Day 18 (18. Tag) 22nd September
Vienna - Bratislava - 70 kms (974.0 kms from start)
Wien - Eckartsau - Stopfenreuth - Hainburg - Walterskirchen - Zollamt Berg - Bratislava
Click here for Day 19 - Bratislava - Nova Straz
We got up early and packed then completed our final cleaning of the flat before walking over to Ursula's apartment. We took the bikes out of the storeroom and packed our rucksacks on the back. Ursula rode her own bike for several kilometers to guide us out of Vienna and onto the Radweg. This was a tremendous help as it is always tricky to get out of cities. We took the left bank route after crossing the Praterbruecke to Donauinsel. From there Ursula guided us along the Insel track to the bridge that crosses to the left bank of the river. Here we said goodbye and we were on our way again. The Treppelweg was excellent and we were soon approaching the enormous storage tanks near Lobau. The track follows an internal road beside the tanks in order to avoid the loading docks and inlet.
On the other side of this facility is an entry to the Donau-Auen National Park which is very large. The Radweg now follows a straight track through the park on the Marchfelddamm. It was quite scenic and easy riding so we covered a big distance in a fairly short time. Along the way we met some workers removing posts from the forest using these tractors. There are a number of lakes and small inlets near Schoenau and at one point we spotted what looked like a Stag ahead crossing the bike path and heading over the levee to the nature area on the other side.
We continued riding for several more kilometers to the Orth exit. As the sign suggests, it was important to look for the No 6 as that was the code for the Danube cycleway. From this crossing point you can go south across the river to the right bank and the village of Haslau. We decided to stay on the left bank as it was a dead straight track and the surface was quite good. We had lunch here and I noticed masses of wild Crocus growing in the fields everywhere.
Along the way we noticed these huge man-made gullies - no doubt they have a function in taking floodwater away from the villages and towns but they seemed like so much wasted space. They were crossed by the occasional bridge which allowed access to the river on the other side. Just before we reached Hainburg we had to cross the river to the right bank as the northern track petered out just past this point. The bridge was very long because it first had to cross over the large depressions. It also had a very narrow cycle path which tested us as we tried to keep the bikes from touching the sides with out rucksacks. From the bridge we could see the historical town of Hainburg in the distance.
We then cycled along the right bank and beside the town wall. We thought we would go in and find the post office so we entered through an access tunnel in the wall and climbed the steep road to the centre of town. At the Post Office we sent another parcel full of books, papers, brochures, etc. home. It always felt good to get these in the mail and off our hands. Hainburg looked like a great place - worth visiting again some time.
The Radweg now deviates away from the roadway a couple of times but we decided to take a few shortcuts and stay on the road rather than follow the official route. After Walterskirchen there is a track along the side of the road which follows it closely to the Zollamt Berg - the old customs and immigration point on the border between Austria and Slovakia. We could see Bratislava in the distance. We now followed the official Radweg along the side of the Autobahn and then under it towards the main bridge. This bridge had a curious structure on one side but it looked impossible to get up to the saucer-shaped building at the top.
We crossed the bridge and walked into the centre of town - no other bicycles were around which was curious. We looked for a bank automat and withdrew SK2000,- which we hoped would be enough for the next few days. We then walked into the older part of town which was quite beautiful and alive with pedestrians. There was a band starting up and sidewalk cafes everywhere. It had a really cosmopolitan feel. Along the way we looking out for signs of hotels. We found a backpackers but it looked like there was no way to take the bikes up the narrow stairs or to store them safely downstairs so we cut our losses and headed back across the bridge to what appeared to be a hotel on the other side. We found Hotel Incheba near the bridge beside a Trade fair complex. It was a narrow high rise building and the entry was around the other side and a bit hard to find. The rooms were very comfortable, however, and the price was reasonable. The only curiosity was the restaurant which had only one meal on the menu! It isn't a proper restaurant - more of a kitchen catering for Trade fair workers who stay at the hotel. Our bicycles spent the night in a storeroom off the lobby. This meant walking them across the shiny floor to get to the storeroom. They certainly didn't cater for cyclists - very different to Germany and Austria!
