[Closed] cycling back from Istanbul...........anyone?

My mate is cycling back from Rome to SW Scotland Tony, looks ace, bastard hilly, but ace!

We did Edinburgh to Athens over 3 months last year. Originally planned to finish in Istanbul but avoided it due to protests etc. We came via along the Rhine from Amsterdam to the Black forest before following various cycling routes over to the Gross Glockner pass in Austria. We then went through Austria, Slovenia, Istria, Island hopped in Croatia to Zadar then inland to Mostar (Bosnia) then back to Split, Kotor (Montegnegro), bimbled around Montenegro and eventually to Peja (Kosovo), then Kukes (Albania), Ohrid (Macedonia), through Northern Greece, some island hoping then finishing through the middle of the Pelaponeese to Athens.

Favourite bits; Slovenia, BOKO (Bodensee Konigsee Radweg), Gross Glockner, Most of the Balkans, the Ciro trail, from Mostar to Dubrovnik, the mountains of Greece, the endless pastries (Burek was a staple through the balkans)!

Less Good bits; The Croatian coast was a disappointment. Its very developed and the main coast road is horrible to cycle so we avoided it mainly. The islands and inland were lovely though. The alps are nothing compared to the hills in the Balkans. Endless undulations if you get away from the main transport corridors but worth it for the mountains. Cycling in 40degC in Greece!

If your interested any further my partner kept a blog. http://thepentlandpair.com/tag/edinburgh-to-athens/

There's a cycle path along the Danube that goes from Germany to Hungary & perhaps further. A colleague did a stretch of it last yr from Germany to Hungary & really enjoyed it.

This website:  https://www.danube-cycle-path.com/

suggests it goes all the way to the Black Sea, which makes sense as that's where the Danube goes, but it does mention that East of Hungary, the route is not so well developed.

The Transcontinental bike race, for the first 3 years went to Istanbul from London and Belgium, so might be worth looking on trackleaders and doing a combination of routes backwards.

@donald may have some input once he returns from another eurovelo route exploration..

There are excellent cycle paths alongside many of Europe's major waterways, so makes the good basis for a route. I've driven from Munich to Vienna alongside the Donau / Danube and it's a very popular cycle route with a dedicated track and well-served by facilities.

Not done it but really want to. I would go via the Balkans as well. I worked in Macedonia last year and it was a cool place. Good wine.

I'd say riding back from Istanbul to the UK in a month would be a pretty big ask, not much time to take in the sights.

Another idea could be to ride to somewhere in France and get the European Bike Express back to the UK. We did something similar a few years ago, flying to Croatia and riding back to Lyon over a month.

European Bike Express

I looked into this a few years ago. It looked horrible. Basically nearly flight prices with horror of the one from of transport worse than air travel.

I looked into this a few years ago. It looked horrible. Basically nearly flight prices with horror of the one from of transport worse than air travel.

Granted, it's not everyone's cup of tea but I found it significantly less stressful than flying with a bike at the end of a tour. Better environmentally too.

@Ton - cycling along a river sounds fun but I'd think the novelty would wear off quickly. I've done some day trips along the Rhine near Breisach/Colmar and it's quite nice but a week of it would be pretty dull unless the landscape varies a lot.

I'd agree with that one. We cycled up the Rhine but whilst it was nice cycling we were a bit bored of similar scenery after 2 weeks of it so veered of into the black forest for some variation.

I'd also agree with a month being a short time for a trip like that. By doing it in a short  time frame your probably forced to take quicker busier routes that might miss out on a lot. Depends on your priorities though.

done a few riverside or canal side rides in france.  a few days is enough for me.

fancy taking in Bulgaria and Romania.  read a book about a couple who cycled there....looks basic but lovely.

1 point to be aware of in Romania. Stray dogs. I have only been there one for work but there were quite a few wondering around.

Nice ambition ton but I don't think four weeks is going to be enough to get back from Istanbul at an enjoyable pace. It took me 15 days to get from Budapest to the black Sea by  the easiest route and that wasn't going slowly.

I think you need to choose something shorter

1 point to be aware of in Romania. Stray dogs

That's just extra protein for the wild camping!

😉

Go with your original plan. Cycle as fast as you can or want and then when you need to make up time, jump on a train on your rest day and cover some distance and get back on track.

I rather cycle the places I want to see and get a train than cycle from somewhere to home just to say I'd cycled all the way.

Go with your original plan. Cycle as fast as you can or want and then when you need to make up time, jump on a train on your rest day and cover some distance and get back on track.

I rather cycle the places I want to see and get a train than cycle from somewhere to home just to say I’d cycled all the way.

+1.

Unless you are doing is as a 'challenge' then i'd plan to ride the nice bits and throw in two or three 'rest days on the train' to make up ground and bypass the boring/hilly/bad for cycling areas.