Homeward Bound ...

06.10     

We’re making our way to Le Havre where we’ll catch the ferry to Portsmouth, approximately 10 hours driving.

Up early and ‘hit the road’ heading towards Trier, a pretty countryside drive through the autumn coloured woods and over the hills to Prum.  It’s raining hard as we cross the border into Belgium and the Ardennes region, very green and picturesque.  In World War 11, the German army twice used this region as an invasion route into Northern France and Southern Belgium in the Battle of France and the later Battle of the Bulge.  After a stock up at La Roche-en-Ardenne we’re headed towards Givet, a very rural drive on narrow roads through farms and forests, over rolling hills and ridges into the Valley of the Meuse River. 

We saw a couple of camper vans parked at an Aires on the River Meuse in the little town of Haybes near the Belgium border.  We crossed the bridge and joined the campers.




07.10

Went for a recce of this elegant old martyr town and walked along the river cycle path.  There is a memorial dedicated to those who died in 1914.  There were 60 martyrs massaced.  The Battle of the Ardennes was one of the opening battles of World War 1. The river has an 'eerie feel'  covered in mist surrounded by hills partly hidden by low cloud.  Decided to spend another night here as the weather is not playing ball. 

In the evening we walked the cycle path in the opposite direction  to the pretty town of Fumey, 3kms away.  Two camper vans have joined us for the night.

 




08.10   

It’s cloudy but the rain has stopped.  We drove inland through the hills catching a glimpse of Fumey, passing farmlands and agricultural villages. Fields of good cattle winter fodder, turnips and maize.  The weather cleared as we by passed Quentin, into the Valley of the Somme, war memorials and cemetaries dedicated to the Brits and Aussies, towards Amiens where the cathedral dominates the landscape in the distance. 

After 280kms we arrived at our chosen campsite situated 100kms from Le Havre, ‘Camping Sainte Claire’ in the small town of Neufchatel-en-Bray (14.40 euros inluding tax).  We stayed here three years ago and remembered the friendly owners, large grassy pitches with hard standing and clean, well organised facilities.  The location is perfect to catch ferries to and from England and there are a lot of GB campers here.  The town is also on the cycle route that was the former railway track which used to link Dieppe and Paris, it’s  the longest greenway and provides the most services to cyclists along the way.  We’re yet to do!

09.10 and 10.10

A big clean, wash and tidy up before Lefty is put into storage in Chichester.  Packed our back packs and got organised in readiness to catch the ferry to Portsmouth tomorrow!

So this brings to an end our adventure for 2015!  It’s been spectacular and Lefty has performed brilliantly again.  We’ve had great fun, great weather, great biking and met some amazing people. 

We look forward to doing it all again in 2016!

 

 

Germany - Bavaria, The Rhine and Mosel Rivers

25.09

After ‘goodbyes’ to Kath and Colin we took route 158 to Salzburg then travelled another 17kms to the Berchtesgaden region in South East Bavaria. 
A pretty valley surrounded by  imposing Alps.  After looking at three camps we continued on to ’Camping Konigssee’ (29 euros plus electricity charged separately), 2kms from Lake Konigssee.  Although this is not an ACSI camp it is situated in a great location. 

Went exploring and walked to the cable car station at the bottom of the Alps around Lake Konigssee in the Jennerbahn area, the entire area is a National Park .  There are a surprising number of tourists and tourist buses here.  We can see the cable car going up Mount Jenner, (1874 metres), the highest gateway for visitors in the Berchtesgaden National Park and the largest ski area in the Berchtesgadener Land. You can follow hiking tails starting from stations at various sections up the mountain.  We look forward to doing this next year.

Onward to Lake Konigssee with it’s touristy but quaint little village  and what we discovered was a’ bob sled run’ used for International competitive racing.  You can buy your ‘lederhosen’ here for one hundred and twenty euros!  Col is thinking of getting a pair to wear to the Hofbrauhaus ‘Beer Fest’ in Munich!!  He will look very elegant!  Took the forest path  for a stunning view of the lake surrounded by towering rock faces.  Lake Konigssee is  very deep in parts and is called the cleanest lake in Germany.

