Hi all. We are new to bike touring but my husband and i are doing the Rhine Ride, starting from Andermatt on September 1st. We have just over four weeks to complete the ride, so time is not an issue so will want to do some side trips as well. Can someone recommend what we need to take in the form of navigation aid - or what app is recommended as being best? Also it has been recommended to me to complete the full loop around Lake Constance? Is this a sound recommendation or are there other areas that we should spend more time in. Thank you for reading this from one of the newbies.
A final question - we had planned to cycle from Disentis to Chur in a day. Is this a hard days ride or would we be speeding past too many great things? If that is the case, recommendations on where to break that section would be appreciated. Ruth and Martin.
Eurovelo 15 Rhine Trail
Tue, 2017-05-30 04:49
#1
WS Member
Eurovelo 15 Rhine Trail
We suggest you to take your time between Dissentis and Lac de Constance, Bâle France or Basel in Switzerland. Even It could be cold in mountains in September. Don't forget to pass in Basel by La Passerelle of 3 Nations. Than from Bâle France you should go to the Wine Route (La Route des Vins) in Alsace France. So from Colmar to Kaysersberg and follow this Wine Route up to Strasbourg. It's very nice. After the cycle path is going be flat for the rest of your route or little hilly. And some parts not so much interesting. So you ride on France or Germany as you like along the river. For the navigation aid it could be easy if you have an iPad with SIM Card. Just buy Internet Package and use Google maps with Cycle options You can find very thing with this map. Anyway most of time the cycle route 15 is easy to follow, well indicated. No problem to ride From Dissentis to Chur. You go down hill. Just take your time to have a look of majestic Alps. If you can pass by Flims. It's very Hilly but special scenery.It's by the road but father you'll reach the cycle path. May be, if your to tired or it's late stop there the night. Enjoy your trip!
/Lise & Clarence Québec
We did this trip in 2013 (our WS profile picture is of us at the end of the trip at the Hook of Holland). Disentis to Chur is a fairly easy day as you will lose almost all of your elevation for the entire trip on this day. Four weeks is a good time frame to do the trip. We did it in 17 days and found that there were many areas that we wanted explore but didn't have the time.
For navigation, as the previous post mentioned, you can use Google maps, but I would also highly recommend the Pocket Earth app (for iPhone or IPad). If you buy the Pro version (about $6) you get unlimited world wide map downloads. The really nice things about this app is a) the maps are loaded onto your phone and you are not using your phone data when you are riding, you don't even need a phone signal, and b) the rendering of the maps is much easier to read in bright light than Google maps. It has a cycling mode and the Eurovelo 15 route (and variations) is clearly marked. You don't really need to plan out a route at all, just follow the 'blue line' indicated on the maps.