Anyone got any information on long distance (mainly ) off-road bike routes? Emphasis more on the scenery / rolling along than a tech fest – so thinking of forest-road / double track / smooth singletrack type routes, but happy with some road sections in there as well.

Cheers

What starts as the Trans Penine Trail in Southport (I think) and goes over to the east coast somewhere carries on through to Turkey I believe. It might even go further still. I’ll have a look in a minute as my interest is peaked now you mention it Sue W.

‘European’…. I’d feel sorry for you if you chose to do the Trans Pennine Trail out of all the choices in Europe!

Ever looked at the GTJ? Grand Traverse Du Jura? To the immediate north of Geneve, runnig along the Swiss/French border. Good views of the alps at times, but a lot more rural wild france feel (they eve have wolves) and it’s the coldest place in Frnace in the winter.

D’oh…. now read ALL of Barca’s thread!…

Ha! No worries mugsys_m8, I need somebosy to keep an eye on me. Researching the route is proving quite hard. It goes from the west coast of Ireland across to Southport and then on past Hull (with a few spurs to confuse a person along the way) to Hornsea on the west coast and then becomes the “E3” inot mainland Europe.
I’ll be back in a minute with some more info.

I’m back! 🙂

“E8 Atlantic – Istanbul

Total planned length: Dursey Head, Cork – Istanbul 4390km/2750 miles
British section: Liverpool – Hull (Trans Pennine Trail) 300km/188 miles

From the Atlantic coast in the southwest of Ireland, this European Long Distance Path follows a variety of Waymarked Ways including the Kerry Way and Wicklow Way to Dublin Ferryport, where it links via ferry to Liverpool. It then uses the main route of the Trans Pennine Trail (see above) to Hull, for a second ferry link to Rotterdam Europoort where it connects with the Oeverloperpad LAW6-1 towards Leerdam.

The route continues across the German border east of Nijmegen, and uses a variety of paths through Aachen, the Rhine Valley, the Romantische Straße, northern Austria, Wien, Bratislava and the Northern Carpathians to the Beskid pass on the Ukraine border. Eastwards from here, large sections still remain to be opened, although a route through Romania is under development and 400km of paths through the Rodopi mountains in Bulgaria are already open. Eventually it is hoped to continue the route into Turkey, terminating at Istanbul.

Contacts
European Ramblers’ Association
Long Distance Walkers Association
E8 in other countries: for more information contact
Ireland: National Waymarked Ways Advisory Committee
Netherlands: Stichting Wandelplatform-LAW
Germany: Verband Deutscher Gebirgs- und Wandervereine
Austria: Österreichischer Alpenverein
Slovakia: Klub Slovenských Turistov
Poland: PTTK
Romania: ARTPED
Bulgaria: Bulgarski Turisticheski Soyuz “

Taken from http://www.ramblers.org.uk/info/paths/name/t/transpennine.htm

Cripes! You’ll need some minty bottom cream for that particular ride 🙂

I am doing the UK version over Easter as it is local and my riding companion is not fit.
Dont think the wife or work would give me the time off for the whole route

Keep an eye out for the signage round here Junkyard (Stockport and into Derbyshire), it’s truly bobbins.

In Poland don’t talk to PTTK, you’re better off having a chat with Polish XC Champs organisers or check web forums.
Or follow the southern border, mountains aplenty, proper murder of any legs certain.

i’m looking at doing a long distance route in Spain, there’s quite a few long distance dirt road routes based on the pilgrim routes. I put a post on the CTC forum (in the touring forum) it’s titled “Ruta Via De La Plata” – I got some really helpfull replies – i’m looking at doing a trip later in the year which i’m researching at the moment – I’ll stick details of the route on the CTC forum (cos they don’t take the p*ss so much)

Can’t help with the pisstaking but with cycling in Poland – easily.

Most of the Danube has got cycle paths beside it – they used to be towpaths.
Good for S Germany to the Black Sea.

The Alta Via,in Liguria Italy, both Alpine and mediteranean riding and views.

There’s a North Sea Cycle Route, don’t know what it’s like but we saw signs for it in Denmark but had never heard of it before.

http://www.sustrans.org.uk/default.asp?sID=1144848978671

Might be worth looking here too

http://www.ecf.com/14_1

G5 in Southern Spain – I believe it goes from West coast to Eastern border…and beyond…