Planning a European road trip...
Discussion
RS Grant said:
Timmelsjoch trumps the boring Brenner everytime !Just watch out for the suicidal bikers.
Also, for the Stelvio, if it's raining down in the local
valleys and the valley temperature is below 10C, then don't bother.
It'll be snowing on the top of the Stelvio and you won't get across.
This happened to me in *July* once. 9,000 feet of altitude is a lot.
At very least, have a plan B ready (not the Umbrial, that's partially
a dirt road around 6,000 feet up).
Ok, getting to the point of finalising the route and plans for this now. So far it is looking like this:
Amsterdam to Stuttgart:
Boring Drive 1
Stuttgart to Waldshut-Tiengen:
Option 1 - Including Black Forest
Option 2 - Skipping Black Forest
Waldshut-Tiengen to Stuttgart:
Fun Part!
J to K is unavailable on the route planner, so ignore the random loop.
L to N is unavailable on the route planner, so ignore the Brenner Pass, it'll be L to M to N on the Timmelsjoch Pass that is used.
Stuttgart to Adenau:
Boring Drive 2
Adenau to Amsterdam:
Final Stage
We are aiming to do this in 7 days and as before, any comments/suggestions are welcome.
Cheers,
Grant
Amsterdam to Stuttgart:
Boring Drive 1
Stuttgart to Waldshut-Tiengen:
Option 1 - Including Black Forest
Option 2 - Skipping Black Forest
Waldshut-Tiengen to Stuttgart:
Fun Part!
J to K is unavailable on the route planner, so ignore the random loop.
L to N is unavailable on the route planner, so ignore the Brenner Pass, it'll be L to M to N on the Timmelsjoch Pass that is used.
Stuttgart to Adenau:
Boring Drive 2
Adenau to Amsterdam:
Final Stage
We are aiming to do this in 7 days and as before, any comments/suggestions are welcome.
Cheers,
Grant
Edited by RS Grant on Tuesday 14th April 20:05
depends what you want, what type of roads you like and what you deem to be 'boring'...we did a 5 day tour last year which is the standard time for our quick trips.
leaving Calais we took in 5 days of driving which took us via Spa/Ring to a Hotel on the Moselle. 2nd day took us into the mid part of the B/Forest. 3rd to Mulhoouse. 4th a bit shy of Reims and 5th back to Calais.
we drive small open top cars, where a break after about an hour and a half is handy to stretch our legs - average miles per day = 250 aside from day 1 which was about 330.
we had no more than 150 miles of mway and took in as many small B roads as poss. terrific fun. ok, we didnt hit the Alps/Passes, those are for the longer trips we do - but even the Ring down toward Stuggart region was in no way boring as we didnt and wouldnt do main roads.
so tricky to answer whether its a good route - as your criteria may well differ from others?
as for cost. we had a hotel on the banks of the moselle - with a meal that was about £55/60 a single, a terrific hotel in the BForest where they moved their personal cars to allow us to park within metres of the Hotel and a weather warning a few hours before a storm arrived on our way to the Hotel - with a meal was about £60....but if you're into main centres like S/Gart guessing that'll always push the cost up.
leaving Calais we took in 5 days of driving which took us via Spa/Ring to a Hotel on the Moselle. 2nd day took us into the mid part of the B/Forest. 3rd to Mulhoouse. 4th a bit shy of Reims and 5th back to Calais.
we drive small open top cars, where a break after about an hour and a half is handy to stretch our legs - average miles per day = 250 aside from day 1 which was about 330.
we had no more than 150 miles of mway and took in as many small B roads as poss. terrific fun. ok, we didnt hit the Alps/Passes, those are for the longer trips we do - but even the Ring down toward Stuggart region was in no way boring as we didnt and wouldnt do main roads.
so tricky to answer whether its a good route - as your criteria may well differ from others?
as for cost. we had a hotel on the banks of the moselle - with a meal that was about £55/60 a single, a terrific hotel in the BForest where they moved their personal cars to allow us to park within metres of the Hotel and a weather warning a few hours before a storm arrived on our way to the Hotel - with a meal was about £60....but if you're into main centres like S/Gart guessing that'll always push the cost up.
greengreenwood7 said:
depends what you want, what type of roads you like and what you deem to be 'boring'...we did a 5 day tour last year which is the standard time for our quick trips.
leaving Calais we took in 5 days of driving which took us via Spa/Ring to a Hotel on the Moselle. 2nd day took us into the mid part of the B/Forest. 3rd to Mulhoouse. 4th a bit shy of Reims and 5th back to Calais.
we drive small open top cars, where a break after about an hour and a half is handy to stretch our legs - average miles per day = 250 aside from day 1 which was about 330.
we had no more than 150 miles of mway and took in as many small B roads as poss. terrific fun. ok, we didnt hit the Alps/Passes, those are for the longer trips we do - but even the Ring down toward Stuggart region was in no way boring as we didnt and wouldnt do main roads.
so tricky to answer whether its a good route - as your criteria may well differ from others?
as for cost. we had a hotel on the banks of the moselle - with a meal that was about £55/60 a single, a terrific hotel in the BForest where they moved their personal cars to allow us to park within metres of the Hotel and a weather warning a few hours before a storm arrived on our way to the Hotel - with a meal was about £60....but if you're into main centres like S/Gart guessing that'll always push the cost up.