Hope the weather clears tomorrow for a visit to the ‘Eagles Nest’! 

26.09

Followed the Konigssee River bike path for 6kms into the charming little alpine town of Berchtesgaden, popular with the kings of Bavaria, artists, and nobility.  As we were about to cross the road a herd of elaborately decorated cows driven by herds people in traditional costume, celebrating an old tradition of bringing the cattle down from upper pastures to warmer lower pasture. 

We climbed up the stairs and over the railway bridge to the historic town centre with it’s colourful facades, eateries and shops.  Although it’s  cloudy and we can see the Alp peaks surrounded by mist we decided to go ahead with our Eagles Nest visit in the hope that it will clear for spectacular views. 

Headed back down to the bus station where we caught the 838 to the first stage up the mountain, the Dokumentation Obersalzberg.  The guest cards given to us by the camp allowed a free trip for this section.  From here we caught ‘the 849’ (14.50 euros each if you are a ‘guest card’ holder) and followed the 6kms winding narrow road, through a tunnel to the top of the mountain.  For the final stage, went through a tunnel and caught a brass panelled lift 124 metres through the mountain to ‘The Eagles Nest’, ‘the Kehlsteinhaus’, situated 1834 metres above sea level.  ‘The Eagles Nest’ was completed in 1938 and presented to Adolf Hitler by the National Socialist Party (NS) as a gift for his 50th birthday.  The lift’s original purpose was to transport Adolf Hitler in comfort to his mountain-top residence, however he rarely stayed here.  Nicknamed ‘The Eagles Nest’ by the American Army, it was used to plan the monstrous crimes of the NS regime and for State visits.  Nowadays it is leased out as a mountain top restaurant.     

On clear days you can enjoy a panoramic views of up to 200 kilometers however the weather hasn’t ‘played ball’ for us today and our panorama is marred by thick low cloud.  Never mind, we walked to the summit and were lucky enough to catch a clearer view of the ‘The Eagles Nest’ and the  surrounding Alp peaks as the cloud lifted. 

Early evening biked back to camp after an exhilarating day!

27.09 

Off to Munich today!  Followed the Konigssee River through the pretty valley and hopped onto the Motorway, being Sunday and no trucks we thought it would be an easy fast drive. However we got stuck in a traffic jam and were delayed half an hour due to a ‘police control’.  Still it was made up for by the beautiful Bavarian countryside – meadows and farming villages at the foothills of the Bavarian Alps.  We passed Lake Chiemsee and headed towards Rosenheim.  There are cable car signs here for hiking in the Alps. 

More delays as we drove through the outskirts of Munich then a pretty drive to Lake Pilsensee and our chosen camp on the lake, Camping Am Pilsensee (16 euros), near the little village of Seefeld-Hechendorf.  We’re 30kms South West of Munich and about the same from Dachau. 

We did a quick recce to the train station 2kms away.  Train to Munich 23.50 euros return for up to five people and includes bus fares around the city.  We can also get to Dachau from the same station.





28.09

Caught the train into Munich, a 45 minute ride, into the central square, Marienplatz, in the old town.  We were just in time to catch the beautiful and famous glockenspiel chime in the tower of the town hall, with it’s carions performing, ‘knights in battle and twirling dancers’.     

Munich is the third largest city in Germany and is situated on the banks of the River Isar.

We wandered the square, the markets and open air eateries, and made our way to the famous Hofbrauhaus. 

As it’s Oktoberfest it was ‘full on’ with the ‘Oom pah band’ in full swing.  People dressed in traditional costume, the men in lederhosen and the women looking like ‘Heidi’. 

The Beer Hall is filled with trestle tables and bench seating, everyone sits together, drinking, singing songs, eating pickled pork knuckle with mashed potato or dumplings.  Great fun!! 
Sampled the pickled pork knuckle with a beer, not bad! 

