Cycling story
Loop of Europe
Rotterdam to Romania, a train to Vienna, then across the Alps and France to a ferry home: two months of heat, hail, and big rivers, written up as I go.
- Dates
- 27 June–23 August 2026
- Distance
- 4,997 km3,105 mi
- Climbing
- 44,054 m144,534 ft
- Riding days
- 334 short transition days excluded8 bonus rides included
- Countries
- Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, France, Ireland, Northern Ireland
Full route
Privacy-trimmed; some starts and finishes are shortened.
Loading privacy-trimmed route…
All 54 mapped routes
Rides and outings
Ferries
All 54 mapped routes shown.
© OpenStreetMap (opens in a new tab)
Still working on the write-up! Enjoy the others until then :)
The reference
Ride log
Interested in the details? I’ve logged every activity on Strava(opens in a new tab).
Open 45 activities
Leg 1: Rotterdam to Romania
- Distance
- 213 km · 132 mi
- Climbing
- 1,055 m · 3,461 ft
- Moving
- 11 h 44 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
FT-RTR-2: Less heat, but still oppressive(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 163 km · 101 mi
- Climbing
- 1,220 m · 4,003 ft
- Moving
- 6 h 39 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 140 km · 87 mi
- Climbing
- 678 m · 2,224 ft
- Moving
- 5 h 09 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
FT-RTR-4: Keeping it country, in before the hail(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 127 km · 79 mi
- Climbing
- 975 m · 3,199 ft
- Moving
- 5 h 03 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 124 km · 77 mi
- Climbing
- 751 m · 2,464 ft
- Moving
- 4 h 42 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 157 km · 98 mi
- Climbing
- 1,346 m · 4,416 ft
- Moving
- 5 h 56 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 202 km · 126 mi
- Climbing
- 1,218 m · 3,996 ft
- Moving
- 7 h 31 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 192 km · 119 mi
- Climbing
- 757 m · 2,484 ft
- Moving
- 6 h 49 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 73 km · 45 mi
- Climbing
- 414 m · 1,358 ft
- Moving
- 2 h 45 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 194 km · 121 mi
- Climbing
- 735 m · 2,411 ft
- Moving
- 6 h 36 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 163 km · 101 mi
- Climbing
- 843 m · 2,766 ft
- Moving
- 5 h 55 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 116 km · 72 mi
- Climbing
- 547 m · 1,795 ft
- Moving
- 3 h 59 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 164 km · 102 mi
- Climbing
- 602 m · 1,975 ft
- Moving
- 5 h 55 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
FT-RTR-14: Alba Iulia! Rotterdam to Romania complete!(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 64 km · 40 mi
- Climbing
- 393 m · 1,289 ft
- Moving
- 2 h 17 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
FT-RTR: Communication breakdown(opens in a new tab)
Bonus ride
- Distance
- 2 km · 1 mi
- Climbing
- 2 m · 7 ft
- Moving
- 0 h 08 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
Leg 2: Alba Iulia to Bucharest
FT-ATB: Getting fresh rubber(opens in a new tab)
Bonus ride
- Distance
- 7 km · 4 mi
- Climbing
- 46 m · 151 ft
- Moving
- 0 h 19 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 95 km · 59 mi
- Climbing
- 948 m · 3,110 ft
- Moving
- 4 h 05 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 94 km · 59 mi
- Climbing
- 2,316 m · 7,598 ft
- Moving
- 5 h 06 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 135 km · 84 mi
- Climbing
- 1,002 m · 3,287 ft
- Moving
- 4 h 50 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
FT-ATB-4: Alba Iulia to Bucharest complete!(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 144 km · 90 mi
- Climbing
- 892 m · 2,927 ft
- Moving
- 5 h 16 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
Leg 3: Bucharest to Vienna
FT-BTV-1: I'm on the night tray-a-ain🎵(opens in a new tab)
Transition day
- Distance
- 2 km · 1 mi
- Climbing
- 5 m · 16 ft
- Moving
- 0 h 11 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
FT-BTV-2: Chill train, oven city(opens in a new tab)
Transition day
- Distance
- 15 km · 9 mi
- Climbing
- 64 m · 210 ft
- Moving
- 0 h 55 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
FT-BTV: Wee city bike(opens in a new tab)
Bonus ride
- Distance
- 11 km · 7 mi
- Climbing
- 56 m · 184 ft
- Moving
- 0 h 52 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
FT-BTV: Too warm(opens in a new tab)
Bonus ride
- Distance
- 13 km · 8 mi
- Climbing
