medieval towns, castles, cathedrals, palaces, great cities of the industrial revolution and relics of 20th-century warfare. And it travels through a great range of stunning scenery. Starting in the Swiss Alps with high mountains, deep glacial valleys and gorges it soon reaches Europe´s third largest lake, the Bodensee, and its greatest mainland waterfall. After Basel, the Rhine becomes a broad river, where straightening, flood dykes, locks and dams have created the World´s busiest river trading artery. The middle Rhine, between Bingen and Koblenz, forces its way through the narrow rocky Rhine gorge lined by romantic castles perched above Germany´s finest vineyards. The cycling is easy, downhill and along dedicated cycle routes. The countries visited are very cycle-friendly and the waymarking is excellent. And the whole trip can be completed in two weeks by a fit cyclist.