From Frankfurt to London: A 6-Day Gravel Adventure Cut Short by Poor UK Infrastructure

I recently completed a Gravelbike tour from Frankfurt to London with a friend, which we completed in just 6 days. The plan was ambitious, and while some parts of the journey were incredibly rewarding, others were quite the opposite.

Our route looked like this:
– Day 1: Frankfurt to Cologne, 240km (an achievement we're particularly proud of)
– Day 2: Cologne to Maastricht
– Day 3: Maastricht to Antwerp
– Day 4: Antwerp to Ostend
– Day 5: Ostend to Calais, where we took the ferry to Dover
– Day 6: Dover to London

The initial part of the tour through Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France was fantastic—great infrastructure, beautiful landscapes, and mostly smooth riding. But as soon as we hit the UK, things took a downturn. The cycling infrastructure in England was a real letdown. Instead of enjoying the scenic countryside, we found ourselves navigating bumpy backroads and trying to avoid busy highways. It quickly became clear that continuing on to Edinburgh, as originally planned, would be too time-consuming and costly if we wanted to avoid dangerous or unpleasant routes.

In the end, we made the difficult decision to cut the tour short in London. It was disappointing, but considering the lack of infrastructure and the frustration of riding on those rough roads, it just wasn't worth it.

That said, we're still really happy with what we accomplished on this trip. Riding 240km in one day was a personal best for both of us, and making it from Frankfurt to London in 6 days is no small feat. Despite the challenges, it was an adventure we'll never forget.