There's no better way to see the world than on a bike. Join me on my rides around Europe to discover what lies beyond my handlebars

Thursday, 28 January 2021

Lockdown Touring

Covid restrictions during the 2020 summer meant abandoning plans for cycling in France, Italy and beyond, and staying within Austria's borders. The plan was to cycle round the country visiting every one of the nine Bundesländer or provinces.

Austria is only a small country surrounded by eight other countries, so it was decided to ride close to the borders and we could sample the influence of those lands just beyond home territory.

We didn't succeed in reaching all nine Bundesländer. Vorarlberg in the far west eluded us. We had plans for a long, long climb to the Silvretta mountain range above 2000m. But crowds of tourists from abroad in the area during the holiday months, and poor weather later, put paid to the scheme.

We did manage two tours: riding along the borders with the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia and Italy. From home, we regularly ride into or up to the border with Germany too. Only Switzerland and Liechtenstein were missing - part of our "far west" plans.

The two tours provided us with plenty of variety beginning with the wine growing areas on the Czech, Slovak and Hungarian borders, and on the second tour, along the southern border rivers where there was a chance of meeting a wild bear.

Glide along with us around Austria's borders - just click on the links

The wine tour

https://spark.adobe.com/page/A5BoQHwCS0j9w/


Riding the Rivers

https://spark.adobe.com/page/FURIyM049U0VW/


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