2019

Tues. 15 October  2019

Well, we made it!  We’re back at Hunter Towers after our 31 day tour and we’ve even had time to do most of the unpacking!

The trip from Bruges to Calais was a comfortable ninety minutes this morning and I’m pleased to say we managed to take an earlier crossing through the tunnel. The journey from Folkestone is usually a nightmare but we seemed to hit a sweet spot today and got through the Dartford crossing area without any hold up.

So, that’s it for a while and no doubt it will be back to “planning” for the next adventure wherever and whenever it will be.

There are one or two technical issues to sort out with Detlef and hopefully a quick phone call to the dealer in the next few days will allow yours truly to make an appointment to get them sorted.

 Mon. 14 October  2019

It was quite surreal this morning as we left ‘t Venhop at 07.10 am in the dark and headed south via Amsterdam towards Belgium. It seemed the whole of north Holland had the same idea as us!  

It was extremely busy in and around Amsterdam but we made it through without too much trouble and headed via Utrecht and Breda towards Antwerp and onto Bruges.

The site here is ideal for a visit to the city of Bruges and that is exactly what we did this afternoon taking a bus from nearby right into the centre.

We’re now back at the site and have just had our first thunderstorm of the entire trip. It’s off to Calais tomorrow with estimated time of arrival at Hunter Towers sometime early evening!

Fri., Sat. and Sun. October 11/12/13 2019

The drive from the Idasee into Holland on Friday was by far the worst trip yet in Detlef as far as the accompanying weather was concerned. Heavy driving rain and strong winds made the going slow and it was a pity the views along the Afsluitdijk were so poor in the conditions.

The site here at ‘t Venhop is so wet that we were invited to park on the hard road surfaces instead of the grass. A good idea as we could easily have sunk without trace!

We have had an excellent weekend and our thanks go to E and M who looked after us royally.

Saturday saw us discover the towns of Edam and Hoorn with our two fantastic guides whilst on Sunday we took the bus and metro into Amsterdam for a whistle-stop tour of the city. The weather was kinder in Amsterdam and we made it back again without getting wet.

There were so many highlights over the weekend that to list them all would take pages. The latest photos will give you a taste of the sights we enjoyed.

It’s travel day on Monday as we head south into Belgium for an overnight stay in the city of Bruges.

Thurs. 10 October 2019

The alarm duly went off at 06.30 am this morning which gave us an hour and a half to have breakfast and pack away the last items before setting off for our overnight stay on the Idasee.

The journey took almost five hours but thankfully we were not delayed and arrived here at 1.00 pm. The only problem was that the reception was closed from midday to three in the afternoon and there was no other option but to have lunch and put the feet up in Detlef!

The site here is directly next to the Idasee and has a few travelling guests but the majority are long term campers.  The site is not very busy at all and we only saw locals on our walk around the lake.

It’s off to Holland tomorrow for a long weekend visiting E and M.

Weds. 9 October 2019

It was a “housekeeping” morning ready for our travel day tomorrow.

This was then followed by a 12 km circular hike from Timmendorf Strand along the cliffs to the Fauler See and back via Timmendorf Village. What a contrast to the hustle and bustle of Berlin from last week!

The afternoon was spent around the harbour area watching the comings and goings of both people and boats alike. 

It’s travel day tomorrow as we head west again via Hamburg and Bremen to an overnight stop in Ostrhauderfehn.

Tues. 8 October 2019

The expected rain duly arrived overnight and continued off and on throughout the day.

The bus ride from Timmendorf into Wismar took a good forty minutes and was in effect a tour of the island before getting to the mainland and the fishing port of Wismar.

We spent the next three hours touring the “altstadt” with its many old shops, restaurants and cafes before taking in the port area with its mixture of fishing vessels and water-side shops.

It’s raining here in Timmendorf at the moment and with a similar weather forecast for tomorrow it remains to be seen what we will be up to!

Mon. 7 October 2019

Where did all the people go?  The long weekend finally came to an end today as we woke to an almost empty site here in Timmendorf. 

We’ve three full days here on Poel and looking at the weather forecast this morning we decided to take advantage of the better weather and undertake a bike ride around the island. Tuesday and Wednesday look changeable and the chances are that we will go into Wismar by bus or ferry 

We spent the morning on the beach in Timmendorf looking at the erosion of the cliffs. After lunch we managed 32 km on the bikes today with Gollwitz, in the north eastern corner of the island the objective. Then it was off to Kirchdorf for a coffee before returning to the site here.

 Sun. 6 October 2019

We were up early this morning and on the road by 08.15 am heading north through the autumn mists to the Rostock motorway.

The drive to Poel is about 100 miles and we were checking in at the Lighthouse site in Timmendorf by 11 o’clock. We need not have worried about the lack of booking as the site is not at full capacity and we had a good choice of pitches.

It’s been a bit of a bonus arriving early in that we’ve had an additional full day here in effect. As soon as we had pitched it was off to the harbour for an explore. 

After lunch the bikes were readied and we headed for the largest settlement on the island, Kirchdorf. Once again the cycle ways here are excellent and we quickly found where the ferry to Wismar departs from. That’s for another day though.

Then it was north to Am Schwarzen Busch and back to Timmendorf. all in all a ten mile round trip – just the ticket for a Sunday afternoon.

The weather’s been kind today with a lot of sunshine. It’s a bit exposed here on the island though. Let’s hope the wind stays away!! So it looks like there will be a lot of cycling in the three full days still to come with the possibility for a bus or ferry trip to Wismar. Watch this space!

Sat. 5 October 2019

First job of the day was to Facetime J and wish her a happy birthday. Oh to be seven years old again!!

The bus was late for a change as we headed to the harbour here in Waren but it didn’t matter as we had lots of time to spare. We’d prepared well with additional layers and were able to sit on the sun deck for most of the two hour cruise. Additional cushions and rugs were provided by the crew for the OAP’s so it was “happy days”. It did rain, however, on the return leg and reluctantly we were forced into the bowels of the boat in order to stay dry!

The Mueritz lake is massive. Our cruise began in Waren and took us through a 2 km canal to the Koelpinsee before returning to the Mueritz See. We turned for home at Klink managing to get a good view of the site here in Ecktannen as we cruised by.

