{"id":5411,"date":"2026-05-21T12:44:07","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T12:44:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bendingtherules.co.uk\/home\/?p=5411"},"modified":"2026-05-21T12:46:47","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T12:46:47","slug":"tandemtreffen-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bendingtherules.co.uk\/home\/uncategorized\/tandemtreffen-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Tandemtreffen 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This year we were back in the Black Forest, but a little further south and closer to Switzerland. Too far to cycle in the time we had available to us, so we packed the Pino into the car and headed for Dover.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Our DFDS ferry for Dunkirk was at 10am but rather than risk the M25 and an early start, we stayed overnight in the Dover Marina Hotel, \u2013 it’s under new management<\/a>, has been refurbished and is a little more upmarket since we stayed last time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our first stop on the way to the Black Forest was in Ghent, Belgium, where I had booked a couple of nights in an ex-monastery that is still used for retreats. It made for a nice, quiet atmosphere and was only a short walk into the old part of the town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Monasterium Poort Ackere, Ghent, Belgium Monasterium Poortackere<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After settling into our room and resting for a while, we walked into the centre for a drink and some food, as there’s no restaurant in the hotel. There are several big churches in the old town and St Michael’s was on our route and open for a short while, so we took a look inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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St Michael’s, Ghent.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It was close to five pm and so we were soon ushered out to continue our walk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Leaving St. Michael’s we walked across the bridge.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We soon found an empty table outside an Irish pub just over the bridge, where we could sit and enjoy a drink and watch the world go by. Later, we moved inside for some food then resumed our walk alongside the waterway, but only as far as the next bridge, which we crossed and headed back, along the other bank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The old part of Ghent is very popular with tourists, but you can see why.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The next day we decided to head back but on the Pino. We found a good spot to sit and sketch the Gravensteen…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Gravensteen, moated castle dating back to the 10th Century.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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My sketch.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The following day we drove further south, to the area around Schengen, to the small town of Mondorf-les-Baines, and to another ‘cloistered’ hotel. Luckily this one did have a restaurant and I think even Friar Tuck would have been satisfied with the portions!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mealtime at Hotel Residence Am Klouschter<\/a>, Mondorf-les-Baines.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A quick search on the RideWithGPS app on my phone came up with a 16 mile circuit to run beside the Mosel. I adapted the route to make a 20 mile circuit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Before we set off, we did a quick recce into the town, then cycled South East towards the Mosel, joining it at Schengen. We then ran North before climbing away from the river and back to the town, where we stopped at a bar we had seen on our recce.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The memorial at the riverside spot where the Schengen Agreement opened up European borders for free movement. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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At the top of the climb away from the River Mosel, Karon found a swing!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Though the skies threatened and it was cold, it didn’t rain on us.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

