Garry McGivern European Bicycle Tour
Garry McGivern Travelsonabike2 June-2024 short European bicycle tour, which saw Garry cycle through France, Belgium, the Netherlands and England. It’s been a long time since Garry has been able to string enough time together to go away touring. His DCM, along with all his other ailments, means he has a lot of hospital appointments that he needs to attend. But finally, he has nearly three weeks between appointments. Not having the energy to fly or the travel insurance, Garry is once again forced to stay in Europe.
Garry had to be back in the UK on the twentieth of June. His hospital appointment wasn’t local to him. It was in Salisbury, which is around 75 miles from Garry’s home. So Garry decided to take the long route to the hospital and decided to go via France. Garry has spent a lot of time cycling in France in the past few years and was struggling to think of somewhere he’d not cycled before. And, after a bit of dithering, he settled on his tour.
After catching the overnight ferry from Portsmouth to Saint-Malo, Garry cycled to Caen. Where he picked up the coast and followed it to Belgium. It was a short ride through Belgium, and Garry was soon in the Netherlands. Again, it didn’t take Garry long to follow the coast to the Hook of Holland, where he jumped on a ferry back to England. Arriving back in the UK on the fourteenth, Garry still had a few days before he needed to be in Salisbury. So he again took the long way across England and cycled via Cambridge.
Although none of this tour was new to Garry, it had been a long time since he’d cycled along the coast north of Dieppe. And because Garry didn’t feel comfortable cycling on the roads, much of this stretch of the ride was completely new to Garry. Total miles cycled: 973.
YouTube Videos
Photos On Flickr
June 2024 Short European Bicycle Tour Map
Follow & Support
If you’re enjoying the ride and want to fuel Garry’s next mile, you can always support him by buying him a beer. And, of course, you can always follow Garry on social media: Facebook, Bluesky, Threads, X, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest. Garry’s also on Flickr, where you’ll find pictures from all his tours, along with regular photo updates that he generally publishes each month.
If you want to find out if Garry’s away touring at the moment and check his location, visit the Where’s Garry page. And after thousands of miles on the road, I’ve condensed everything I’ve learned into one place. So if you’re planning your own cycling adventure, read my reality check on long-distance touring.
Garry McGivern is a solo, self-supported bicycle tourist and the creator of Travelsonabike2. Having cycled over 70,000 miles worldwide on his trusty bike, Passepartout, Garry documents the reality of long-distance travel. Follow along for updates, gear insights, and the daily highs and lows of bicycle touring, whether he’s camped beside the road or in the luxury of a hotel. Join Garry on the road, and be inspired to start your own adventure. Read more.