Sounds like a decent trip, I think the difference is that this trip that we're doing is focused on getting to and enjoying the Alps, so while I agree that there are PLENTY of roads from Holland to Stuttgart which are good fun... we won't have the time to enjoy them and will likely spend those stretches on A/bahns which will be fun in their own way, but driving flat out in top gear is not what this trip is all about for us.leaving Calais we took in 5 days of driving which took us via Spa/Ring to a Hotel on the Moselle. 2nd day took us into the mid part of the B/Forest. 3rd to Mulhoouse. 4th a bit shy of Reims and 5th back to Calais.
we drive small open top cars, where a break after about an hour and a half is handy to stretch our legs - average miles per day = 250 aside from day 1 which was about 330.
we had no more than 150 miles of mway and took in as many small B roads as poss. terrific fun. ok, we didnt hit the Alps/Passes, those are for the longer trips we do - but even the Ring down toward Stuggart region was in no way boring as we didnt and wouldnt do main roads.
so tricky to answer whether its a good route - as your criteria may well differ from others?
as for cost. we had a hotel on the banks of the moselle - with a meal that was about £55/60 a single, a terrific hotel in the BForest where they moved their personal cars to allow us to park within metres of the Hotel and a weather warning a few hours before a storm arrived on our way to the Hotel - with a meal was about £60....but if you're into main centres like S/Gart guessing that'll always push the cost up.
Here is a rough idea of what I'm thinking our plan will look like.
Saturday 4th July
Hull to Rotterdam
Board Ferry @ 8pm
Day 1 (Sunday 5th July)
Arrive in Rotterdam @ 8am
Rotterdam to Waldshut-Tiengen
Total: 450 miles
Day 2 (Monday 6th July)
(Use this link for reference points A to N)
A to B: 50 miles
B to C: 65 miles
C to D: 12 miles
D to E: 16 miles
E to F: 21 miles
F to G: 41 miles (first half)
Total: 205 miles
Day 3 (Tuesday 7th July)
F to G: 41 miles (second half)
G to H: 110 miles
H to I: 50 miles
Total: 201 miles
Day 4 (Wednesday 8th July)
I to J: 25 miles
J to K: 63 miles
K to L: 70 miles
L to M: 42 miles (first half)
Total: 200 miles
Day 5 (Thursday 9th July)
L to M: 42 miles (second half)
M to N: 175 miles
Total: 217 miles in Morning
Sightseeing/Museum in Afternoon
Day 6 (Friday 10th July)
Stuttgart to Adenau in Morning
Total: 220 miles
Visit The Ring in Afternoon
Day 7 (Saturday 11th July)
Sightseeing in Morning
Adenau to Rotterdam in Afternoon
Total: 200 miles
Ferry Home @ 8pm
Day 8 (Sunday 12th July)
Arrive in Hull @ 8am
Total: 1693 miles (not including UK mileage)
Cheers,
Grant
jock mcsporran said:
Just suggestions, if it was me that was doing it.
Day 3 Bern via Interlaken to Grimselpass, Furkapass, Tremola Pass (the old cobbled one), and down the side of Lago Maggiore or direct to Como depending on time/distance.
Day 4 - Up through Lugano to San Bernardino (take the pass, avoid the tunnel), head back south via Splugen Pass, east to Silvaplana, Bernina Pass to Livigno, through the tunnel (bit boring but no other way through), Offenpass to Umbrail Pass to Stelvio and carry on with your route.
Can't add anything on Austria I'm afraid. Others can probably offer better options.
Very much agree with this day 3, the scenery and roads are amazing, Also if you have a spare few hours the borromean islands are beautiful. Day 3 Bern via Interlaken to Grimselpass, Furkapass, Tremola Pass (the old cobbled one), and down the side of Lago Maggiore or direct to Como depending on time/distance.
Day 4 - Up through Lugano to San Bernardino (take the pass, avoid the tunnel), head back south via Splugen Pass, east to Silvaplana, Bernina Pass to Livigno, through the tunnel (bit boring but no other way through), Offenpass to Umbrail Pass to Stelvio and carry on with your route.
Can't add anything on Austria I'm afraid. Others can probably offer better options.
There are lots of lovely little eateries in Stresa too, last time i was across there we found a pizza place that was pretty much an old ladies kitchen with some tables and chairs out front. It was lovely, unfortunately i can't remember the name nor exact location
ETA: I've just realised i'm on the wrong edge of the lake -.-
Edited by Chongwong on Friday 17th April 02:20
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