Bikepacking the Rhine - May/June 2023

My first bikepacking trip, my first mountain climb, my first holiday alone. Excited and nervous and full of fear I wouldn’t be able to cope, but I didn’t just cope, I thrived! I had an amazing time and surprised myself with how much I enjoyed it despite a few days of illness!

Would I find food I would want to eat? Would I be able to talk to people? Would I have some kind of bike problem that I couldn’t fix? I had never even changed an inner tube before, I have tubeless tyres and had not needed to!

Day 1 - Andermatt to Chur

Starting in Andermatt, Switzerland, I would cycle following the Rhine to the Hook of Holland before taking the ferry back to the UK. I had a rough plan, I had mapped out my routes for each day and knew campsites at the end of each day. I didn’t know how fast I would be riding or the distance I could cover per day so had opted to play it safe with conservative mileage.

I arrived at my campsite in Chur in plenty of time to set up camp in daylight. I found a corner that was free and set up my little home, had a shower and set about cooking my dehydrated meal I had carried with me for the first night. Unfortunately it was very noisy, there was a fairground just outside the campsite and the music was too loud for me to cope with. Part of my autism is struggling with loud noises and I am overly sensitive to this. Luckily I had thought to bring some earplugs with me and I was able to block out most of the sound and it closed in the early evening so I was able to enjoy a more peaceful evening.

Day 2 - Chur to Lake Constance

For the second night my planned campsite was right on the edge of Lake Constance, 100km away. I set off around 8am and the weather soon warmed up, I was enjoying cycling in the sun. My route would have me visit Liechtenstein where I had a quick stop in the capital of Vaduz. It was surprising quiet, asides from a few bus loads of tourists who turned up around the same time. After some food and a drink restock I headed back over to Switzerland and enjoyed many very quiet cycle paths and small lanes.

My aim during this trip was to get to the camp sites before 4pm to allow plenty of time to wash and dry any clothes. This process was quite an experiment to start with but I soon got into more of a routine as the days went on.

I would look for the nearest supermarket to the campsite beforehand and stop there on the way through to get that evenings meal and any snacks and breakfast food I needed. One of the most useful items I took was a small, foldable rucksack. Stashed away for most of the day I could use it for the shopping trip to get my groceries to camp without having to spend time trying to stuff things into panniers etc. Normally I could find a good supermarket within 5 miles or so of camp so I didn’t have to travel far. Although some campsites did end up having hot food available I didn’t want to take the risk of turning up empty handed!

At my campsite by Lake Constance I was given a spot next to some other bike packers. It was nice to have some company and we talked about our plans and where we had been. I met another solo female traveller who was cycling the Rhine route the other way, with a final destination of Singapore!

Day 3 - Lake Constance to Schaffhausen

Leaving Lake Constance in lovely sunshine I set off to a campsite near Schaffhausen. This was a stunning route and I was following the edge of the river for most it. There is another EV15 route that goes around the north side of Lake Constance, but it is slightly longer and involves a ferry to get across at the other end so I chose the easier option and rode south of the lake.

I stopped in the beautiful town of Stein am Rhein for lunch, the town has some amazing buildings and probably worth a longer visit. I found a nice spot by the river to enjoy and eat lunch.

I knew there was rain forecast but the day had been so sunny and lovely it was hard to imagine it would actually turn up! But soon before I reached the campsite there was a thunderstorm and I tried to shelter under some trees. This proved not much shelter so I pressed on until I found a more reliable bus shelter to hide in! Unfortunately my waterproof jacket wasn’t very waterproof and I got drenched and cold very quickly.

I managed to get to the campsite quite soon after it stopped raining. I was quite anxious at this point about being able to dry off properly and get warm, the campsite had some tepees and I’d already given myself the option to pay a bit for a lodge or cabin if I needed it and this was the perfect time. I set about drying as much as I could before relaxing for the evening whilst a local swan took about trying to fight my bike!

Day 4 - Schaffhausen to near Basel

I woke up a few times in the night with a sore throat, oh dear. I had tried to be so careful before starting off on my trip to try and stay healthy but when it was time to get up in the morning I knew I was getting ill. Looking at the data on my Garmin it confirmed what I feared but there was nothing I could do now but to try and take it as easy as possible and hope it would pass soon.

I had a relatively long day planned, 115km, and would just have to play it by ear a bit, take it easy and try and get some medicine when I could.