Walked to the Englischer Garten, the largest urban park in the world.  Pretty gardens and numerous leisure options on the Isar River here.  Watched surfers having fun on a ‘man made wave’ on the River.  After a coffee, seeing the sights and enjoying the vibe, five hours later we were back on the train to camp.    

29.09    

Caught the train to Dachau, then a bus to the Concentration Camp Memorial Site.  The Site is on the grounds of the former concentration camp established in 1965 on the initiative and in accordance with the plans of the surviving prisoners who formed the International Committee of Dachau.

In 1933, a few weeks after Adolf Hitler had been appointed Reich Chancellor, a concentration camp for political prisoners was set up in Dachau.  This camp served as a model for all later concentration camps and as a ‘school of violence’ for the SS men under whose command it stood.  In the twelve years of its existence over 200,000 people from all over Europe were imprisoned here and in the numerous subsidiary camps.  More than 41,500 of them died.  In 1945, American troops liberated the survivors.    

The entrance to the Prison Camp has the words, ‘work sets you free’ in the middle of the gate.  Once the prisoners were inside the gate they lost their identity, personal belongings and human dignity.

There were large lettered words on the roof of the maintenance building, “There is one path to freedom, it’s milestones are, obedience, honesty, cleanliness, sobriety, diligence, orderliness, sacrifice, truthfulness, love of the father land”.   Now there is a monument written in four languages with the words, ‘Never Again’.    

We had an interesting and educational, but haunting and sad day. 

30.9     

Up early and on route to the Rhine Valley.  Took the motorway towards Stuttgart via Ulm,  passing farmsteads and cultivated maize fields.  As we head north there is a busy industrial feel, and there are delays due to roadworks and the volume of traffic. Closer to Mannsheim and Koblenz where we have our first sighting of the Rhine River, there are pretty little villages, lots of veges growing and vineyards on steep slopes.



As we drove alongside the Rhine we had a laugh as our GPS told us   to continue 100 metres then suddenly stated ‘board the ferry’!  Sure enough around the corner there was a car ferry and we hopped aboard.  (8 euros 40) Crossed over to Geisenheim to what we thought was our designated campsite. 

However it turned out Col had forgotten to reset the GPS when he found out this camp’s ACSI had finished for the year.  Back across the river on another car ferry (6 euros 20) and couldn’t find the road leading to our chosen camp in Oberwesel.  As it was getting late, we pulled into a ‘camperstop’ beside the Rhine along with two other vans and settled in for the night. 

 


01.10

Woken early by a siren being tested, the church bells and the trains from the nearby tracks.

Just as well, as we moved directly to our camp and got the last available space.  Evidently, this weekend is a celebration of the Berlin Wall coming down.  ‘Campingplatz Schonburgblick’ (16 euros), a cute little camp on the Rhine and the cycle path, with prefab facilities and it’s own mobile restaurant and ‘biergarten’. 

Our pitch is on the left bank overlooking the Rhine and behind us, we’re overlooked by a beautiful medieval castle, one of several dotted along the Rhine. 





From Koblenz to Mainz is reputedly the prettiest part of the Rhine, we’re in the Middle Rhine Valley, a region that is shaped by wine growing, shipping and tourism.  The Rhine rises in the Swiss Alps and forms part of the Swiss-Austrian, Swiss-Liechtenstein border, Swiss-German and the Franco-German border, then flows through Rhineland and eventually empties into the North Sea in the Netherlands.   

Hopped on our bikes and cycled upstream along the Rhine to gothic Bingen via beautiful villages on both sides of the Rhine, including Bacharach and Kaub, backed by vineyards on steep slopes. 

Castles, witch hat turrets, fortifications, steep towers, gothic cathedrals with gargoyles, it’s like stepping into a fairy tale!  There are little eateries along the way and at marked points, car ferries to transport you to the other side of the Rhine. 


The many castles and fortifications along the Rhine testify to it’s importance as a waterway in the Holy Roman Empire. 

After 40kms and a beautiful ride, we were back at camp!

