March – September, 2008

Stage One: Scotland to France

The expedition will start at the northern tip of Scotland at Dunnett Head (near John O’ Groats), and will follow the eastern coastline.  This region is Colin’s ancestral homeland, and the team will spend time researching family history and traditions.  At Inverness the rowers will head inland along the Caledonian Canal system, which borders the Scottish Highlands and includes famous Loch Ness.  The Caledonian Canal diagonally traverses Scotland to the west coast just above Glasgow.  The coast will be followed along the remainder of Scotland and northern England to Liverpool.  Here the team will leave the sea and follow canals through the heart of England to the headwaters of the Thames River.  The Thames will then be followed through London and on to its terminus in the south of England.  Here the English Channel will be traversed to Calais, France.

Stage Two: France to Germany – On the Rhine

The team will follow the shores of France east into the Netherlands and to the mouth of the Rhine River.  The Rhine and adjacent canals will be followed against the current into the heart of Europe through the Netherlands, Germany and France.  Germany is another important part of piecing together the family tree, as this is where the maternal half of Julie’s family is from. 

Stage Three: Germany to the Black Sea – On the Danube

There are two options for connecting the Rhine River to the Danube River.  A series of canals have been created through central Germany joining the two river systems.  Alternatively, the Rhine can be followed closer to its headwaters near Switzerland, and then the boats can be towed behind the bicycles through the Black Forest and into the headwaters of Danube River in SW Germany.  Europe’s longest river will then be followed through Germany, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia, Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Ukraine.

Stage Four: Black Sea to the Mediterranean

The coastlines of Romania and Bulgaria will be followed in the Black Sea through to the Turkish Straits which lead into the Mediterranean.  These two straits (the Bosporus and Dardanelles) are the geographical dividing line between Europe and Asia.

Stage Five: Mediterranean

The coastline of Turkey will be followed through the Aegean Sea and along to Syria.

Stage Six: Syria

The final leg of the expedition will be a 150 km bike ride from the coast to Aleppo, Syria where family from Julie’s paternal side hail from.  The journey will finish at the family’s olive farm in the outskirts of Aleppo.