Cycling into Vienna was decidely dangerous as the street art along the canals was so good you had every chance of falling off your bike looking at it. Once onto the cycle path circling Vienna you were dodging pedestrians, electric scooters and skateboards..oh my ….. after the tranquility of the dykes. We stayed in a great airbnb right next to the Naschmarket, perfect location for walking around and seeing the sights and the best coffee at the Cafe Museum, so I’m told by coffee drinkers.Highlights had to be the catacombs of St Stephens, the Time Travel with its 5D and virtual reality, and the concert at Karlskirche.Perfect time not to be cycling as artic weather torrential rain and max 5C gripped Vienna one day.Note do not attempt to go to Viennas historic cafe central with a doorman in traditional garb , the queue outside it was phenomenal, at least an hours wait.

We decided to ease ourselves back into cycling so just headed off to Hainburg, Austrias most easterly town. It was slow leaving Vienna we had slept in so missed getting off early, probably just aswell it was cold enough at 830am.So on cycle ring path you were stopping continually at cyclist traffic lights but cycle paths weren’t too busy as we got nearer the Donau Kanal. Signeage for the Donauradweg 6 was pretty minimal, lucky the Prater Ferris wheel is fairly tall and we knew we had to cycle past it.Not sure you’d want to ride on this 122year old Ferris wheel that was meant to have been taken down in 1905…Beautiful cycling out through the Prater park and then onto Donauinsel, an island made when the canal was dug out. Good job Mick wasn’t with us as the bridge we crossed the Danube on was the busiest one in Austria so not only were we high up above the water, but the whole bridge vibrated with the traffic as it was on huge ball bearings.

Just as we were thinking how lovely we’d got out of Vienna in one piece , it had taken us 10kms , we hit the oil refinery at Lobau , the radweg became a tiny gravel track next to the road and trucks roaring past. If we’d have had masks we’d have put them on, the smell was terrible.After that the scenery was lovely, lush green grass and forests and a great dyke path. 2 other cyclists loaded up with panniers passed us.Morning tea was at a cycle refreshment place at Schonau. Bike groups must be starting soon, a leader training was taking place at the cafe.Planes were flying overhead so we waved up at Maggie and J who were off for a quick trip to China before meeting us in Budapest.

As we left Schonau we saw the Umleitung sign and chose to ignore it, very soon we were regretting this. The track was completely flooded, I took the middle route through the water walking and hoped my bike wasnt going to get stuck in the mud. We got through but then further ahead the track was being totally dug up. We had to go on the umleitung….rats we had no idea where it was taking us. We were meant to be cycling on a scenic dyke through a national park instead we were on muddy tracks or pot holed gravel tracks between farmers fields. Eventually we found ourselves entering the town of Orth which normally would be a 5km diversion to visit. This was great as Orth is reknown for seafood restaurants so it was an early lunch, we were’nt missing this opportunity.It was a bargain place my cheese soup and catfish and potatoes only 7euros, definitely good to be out of Vienna. Yes, the catfish was very nice hopefully it was caught upstream of the petrochemical works..

Even after lunch the diversion continued no scenic dyke but this time we ended up cycling through the grounds of the hunting lodge at Ecktau which was again an optional trip on the original route so we were seeing all the extras. Our crossing over the Danube was over a 2km bridge over wetlands and the Danube river, the cycle path was very narrow so concentration was required in the wind. It was a longer day than anticipated with all the diversions but staying in the old Kloster in Hainburg was great. We rustled up enough energy to look around the thick mediavel gates and walls despite a few verboten signs …no bells going here wonderful, our last night in Austria in its most eastern town.