Travelling down borders

Hi.

I’m Max. I’m 17. I like running. And cycling. And music. And poetry. And history. I also like art, skiing, writing and a whole load of other stuff…

But more to the point. This summer I’m cycling 1,800km along the Iron Curtain Trail.

What is the Iron Curtain Trail?

The Iron Curtain Trail is an EU initiative, set in motion by German Green MEP Michael Cramer. It consists of a cycle track which runs all along the former European division which severed Europe for almost half a decade. The trail is almost 7,000km long, and reaches from the Barents Sea in the north of Finland/Russia down to Turkey.

The idea of the Iron Curtain Trail is to provide a culturally enriching form of eco-tourism which involves the tourist in its historical context while economically benefitting the areas it passes through.

I’m not so sure they expected some crazy 17-year old to set out and do a large chunk of it though…

You can read more about the initiative here

Why am i doing it?

I have always loved long trails. Last summer I walked 800km of the Camino de Santiago alone. It was a great experience. It taught me to be self-sufficient while wholly enjoying nature.

I have a particular interest in history, and when I heard that there was an extremely long cycle track packed with historical interest I simply couldn’t stop myself. The Cold War is a period which I’m really drawn in by, and there is no better way to understanding history than going somewhere and living it by yourself.

During the trail I will also be collecting historical research for my A Level Extended Essay, which I am going to base on the Iron Curtain and my experiences along it.

More about my journey:

I will be setting out on the 11th of July, by flying with my bike to Berlin, and then traveling on the 13th of July to Lübeck, where I will begin cycling. For more information on my itinerary, visit the itinerary section, here
Since I’m encouraging sustainable travelling methods by riding my bike, I’m raising money for Friends of the Earth. You can sponsor me here
I will also be posting regularly on twitter and facebook
I also present a Radio program on Radio Utopia 102.4 fm in the north of Madrid. Visit my mixcloud page.
I’m also the editor of a small magazine, Counterpoint, published by Opinion Society Publishing… www.opinionsociety.org

By Max

One's biographical information tends to be quite short when it only covers 17 years of age. I was born in Madrid, Spain on the 20th Marh, 1994 and have lived here ever since. From an early age I was drawn by the wonders of the outdoors (which I then thought was full of fairies and magical fantasy). One of the highlights of my summer holidays used to be going to my uncle's house in West Sussex, UK to go on long walks in the hills. I began taking sport seriously around the age of 13, when I joined the local cross-country running team, where I have remained ever since. However, due to a series of injuries I also began to take interest in cycling and swimming, which exerted less pressure on my body. Last year I completed the whole 800km of the Camino de Santiago (Spain) by foot, taking with me just a tent and a rucksack. This summer I will set out from Lübeck, Germany, to complete almost 2,000km of the Iron Curtain Trail, finishing in Bratislava, Slovakia. I will be carrying out historical research for an academic project during this trail. You can follow my blog at ironcurtaintrail.wordpress.com Apart from sporting activities, I'm the editor of a small independent magazine covering poetry, art, music and politics, as well as hosting a weekly music radio show on Radio Utopia 102.4 fm. I'm currently taking A-levels in History, Geography, English Literature, Latin and Spanish at Runnymede College, Madrid-

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