Soon after I set off taking it easy took a back seat when I hit what felt like a very steep climb, although not long at all my body wasn’t working properly and my bike felt a lot heavier than normal. Here I passed the Rhine Falls and had to stop and explore, it was quite early so I had the place to myself.

I felt relieved to arrive at the campsite just before the city of Basel. There weren’t any other bike packers when I arrived so I chose a nice spot and set up camp. I was really started to feel ill at this point and was looking forward to getting some sleep.

Day 5 - Basel to Neuf-Brisach

Yep that wasn’t the best night sleep, waking up with a fever I really didn’t feel like getting on my bike. But the thought of staying in the tent during the heat of the day was enough to motivate me to slowly get up and moving. I contemplated getting a hotel room in Basel and sleeping the day away but decided I was well enough to cycle a shorter day and set off for Neuf-Brisach with the thought of getting there by lunch and sleeping through some of the afternoon.

It felt like the winds were particularly strong that day, maybe it was just because I wasn’t feeling very well or that the terrain was a lot more exposed, but I was battling a head wind most of the way. I was happy to reach the camp I had planned for the night only to realise it was closed, it was far too early to check-in and no-one was around. I started to get upset and panic. I’m not good when things don’t go to plan at the best of times but with feeling unwell my resilience was low.

After a sit down I managed to compose myself enough to work out my next move and ended up in a campsite just over the river, got some proper food in me and had some rest.

Day 6 - Neuf-Brisach to Lauterbourg

I woke up with relief! I was feeling a lot better and my night’s sleep was significantly improved. If it was just one bad day then I would take that!

Today was a slightly longer route, I ended up cycling 149km, but I was feeling well enough at this point and the sun was out for me! Most of the route was on some lovely French canal paths, I was enjoying feeling more myself and the pretty route.

When I arrived at the campsite in Lauterbourg, the CAMPING Municipal des Mouettes, I was the only camper in the tent area. I borrowed an electric charger from reception to recharge my gadgets overnight. My solar panel charger had been useful to top up items here and there but I had found that it wasn’t sufficient to recharge everything fully and that every few days I did need to connect to the mains.

Day 7 - Lauterbourg to Worms

I began to realise I was covering more distance than I had originally planned and needed to start planning my destination as I went along. Although I had suffered with illness for a few days I was actually further along the route than I had planned and at this rate would be at the Hook of Holland earlier than anticipated. I wasn’t in a rush. This wasn't a race or a test of endurance. I started stopping more often to enjoy second breakfasts by the river, take in the scenery and wildlife and enjoy myself, I am not very good at sitting still and did not want to be spending lots of time at campsites by arriving too early.

As I was approaching the campsite for the night my multitasking let me down and I managed to cycle into a bush as I was trying to look at the route in more detail. I slowly toppled over, my panniers taking a lot of the fall and only a small scrape and bruises as a result. My bike escaped any damage luckily. Maybe I was more tired than I thought!

The campsite I had planned was just up the road so I would soon be unwinding and setting myself up for the evening.

Day 8 - Worms to Bingham

Setting off just after 7:30am on a lovely sunny day I was hoping to get to a campsite slightly earlier today to get a good batch of washing done! I had earmarked somewhere and turned up in the early afternoon. The site was a lot busier than anywhere I had been before, there were campervans everywhere! I waited half an hour or so to be shown to where I could pitch my tent, which ended up being opposite the mens toilets and sandwiched between campervans. There was a man outside the toilet block who was just staring at me while I got things detached from my bike. I didn’t feel comfortable with where I was. I started to get anxious and could feel myself getting more worked up. Traveling as a solo female I had never felt unsafe or uncomfortable until this point, but there was no reason I had to stay. Instead of staying in a situation that made me stressed I put everything back on my bike, found the next campsite along the river and pedaled towards it. Luckily it was only 30mins away and I was already ahead of schedule so had plenty of time, although my washing plans might be hampered!

The second campsite was also very busy, but I was comfortable and felt safe which was the main thing. It was at this point I looked in the mirror and realised my ears were looking a bit strange! Oh, they were blistering due to sunburn. Opps. I always smother myself in factor 50+ sunscreen but for some reason had never thought to do my ears! Getting better at not catastrophising I realised I had a bandage in my first aid kit and could make myself look like Mr Bump for the time being until I could find a headband to wear to stop anymore sun reaching the blistered skin. I might look ridiculous but I was happy to be able to keep going and it wasn’t the end of the world.