It’s travel day tomorrow as we head for the Baltic Coast and the Island of Poel. We are not booked so fingers crossed!

Fri. 4 October 2019

After two days in the saddle it was a “sleep-in” morning with the bus taking the strain as we headed into Waren for a good look around on foot.

The sun didn’t make an appearance all day but at least the rain held off. The town was very busy and it was quite pleasant to walk through streets with their street cafes and where the “small” shop is king. There are no empty shops here and no charity shops either. True, there are a lot of tourists here but nevertheless quite refreshing to spend a few hours in such a vibrant place.

With our last day looming we’ve decided to take a boat trip on the Mueritz tomorrow (weather allowing). 

Thurs. 3 October 2019

It’s Reunification Day here today and the site is filling up with people most probably taking Friday off to make a long weekend.

It rained again overnight but the precipitation had disappeared by breakfast. It’s been a chilly day, overcast with occasional drops of rain. Bike weather!

We managed 34 miles in total heading first through Waren, through the lakeside forest to Klink. What a name! Memories of Ronny Barker and Porridge come to mind!!

Lunch in Klink was followed by a visit to Damerow and Jabel, both villages on the Koelpinsee. Let’s see what tomorrow brings but the forecast is not good with rain expected.

Weds. 2 October 2019

The rain on the roof woke yours truly at 3 am and it seemed an age before I dropped off to sleep again!

What a surprise it was, therefore, to walk to the site shop to collect our breakfast rolls in sunshine. True, it was chilly but at least the rain had disappeared!

The bikes were duly taken off the cycle carrier after breakfast and made ready to explore Waren and the nearby villages of Federow and Kargow.

Waren is an impressive town at the head of the Mueritz See. The harbour and marina area were full of visitors when we arrived, many waiting for their boat trip on the lake. It is hard to imagine that just thirty years ago things were so different here!

We left Waren just before lunch and headed along the dedicated cycle paths into the National Park heading for Federow. We found a quiet cafe and enjoyed a light lunch before continuing on to Kargow for a quick look around.

It was then back to Waren for a well-earned cafe stop and a bit of “people watching” from a suitably placed bench direct on the water front..

It’s a national holiday here tomorrow to celebrate the reunification of the two German states. We’ve no firm plans but the chances are the bikes will be called upon again.

Tues. 1 October 2019

Rain here and all day long!

We left Berlin as planned at 08.30 am and despite the inevitable heavy traffic in the city arrived in Waren at about 11.30. 

The site here is next to the lake. It’s large and not that busy. We managed to secure a flat pitch and after setting up had plenty of time to watch and listen to the rain as it crashed into Detlef’s roof. Good that the water ingress was sorted earlier in the year!

We did find a “window” of clearer weather this afternoon and managed a quick walk to the lake and a trip to reception to get local information. The rain wasn’t far away, however, and we made a quick dash back to Detlef.

The weather forecast is a bit better for tomorrow, We’ll see. 

Mon. 30 September 2019

The last day of the month already. 

M set off for the airport at 7.00 am as the rain continued to fall. I am pleased to say all went well and he was home by lunchtime!

The wind was quite strong throughout the morning – a good time to sort the house out before your travel day tomorrow. The late afternoon saw us head East to the East Side Art Gallery, a 500 meter section of the former East German wall that still remains and now painted! 

We headed back to the city centre on foot and spent the early evening taking in the “sites by night”. Travel day tomorrow!

Sat. and Sun. 28/29 September 2019

M duly arrived at Shoenefeld Airport on Saturday morning and it was off by S Bahn to collect marathon race numbers and other goodies from the now defunct Tempelhof Airport complex. A quick visit to the huge associated “Expo” trade show in adjacent hangers was followed by a quick return to base to enjoy a special lunch of “Ahle Wurst”, “Fleischsalat” and very special ham and cheese topped rolls from the local bakery.

The “dummy run” into the centre of Berlin in the afternoon took twenty five minutes and we had time to get a taste of what was to come looking at the in-line skating races taking place over parts of the marathon course.

A pasta evening meal was followed by not a lot as the athletes got their heads down. You will notice that this is written in the plural as the support team here also have clocked up nearly 60 km walking around!!

We were all up early on race day and with a weather forecast of sunny intervals followed by rain, suitable clothing was duly packed in the rucksacks. It seemed that many other competitors had the same plans as we were joined by countless others on our journey into the city centre. 

The race duly began at 09.30 with M starting some twenty minutes later. The support team then made their way to suitable viewing points around the course by S Bahn and on foot. In all we manged to catch M on four occasions before the finish!

The rain that started in earnest just after the start lasted all day in the end but despite this the race was a success. M’s time – a respectable four hours and nine minutes and a finishing place of 18,800 out of some 45,000 entrants. Not bad for a “veteran” at 40+!!

The experience for all will live in the memory for some time – the race, the crowds and the wonderful atmosphere. Where and when will the next opportunity arise?

It was then back to base for a welcome shower and some “feet-up” time before the evening meal and an early night. The flight back to the UK on Monday for M is an early one!! 

The support team here have got a quieter day on Monday with various “house keeping” chores. If there is time we might venture to the German Museum before heading north on Tuesday.

Fri. 27 September 2019

Cats and dogs today and an opportunity to catch up on the housekeeping – well for the morning at least!

Suitably dressed we ventured into the city centre in the afternoon in the hope of getting access to the Reichstag Building but we were unlucky. Registration is a fact of life in this day and age and you have to book at least 24 hours in advance to get an entry ticket.

Instead, we headed back to the Brandenburg Gate to look at the marathon preparations and then on to Friedrichstrasse and the museums thereabouts.

The rains continued throughout the day and the only sensible thing to do was to retire to Detlef. There’s another day tomorrow.

Thurs. 26 September 2019

And so it was. The sun duly made an appearance this morning and we quickly decided to go for the city bus tour just in case the weather turned in the coming days. The S Bahn from Gesundbrunnen into central Berlin took about fifteen minutes and we spent the morning being driven around on the top of a large yellow bus.

Berlin is a beautiful city and one that still bears the legacy of a separated past. It’s difficult to get away from and ever present wherever you go.  

