London to Istanbul

butcher90

butcher90

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Hi guys,

Ok currently planning a 2 week trip from London to Istanbul. A mix of on road and light off road where permitted probably about 80/20.

The route will take us through Belgium, Amsterdam, down towards the alps, through northern Italy, Vienna, Budapest, Romania, Istanbul

Then on the way back - Istanbul, Greece, Southern italy along the west coast to the alps, Geneva, Strasbourg, Belgium, London.

Planned date is from 26th December 2013 to 3rd January.

Accommodation is still not decided upon, either a mix of wild camping/camping and cheap hotels. Or Cheap/medium hotels throughout.

Whoever is up for the trip, let me know, and give some input on any ideas you might have.
 
butcher90 said:
Hi guys,

Ok currently planning a 2 week trip from London to Istanbul. A mix of on road and light off road where permitted probably about 80/20.

The route will take us through Belgium, Amsterdam, down towards the alps, through northern Italy, Vienna, Budapest, Romania, Istanbul

Then on the way back - Istanbul, Greece, Southern italy along the west coast to the alps, Geneva, Strasbourg, Belgium, London.

Planned date is from 26th December 2013 to 3rd January.

Accommodation is still not decided upon, either a mix of wild camping/camping and cheap hotels. Or Cheap/medium hotels throughout.

Whoever is up for the trip, let me know, and give some input on any ideas you might have.
Click to expand...

Don't be holding your breath for participants now will ya ....

Who is 'us' ?

:beerjug:
 
You do seem to be talking rather a lot of miles here young butcher90.

I make it, at least, 5,000 of these miles for the return trip.

If this is in said 2 weeks then that's something like 350 miles each and every day, and 20 per cent of the journey is offroad as well.

Hopefully I've either misread it, or maybe simply miscalculated it.
 
Not sure where Amsterdam fits in but the route looks like over 4000 miles in 9 days, i think you have overestimated how many miles you can do each day and just how much slower it is through areas like the Alps etc. Your gonna be knackered at the end of it, good luck.
 
I did this a few years ago and took a 'scenic' route like you guys are planning. One night in Istanbul and a lot of M-way/main road slogs at speed - it took 2 weeks.

I'll bung up the route when I get home this eve so you can get a perspective on time/distance.

Andres
 
1 week to Dalyan (Turkey) via your route and 1 week back via Gallipoli and Albania.
1 weeks rest in between.

Took a weeks rest in between.

No insurance in Serbia, Asian Turkey, Macedonia and Albania.

Just 2 of us with tents and B&B'd in cheaper countries as there were some BEAR warning signs around.
 
butcher90 said:
Hi guys,

Ok currently planning a 2 week trip from London to Istanbul. A mix of on road and light off road where permitted probably about 80/20.

The route will take us through Belgium, Amsterdam, down towards the alps, through northern Italy, Vienna, Budapest, Romania, Istanbul

Then on the way back - Istanbul, Greece, Southern italy along the west coast to the alps, Geneva, Strasbourg, Belgium, London.

Planned date is from 26th December 2013 to 3rd January.

Accommodation is still not decided upon, either a mix of wild camping/camping and cheap hotels. Or Cheap/medium hotels throughout.

Whoever is up for the trip, let me know, and give some input on any ideas you might have.
Click to expand...

Yep, that's pretty hardcore!

A couple of years ago I did a similar trip - in the summer - with just two of us. We took a more direct route to Istanbul but returned through Greece and Italy. It still took 9 or 10 days and we had decent beds each night. Wild camping in Dec/Jan? Feck that!

:eek:
 
kevingrahambutler said:
You must be mad,,,,,,, if that's what you want to do,,,,,,go for it,,,,,
Click to expand...

Butcher

if you want a nice cuppa or a ice cod beer your welcome to stay at my house in Bulgaria Sofia.

Ps i drive back and forth its a fecking long hard drive in a car but on a bike to istanbul and back in two weeks good luck mate
 
Butcher

Just re read what your doing fecking crazy mate!!!! Temp will be -15 to - 25 snow from Austria all the way to Istanbul. The roads in Serbia not the best at any time the same in Bulgaria, there is a saying in Bulgaria if the mafia don't get you the pot holes will.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Wow alot of replies. Thanks for the concern guys, i know its going to be hard but thats the fun of it :) its not meant to be easy.
Anyway i have got time off from 16th Dec to 6th Jan, so i have plenty of time to play around with. If it seems to hard i can always extend the trip to 3 weeks or so.
This plan is just rough, and i decided to go on this trip the other week so still lots more to decide.

Outtomunch - Thanks for the map, that will help alot.

agent2494 - Yes i have been described as crazy before :) Us brits love the cold and rain. Thank you very much for the offer, a cuppa would be great after such a long ride.

Anyway, like i said if anyone wants to come along, they are more than welcome. Otherwise i might lonewolf it :)
 
It would be fun 1 up on a GS.
Feck Camping, no time in that schedule.
Make loads of miles when its 5-10 deg to make up for slow going when its around 0 deg.
You will have to stop if you encounter snow (unless your talent \ tyres suit snow riding (and the roads are open).
We did do 6000km from mid Dec - early Jan 2 up. It was a bit dodgy and 1 off in the snow.
 
If you want to save a little time consider overnight train from Dusseldorf to Rijeka
Good luck
 
patzx12 said:
It would be fun 1 up on a GS.
Feck Camping, no time in that schedule.
Make loads of miles when its 5-10 deg to make up for slow going when its around 0 deg.
You will have to stop if you encounter snow (unless your talent \ tyres suit snow riding (and the roads are open).
We did do 6000km from mid Dec - early Jan 2 up. It was a bit dodgy and 1 off in the snow.
Click to expand...

Still haven't decided on the camping, if its really cold i will probably end up going to hotels.

purds said:
If you want to save a little time consider overnight train from Dusseldorf to Rijeka
Good luck
Click to expand...

Thats a good idea, its one of those autotrains right?
 
Good luck... And good thermals... You are going to need both:thumb2
 
On the thermal side i think im sorted , heated body warmer, thermal baselayer, thermal trousers and socks, heated gloves, heated grips, heated sargent seat and new rukka suit :) if there was a heated helmet i would have bought that too :)
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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