Soon after I got myself settled a man turned up who was bikepacking to Norway! I had a pleasant exchange of words and we had a drink in the bar attached to the site. He was German and it was interesting to talk to him about his experiences and plans.

Day 9 - Bingham to Bonn

Setting off in the morning the man I had talked to the evening before suggested we ride a bit together. He was nice to talk to but I do like riding on my own so we parted ways an hour or so down the route. He was also on an electric bike so I was struggling a bit to keep up too!

It was also the bank holiday weekend, which went some way to explain how busy the campsites were! This also meant that the cycle paths were quite busy.

Day 10 - Bonn to Düsseldorf

Starting the day quite early I set off following the cycle path close to the river. The morning was going well but I was’t enjoying the cities as much as the more rural areas. The river was changing a lot too, it was no longer the blue from earlier upstream and was starting to widen.

As I was approaching Cologne along the cycle path I got my first puncture. My initial reaction was panic, having never had a puncture before so not needing to put inner tubes in and struggling to get my gravel tyres back on when practicing before the trip I was not looking forward to putting my, what should be basic, bike skills to the test. I had only brought 2 inner tubes with me and as I was so close to a bike shop I thought the easiest option was to just visit the bike shop and get them to sort it for me and not have to use my spares. Having never had a puncture before I was surprised it happened on a cycle path and not some of the very stoney, almost mountain bike, terrain of the first few days of the trip. It was actually some rusty nail that had got inside the tyre so I’m not surprised the sealant didn’t work!

After being delayed for an hour or so sorting my wheel out I headed through Cologne and then Dusseldorf until I reached my campsite Rheincamping Meerbusch. This was a lovely campsite, it had a bar which was unfortunately closed on the night I was there. It also had a lounge for bike campers which had a kitchen and lockers where you could charge all your devices safely which was very handy.

Day 11 - Düsseldorf to Millingen aan de Rijn

Leaving Dusseldorf I slowly made my way out of the big cities and into the countryside surrounded by grassland and cattle instead of people and cars, I was back in my comfort zone!

I stopped in the pretty town of Xanten for lunch and sat in the sunshine enjoying the quiet. I was heading out of Germany soon and would be entering Holland! I’d made it so far and was so close to actual reaching the ferry. I was starting to think about my plan for the next few days and had realised I would be reaching the ferry a day early even taking things quite relaxed so I decided to move my ferry crossing to the day earlier. I had planned a night ferry but this wasn’t available the day before so opted for the afternoon ferry. I wasn’t in a rush to go home but wasn’t sure how I would use my time and was already having quite relaxed days.

I arrived at the campsite and was surprised at how quiet it was, I was almost the only one there! I set my tent up and enjoyed the peaceful, sunny evening.

Day 12 - Millingen aan de Rijn to Herijnen

Heading to my final campsite, I had a short day ahead and took my time to take it all in. Again there were plenty of well maintained cycle paths to ride on which was very welcome. There was however a section of path that was closed for some distance. I checked the map and worked out the roads I would have to take to get back on route. But being on the roads was not a very pleasant experience, as soon as I was on the road I had huge lorries coming up behind me beeping, probably not used to a slow cyclist in their way with perfectly good cycle paths everywhere normally!

Arriving at the campsite just after lunchtime I was met by a lovely woman who set me up next to the river. The wind was picking up slightly but I managed to set up my camp and stop anything blowing into the river! A short walk to the local shop I stocked up on some food and enjoyed a peaceful afternoon in the sunshine and my final night in my little tent.

Day 13 - Herijnen to Hook of Holland

I left just after 6am to start my trip to the ferry. I didn’t know what the route would be like and wanted to leave time in case the journey was slower than anticipated. After already changing the ferry around I didn’t want to now miss it!

Head wind the whole way! I couldn’t have timed my journey with the wind any worse. I was riding North basically the whole time, the wind was from the North the whole time! I think I just got used to it after a bit and knew my speed and how many miles I could do. A lot of the route was quite sheltered but there were sections of very exposed country where my bike and luggage felt very heavy in the oncoming gusts! On my last night I spoke to a lovely woman who owned the campsite, she commented on how I must have had headwind the whole route and that is was unusual, it made me laugh at how unlucky that was! On my final 10 miles or so to the ferry I ended up riding at a similar pace to a man on a bike ride, he asked where I was going and I explained my trip. He insisted I get on his wheel and he led me to the Hook of Holland, ending the trip out of the wind!