The afternoon was spent on foot starting at Alexander Platz and making our our way towards West Berlin through the former Eastern Sector to the Brandenburg Tor. There was time to visit the Holocaust Memorial before heading to Checkpoint Charlie and Friedrichstrasse.

We took time to find the Peter Fechter memorial on the Berlin Wall Trail. Hard to comprehend that a 24 year old could be shot dead on the street for trying to scale the wall into West Berlin all those years ago. He would have been 75 years old now.

The preparations are well under way for the Berlin Marathon on Sunday. The course is taking shape with barriers on the streets and viewing screens on most corners. We await the competitors!

Weds. 25 September 2019

It was travel day today as we headed north to Berlin arriving just after lunch. The four hour drive was uneventful except for the high volume of traffic around the Berlin Ring. 

The site here in Berlin Mitte is a Stellplatz and not a camping site. Facilities are very basic but we should be able to manage for a few days. Showers could be interesting!!

The afternoon was spent finding the nearest S Bahn station and making our first city train trip to the city centre. We made the Brandenburg Gate in fifteen minutes and from there to the Reichstag. Then the rain really came down.

Let’s see what tomorrow brings with hopefully better weather.  

Tues. 24 September 2019

The last day in this part of Germany and a birthday as well!!

It was off to the Bastei today, the name given to the rocky sandstone outcrop in the Dresden area. The train and ferry across the Elbe took the strain before pure muscle power took us through the forest to the wonderful sights that awaited us.

It was a shame that the day was overcast but take it as it comes has always been our moto.

We’ve spent this evening packing making ready for the trip north to Berlin tomorrow.

Mon. 23 September 2019

The shuttle service from the site here in Gohrisch left as arranged at 9.00 am this morning and made light work of the downhill run to the railway station in Bad Schandau. It was slightly different yesterday on the bikes!

We duly arrived in Dresden at 10.00 am as the timetable promised and headed straight for the “Altstadt” and the River Elbe. Dresden is a fantastic city having been almost completely rebuilt since WW2. The work is still ongoing as you will see in some of the photos. 

The Frauenkirche was at the top of the “to see” list, closely followed by the Zwinger Palace and Semperoper. The ninety minute city bus tour took us to all corners of the city.  We were amazed at how green it is in some parts. The buildings ranged from large pre-war villas to the rectangular blocks of flats from the communist era. There are also many derelict buildings littering the landscape still. The overground gas pipes are something else!

The Old Market area with its mixture of stands provided a pleasant backdrop for a late currywurst lunch and in no time we found ourselves heading back to the train station for the return trip to Bad Schandau.

The plan for tomorrow is to hike to the Bastei rock outcrop near Rathen. Hopefully the weather will play ball!

 Sun. 22 September 2019

It was quite windy overnight here in Gohrisch but that didn’t deter us in our desire to visit the Czech Republic today.

Gohrisch is about three kilometers from Bad Schandau on the River Elbe and it felt like we were on an Olympic toboggan run as we shot down the mountain road to the Elbe Cycle Way. Good that we had disc brakes on the bikes!

In all, we clocked up a record 60 kilometers during the course of the day arriving back at the site here at 5 pm. Fortunately, we had arranged to be picked up (bikes and all) by the site shuttle service in Bad Schandau saving the 3km climb back to Gohrisch!

The day was a great success as the bikes made light work of the distance and we arrived in Decin in time for lunch. The last time we visited the country it was under Communist control. What a difference we found today! Everything bright and new with the market economy functioning well!

The trip back was punctuated with stops to take in the magnificent views some of which are in the latest photo section.

It’s off to Dresden tomorrow by S Bahn with an early start called for. We are getting the shuttle bus down the mountain to Bad Shandau where we’ll catch the train. 

Sat. 21 September 2019

It was reassuring to open the black-out blinds first thing today and be met with unadulterated sunshine. Then it was off to reception to collect the ordered rolls for a hearty “continental” breakfast.

It was a spontaneous decision afterwards to don the hiking boots and head through the forest to Koenigstein and the River Elbe. What a jewel we found!

The town is dominated by its huge Fortress and with the perfect weather it was a “no brainer” to spend the whole day exploring it. A combination of the “Fortress Express” bus and a local shuttle took us to the entrance where we were whisked into the bowels of the fortress by lift.

It was all “go” from there  as we made our way around the mini village contained within the walls. The views from the Fortress battlements were spectacular. Hopefully you will get a taste from the latest photos in the gallery.

We had expected to return to the heights of Gohrisch by bus but we hadn’t reckoned with a Saturday timetable and ended up making the 3 km climb on foot! Time for a well earned beverage!

Mon. 16 to Fri. 20 September 2019

As you will have gathered from the latest short post, the past few days have been a nightmare as far as keeping you all informed about our travels!

I’m afraid it was mainly due to the snail-paced internet speeds around Beisefoerth in North Hessen. It was so painful to wait fully ten minutes to upload one picture and yours truly gave up trying.

A quick resume then of what has been happening otherwise!

You left us on Sunday evening last as we made it into Germany at Wachtendonk. I would thoroughly recommend the site for a stop-over. The town itself has a lot of Dutch influenced architecture as you might expect being some four kilometres from the border.

We had a shock early on Monday morning as we discovered that the “fees box” on site had been broken into overnight, apparently the second time in as many weeks. I assume now the council will have to find another way to collect the money.

The trip to Beisefoerth took us through the Ruhr valley and the “Pott” as it is known. The motorway system there makes Spaghetti-Junction in the UK a piece of cake – or do I mean pasta? Anyway…..

The whole journey was made in the rain and we were quite relieved when the day was over! J, S and C were their usual brilliant hosts and with the camp site under new management the whole place looked and felt much better than on our last visit.

We stayed until today, Friday and now find ourselves south east of Dresden in Gohrisch nearly on the Czech border.

We managed to see several friends and relatives in North Hessen with F, A and T visiting on Tuesday before we headed to Kassel by train to meet R, F C and B. Thanks for a wonderful couple of days, guys.

The bikes made an appearance yesterday (Thursday) as we headed to Guxhagen led by the super fit S on her very new-looking E Bike. All in all we clocked up some 35 miles there and back. It was an enjoyable trip but certain parts of the anatomy have a tail to tell today!! 

