ACTIVE & ADVENTURE CYCLING THE DANUBE DESTINATIONS A


s I unscrew the cap on the tiny bottle and take my first


cautious swig of Magenbitter, it’s pretty clear the tipple brewed by monks at Austria’s only Trappist monastery is not your usual energy drink. But the unexpectedly sweet herbal spirit does the trick, and I set off with a renewed spurt of muscle and pedal power, as we tackle the next section of the trip. Having hardly been on a


bicycle since childhood, and with any more recent cycling confined to the occasional spinning class at the gym, I hadn’t been too sure about signing up for a 178-mile, self-guided ride between Passau and Vienna. This stretch of the Danube


is normally associated with sedate river cruises, effortlessly transporting passengers from one scenic highlight to the next. But for those in the know, it’s the most popular stretch of the Danube Bike Trail, which runs alongside the celebrated waterway and is – for hardcore types and anyone by the name of Chris Froome or Bradley Wiggins – part of the EuroVelo 6 cross- European cycle route running from France to Romania. However, it didn’t take long


for my literal and metaphorical wobbles to disappear, as we headed off along the wide, flat paths that make up most of the trail. Armed with Inghams’ idiot- proof maps, the convenience


The route from Passau to Vienna is slightly downhill, which is why most people tackle it in this direction


of luggage being whisked from hotel to hotel, the option to fork out an extra £65 for a power- assisted e-bike and ‘get-out clauses’ to travel sections of the route by boat or train, it soon becomes clear that this trip is just as achievable for families with young children as it is for active older travellers who want


to experience the Danube from a different perspective. According to the government’s


National Travel Survey, 7% of Brits aged five-plus cycle at least three times a week, which equates to about 4.2 million children and adults. Bike traffic has risen almost every year since 2008, with some 3.5 billion miles clocked up in 2016. This growing interest in cycling, coupled with the suitability of this trip for a wide demographic, means it’s a great time to suggest clients get on their bikes. So what can they expect?


w DAY 1: PAUSSAU How far: 0 miles See: Pretty Passau is uniquely situated at the confluence


15 February 2018 travelweekly.co.uk 51


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