Sweden (all)

After weighing the pros and cons the far north was attracting me, and the choice fell on Sweden and especially Norway. The timing and the route were perfect - we would return just before the start of the mountain stages of the Tour de France; in June relatively few mosquitoes are around, and, especially in Sweden, there was a fair chance of good weather. The flat part of Sweden gives you a good opportunity to do a bit of cycling before attacking the steep Norwegian mountains.

You will find descriptions of most trails in the vicinity of Uppsala here. There are some absolutely marvelous trails around. In Uppsala we have excellent relationships with hikers, hunters, dog owners, land owners, bird watchers, joggers etc, and we like to maintain good relations, so there are some local ethics.

There are several areas that offers excellent MTB-trails around Uppsala. The descriptions here are in Swedish but can easily be used by non-swedish speaking people. The maps and the gradings will be sufficient to get you started.

An enormous collection of bicycle tours all over the world.
Eine enorme Sammlung von Fahrradtouren in der ganzen Welt.

[The author travels around the world and reviews hostels, and has built up a large hostel directory.]

What are hostels?

The quickest answer I can give to you is that hostels are budget accommodations where you share a room with other travelers. To be more specific though and to give you a better idea of what to expect I will say that a hostel room is like a hotel room but instead of being just one bed there are a couple (or a few) bunk beds. There are also (gasp!) other people. People you do not know! These other people are travelers who are most likely very much like you in the sense that they are exploring and traveling and doing it as absolutely cheaply as possible. Hostels have been around a long long time. There are over 20,000 of them around the world. Hostels are very much a part of the culture of Europe, and are starting to be known in the USA as well. Hostels are a cheaper way of staying in a city where you do not live.

The North Sea Cycle Route: 6000 kilometres of fascinating adventure await you. Explore a wealth of cities and villages, beaches and farms, lowlands and uplands, cliff paths and byways - all without fear of getting lost - just keep on for long enough and you'll return to your starting point.

The world's longest signed international cycle route encircles the North Sea, passing through no fewer than 7 countries: the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Scotland and England. From Harwich and Hoek van Holland in the south to Bergen and the Shetland Islands in the north.

What you don't manage this year will wait till next year, or the year after - the North Sea Cycle Route will be there for you whenever you are ready. Choose one convenient section at a time, linked by the many North Sea ferries sailing out of major ports such as Amsterdam, Hamburg, Esbjerg, Göteborg, Bergen and Newcastle.

This online guide will provide you with all the information you need before you start to pack your bags. Naturally, you are also more than welcome to contact the local tourist information offices, which can supply additional details of the attractions, events and accommodation in their area.

Welcome to a fantastic cycle tour around the North Sea - just jump on your bike.