Today’s journey was another long affair and it’s our first driving forage so far into the former East Germany. Incredible to think that the wall has been gone for some thirty years now.

Sun. 15 September 2019

As is our want these days, it was an early rise on Day 1 of our latest tour. We managed to leave Hunter Towers in the dark at 04.30 am heading for the Channel Tunnel at Folkestone. 

We were unlucky in July not to be able to take an earlier crossing and the same thing happened today. I can only guess that all the high vehicles booked are directed to the next “single tier” train. The result was that we had time for a “terminal” breakfast and time to catch up on some zzzzzz’s!

The inevitable “delayed” word flashed up on the screen with a few minutes to go before boarding but we needn’t have worried as this translated into a ten minute longer wait and then we were off. The train driver must have had his watch out as well as we made Calais in what seemed record time. Yours truly did envisage a major derailment on a couple of occasions during the crossing but we arrived in one piece!

Sundays are usually great days to travel as the majority of lorries are banished to the motorway service areas. So it proved today and we had a good run, all considered.

All in all we clocked up 350 miles with the continental leg from Calais taking four hours! The Stellplatz here in Wachtendonk is ideal for a stop-over and we were lucky to claim a place. As I write the site appears to be full.

Tomorrow is another travel day as we head to North Hess. 

Fri. 23 August 2019

I can’t believe that this is the last entry for our tour of France and Germany as we once again find ourselves back in the UK at Hunter Towers. We are off again in the next few weeks so you are all invited to see how we get on in September and October.

It was an early start this morning as we left Boiry Nt Dame for the British WW1 Cemetery at Duisans to the west of Arras containing the grave of my great uncle.

Thanks to a previous visit by L and M the grave was easily found. It never ceases to amaze me how immaculately kept these resting places of hundreds of soldiers are. I wonder how many members of my family have visited his grave?

The “hop” to Calais should have been straight forward but the Sat. Nav. got totally confused by a closed road to the extent that the A26 Peage Autoroute was called upon to get us to the coast, much against our initial pledge not to use “pay for” motorways this trip! Still, the cost was no more than our ferry trip across the Rhein the other day, so hey ho!

We were fortunate to be able to take an earlier train and ended up in Folkestone an hour earlier than scheduled but the usual road works, M25/A12 conjestion and the start of a bank holiday weekend ensured a major headache in getting back to Hunter Towers. A trip that would normally take two and a half hours ended up as a four and a half hour slog!

Needless to say the unpacking has been left until tomorrow! 

Thurs. 22 August 2019

We said “Auf Wiedersehen” to the K’s after a very hearty breakfast and once again drove north via Koblenz heading for Aachen and the Belgian border.

Our destination today was Boiry Notre Dame near Arras in France.

We duly arrived at 15.30 after some six and a half hours in Detlef and have been for a quick walk around the site and village to give the limbs a bit of a work out.

We are heading for the British WW1 Cemetery in Duisans first thing tomorrow before heading up to Calais for our tunnel crossing back to the UK.

Let’s hope the Ed Sheeran concert in Suffolk and the inevitable traffic chaos does not disrupt our travel plans.

Just a final note to say that Google Maps on the Contact Page is not working properly at the moment and it’s been removed by yours truly. Hopefully the problems will be resolved soon by the makers. It will go up again as soon as the issues are fixed.

Weds. 21 August 2019

Today was travel day number one as we headed north from Pfungstadt to Nochern along the Rhein via Bingen.

The undoubted highlight was the ferry crossing at St.Goar (see photos). The climb to Nochern was interesting and somewhat “Schwarzwald-like”!

It was great to see the K family again and thanks for a great evening. 

Tue. 20 August 2019

With over half the crew now safely back in the UK it was a gentle start to the day for the rest of us.

Our final bike outing of this tour took us once again to Gernsheim and after some twelve miles we called it a day. Oh that we had these cycle ways in the UK! Still, we will be back.

It’s travel day tomorrow as we head along the Rhein to Nochern. A longer journey awaits on Thursday as we once again head into France.

Sat/Mon 17/19 August 2019

Where to start? 

The trip north on Saturday to Pfungstadt went without too much hassle although it was inevitably slow through Freiburg. The last few kilometers before touchdown were frustrating as we hit traffic having already been warned by the Sat Nav! Who can you trust?

M, E and the girls had listened to their Sat Nav lady and arrived before us. The afternoon was spent settling in and catching up with E’s new trike the centre of attention.

Sunday saw a mass bike ride with the guys doing a 10 mile circuit to Gernsheim before joining the girls on a local tour to the playground.

The storm in the evening took everyone by surprise and luckily we were all in a local golf club restaurant as it hit. The ferocity was something else but it quickly abated. Other local areas were not so lucky as trees were uprooted and buildings damaged. Luckily all windows had been shut back at base!

M, E, H and J made an early start on Monday morning to catch their afternoon ferry from Calais and made it back home in the early evening. 

The rest of the crew here ventured forth on trikes and bikes for most of the day before landing up back at the golf club in the early evening for well-earned liquid refreshment. What we hadn’t reckoned with was the famous TV comedienne sitting on the next table! She even had time to take a couple of photos for us and share some banter!  

Thurs/Fri. 15/16 August 201

The younger crew members duly shot off to the Steinwasen Theme Park on Thursday and by all accounts had a brilliant time apart from a whiplash injury to M on the Rodelbahn.

Back at the site T and E had a “housekeeping” morning before heading out once again on the bikes in the afternoon. The ride was, however, short-lived as E’s bike developed a fault and we ended up at the local cycle shop for a quick repair to the gears.

Friday has been packing day and all is now safely stowed ready for the trip north on Saturday.

Weds. 14 August 2019

The boys were up and about early to take M’s car to be reshod on the rear axle. There was even time for a first breakfast at Cafe Steimle before picking the car up again!

By 11.00 am the crew was being whisked up to 1302 metres above sea level on the Schauinslandbahn just to the south of Freiburg. What a great day it was, weather wise. After a bit of a hike we reached the viewing tower for the panorama outlook over Freiburg, the Rhein plain and into France.

After our descent there was even time to retrace the Panorma car trip we had attempted in the white-out earlier in the week and on this occasion we were not disappointed. A prefect end to another day here in the Black Forest.

