Cycling the Danube with Julie

DONAUESCHINGEN TO BUDAPEST

Schlogen Bend Inzell - Through the iron gates into Slovakia.

This week we follow Julie and her husband from Donaueschingen to Budapest along the Danube Velo 6. 

My husband and I just returned from cycling the Danube. 1300 kms and not on e-bikes. We pedalled our way along the Danube, on a variety of tracks from, gravely bush paths, cement, cobblestone, tar and a few roads.

This was our first big bicycle trip. After solving issues of do we take our own bikes or buy, what do we do with our suitcases and how to pack everything we needed for a 4 week cycle in two x 20 litre panniers. We set off.

This was our first big bicycle trip. After solving issues of do we take our own bikes or buy, what do we do with our suitcases and how to pack everything we needed for a 4 week cycle in two x 20 litre panniers. We set off.

Our journey started in Frankfurt where we purchased bikes at the biggest store we have ever seen. We decided to fly in and out of Frankfurt and stay at the same hotel so we could leave our suitcases and other things that we wouldn’t need on the ride.

An early morning train to Donaueschingen to start the ride to Budapest. I had been told it was all flat, not so, there were a few hills at the start, and of course many of the villages and towns were a short climb from the river. We enjoyed many schnitzels and beers after a day of riding.

The entire ride took us 24 days and we cycled approximately 1300 km including detours and wrong turns all of which made the journey memorable. We allowed ourselves plenty of time so we were not rushed and the wrong turns were not a big issue.

We travelled through forests, farms and villages. The first part of our journey on the Donauradweg was quiet and there were not many cyclists on the path.

Some of the highlights were staying at Inzell on the Schlogen Bend. The Wachau wine region in Austria and the myriad of off the tourist track places we visited. We ate a lot of schnitzel and of course sampled the beer, all of which was well deserved after a day in the saddle.

Of course we had the obligatory mascot Kevin Koala who came along for the ride.

Would we do it again... yes I am currently planning our next ride Euro Velo 1 Roscoff in France to the Spanish border.