Tom's travel blog
Wald, Schweiß und Täler Von Wörth aus fahre ich über den Rhein, durch Karlsruhe und bis nach Pforzheim, dabei auch einige Kilometer an der B50 entlang – nichts besonderes Tolles, aber immerhin verkehrssicher auf gut ausgebauten und ausgeschilderten Radwegen. Mein Ziel ist der Beginn des “Schwarzwald-Panorama-Radwegs”, der mich bis an den Feldberg bringen soll, bevor . . .
Roter Stein, grüner Wein und der Beginn der deutschen Demokratiebewegung Statt grünem Wein hätte ich auch grüner Wald schreiben können – hätte auch gepasst. Die Pfalz besteht ja tatsächlich aus mehreren Landschaften. Da gibt es die sanft gehügelte Nordpfalz, den bergigen Pfälzer Wald mit seinen Buntsandsteinfelsen und die für ihren Weinbau bekannte Vorderpfalz. Aber der . . .
Kornkammer, Schiefer und Wälder Von der Mosel aus gibt es keine Radroute auf den Hunsrück – die verlaufen eher längs und nicht quer darüber. Also nehme ich die L158. Vorteil: durch Serpentinen entschärfte, gleichmäßige Steigung. Nachteil: einige Lastzüge. Insgesamt hält sich der Verkehr aber in Grenzen. Das ändert sich, als ich auf die B50 komme, . . .
Im Land der Burgen und Vulkane “Nicht erschrecken” rufe ich den Gästen zu, die abends um Viertel nach Neun mein Zimmer im Hotel “Kaiser Wilhelm” betreten. Denn das Hotel ist in Wahrheit keins, sondern der Kaiser-Wilhelm-Turm auf der Hohen Acht, “mein Zimmer” ist der Eingang des Turms und ich liege bereits im Schlafsack, während die . . .
Kennen Sie Deutschland? Im Süden die Berge Im Norden das Meer Dazwischen Teer Marc-Uwe Kling So reimt Marc-Uwe Kling in seinen Känguru-Chroniken (Aah daher das merkwürdige Beitrags-Bild!). Aber stimmt das denn? Ich halte die These für sehr gewagt und deshalb geht die nächste Radtour mal nicht durchs europäische Ausland, sondern durch Deutschland. Hinzu kommt, dass . . .
Giant Finn McCoel wanted to build a dam to Scotland. The legend writers don’t quite agree on his reasons, so let’s keep to the neutral thesis that he wanted to cross over dry-footed, for which he might have had his reasons again. But, why does he start the dam called Giant’s Causeway today at the . . .
595m, the Slieve League rises directly from the sea and is considered the highest cliff in Ireland. The inhabitants of Achill Island claim the Croaghaun to be the highest cliff in Europe. And that lies in Ireland as well. Oops! The Croaghaun with 664m is actually 69m higher than Slieve League. The latter is better . . .
Croagh Patrick Legend has it that in the 4th century Saint Patrick (in Irish: Padraig) climbed the mountain named after him today, took neither water nor bread there and then banished the snakes from Ireland. Legends mostly have a true core, but it is often quite small. Just as today’s research assumes that the figure . . .
After a mosquito-rich and cool night we quickly dismantle our tent to drive to the Connemara National Park Visitor Centre. According to the weather forecast, the morning is supposed to be dry before an extensive rain area comes in at noon and dilutes the rest of the day. That’s enough for a short tour up . . .
“No water to drown, no tree to hang, no earth to bury.” one of Oliver Cromwells military commanders Oliver Cromwell’s characterization of the Burren is clearly military. The exclusive view of the possibilities of killing obscures – as always – the view of life, which the supposed wasteland of the karst landscape offers in astonishing . . .
The Gap of Dunloe, a narrow mountain pass between the Macgillycuddys Reeks and the Purple Mountains, has been highly recommended as a hiking destination by our hosts. Not a long tour, but it should be beautiful. A picture of the valley of the Loe, formed by glaciers and leading up to the pass, is also . . .
The day before yesterday the weather forecast promised seven hours of sunshine for today, yesterday three hours and this morning it’s raining. Chance of precipitation for the whole day: 80%! We had set our sights on the most beautiful day of the week to climb the highest mountain in Ireland, the Carrauntoohil (pronounced “Carauntool”). With . . .
Muckross Lake and Torc Mountain Four days we are already in Ireland. Of course I was tempted to report about it. E.g. about the Guiness Store House in Dublin, the biggest walk-in commercial of Dublin, for which you have to pay money – and whose visit is worth it anyway – or from Glendalough, the . . .
I sleep in a 1000 stars hotel! When I wake up at night, the Big Dipper is right above me. And above all there is an intoxicating silence. The dancing-in-the-may-rouble that has gripped the surrounding villages doesn’t get up to here. With the coming of dawn I wake up the next time. The stars have . . .
Towards the end of the 19th century, the Vennbahn was built and connected the industrial centres of Aachen-Rothe Erde and Luxembourg. Coal from the Aachen coal mining area was transported to Luxembourg, and in the other direction Luxembourg iron ore was brought to Aachen and Eschweiler for smelting. In addition, the railway opened up the . . .
The Vennbahn is one of the longest railroad bike paths in Europe. Around 125 km between Aachen and Troisvierges is developed as a “greenway” – “greenway” or “voie verte” means car-free paths and tracks throughout Europe. For a long time I wanted to cycle this way, which leads from Germany through Belgium to Luxembourg and . . .
In 2016 Uta and I were on the road on the Eurovelo 4. I am in the process of documenting this tour. This will happen bit by bit, but the beginning is done. You can find the tour here: EuroVelo 4: Brittany and Normandy For my subscribers: Since these are not blog posts, there are . . .
Es ist schon länger her, dass Uta und ich ein Stück auf dem Rheinradweg – dem EuroVelo 15 – gefahren sind. Ich habe dazu auch ein paar Seiten erstellt, die unter dem Menüpunkt “Rad” zu finden sind. Da das vor meiner Blog-Zeit war, tauchen sie hier natürlich nicht auf. Und leider auch nicht in den . . .
On January 9, I will hold a presentation about my journey on the EuroVelo 9 at the ADFC in Bonn. Place and time will be announced on the ADFC homepage (and here of course). To whet your appetite, here’s a teaser:
There are even three reasons against a current blogging on a hut hike in autumn: First of all, it’s the extra weight for my small notebook. Even if it’s only one kilo, it’s much heavier on your back than on your bike. Then there is rarely WLAN on the huts anyway (even mobile phone reception . . .