02.10   

Another stunning day, we’ve been so lucky with the weather for our entire trip!  Breakfast watching the barges and tourist boats ply the Rhine.  Fast orange trains travel on the railway line on the far side of the river, there is also a railway line across the road from our camp. Since the Roman Empire, the Rhine has been a vital and navigable waterway carrying trade and goods deep inland.  It’s busy here, but it doesn’t spoil our beautiful surroundings.   

We decided to explore medieval Oberwesel and it’s environs.  At  the end of the village we took one of the many attractive walking trails and hiked up into the hills through the vineyards and forest to the view point at the ‘Gunderrodehaus’ for a stunning view of the Rhine Valley. 

Had a picnic ‘with a view’ then continued down through the narrow  lanes of Oberwesel and followed a hiking path up into the forest to Schonburg Castle , the 12th century gate tower and city walls. 



On our way back to camp we visited the gothic Liebfrauen Church with it’s golden altar, the oldest gothic shrine alter in Germany.

03.10

Hopped on our bikes and cycled downstream along the Rhine to St. Goarshausen via medieval St. Goar.  On entering the old town we could see the statue of beautiful ‘Loreley’ from the famous fairy tale, on the far side of the Rhine. 

It was ‘Loreley’ who sat on a high rock combed her golden hair and sang her beautiful song that enchanted the boatmen on the Rhine so much they perished in the treacherous waves.  St. Goar is home to the Rheinfels castle, the largest castle on the Rhine.    

Decided to have a ‘cruisey’ afternoon enjoying the sun and watching the barges drinking Weiss Beer, a good German beer (7 euros 20 for two) from the camp ‘biergarten’. 


04.10

The rain cleared and one hour later we were following the Mosel River through Beilstein to Senheim and our chosen camp, Camping Hollandischer Hof (16 euros) situated on the Mosel and the cycle path.  The Mosel is one of the longest tributaries of the Rhine and winds through 545 kilometers and three countries.  It rises in the Voges mountains in France and forms the border between Luxembourg and Germany.  It is one of the most beautiful wine growing regions in Germany. 

Almost all the grapes grown here are of the white wine varieties, Reisling being ‘the king’ and the most important grown in the Mosel/Saar/Ruwer, the world’s biggest Reisling-growing region. 

After a ‘bite to eat’, we followed the cycle path along the Mosel through the vineyards  surrounded by steep hillside vineyards and passed a couple of ‘camperstops’.  We can see people throwing sticks at what turns out to be walnut trees, trying to knock the nuts off.  Next thing we’re showered with walnuts as we pass through, one keen chap up the tree and shaking it.

Through the pretty old town of Beilstein overlooked by the ruin of the 12th century Metternich castle.   It’s getting late so we decided to follow the path as far as Fankel where we crossed over a bridge and continued on the other side of the river back to camp.   

A very picturesque and enjoyable ride.  We notice how much quieter and gentler this area is, it seems the Mosel is not much of a working river like the Rhine, there are no railway tracks and very few barges.  

 



05.10 

The rain that was forecasted today did not happen, although cloudy, good for biking!
We followed the Mosel cycle path and stopped at the old town of Beilstein for a wander.  Belstein is an old Jewish community and evidently the setting for numerous films.  Walked through the  market square up the abbey staircast to the Carmelite abbey church for a view of the Mosel.  Tempted to sample a glass of Reisling at the little terraced restaurant but decided to continue our ride along the Mosel. 

We crossed over the bridge at Fankel and took the pretty cycle path  to the old town of Cochem.  A romantic little town with Celtic and Roman origins in a beautiful setting.  Half-timbered houses with gabled roofs, large promenade and cycle path along the Mosel riverbank, baroque town hall, medieval town gates overlooked by the Imperial Castle of Cochem built in the early 11th century. Sampled a big spicy sausage each in bread with chips and lots of mustard, yum!  (11 euros for two).  Then a pot each of the best coffee we’ve had in a while.  (8 euros).  Decided to cross over the bridge and bike the other side of the river back to camp.  However, the walnut trees proved too much of a temptation, Col climbed a tree, shook it, and before we knew it we had a bag full of walnuts!