The latest adventure is a month long cycle down the Danube River, Europe’s second longest river. From its source in the Schwarzwald (Black Forest), the river flows for almost 3,000km through 10 countries and four of Europe’s capital cities, Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest and Belgrade, before finishing its journey at the Black Sea. Cycling, so they say, is relatively straightforward as there is a well-marked Danube Cycleway. This is a fantastic amenity as it will help me to cover the distance (and avoid getting too lost), but I hope to come off this busy route quite a bit, to visit as many as I can of the nature reserves and protected areas along the way. I am particularly looking forward to visiting the ‘Danube Parks’, 15 of the most special protected areas along the river. These are the last remaining free-flowing stretches of the majestic river, magnificent riparian landscapes supporting hugely important wildlife communities. The only one of these that I have visited before is the Danube Delta, a truly remarkable area of natural (and cultural) heritage; I am looking forward revisiting this area, but I am also looking forward to exploring new sites.
3,000km is a lot of kilometers and there will be much to see; places special and not so special, but always new places. Join with me and follow my journey #DowntheDanube #DonauRunter as I follow the flow of the Danube from source to sea.