Waking up hearing the birds sing and looking directly down across a spring-flowered meadow towards a heavily wooded valley we couldn’t help wonder if the cows – also just waking – know how lucky they are.

Yes the clouds were grey (we were in Belgium after all!) but we were warm in our bivvy bags after a dry and comfortable night’s sleep out in the open. We had taken along a tarpaulin and decided to fashion a “basha” out of it to protect us from the promised nocturnal rain. A heavy, but short-lived, drizzle came just as we were settling down and it felt justified. In fact this was all the rain we had on the whole trip which seems extremely fortunate, given all the recent weather.

A massive all-night thunderstorm had presumably (and understandably) put many people off, and when we finally met on the northbound train at 6pm on Friday evening we were but two. All the way up the sky was dark and grey and the rain lashed the train windows. Upon alighting at Kautenbach, however, the rain had stopped and there were even some blue skies.

There is something almost magical about rushing off after work, fighting the crowds at the city centre station, jostling on a busy commuter train only to suddenly find yourself cycling in a deserted tree-lined valley, a river gurgling below and an evening’s ride ahead. An hour ago we were at our desks! Now we are alone, breathing clean air and relishing the rain-fresh smells of forests and fields. It’s a stunning way to leave work behind.

We followed the charming Wiltz into Belgium before heading north, skirting Bastogne to find the hidden ‘bivouac zone’ where camping for one night is permitted. The light was just beginning to fade by the time the tarp was up, and we cooked up a pot-luck vegetable stew, anything anyone has brought along goes into this and the half bottle of wine was an addition to the pot well worth the weight of carrying it! Not sure anyone has ever enjoyed a stew more than we did that night.

Another advantage of bivvying is how quick and easy it is to pack up in the morning. Savouring the views as we enjoyed a heartening breakfast and then we were soon we were off, once more into the wild delights of the Ardennes and northern Luxembourg.

An adventure well worth having, and one that is so easily accessible for anyone in the Grand Duchy. We will try to repeat this event; look out for future announcements and join us!

Photo Credit: The remarkable Tristan Schmurr

Cycle Luxembourg’s First Overnighter

Intrigued by the freedom and ease that a bivvy bag can bring, but unsure how to start? Why not join us on Cycle Luxembourg’s first overnight cycle trip and give it a go!

A bivvy bag is a bag that goes outside your sleeping bag allowing you to sleep outside, really outside. A tent is great, but in the words of Alastair Humphreys, it is basically a poor version of being indoors. With the bivvy you fall asleep looking at the stars and wake up with dew on your nose.

We shall be leading a ride, with an experienced ‘bivvyer’, over the first weekend in June. In addition to your sleeping bag you will need a bivvy bag. If you do not wish to invest in a top quality one, a cheap ‘survival bag’ will suffice. This will retain moisture and you’ll probably have a wet sleeping bag in the morning, but for a one-night trip such as this it will be fine. If you really enjoy the night in the open you’ll probably want to invest in a better quality bag. If you hate it, at least you’ll have found that out and not gone to too much expense!

For much more on the whys, hows, and whats of bivvy bags please do check out what Humphreys has to say. He really knows his stuff.

We will meet on Friday 1st June 2018 at  18:00 and take  train to the north, for around an hour. We will ride around 30km and camp at a location which is legally designated for camping, but has no services. After our night under the stars we will ride back to Luxembourg (Saturday 2nd June) which will be around 100km, but with the option of following the railway giving plenty of opportunities for a shorter route, if required. There will be a short amount of riding on non-paved roads on this trip, so super-skinny road tyres are not recommended.

Picture Credit: Alastair Humphreys

Equipment required, each person will need;

Sleeping bag; Bivvy bag (or ‘survival’ bag); sleeping mat (foam or inflatable, whatever you wish, but sleeping directly on the ground is no fun at all); torch; rain jacket; woolly hat (even in summer it’s better to wear at night); warm clothes (if it is warm enough at night without these, you can at least use your jumper as a pillow!); water; some food that doesn’t need to be cooked; toothbrush with toothpaste on it already and wrapped in cling-film; cup; spoon/fork; if you think you want pyjamas/pillow/more clothes and can take the weight, of course it’s up to you!

This list is freely adapted from here and we recommend you read it!

What if it rains?

In the words of Ronald Turnbull, the person who knows more about Bivvy bags than anyone else, “If it rains, you get wet”.

PLEASE NOTE:-

Wild camping is strictly forbidden by law in Luxembourg, and we will therefore be stopping at a designated camp place, or even a camp site.

All participants understand that there are certain risks involved in any ride and camping activities. They take part wholly at their own risk, and the organisers assume no responsibility whatsoever.

Join us for an informal and relaxed ride on Saturday 12^th May as we join people all over the world riding the CycloFemme rides (more below regarding CycloFemme).

Where, when, how long, and who can ride is it in Luxembourg?

