Exploring three countries, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, our cycling holiday around Lake Constance is a great trip with a lot of character and our guides will be sure to help you discover some of the fantastic beauty of the region and support you along the way. Our Customer Competition winner, Lynn Harris, has experienced herself how amazing our guides are and what are the benefits of riding in the group! Here’s her story…
“An average of 50 km a day? I can do that,” I told my husband. “And it’s rated a 1-2, that’s my speed – easy/gentle.” So I called the Skedaddle office and booked us onto the Lake Constance supported holiday. Then the questions and doubts started in my mind. I am a fair-weather cyclist riding on mostly flat roads. What if it rained? What if I had problems with the hills? What if I was the slowest person?
Well, I needn’t have worried. Our guide, Suzanne, assured us that it was quite all right to walk up a hill, and that there were trains and boats that could shorten any day’s ride. Skedaddle came through with sunshine and no wind for the week. What more could you ask for?
Off we started on our first day’s ride. The riding was easy and we stopped at a waterfront café for cake and another one for lunch. Not too bad! Then came the afternoon. Definitely hillier and there were some that I had to walk up. But not to worry, Suzanne sometimes walked up too, to provide company. And the others waited at the top for the walkers to catch up.
Switzerland and Germany have quite a convoluted border on the way out to Rhine Falls. We crossed between the two countries five times in less than twenty kilometers. For us North Americans, it was strange to cross the border without stopping at Customs and showing our passports. In fact, often all we saw was a just a marker at the side of the road.
Each day’s ride was a little different, passing cornfields or apple orchards and vineyards, forests or fields, towns and countryside. And each day’s ride ended at a well-appointed, local hotel with comfortable beds, good showers, and good food.
We were amazed at the number of cyclists we saw each day – both locals out on daily business and those out touring, and the amount of cycling infrastructure – well-signed cycling paths/lanes, and bicycle parking areas at train stations, city centres, and hotels. So much more advanced than at home.
Since this was a leisure tour, we had time to stop to enjoy the views along the way and to explore some of the sights – old city centres, harbours, museums, and more. Some of us went up the cable car at Pfander. Two of our group even took their bikes and rode back down. And there were always stops for lunches and breaks at outdoor cafés.
Suzanne ably led us to each day’s destination and dealt with any problems that arose. Everyone in our group had interesting stories to share, especially of their previous cycling experiences. Although this route could easily be done self-guided, it was so much more enjoyable to be with the group.’
Feeling inspired? Join us on our supported Lake Constance tour, where our guides will help you to discover beautiful lakeside pedalling around one of Europe’s largest lakes. Or choose a self-guided version of the route and explore the region at your own pace!