London to Istanbul

Havelock

Hi all, I'm looking to ride from London to Istanbul in a few weeks.

My route so far is this, which is based on trying to get through as many different countries as possible without meandering too much from a straight-ish line. That said, it's only done through google maps avoiding highways, so any input from anyone with any knowledge of cycling these ways would be massively appreciated.

http://tinyurl.com/32oleb5

Also, if people are keen to come alone, I'm hoping to set off approx. 7th June and ride about 90-100m per day.

Havelock

Apologies, the route went a bit funny, it's more like this: http://tinyurl.com/2uslasp

pclarke0046

I cycled to Istanbul a couple of years ago following the Rhine south through Germany and then East along the Danube. It was surprisingly straight forward as the valleys enable you to avoid unnecessary mountains. Both rivers have beautiful paths to cycle along for much of western Europe meaning you don't find yourself travelling along main roads until you get east of Vienna when the cycle routes dry up and you will be forced to forge a path along A roads - make the most of Europe's well established cycle network while you can.

You can see the route I planned on bikely:

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/London-to-Istanbul

Let me know if you have any questions as the experience is still very fresh in the mind.

pastasauce

Heres a Twitter feed of someone who's doing it right now ....

http://twitter.com/benlwade

He left a few weeks back, so he can reccy the route for you !

pclarke0046

From reading his tweets he is on exactly the same route I was on and is sticking to the Rhine and the Danube.

blorg

I'm in the planning stages for this, would be leaving from Dublin with ferry to Cherbourg. So very interested in others' experiences. Planning on leaving on the 28th, need to get it done quite fast too. Planning on following the Danube currently.

@Havelock- you can add Greece to that list by taking what is barely even a detour over the other side of the river before Edirne on the Turkish border.

forgotrafe

As mentioned in other thread (Ideas... Sahara Trip), I'm 40 next year and looking for an adventure. This sounds a great one so will be reading this thread and the various links with interest.

What do people do for accommodation? Book it up in advance? Do people travel with everything the need & top-up as they go? Or do you forward one or two parcels of spares etc. onward?

Glad I haven't stumbled across this part of the forums before - I'd of resigned ages ago

apreading

My big worry would be getting my bike back through Istanbul airport - every time I have been there is it mayhem - not organised at all...

Hoopdriver

I rode London to Istanbul a few years ago. I went down through northern France and the Ardennes, and on to Strasbour; through the Black Forest and then followed the Danube to Budapest, before curving down to Trieste and following the Dalmatian Coast to Greece and on to Turkey. A long way around, I suppose, but it was a lot of fun, very scenic and in the end it took me only six weeks.

Good luck with it.