The EuroVelo Collector

Sometimes you must put your dreams on a map to make them come true.

As soon as I arrived back home after riding EuroVelo 15 – Rhine Cycle Route and EuroVelo 17 – Rhone Cycle Route in the summer of 2023, I started to plan where to go next. It was clear in my mind that wanted to do an even bigger ride in 2024. Ever since I was a child I have been attracted to the Nordics. During my 2022 trip I cycled through Denmark and Sweden, so now was the time to make my dream of visiting Finland and going all the way north to Lapland come true.

Even though I’ve always wished to go to the far north, I never imagined that I would get there by bike. Yet, my first experience with long-distance cycling in 2022 showed me that I can travel anywhere I want on this planet, one pedal stroke at a time.

Full of desire to visit faraway places I sat down with my EuroVelo map and plotted a route that followed the coastline from Rovaniemi in the Bothnian Bay to Nantes in Brittany. This massive journey would take me through Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France. In total, the route would be 6,200 km on EuroVelo 10 – Baltic Sea Cycle Route, EuroVelo 13 – Iron Curtain Trail, EuroVelo 3 – Pilgrims Route, EuroVelo 15 – Rhine Cycle Route, EuroVelo 12 – North Sea Cycle Route, EuroVelo 4 – Central Europe Route and finally EuroVelo 1 – Atlantic Coast Route.

I could not wait to see what adventures lay ahead. Still, as the day of departure grew closer, the nerves appeared. Embarking on such a monumental voyage into the unknown is frightening. Nonetheless, I’ve understood that embracing uncertainty is key to enjoying the experience. Every new day promises something memorable: visiting new places, meeting new faces, exploring diverse cultures and cuisines, and much more.

I arrived in Helsinki in the beginning of June to begin cycling EuroVelo 10 northwards along the Baltic Sea, passing through cities like Turku, Vaasa, Oulu until I reached Rovaniemi in Lapland, crossing the Arctic Circle. Cycling through the silence of this vast country of endless forests became an unforgettable experience marked by wonderful shelters, incredible places to sleep, the peaceful people and the midnight sun ensuring 24 hours of daylight.

The development of EuroVelo in Finland is still a work in progress. Currently 25 percent of the 5000+ km of routes are developed, and there are still many kilometers on roads where you must deal with heavy truck traffic. On many occasions I looked for alternative tracks to avoid that traffic. Turning southwards I crossed the Gulf of Finland to Tallinn (Estonia) and continued through the Baltic states. I spent days ambling across the islands of Estonia, passing lighthouses, empty roads, lush forests, birds and the sea wind. Here, too, I pedaled on in deep silence. EuroVelo 13 took me to Latvia, with its beautiful capital Riga, and further along coasts to Klaipéda in Lithuania. The routes in the Baltic states are a mixed bag. Although there are plenty of EuroVelo signposts, the route mainly follows roads, and some of them with a lot of traffic to boot. Because of this, I cannot recommend these sections for beginners or families.

After cycling along the southern Lithuanian border circumventing Kaliningrad (Russia), I arrived at the big, pleasant surprise of this year’s adventure: Poland. From where I entered the country, to the east of Kaliningrad, Green Velo is the best way to get back to the Baltic Sea coast. After reaching the coast in Elblag, I continued along the EuroVelo 10 and 13, passing cities like Gdansk, Gdynia, Koszalin and Szczecin until the border with Germany. It’s an impressive route. Here you’ll find everything, from bustling cities to quaint villages, deep forests, well-maintained roads, and always the amazing Baltic Sea by your side. I loved cycling in Poland, and I was pleased to find it so well adapted for cycle tourism.

I continued along EuroVelo 10 and 13 until I reached Lubeck. The change is immediately noticeable once on the German coast, with the change of architecture and the sense of order permeating everything. Somehow, whenever you are in Germany, you just sense it. I spent two days in Lubeck. From there I decided to turn inland along EuroVelo 13 – Iron Curtain trail. This was a lonely stretch of road. There were hardly any services on this invisible border region, dividing what was once two Germanies. I felt that I was cycling through history. When I reached the river Elbe, I turned right towards Hamburg, where I found EuroVelo 3, in Germany marked as the R7 national cycling route. I followed this route all the way to Wessel, passing through cities like Bremen, Osnabruck and Münster.

Wessel lies on the banks of the mighty Rhine. I turned onto EuroVelo 15 – Rhine Cyle Route, and rode downstream towards Rotterdam. Here I decided to let the wind guide me, as I blew north on EuroVelo 12 along the coast to Groningen. With the strong tailwind I could enjoy this wonderful coast: dune after dune, dykes, birds, and of course unmatched cycling infrastructure. But as my route continued towards Belgium, I returned back to Rotterdam by train and turned south again until I reached the Belgian border. After a compulsory detour to Bruges, I found EuroVelo 4 in Ostend. I stayed on this route for the next segment of my trip, crossing into France, riding with the English channel to my right past Dunkirk, Calais, Dieppe, Fecamp, Upper Normandy, the cliffs of Etretat, and the Pont de Normandie.

After reaching Caen in Normandy, I headed towards the Abbey of Saint-Michel, one of my favourite places in the whole world. It was the second time I reached it by bike. From there, I continued along the coast until I reached Saint-Malo.

Even if I’d travelled a long way, and seen a lot of incredible sights, this journey had not been without challenges. The summer was unusually rainy, and in Saint-Malo I experienced yet another big storm. I decided to modify my itinerary slightly in search of some sunny weather. I followed the canal from Rennes to Redon, and then I turned onto EuroVelo 1 – Atlantic Coast Route along the Canal de Nantes towards Brest.

In the middle of September, I pushed my final pedal strokes of this journey when entering Nantes. Once again, a wild plan hatched in my mind with the help of the EuroVelo map, had become a reality. By now, I feel I have become something of an EuroVelo collector, maybe even an ambassador... After three big trips, a total of 9 months on the road, and more than 16,000 km on EuroVelo routes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15 and 17, I can look back on some incredible memories: I have ridden great routes between beautiful cities, mighty rivers, deep forests, splendid coastlines and rolling farmlands. I have felt the total freedom that travelling with your bike gives you, I have lived in a different dimension, where life passes slowly to the rhythm of the pedal strokes, and where the mind soars to great highs. My memories are filled with thousands of stories, experiences and images of the people that have crossed my path.

It has been a journey of innumerable moments, and through countless new and surprising places. I never know what’s around the next bend, and it's the promise of the unknown that makes my pedals turn to ride on in this world.

And if you are wondering: Yes, I already have the route of 2025 plotted on my trusted EuroVelo map. To add to my collection, this year I will cycle the remaining segments of EuroVelo 9, 14, 19, and I will revisit EuroVelo 3 and 1, this time to reach the North Cape. I cannot wait. Whatever your destination, and however far and long you aim to go, I encourage you all to make your life an adventure in 2025.

Thank you EuroVelo.

Written by Silvia Julian Gonzalez, @plomoenlospedales. All images courtesy of the author