Wonder if any of the collective can help with me planning a bit of an adventure.
From Gdansk northwards, through the Kaliningrad Oblast to Klaipeda are two very long sandbars the have potential for a fat bike expedition. total length about 250km, starting Poland, then Russia and finishing in Lithuania.
Bit of historical interest here as Mrs Rickmeisters mum is Prussian and fled from that area along the beach in question, before going on to the frozen Baltic sea to escape the Russian advance. She doesn't talk about it except of people, horses and carts falling through the ice.. she was later in a refugee camp in Denmark for 5 years, so as a child it was probably a bit grim.
Anybody been or can point me to some forums or info to help planning. Logistics etc etc.
I know I need visas for Russia, but general info about the area if possible.
Thanks
Try crazyguyonabike for cycle touring info in the area. You'll get some general background on logistics and so on but not off-road routes.
Thanks Donald..
Hi,
I'm from Gdynia, next to Gda?sk so few words from me.
1. After experience of high tide, Atlantic sand beaches you might be a bit disappointed with Baltic ones...
[img] 
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That is pretty wide one, near Sopot.
2. You will need to start quite a bit outside of Gda?sk as it is all shipyards and port area, that is restricted and all concreted.
3. Kalingrad is actually military base and a lot of land around is heavily guarded and restricted. You will have some joy with sand riding all way up to Polish-Kaliningrad border on the Wi?lana Spit but after that more than likely you will need to by-pass all way up to at least Baltijsk, that is duty free zone. Probably even after that it would be problematic, as there is not that far from Lithuanian border.
Piece of advice. If you really want to try problem free Baltic sand riding try any place in Poland between ?winouj?cie and Hel. Apart of small military area around Drawsko Pomorskie and Wicko Morskie all coast line is easily accessible. No major ports or rivers causing some massive by-passing. Someone actually did that trip last winter on a fat bike. Will try to find the link to photo story and post it latter on.
Cheers!
I.
If you have the link, that would be great. The bit I'm really interested in is the two sand spits, so not actually from Gdansk.
Also need to go to Wegorzewo in the Maseuren, where Andrea's mum is from.
GE suggests the route is possible, no interest in visiting the city, just looking at connecting up along the coast.
Thanks for your help
I never failed to be amazed at how useful STW is! A relatively abscure route and you get a reply like that from Ivan.
STW. Better than Google.
W?gorzewo is one of the nice towns in polish Lake Land - Mazury.
Good place to cycle, as long as you like it flat 😀
Will definitely add link to that winter trip in the evening.
Cheers!
I.
I've cycled from Vilnius to Nida to Liepaja to Riga and then onwards to Helsinki. The highlight of the trip was the Curonian Spit and Lagoon.
I met a few people who were cycling round the Baltic sea and all had to go around Kaliningrad as they could not get visas to pass through. Saying that, I have heard of one person on motorbike being able to ride through it from Poland to Lithuania. If i remember right, it was easier to get a short-term visa and get through quickly on a motorbike, whilst it would be tight on a pedal bike.
The food and drinks in Lithuania were great. There were loads of Russians on the coastal tourist spots. Generally speaking, the folks in big 4x4s (and Russian plates) drove like maniacs.
Luckily, the coastal cycling route from Nida to the Latvian border was excellent. Once crossing the border, the cycle route suddenly disappeared and we cycled on sand dunes, with me on a road bike.
Thanks everyone, bookmarked this as its really useful
Hi,
There is good map of Polish coastline with many types of POI at: [url= http://mapa.popiasku.pl/ ]Map Po Piasku[/url].
The whole website about long distant walks around the coast could be find at: [url] http://www.popiasku.pl/? [/url].
Only problem it is 100% in Polish I'm afraid...
Cheers!
I.
I second starting near Sopot (between Gdynia & Gdansk), long stretch of nice beach on the baltic coast and Sopot's a great holiday destination in it's own right.
Interestingly, it's twinned with Southend which is a pretty poor match up. One of them has mile of beautiful coast line and a great strip with trendy bars, the other has mile of sand imported from Spain and arcades from the 80's/90's. I'll leave you to work out which is which
Hi,
As promised photo story of ?winouj?cie-Hel winter trip:
[url] http://tourbike.eu/index.php?album=Pla--winouj-cie-Hel-02.16 [/url]
No exactly very wintery, that means no snow xD
Cheers!
I.