Younger members of the crew are threatening to visit the Steinwasen Theme Park tomorrow as our thoughts turn to packing for part of Friday and our travel day on Saturday.

Tues. 13 August 2019

The train took the strain today with M grateful of the rest day from driving.

The destination in the morning was the beautiful Titisee Lake and town. The downside was that every other tourist in the world had the same idea and the town was overrun. 

After lunch the crew once again boarded the train to the winter ski resort of Hinterzarten which was, of course, in summer mode.

A quick look round was followed by afternoon tea before returning to base for Bobo’s disco in the evening.

Mon. 12 August 2019

The ninety minute drive into Switzerland was trouble free this morning as the crew hit the Rheinfalls in Schaffhausen. Just a pity that the weather was overcast but that didn’t deter the thousands of other tourists who joined us.

The largest waterfall in Europe didn’t disappoint. The bridge over the Rhein to Schloss Laufen was spectacular but nothing can prepare the visitor for the sheer power of nature as they come within a few metres of the gushing torrent within the Schloss itself.

E decided to take an evening flying lesson in the restaurant as she ably demonstrated how to read a leaflet whilst walking through a door and J decided to send her plate into orbit shortly afterwards, some say in sympathy! 

The photos today are well worth a browse. It’s another trip out tomorrow as our days showly ebb away in number!

Sun. 11 August 2019

The weather here was great until about 5.00 pm in the afternoon when the impending downpour drove the many swimmers from the pool and back towards their places of shelter.

It was strange because the day had started so brightly with the crew undertaking a 10 mile bike ride along the cycle ways to Buchenbach and back. The little people coped really well as we weaved in and out of the local Sunday cycle traffic. It was quite busy but we were home again for lunch.

The swimming pool area was heaving until the dark clouds threatened and yours truly wished he had a pound for every somersault that H and J made in the water during the afternoon.

M managed to conjure up our evening meal whilst still in the awning as the rain lashed down and the rest of the evening has been spent playing UNO inside Detlef. Happy days!

Sat. 10 August 2019

The morning here in Kirchzarten was overcast which was a good enough excuse for most of the crew to head off to the nearest Aldi for a spot of food shopping.

The afternoon has been a direct contrast with the sun making an appearance just after midday and keeping with us thus far.

The bikes were summoned this afternoon for a total crew ride to Oberried and back via the cafe discovered last weekend! The portion sizes were once again impressive and the bill was unbelievably cheap!

The little people did well to negotiate the climbs and all returned safely to base for a late afternoon/early evening in the pool.

On a personal note, I thought our new pocket camera screen had broken yesterday as yours truly could not see any image whatsoever. The camera was restarted and restarted. The battery was reinserted a number of times. It was a good fifteen minutes and after advice from M that I discovered that wearing polaroid sunglasses is not a good idea when looking at a camera screen – doh!! 

Needless to say that when they were removed all was as normal!! There I was thinking the camera would need to be sent back. How dense can you get? Don’t answer that!!

Weds./Thur/Fri 7/8/9 August 2019

The weather has been dictating activities here in Kirchzarten for the last few days.

Wednesday was a “Panorama Route” trip in the car from the site here in Kirchzarten, south east to Hinterzarten and then north west towards Waldkirch. There was only one slight problem – a complete white-out with low cloud reducing the visibility to practically zero in places!! The rain added to the fun and it was a frustrated crew that returned to base later in the day.

The weather improved on Thursday as we headed for the Feldberg, the highest point in the Black Forest for a cable car and walking adventure. The views from the top were, as you would expect, spectacular. The little legs (and some of the older legs) amongst us found the going “interesting” at times but a hearty lunch revived us to undertake the “Little Folks’s Forest Trail” in the afternoon.

There was even time to visit the Todtnau Waterfalls later in the day before returning to our site.

It was an early start on Friday as the crew jumped in the car for the trip to Schluchsee. The obligatory boat trip around the lake was undertaken before lunch in a local cafe where no expense was spared on the Apfelstrudel, Ice Cream and Zwetschgenkuchen.

Suitably fueled, M, E, H and J had enough energy for the pedalo half hour in the afternoon before heading back to the childrens’ mini disco. Where does the energy come from?

Mon/Tue 5/6 August 2019

Monday proved to be another pool day as the weather once again played ball but only until the early hours of Tuesday morning!

It was quite a shock to be woken by flashes of lightening and claps of thunder but once the open windows had been secured and the outside awning checked for leaks we all managed to get back to sleep.

The master planners called Tuesday a “Freiburg by Train” day and with public transport free for guests we ventured forth from the site. The double decker train certainly impressed the younger members of the group as we sped into Freiburg in under fifteen minutes.

The afternoon was spent on a published walking tour around the city with a well-earned ice cream parlour stop putting the finishing touch to a successful outing.

The younger members once again followed BoBo the Bear to his evening Disco before the next thunderstorm hit us at around 21.00 hrs. It’s still raining here and emergency inflation of the awning has proved necessary to ensure we don’t blow away as the storm winds have increased. Well done to M for braving the lashing rain to get the pump out from Detlef’s garage!

The Planners have designated Wednesday as a “Visit Strasbourg” day (weather permitting) with park and ride a serious contender given the emission zone restrictions in the city.

Sat/Sun 3/4 August 2019

M, E, H and J duly arrived at 17.30 hrs  after their trip through France and it’s been all go since!

The bikes were called into action on Saturday as we waited. A trip to the local Aldi was first on the agenda with a purchase that tested the pannier capacity to its limit. Quite impressive it has to be said!

It was then back to the site to drop off before heading out to Oberried and beyond. We were fortunate enough to find the best Cafe in the world at Oberried where the biggest piece of Black Forest Cherry Cake was eagerly devoured. No doubt we will return.

In addition the round trip provided a couple of other surprises. The first of these was a field full of feeding Storks. We counted at least eighteen and a subsequent look to the rooftops here has revealed several nests.

There is a lot of local glider activity here and it soon became apparent why. The local club is situated in the adjacent fields and with conditions perfect the gliders are out and about in numbers. 

Sunday was spent with the rest of the camping guests and locals in the swimming pool. The girls were certainly in their element and fun was had by all.