I’d never been on a ferry crossing before, and definitely not with a bike and panniers. I had opted for a little cabin as I knew I would need a shower after the morning’s ride. After securing my bike the best I could to the railings inside the ferry I took my bags to my room and spent the next 6 hours or so eating, napping and even switched on the TV!

Riding off the ferry in Harwich the battery in my rear gears finally died. Luckily I didn’t have far to travel and had booked a Premier Inn just over the road, after a quick stop at the supermarket on the way I got to the hotel which felt very luxurious.

Day 14 - Harwich to Home

I am not a big fan of hotel rooms and was keen to get home when I woke up. I packed everything away for the last time, and after a quick breakfast checked out. It was nice to know I would have my home comforts soon but I was already missing my little tent and the freedom of living day to day. The sun was out for me riding back home and I stopped in the local cycling cafe a few miles from home to enjoy some food before heading off on my final few miles.

It took a few days to settle back into normal life. I had time to reflect on the journey and what I had accomplished. I don’t think even 6 months before I would have had the confidence to attempt such a trip by myself, but was already looking forward to my next adventure.

Kit

As this was my first bike packing adventure most of the kit I used was recently purchased and had only been tested on a couple of overnight trips. I was able to get some very useful tips from a much more experienced cyclist which proved invaluable so hopefully I can pass some of this knowledge on. I tend to overpack and take items for all eventualities every trip I take, but I didn't have that luxury on my bike! I knew that I needed to keep everything as light as possible but didn’t want to slum it too much and would rather have a few luxuries if it meant I was happier and less stressed.

I opted for the Tailfin panniers and top bag along with the Ortlieb handlebar bag. This gave me maximum room to take the equipment I needed and some extra room to stash food along the way. The Ortlieb handlebar bag was especially useful when leaving my bike to go into shops as it was easily attached, had a handbag strap so that I could have my hands free (although I discovered half way through the first day I actually forgot to bring this!) and could put all my valuables in here so I didn’t have to leave them at any point.

I feel the cold a lot more than others so with this in mind I opted for a warmer sleeping bag as well as a sleeping bag liner to give me an extra layer. Although I was traveling in late Spring I didn’t want to risk not being able to sleep because of the cold. I also wore Patagonia thermal base layers and was about the right temperature at night with all of this. I know others would need a lot less than this, especially if traveling in Summer or warmer climates.

The main equipment I used was:

• Nemo hornet one-person tent

• Chair (Helios chair zero)

• Sleeping bag

• Sleeping bag liner

• Sleeping mat

• Pillow case

• Stove

• Pots

• Spork

• Cycling clothes

• Shorts and tops for in camp

• Sandles for camp

• Waterproof socks

• Thermal leggings and top for sleeping

• Patagonia nano jacket

• Small cable lock

• Travel size toiletries

• Earplugs

• Solar Panel

• Gadgets and charging cables

Conclusion

Taking on this bikepacking adventure by myself was not something I would have ever dreamt of even the year before. I knew there would be challenges, tears and meltdowns but I also knew I loved riding my bike and that I would never know how I would find it unless I tried.

I think the trip was a turning point for me, with both my cycling and my confidence. I proved to myself that I was more resilient than I thought and was able to keep going even when things went wrong. I might find some situations harder than other people but I was able to cope and I just loved the freedom of riding all day.

The route itself was perfect for what I needed. I had chosen it as I knew it wouldn’t be particularly difficult terrain, it was close to civilization so I could get help if I needed it, was a popular route so again I was never far from assistance from passing cyclists, it was a good length and was mainly downhill! There is plenty of information about the route from people who have done it before and GPX files so I didn’t have to spend ages making a route from scratch and hoping it would be OK.

There were sections that I didn’t enjoy as much, mainly the big cities as it was so busy and would often get lost, but this was all part of the learning experience and I knew in future I would try and avoid big urban areas like this. The beginning of the route through Switzerland was idilic and I would love to go back and ride in Switzerland again.

I would recommend the route to anyone thinking of trying a bike packing trip. It really is a lovely route, with a variety of terrain, from gravel tracks to canal paths, cycle paths and small lanes it is very varied and no day felt the same. Doing it in May/June was perfect timing as I never had any problems turning up at a campsite and there being space. Some of the campsites in Germany were quite busy though, with only a few spots available for a small tent, and I think in Summer there might be more issues with it being crowded and finding room.

If you enjoy cycling and are keen on an adventure then try it! If I can do it solo and have the best time then I know that others would too!