TAKING a bike out for a ride through the Austrian countryside doesn’t have to be hard graft, as woefully inexperienced cyclist KATHERINE FENECH found out.

The  last time I rode a bike that wasn’t safely anchored to the floor of a gym was about 19 years ago.

Picture a seven-year-old sneaking off with her older brother’s rusty old clunker for a quick spin. Training-wheel-free and miles too big for me, the bicycle had previously belonged to my dad and was showing its age.

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Adrenaline took over as I leant into a sharp turn and promptly toppled over. The handlebars, which lacked the comfort of hand grips, did enough damage to my stomach to draw blood. The resulting scar was enough to keep me well away from two-wheeled transportation throughout my youth.

So the prospect of hopping on a bike for a spin down Austria’s portion of the Danube River was a daunting one. But I needn’t have been worried. My obvious inexperience soon fell away on the mostly flat cycle path. Although avid cyclists can choose to follow the river from Germany through to Vienna, I’m much less ambitious.

The self-guided tour kicks off after a night in the city of Linz, where baroque domes and belfries abound in cobbled squares that meld seemlessly with modern architecture and ubiquitious trams. Having been named 2009’s European Capital of Culture, the upper Austrian capital has undergone a multitude of renovation work.

Outwardly exuding a façade of staid tranquility, Linz does have a few quirky surprises up its sleeve. Countless eager volunteers have opted to live as hermits for a week in the tower of the impressive Our Lady of Sorrows basilica, being entertained only by the books and food they can carry. And the city’s Ars Electronica Center, a digital arts museum, hosts interactive displays straight out of science fiction.

Setting off for Grein, where our bicycles will meet us, my mind is taken off the 15 mile ride ahead of my by the majestic Greinburg castle (www.schloss-greinburg.at). Perched atop a hill on the banks of the Danube and built in 1488, the castle belongs to the family of Queen Victoria’s husband Albert – the Saxe-Coburg’s. The Gothic structure integrates a late Renaissance inner courtyard and an intricately patterned grotto.

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But I couldn’t put off facing my nemesis any longer. Pulling on a helmet and swallowing the rising apprehension I gingerly wobble through the first 200 yards. Austrian drivers are used to cyclists and my weaving in and out of the bike lane doesn’t seem to faze them. The path winds along the river to Persenbeug and sends me whizzing past charming farm cottages complete with barns, tractors ready for the harvest season and piles of chopped wood.

Riding under a canopy of arching trees through tiny towns and riverside campsites that back onto towering mountains, it’s the fast-flowing Danube that really takes your breath away. The banks are dotted with churches and lush greenery that leave me unable to keep my eyes on the path for very long.

The quiet Persenbeug sits at the foot of the Hapsburg Castle and is a perfect spot to enjoy a slow lunch. We tackle the path on to Melk – where an imposing Benedictine monastery keeps watch over the river - with relative ease. The second day’s journey doesn’t prove as comfortable. Saddle-sore but fully energized it’s time for the real countryside ride – on tightly packed dirt paths through vineyards and rolling orchards.

Ten minutes in and the pain subsides, no doubt helped by the fresh air. Farmers have begun the harvest so we’re treated to the sight (and a sneaky taste) of vines struggling under the weight of grapes and pass by village stalls selling cheap but wonderfully sweet apples and pears. The best part about the self-guided tour is that you can do as much or as little riding as you like and it’s helpfully broken up by afternoon cruises, giving you a completely different view of the riverbanks.

The stunning views are straight out of The Sound of Music – rolling green hills with villages nestled closely around striking churches.

Even though a full day’s cycling means steering clear of the Weiner schnitzel, sausages and dumplings at lunch, there’s always room for a bit of afternoon tea. There are no shortage of charming cafes along the route to stop for some tea and the traditional apple strudel.

Foodies won’t feel like they’re missing out though. Once you unclip your helmet for the last time and hand in your bike in Vienna there’s not only a great city break waiting to embrace you, but also some fabulous Austrian food. 

FACT FILE:

Inghams (020 8780 4454 / www.inghams.co.uk) offers a gentle unescorted cycle tour along the river Danube in Austria, staying at a selection of three and four star hotels along the way.

Prices start from £753 per person for a seven night tour on a half board basis, which includes the return flight from Gatwick to Salzburg and Linz, rail travel, airport and luggage transfers, boat and ferry trips and five days bike hire.