 

 

 

Fri. 2 August 2019

The skies were overcast this morning with even a hint of a shower. Nothing for it but to explore both the site here and the town of Kirchzarten itself.

The site here is full and I do mean full. There are people everywhere crammed into the smallest spaces you can imagine. We knew when we booked that the size of our pitch was going to make us feel “cosy” having just missed out on the last available larger pitch by minutes! 

Nevertheless, the facilities are good with the adjacent town swimming pool with it’s five pools a huge bonus and free to site guests. The local “guest card”, available to all guests also includes free bus and train travel throughout the Black Forest.

The town of Kirchzarten is pleasant with a variety of shops and facilities. We even managed to find the customary “Currywurst” for lunch – a definite bonus today before heading back to the site.

The weather improved this afternoon to such an extent that a swim proved irresistible. Yours truly can never quite believe that a relatively small town (and it is quite common in Germany) can have five pools on one site; a 25m pool, a leisure pool, a diving pool together with two non-swimmer pools. Amazing.

 We are all geared up for the arrival of E,M,H and J tomorrow and we look forward to a couple of weeks of pure fun! Well, that’s what we think at the moment!!

Thurs. 1 August 2019

We were on the road once again at 09.30 am this morning for the short hop of an hour to Kirchzarten.

Our booked pitch was vacated at about 11 am by a very friendly Spanish family giving us the chance to move in an hour earlier than planned. Well, that was the theory!

The campsite here is firmly in Dutch hands and our attempts to squeeze into our smallish pitch with a relatively large motorhome provided the on-lookers with sudden free entertainment!

To say the site is “cosy” is an understatement. Health and Safety for campsites as in the UK is all but a dream here with barely one metre between pitches.

With Detlef finally positioned for our two week stay we endeavored to put the awning and sleeping pod up during the afternoon and yours truly can now report that our efforts were a success. It’s a huge pity that the largest tree in Germany also shares our pitch and everything has had to be fitted around it. There just wasn’t room for the second pod.

The amber nectar this evening was a reward for our efforts. Hopefully we will sleep well this evening!

Wed. 31 July 2019

It was Travel Day today and an 08.15 am start was just about OK for an alarm set an hour and a quarter before. The site in Dun-sur-Meuse was still asleep as we started Detlef and headed for the barrier! 

Lac Vert. What to say about it? Great for a few days and in a lovely part of the world but the site cleanliness left a lot to be desired. Then the noise at night. Individuals screaming their heads off at 03.30 and being total pi****ks!

To be fair, the staff were very helpful and our direct neighbours pleasant. Maybe the secret is to visit outside of the school holidays when the littlies are not around or would that really be showing our age?

The trip over the River Rhein into Germany took around five hours with a fuel and loo stop. The rolling French cornfields quickly gave way to the forested German flavoured Alsace and the Rhein. Home at last! No more language problems and clean loos!

The bank card saga took a turn for the better at the fuel stop in Verdun when yours truly finally entered a correct pin at the last attempt before Madame Guillotine chopped the card in two!

The second card, however, still caused a problem and we decided to “sort it” once and for all this afternoon.

A very kind young lady offered us a lift in her car to the bank in the next village where our problems were regurgitated to a very helpful bank employee. 

After a telephone call all was solved as the second card was reanimated as if by magic and we are now able to spend, spend, spend!

Having been taken to the bank in the next village by car we made our way back to Jechtingen on foot via the footpath/cycle way along the Rhein. This evening has been spent in the associated site restaurant. 

Thankfully the journey to Kirchzarten in the morning will be a lot shorter. 

Tue. 30 July 2019

Today has been a packing day and general laze around as we look ahead to Travel Day tomorrow. 

There are no photos today but you may have noticed the appearance of a local Coypu that was less than 10 metres from Detlef yesterday. What a whopper! Was last seen swimming along the small stream on site and presumably into the River Meuse!

We are planning to drive for four plus hours tomorrow with an overnight stop just over the River Rhein in Germany. The onward trip to our site in Kirchzarten on Thursday should therefore only be about 80 km! Well, that’s the plan.

Mon. 29 July 2019

There was a break in the weather today as we were greeted by sunny skies and pleasant bearable temperatures.

We headed off on our final touring day to visit the largest WW1 American Cemetery in Europe (Meuse Argonne) at Romagne-sous-Montfaucon. What a site we found. Quite breathtaking in all its splendor and befitting the 14,246 souls buried there.

After several arguments with the M’s navigation device as to which Verdun was which, we eventually turned it off to rely on the good old road sign once again to get us there! Quite odd really!

Lunch by the Meuse in Verdun was followed by a quick walk along the river before returning to the site here in Dun. Thanks to L and M for a great few days and the chance to be ferried in their car.

It’s a packing day tomorrow with the possibility of the bikes making an appearance for a quick burst before we head into Germany later in the week.

Sat. and Sun. 27/28 July 2019

What a weekend! 

The weather decided to change over the weekend with overcast skies and the odd shower. At least there was some respite from the soaring temperatures of the last couple of weeks!

Thanks to our close friends L and M we were able to share the luxury of their car during the weekend visiting the area where the WW1 Battle of Verdun was fought.

As with many areas in this part of France the rural and forested landscape is littered with military cemeteries and memorials. Our main area of interest on Saturday was the Argonne Forest and the Ossuary at Douaumont, site of 15,000 French graves.

The afternoon was spend visiting the sites of five of the nine “destroyed villages” around Douaumont together with the famous Bayonet Trench, where French soldiers were discovered buried standing in their trench after a shell landed. Only their bayonets could be seen sticking out of the earth.

Saturday’s lasting memory will be the unending “shell-hole” landscape. There is not a flat piece of earth to be seen.   

Sunday was spent on the trail of the so called “Lost Battalion”, a group of American infantry soldiers who were pinned down in a ravine for six days by German troops and who were for a time being unwittingly shelled by “friendly” Canadian guns! The Battalion were not “lost” as such; the Germans certainly knew where they were but it was the hopeless nature of their position that gave rise to the name.

You will be pleased to know that we did indeed eventually find the site of the battle with all evidence in the latest photos section….!

It’s off to Verdun tomorrow (Monday) with the weather forecast looking up.