- 55 m · 180 ft
- Moving
- 0 h 49 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
Leg 4: Vienna to Geneva
- Distance
- 134 km · 83 mi
- Climbing
- 2,219 m · 7,280 ft
- Moving
- 6 h 30 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
FT-VTG-2: Ain't no Mournes, but it'll do~(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 172 km · 107 mi
- Climbing
- 1,735 m · 5,692 ft
- Moving
- 6 h 50 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
FT-VTG-3: Austria, where mountains have mountains ontop(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 165 km · 102 mi
- Climbing
- 2,658 m · 8,720 ft
- Moving
- 7 h 32 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 151 km · 94 mi
- Climbing
- 1,840 m · 6,037 ft
- Moving
- 6 h 31 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
FT-VTG-5: Switzerland, with a side order of Liechtenstein!(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 149 km · 93 mi
- Climbing
- 1,646 m · 5,400 ft
- Moving
- 6 h 40 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 171 km · 106 mi
- Climbing
- 3,522 m · 11,555 ft
- Moving
- 8 h 11 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 135 km · 84 mi
- Climbing
- 2,539 m · 8,330 ft
- Moving
- 6 h 53 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 95 km · 59 mi
- Climbing
- 798 m · 2,618 ft
- Moving
- 3 h 44 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
FT-VTG: Long live the Donkey(opens in a new tab)
Bonus ride
- Distance
- 1 km · 1 mi
- Climbing
- 10 m · 33 ft
- Moving
- 0 h 05 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
FT-VTG: To CERN(opens in a new tab)
Bonus ride
- Distance
- 7 km · 4 mi
- Climbing
- 85 m · 279 ft
- Moving
- 0 h 24 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
FT-VTG: From CERN(opens in a new tab)
Bonus ride
- Distance
- 8 km · 5 mi
- Climbing
- 52 m · 171 ft
- Moving
- 0 h 24 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
Leg 5: Geneva to Cherbourg
- Distance
- 169 km · 105 mi
- Climbing
- 2,027 m · 6,650 ft
- Moving
- 7 h 14 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 187 km · 116 mi
- Climbing
- 1,270 m · 4,167 ft
- Moving
- 7 h 46 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 155 km · 97 mi
- Climbing
- 1,289 m · 4,229 ft
- Moving
- 6 h 01 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 154 km · 96 mi
- Climbing
- 1,206 m · 3,957 ft
- Moving
- 6 h 42 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 132 km · 82 mi
- Climbing
- 1,410 m · 4,626 ft
- Moving
- 5 h 45 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 203 km · 126 mi
- Climbing
- 1,529 m · 5,016 ft
- Moving
- 8 h 44 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
FT-GTC: Attempt to find somewhere to wash the bike(opens in a new tab)
Bonus ride
- Distance
- 6 km · 3 mi
- Climbing
- 23 m · 75 ft
- Moving
- 0 h 20 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
Leg 6: Cherbourg to Dublin
FT-CTD-1: On a boat mofo(opens in a new tab)
Transition day
- Distance
- 5 km · 3 mi
- Climbing
- 39 m · 128 ft
- Moving
- 0 h 17 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
FT-CTD-2: I'm off a boat mofo(opens in a new tab)
Transition day
- Distance
- 0 km · 0 mi
- Climbing
- 2 m · 7 ft
- Moving
- 0 h 02 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
Leg 7: Dublin to Belfast
FT-DTB-1: Dublin to Belfast to complete, and "FT" complete too!(opens in a new tab)
- Distance
- 189 km · 118 mi
- Climbing
- 1,235 m · 4,052 ft
- Moving
- 7 h 22 min
- Activity source
- View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
Walks and hikes
FT-RTR: Coffee doesn't disappoint(opens in a new tab)
16 km · 10 mi · View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
FT-RTR: Castle district(opens in a new tab)
15 km · 10 mi · View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
FT-RTR: Solo stomp, with some swans(opens in a new tab)
14 km · 9 mi · View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
FT-ATB: Low energy dander(opens in a new tab)
16 km · 10 mi · View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
FT-ATB: Bug city(opens in a new tab)
12 km · 7 mi · View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
FT-VTG: Take a hike!(opens in a new tab)
16 km · 10 mi · View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
FT-VTG: Interesting river(opens in a new tab)
11 km · 7 mi · View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
FT-GTC: Circuit lost(opens in a new tab)
12 km · 7 mi · View on Strava(opens in a new tab)