Organised by Cycle Luxembourg and led by Sevi we will be riding from Wasserbillig to Trier (and back for those that wish to). Although this ride celebrates women, it is open to all humans irrespective of their gender or cycling experience. Bikes can easily be rented, too!

Meeting:

We will meet at Wasserbillig Gare at 11:00 o’clock. Here there is free parking, or you can catch the direct train from Luxembourg at 10:33 or if you are on an intermediate station the stopping train leaves Luxembourg at 10:05 and stops at all stations.

Route and refreshment:

We will head along the north bank of the Moselle to Trier. This is a flat 15km and we our speed will be dictated by the slowest member of the group. We suggest bringing a packed lunch which we can enjoy along the banks of the river, and we will stop for drinks in Trier itself.

Return:

We will ride back along the south bank of the river, also flat and easy, and take the (new) ferry back to Wasserbillig where we will once more enjoy some refreshments whilst waiting for the return trains. Anyone is, of course, able to return by train from Trier if they are not confident of the distance.

Cost

There is no charge at all for this ride, however individuals are responsible for all their own refreshments and fares (a day train ticket in Luxembourg is 4€, coming from Trier it is considerably more, the ferry is 1.40€)

Is there rental bike possibility if I don’t have a bike?

You can rent a bike through Rent A Bike  and return it back to Wasserbillig, or in Luxembourg at Velo en Ville in The Grund. Please note that the individuals are responsible for the cost of the rental bikes and more information regarding the tariffs can be found on the above website.

What is CycloFemme? From the CycloFemme website

“CycloFemme is a Global Celebration of Women created TO HONOUR THE PAST from the shoulders of those who stood before us, for the freedom to choose and the chance to wear pants. TO CELEBRATE THE PRESENT with strength and courage, voices raised, moving together. TO EMPOWER THE FUTURE of women everywhere, the backbone of positive social change.

The idea is simple

Each year on Mother’s Day (in the USA), self-led bike rides around the globe unite riders, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity or bicycle preference. Any ride length, type, and size counts, whether two friends, a team or a parade.

The act is powerful

We share an experience outside in our communities. We feel our literal strength. We lift, push and propel one another. And along the way, we discover—or rediscover— the joy in riding a bike.”

Details of our event

Back in December a brand new bi-directional dedicated bicycle lane was opened running the length of Kirchberg, and here at Cycle Luxembourg we are very happy about it indeed.

What we LOVE: – Width/comfort, segregation, protection

What we DON’T LOVE: – lack of integration, lack of prioritisation

What we WANT: – Bollards!

Under a carpet of snow we witnessed the biggest unveiling of cycle infrastructure since the Pont Adolphe underpass. This may be less aesthetically pleasing than the bridge, but promises to be more beautiful in a practical sense.

Overshadowed by the opening of the tram, funicular and new railway stations the cycle path could actually be the easiest method for travelling around the plateau.

The first thing to notice is that it is wide; very wide. For most of its 3.2km it’s 3 metres, which is exceedingly generous and comfortable for any city cycle path anywhere. In addition to this luxury it is fully, and properly, segregated for almost it’s entire length with kerbs and planted ‘islands’ on both sides. True, motor vehicles can (and sadly do, daily) enter, usually to park, at the junctions but this could be easily remedied with a bollard in the centre (There were car tracks visible in the snow on Day One!). As for people on foot they finally have a safe and dedicated path for walking, on this side of JFK at least. Hopefully this should soon also be true on the other side when the old bus lane is converted. The long section in front of d’Coque which allows cars and lorries to use the cycle path is both hugely disappointing and unnecessary.

The junctions have dedicated cycle traffic-lights, many with automated beg-buttons. Whilst this lacks somewhat in terms of prioritisation it should provide good safety at the many junctions. At the moment the integration of the path with existing paths in Kirchberg is not great, but this can be solved with a little imagination. Likewise the links at either end, with the PC2 and the tram/funicular stop and bridge, are far from ideal. It is deeply disappointing that the latter area is shared with those on foot and has no access on this side of the bridge for cyclists. This truly needs looking at urgently. At the other end we have an unsatisfactory, and narrower, shared space petering out before the tram stop. This also needs a decent (and fairly easily done) link with PC2, and our great desire is for a path to run alongside the tram all the way to the proposed end of the line. With a Vel’oh station at the airport it could become the easiest and quickest to access in the world. We must also praise the additional M-Boxes that provide safe cycle storage; one at each here and at the bottom of the funicular.

It is, of course, a very visible commitment to cycling in city and very important for that. It is imperative, however, that it is linked with other great infrastructure to make sure people can easily and safely use their bikes as the obvious A to B choice. As with all our reservations and concerns, however, we must recognise the progress certain individuals in Government and in the City Council have created. It is clear that without them we would not have the tram, and this path would never have been conceived of, let alone realised.

We must not be complacent in our determination to change Luxembourg from a polluted car-centric city to the beautiful people-focussed place we know lies hidden within. And as we go along this journey we should also pause occasionally and look back to where we were, and where we are now.

We are on our way!

a more detailed report is available here