Fri. 26 July 2019

Travel day today with an 8.15 am start from Felleries across the Ardenne to Dun sur Meuse, a three hour journey. Thankfully the temperatures were not as high as yesterday.

Yours truly had been waiting for a confirmation of our booking at the Lac Vert site in Dun sur Meuse and with non forthcoming it was hit and hope as we arrived! No problem. All on the system, including my original email but why oh why don’t the French send confirmations?

We’ve managed to land right next to the lake in a very pleasant position. All looks good but with the disco music ringing over the site lets hope it calms down sooner than later or is this an age thing? Yes, OK, you could be right!

L and M arrived in their car to stay at a local Gite this afternoon and we look forward to discovering more about the region with them in the coming few days.

It’s time to grab a shower before settling down for the night but with thunder and heavy rain forecast in the next few hours it might just be better to sit outside Deltef and wait! Gute Nacht!

Thurs. 25 July 2019

A good night’s sleep was had by all despite the heat but today was a day to find the shade and sit in it!

The side awning made a rapid appearance giving some shade but with temperatures hitting 42 degrees the only thing to do was drink a lot and sit tight and do little.

We did manage a quick circuit of the village here before L and M’s visit from their accommodation but it was very quickly obvious that there was no other human activity and that the locals were staying inside and out of the heat!

L and M joined us for lunch before returning to the Gite in the luxury of their air conditioned vehicle which left us to “siesta” the whole afternoon.

This evening we met our next door neighbours from Holland for a chat and a beer and it’s now packing time as we head to Dun-sur-Meuse early tomorrow. With luck we’ll be there in three hours!

Weds. 24 July 2019

The thunder and lightening around Hunter Towers at 3.00am beat the alarm by some thirty minutes to usher in travel day.

The trip to Folkestone was uneventful  except for the Sat Nav suddenly announcing that the M20 was closed! As with all technology it was “pinch of salt” time as we “risked” it! Turned out to be the inevitable night workings that stop at 6.00am ready for the day’s traffic!

The Euro Tunnel complex was, as expected, very busy and although we arrived in good time we were told we had to wait for our booked crossing, some ninety minutes wait. Usually it is possible to get an earlier train.

Motorhomes have their advantages. The main one in this situation is the ability to lay down and have a snooze! Having been up since 3.00am the opportunity was welcomed with open arms.

All was going fine until the train delay was announced meaning an extra hour waiting to board. Such is modern day travel!

The idea of getting from A to B as quickly as possible is certainly engrained in most of us these days but in choosing a route to follow this was not uppermost in our minds as we headed inland from Calais. The big mistake was to head along the A16 coastal road to Dunkirk to pick up the A25. You’ve guessed it. Delays. This time an hour in stop and go traffic. All this with the outside temperature reaching a staggering 47 degrees  Celsius on one occasion!

Our destination was the Aire at Lac Joly near Eppe Sauvage. We had expected a site with electrical hook up but we were to be disappointed. To add insult to injury in a sweat bath of 38 degrees Celsius all of our credit cards were declined and there was not a cash option!

Nothing for it then but to go to Plan B. Head for the safety of a recognised site with full facilities and that’s where we’ve ended up, and for two nights to save the hassle in this heat!

The site here in Felleries is run by the local community and the warden is most helpful and friendly.

As you can imagine, after a long hot day it was “early to bed” after the best shower in the world. We would not have got that at the Lac Joly Aire!!

Mon. July 22 2019

As you will have seen from the latest post Detlef was weighed today and came in some 160 kg under weight so good news.

The downside, however, was that the rear axle was over-weight by 60 kg and a rearrangement exercise has been underway to redistribute some of the garage contents! Yours truly is happy to report that this appears to have been solved without too much difficulty.

So, we’re off with the first destination being Folkestone and the Tunnel. It will mean an early start with the booked crossing at about 10.00 am. The plan is to take on fuel around Ashford and then rest up at the terminal before boarding but we might just be lucky and get an earlier train!

We are hoping to stay around the Verdun area in North East France before moving into Germany later in the month. The first stop will be some three hours out of Calais on the French/Belgian border at Eppe Sauvage. 

Weds. July 10 2019

It was an early start this morning with the alarm going off at 5.45 am. As it turned out we left Damage Barton at 7.30 am. It certainly looked like our fellow travellers were going to have a fine day as the sun was already beating down. 

We were expecting a long and tiring drive and it was good to quickly leave the narrow roads of Devon behind as we headed across country to the M5 and onto the M4 heading towards London.

The standard of driving by a minority of so called “professional” HGV drivers never ceases to amaze. How many times do we have to avoid drivers sheering out late from their lanes, or insisting on mile long overtaking marathons? Happy days!

We arrived back at Hunter Towers some seven hours after leaving Devon. The unpacking has now been done with Detlef on the road again at the weekend taking M,E and the girls to Aldeburgh for the weekend.

Our next forage will be to France and Germany later in the month! Until then, take care!

Tues. July 9 2019

The final full day of our Devon Tour and the sun was with us all the way!

The bus took the strain as we headed for Ilfracombe today and we were soon on those crazy hills with those spectacular views over the town and harbour. It’s rumoured that people that live in Devon don’t need a gym workout and I can see why!

The harbour seems to be the main focus for the tourist and we headed towards “Verity” standing proud at the harbour entrance. The adjacent St. Nicholas chapel and lighthouse is a “must” and was well worth the additional climb!

After our Cornish Pastie lunch we ventured through the 1823 built Beach Tunnel system and into the bathing coves behind the headland. Again, these are well worth a visit despite us having precious little time to dwell.

The return bus took us unexpectedly into Woolacombe once again before dropping us off at our site. It’s packing time now with a mega drive anticipated as we attempt to return to Hunter Towers without an overnight stop. It’s an early leave for us tomorrow.

Mon. July 8 2019

The infrequency of the buses here meant we ventured along the coast to Woolacombe at 11.30 am. Although it was a short journey the bus took some time to reach our destination having to stop frequently on the narrow road to safely pass oncoming traffic; certainly the roads were made when horse and cart were in abundance!

The photographer’s nightmare occurred immediately we reached Woolacombe. The SD memory card wasn’t in the camera. Where was it? Yes, you’ve got it. It was left in the laptop by yours truly the night before. Thank goodness we had our phones!

