19 - 25 August 2019: A wonderful tour from Cork to Cologne

In 2019, the tour started with an Irish evening; accompanied by Henning Krautmacher, we spent the evening in an Irish pub with live music and got in the mood for Ireland. In the morning, Henning started our bike tour, Mara Bergmann sat on a road bike for the first time (which was certainly not optimal for her) and admirably rode the first stage with almost 130 km! This day offered us dry weather and impressions of the Irish landscape. The second day in Ireland was unfortunately very rainy with little "view", only in Kilkenny did the weather improve. The third stage in Ireland over the "Wicklow Mountains National Park" was a highlight with almost dry weather and our Irish part ended in Dublin.

After a morning flight to Manchester, we cycled through the "Peak District" on sometimes steep sections, but scenically the highlight in England. Our fifth day took us from Sheffield to the ferry in Kingston upon Hull, which brought us to Rotterdam overnight.

Two more long and "warm" stages led us back to Cologne, the end was, how could it be otherwise, the arrival at the Domplatte. There, besides Hennig Krautmacher and Mara Bergmann, many friends and relatives duly welcomed us.

Thanks a lot to all fellow cyclists and supporters, it was again a great tour!

The ridden routes can be viewed and downloaded here.