Generic Touring Thread

Has anyone spent much time in Holland? Got 2 weeks there this July with Mrs TM. Are camp sites common? And any recommended routes/stops?

Did 4 days cycling there in March. I went Hook -> Rotterdam -> Utrecht -> Amsterdam -> The Hague -> Hook. I stayed in hostels and a B&B in Amsterdam so I don't know much about the camping but there's a lot of campsites over there.

I stopped in Gouda for lunch and it's a really pretty little town: very traditional looking place with windy cobbled streets, canals and a big market in the central square around the town hall. The ride between Haarlem and The hague is a great one if you follow the coast. Most of it is through national park land and is well away from the roads. Just cycle paths through sand dunes and woods with the occasional place to stop on the beach to get food. I planned routes before I left but ended up not really using them as everything is well signed, just follow the green signs.

This website is very useful http://www.hollandcyclingroutes.com/

and http://www.hollandcyclingroutes.com/practical/cycle-friendly-places-and-lodging

I did a similar route to this ^ at Easter.

Visit the Speelklok Museeum in Utrecht if you like carillons, rabbits popping out of cabbages, and My Girl being played by a fairground organ. The Dom Toren is good and the interactive archeology under the Domplein.

+1 for lunch in Gouda.

I missed out on the touristy stuff in Utrecht. After two nights in a row on less than 4 hours sleep, and a heavy night out in Rotterdam with some people I met at the hostel I pretty much passed out as soon as I arrived. Woke up in the early evening and went for food, a couple of guys I met doing a similar tour from London told me about Kapsalon which is amazing for getting the calories in after a day on the bike + a pretty great hangover cure. Most of the decent shwarma places do it if you ask.

Chaplain sounds amazing! Assume they sell this at kebab shop type places?

Thinking about doing a micro tour this June/July with a mate.

Looking at Ferry routes and time we can get off work thinking about doing London-Portsmouth-Cherbourg-St.Malo.

Has anyone done this route or similar?

Yeah I think any kebab shop will do it. Some places advertise it on the menu and others will know what you're asking for if they don't.

Yeah, I've done it. It wasn't the most exciting trip if I'm honest. Go to Scotland instead?

Time it right and head over at the start of July and watch the Tour at Mont St Michel?

Okay my Paris-Rome tour has changed a bit, now its Munich to Rome. Any suggestions through that part of the Alps?

Anyone done the North 500?

Got a rough itinerary worked out already but wanting to make sure I don't miss any hidden diamonds in terms of food/places to stay. Going with GF so sticking to a 60 mile a day average and doing it clockwise to get the Bealach out the way sooner rather than later whilst legs are relatively fresh.

Was planning on 50% camping, 50% b&b/hostels but weather and gf booking more places to stay makes me question whether it's worth lugging all our camping gear around for the sake of 2/3 nights now.

Can't wait... (midge and weather status dependent of course)

Slightly off track.. but I really rate Cromarty as a stop off or a place worth visiting at least while you're near inverness

Has anyone done the Avenue Verte route to Paris? Any good, fairly easy?

Thinking of doing it this summer with my gf who enjoys cycling but doesn't do much of it so don't want anything too challenging. Will be b&b/hotels so not too much luggage.

Will tell you after next weekend.

Do you want to see amazing roads? Or look for the easiest route?

The Brenner pass is the quickest way through, but it's also one of the main freight routes through the Alps so it's hard to escape the rumble of trucks on the motorway.

You will very close to the Dolomites though, so personally I'd head there. The scenery is stunning.

I've got just under 3 days so I can definitely take a scenic route

Has anyone tried touring using just a european road map with pages you might need torn out. Or is there some sort of cycling specific version of this available?

I did that, work well in the past, but using Google Maps and their Streetview before embarking on a tour is a much better way of finding a great route before you go.

Just under 3 days in total to do 900 kms, give or take?

Fuck.

It's TCR training/prep

I realise that. I'm still impressed though.

Its probably overly ambitious. I've already booked the ferry at the other end so may need to consider trains to get there on time

Does anyone have a suggested route for paris to geneva?

Does anyone have any routes or guidance for touring in Ireland? Any information you can pass on would be hugely appreciated

Flying my bike over to France in a month or so, Probably with Ryanair. The website states that only the bike must be inside the box, that's not really any good for touring. Does anyone have experience of this? did you manage to get through with other stuff in the box?