OUR ROUTE

Start: Time: Cologne Finish: Cologne 8.5 hours Distance: 240 miles

Kev’s Cologne daytrip heads eastward to Overath before dropping south to Linz am Rhein, the Nürburgring, the gloriously twisty 258, the L113, then north back to the city. It’s a full day in the saddle and top fun.

The route from Cologne ran from Calais across the top of France before cutting into Belgium on the N51 at Quiévrain near Valenciennes. Then Namur it follows the Meuse to Liége, crosses the Ardennes to Spa, Malmedy and the border at Monschau. From there, Cologne’s easy.

The return trip was just as good, cutting south-west from Cologne to Prum and into Belgium at St Vith, then skirting the Luxembourg border via Houffalize and Bastogne. There are great roads here – the N85 from Neufchateau to Florenville on the French border standing out as quick, swoopy and perfectly surfaced. Michelin map No714 (Benelux) covers almost the whole route.