I know most of the discussions here are for people planning long, or around the world trips but I’m sure I can’t be the only one working with family, budget and annual leave restrictions

I already have a week’s bike trip planned for this year to Ireland via Wales (catching a bit of the NW200) and with other non bike holidays my annual leave will be looking a bit thin.

So looking at a couple long weekends to make the most out of what’s left, anyone with some suggestions?

The Ardennes region of Belgium/Luxembourg would fit your bill nicely.

I' m sure there are very many in your shoes. I had to wait many years before I could do longer trips.

Have you considered scotland. West coast and out to sky is fab. Otherwise germany is a good bet and ok for a long weekend. You can do the alps in a long weekend too if you pick your route well there's much fun to be had. Geneve is one of my fav places to stop not far from some good passes on the alps or just go right around the lake thats a good days fun. Depending on what you want just bibbling along the small country roads from calais for a few days can be ok. I Did a weekender to claud monet garden and museum once, camped and had the best cheese omlete ive ever had! It was not planned at all just came across it.

I still like to just take off when i can for a few days and do exactly that from calais.

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Regards Tim

Learning my craft for the big stuff, it won't be long now and it's not that far anyway

Another vote for the Ardennes. About two to three hours ride from the ferries and an area I've ridden through so many times without exploring I'm now embarrassed about it.

The other area on my "to do" list is the coast between Dunkirk and Brugge. It's a kind of Belgian version of the slightly run down, peeling paint seaside resorts we have loads of. It also boasts the longest tram line "in the world" (said in a Jeremy Clarkson voice) - 42 miles. Ride there, spend a day on the tram seeing the sights, grab some frites-n-mayo for lunch and ride back. Now there's a weekend to tell your friends about.

You "could" get to the Alps in a long weekend - I've just done one day there and one day back a couple of weeks ago, but I had a week in the middle and I got very bored with the fast lane of the autoroute. To put the effort in and only have one day there would just be an exercise in frustration - in my opinion. You could do it just for a laugh though - years ago I knew a bunch of people who relay drove a minibus non stop to the Costa Brava and back between 5.00pm Friday and 9.00am Monday. They had 10mins on the beach for a quick swim / and then back into the bus for the return drive .

My third suggestion is Amsterdam - I've done that for 2 day and 3 day weekends a number of times (my son's at Uni there) and it's a fabulous city - once you get past the ringroad anyway. It's four hours on the (free) motorway from the ferry / tunnel so you could get there (late) Friday night and leave Sunday lunchtime.

Lots of military history in that part of the world:

Ypres and Vimy ridge
Normandy
Ardennes
Arnhem
Waterloo

I can spend days and days riding the N-roads, looking at the sights, stopping for cakes and coffee and then finding somewhere with food, and bed in walking distance.

Avoid the big industrial cities like Lille, they have their nice bits but not enough to make their ring roads fun.

Andy

I echo some of the other comments.

My first recommendation would be Luxembourg via Belgium. If you are interested in WWII history, Bastogne (Battle of the Bulge) is enroute in Belgium, fairly close to Luxembourg. There are some nice villages and old castles to visit in Luxembourg (town of Vianden being one of them). It would make a nice weekend trip.

My second suggestion would be Amsterdam via Belgium, perhaps with a lunch stop in Ghent along the way.

Another suggestion would be Normandie in France - lots of WWII history sites to visit.

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2014 overland adventure to Russia and Central Asia in Land Rover Defender www.bermudarover.com

+1 on spending a few days exploring the military history of that area or heading a little further west to the Normandy landing beaches.

Just look at timing though - early June is the anniversary of D-Day and the Normandy beaches will be busy. And the 100th anniversary of the start of WW1 is in August - again expect lots of people, busy roads and sky high hotel prices.

Stay off the motorways and main roads - take your time, stop often, enjoy the small towns and villages and explore

Thanks for the replies, some food for thought here. I’ll definitely take a look into the Ardennes as that’s an area I haven’t ventured before. I have to admit that although I’ve done a fair few miles in and across Europe, I have a habit of ‘gassing it’ out of Calis on the motorways to but some distance between myself and Blighty before slowing the pace a bit

I might also bungee the misses to the back for a trip to Bruges, I’ve only had a flying visit there and missed a lot of it...... and some of what I did see was slightly impaired by the local beverages
I actually did 10 days in Scotland, including the highlands and Sky last year (very nice it was too!) I’m on the SE London/Kent border though, so its pushing it a bit for a weekend for me as it’s a whole day of motorway each way.