accident/Breakdown cover. This is
essential for repatriation of yourself and your motorcycle in the event of an
accident or medical emergency. We recommend Gold Cover
Insurance Services Ltd, a company that have specialised in travel insurance for
many years and is used by many Motorcycle Tour Operators.
GOLD COVER INSURANCE
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