From Mondorf-les-Baines it was about 3.5 hours driving to arrive at the Hotel Sternen in Kirchen Hausen, just outside Geisingen. The Danube ‘flows’ between the two communities. The hotel was split between four buildings and there was an underground garage where we could leave the bikes overnight and charge up batteries. After getting sorted with our gear and the bike, we met up in the bar area for a meet and greet over a complimentary drink. Later we ate together and then Reiner briefed the group on the rides for the following day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Day 1 \u2013 short route. Clockwise from the hotel, mostly following river valleys but with one relatively easy climb.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Our route followed this rail track for a while and we stopped here, at an old station, now museum. Luckily there was a mobile coffee\/snack stall \u2013 most German coffee isn’t to our taste and here it was pretty dire, but hot and wet!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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An unusual piece of engineering on this locomotive. I think it may have been an oil-cooler.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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We saw a few groups while out on the ride, but the celebrations for ‘Father’s Day’ didn’t seem as popular in this area, as we had encountered in previous years further north.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In Germany, Father’s Day (Vatertag) is uniquely celebrated on Ascension Day (Christi Himmelfahrt), which always falls on the Thursday exactly 40 days after Easter Sunday. The day is famous for group outings, where groups of (mostly) men\u2014fathers or not\u2014spend the day outdoors hiking, cycling, or visiting beer gardens. Those on foot often pull along a trailer stacked with beer and often, a music system thumping out a beat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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With the weather threatening downpours and hail, a covered wagon was a wise choice.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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We were finished and back at the hotel well before four, when the bar in the hotel opened, so we walked down to the village beer festival, which is where, it seemed, all the villagers were.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Photo by John Taylor. Jane and John were the ones who introduced us to the Tandemtreffen group several years ago.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the evening, after dinner, one of the tandem teams gave a presentation of their ride around Europe. Lots of words, and lots of photos, it was split over two evenings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Day 2 took us north west, to the source of two rivers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Our second ride \u2013 we again chose the short route \u2013 took us first to Donaueschingen, to the source of the Danube, where two watercourses (the Brigach and the Breg) meet and the Danube starts<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We stopped at the long, carved ‘totem’ that sits near the confluence of the two rivers that form the Danube.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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We continued into the town of Donaueschingen to an ornate spring <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The local F\u00fcrstenberg family, had this basin built in the 19th century, where the first drops of water are said to spring forth in the park of Donaueschingen Castle. This spot is often symbolically called the “source of the Danube” (Donauquelle in German).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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After coffee and cake (apple strudel for me), we were back into the countryside. Reiner and Marion were our ride leaders for the day.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Next stop, the spring of the Neckar which flows north and flows into the Rhine at Mannheim.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Riding back the skies threatened a soaking but Reiner chose a strategic stop for coffee to allow the storm to pass through. It was a good move, as later we passed lots of hail at the track side. Without our stop, we probably would have been under it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Our third and final ride of the weekend. We headed north east, following the course of the Danube.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Here the Danube flows freely, but a little further on, it disappears into a sinkhole and is mostly a dry bed for several kilometres.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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In wet months, the river flows, but even with the rain we had, it was almost bone dry. The stepping stones were novel, but not needed.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

About the Danube sinking<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Our ride continued along the Danube Valley towards Tuttlingen.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Shortly before the town of Tuttlingen the rain eventually found us with a brief but fairly heavy downpour mixed with hail. Fortunately we had sensed the imminence of it and stopped to done a second layer of waterproofs \u2013 there’s a first time for everything. I usually carry two sets, so it one gets soaked, which they eventually do, I can swap to a dry one, but it was so cold that I already had one on and doubled up ahead of the rain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On reaching the town it had almost stopped, so we descended on an open cafe to drink coffee, eat cake and drip all over the floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At the furthest point of the ride, there were these high cliffs forming a wide gorge. I imagine, in wetter times, the valley becomes a flood plain, which is why the railway is elevated.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Our return route followed the outward one. Back at the hotel I put the bike into the back of the car and then we enjoyed more social interaction in the bar and over dinner. Later, Reiner covered who was going to organise TT27. And just like that, it was all over for another year. At breakfast there were goodbyes and lots of hugs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We were in no rush, but eventually we headed away for our first stopover at Saarbr\u00fccken. It being Sunday, the roads were relatively quiet with very few HGVs, as they are discouraged from driving on Sundays in Germany. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The hotel was a Holiday Inn Express, and had no restaurant but there were a few eateries nearby, including an Asian buffet and as Karon’s blood sugar was low, we decided to eat there, choosing from the menu rather than the buffet. It was good and after, just a short walk back to the hotel to while away the rest of the evening with a drink in the bar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Namur was our next stopover, between three and four hours away \u2013 it’s what I aim for as longer in the car is no fun. As we headed out of Saarbr\u00fccken, I stopped off at a hypermarket so we could buy some wine and spirits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Chateau de Namur<\/a> sits above the city and despite some ongoing works in the grounds, still looks impressive. I had pre-booked a table in the restaurant for 7.00pm so we chilled in the room (too wet and windy for a walk) then went to the bar at about 6.30pm. The meal was excellent and we had a very enjoyable, if expensive evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not great weather for a walk, so we chilled in the room before dinner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Karon was impressed with the huge selection of cheeses on the trolly. These were just a small sample!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Next day we headed for the Dunkirk ferry and caught the 14.00 and were home by about 17.00.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This year we were back in the Black Forest, but a little further south and closer to Switzerland. Too far to cycle in the time we had available to us, so we packed the Pino into the car and headed for Dover. Our DFDS ferry for Dunkirk was at 10am but rather than risk the … <\/p>\n

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