Woolacombe was a hive of activity with day trippers and families all enjoying the sun and beach, incidentally voted the UK’s number 1 beach by Trip Advisor. You can see why from the latest photos.

The only bus of the afternoon returned to our site at 2.30 pm which only gave us time for a walk along the beach and for lunch in the village. 

The long lens camera made an appearance back at the site this afternoon with the weather good enough to be able to see across the Bristol Channel into Wales. As you will see from the photos, E managed to somehow fall off her chair, or rather E stayed on her chair which fell over!

It’s off to Ilfracombe by bus tomorrow with packing later.

Sun. July 7 2019

Our neighbours did warn us that they were planning on leaving early but a 05.30 am wake up call was still a shock to the system! Still, we did manage to get back to sleep and woke to another overcast but warmish day.

We headed off to Ilfracombe on the bikes at about 11 am looking for the old railway cutting. We found it quite easily but instead of heading north we headed south and it was only after travelling a couple of kilometres realised the mistake!!

Ilfracombe on a Sunday was jammed with day trippers so we headed for the harbour area for a quick look round and decided to return at a later date.  Before heading back to Mortehoe we enjoyed a Devon Pastie lunch in the shadow of the Verity Statue.

In all we clocked up 25 km today. The old railway route was relatively flat as you would expect and well maintained. We arrived in central Ilfracombe and then joined the town roads to reach the harbour.

It’s off to Woolacombe tomorrow.

Sat. July 6 2019

I guess it was to be expected that the day would be overcast after the brilliant sunset of yesterday evening and so it turned out.

Just the weather therefore for a hike along the coastal path.

We headed out of the site with the faithful OS Map and made our way along the narrow footpaths and lanes to Lee, a small village that has seen better days. The derelict old hotel gave the game away but why it fell into that state remains a mystery.

The  steep gradients here in the West Country are well documented and our walk was challenging. Thank goodness we took the walking poles!  The path leaving Lee took us up onto the cliffs as we headed west eventually reaching Bull Point and the lighthouse a couple of hours later. 

The views along the way were spectacular and well worth the effort. We reached Mortehoe at 2.30 pm and called it a day. 

It’s off to Ilfracombe by bike tomorrow hopefully by way of a disused railway cutting.

Fri. July 5 2019 

It was with some regret that we left Hillhead this morning with the brilliant weather once again making an early morning appearance. The North Devon coast is reputed to be less warm than that in the south of the county so who could know what awaited us.

The leisurely drive took just under three hours with the site here only allowing entry after midday. The traffic around theTorbay area was busy but we had no problems as we headed to Exeter and the M5 before turning to Barnstaple.

The site here looks very good with all pitches having a sea view. It’s been windier than of late but the weather has followed us and we’ve continued to enjoy the warmer temperatures.

The bikes make an early appearance this afternoon as we headed off to explore Mortehoe just down the road. Take a look at the views in latest photos.

It looks like a coastal path walk tomorrow.

Thurs. July 4 2019

The bikes made light work of the short but nevertheless hilly ride to the former D’Oyly Carte family country home at Coleton Fishacre. What a gem we found.

Our first port of call was the house, built in the 1920’s with its elegant Art Deco  interiors and then on to the 30 acre garden that surrounds it. Photos of the house, gardens and the fantastic sea views can be seen in the latest photos section.

A great day was capped with a huge Devon Cream Tea before we returned to the site. It’s travel day tomorrow as we head to the North Devon coast.

Weds. July 3 2019

Thank goodness the bus arrived on time this morning as we had a train to catch from Kingswear!

As it turned out we need not have worried as there was plenty of time to buy the tickets and take a seat along with all the other happy travellers going to Paignton for the day. Indeed, some were bound for Greenway Halt, a short distance from Agatha Christie’s one time holiday home.

The 11km long trip along the River Dart and Tor Bay took thirty minutes and one might have been excused for thinking that this stretch had inspired her Miss Marple novel the “4.50 from Paddington”. Who knows.

In all we spent four hours in Paignton but the jury is out as to whether we return in future. The town seems caught between two stools. To the south is the fishing town of Brixham bustling with character and geographical diversity and with “big brother” Torquay to the north the town seems to be neither one nor the other. True, there are some great views at various points along the promenade but the town itself has arguably been given over too much to the amusement arcades and fast food outlets. A pity.

It looks as if the weather will hold for tomorrow for a trip to Coleton Fishacre, a National Trust property between Hillhead and Kingswear. The bikes will have to work hard on the hills!! Still, they can have a rest on Friday when we travel to the North Devon coast.

Tues. July 2 2019

After two days on site the crew are getting used to the routine and it wasn’t such a dash for the bus today. The initial trip to Kingswear took all of six minutes as we once again hurtled down the green leafy lanes in this beautiful part of South Devon.

The locomotive of the Kingswear to Paignton steam train was performing impressively in the station as our bus reached it’s destination and immediately persuaded us that we too should make the journey during our stay; the chances are that it will be tomorrow.

Our thoughts, however, turned quickly to the ferry to Dartmouth as we saw the size of the queue and in we dived. The wait was surprisingly short as the ferries run frequently and in tandem. 

A few minutes and we were stepping off the jetty and into Dartmouth. The views crossing the River Dart were magnificent with the Royal Naval College standing proud on the hillside. 

The day has been spent exploring the town and all the riverside nooks and crannies leaving the higher levels with their uncountable number of steps for another time! The 14km yesterday put paid to any attempt at a repeat physical assault today!!

A leisurely lunch around the Bayards Cove area is to be recommended. Strange that the Pilgrim Fathers boarded their little ships around here all those years ago!!

It’s just about time for our evening snack here and our thoughts turn to Paignton in the morning on the steam train. 

Mon. July 1  2019

The first of July already and as planned we headed to Brixham by bus.

The west country is renowned for it’s narrow roads and that was certainly true this morning as our rather large bus forced all and sundry onto the grass verges and  pavements but we arrived in Brixham unscathed some twenty minutes after boarding opposite the site entrance. Lucky we were in the bus!!

First port of call (excuse the pun) was the harbour already bustling with fishermen and tourists alike. Yours truly managed to stock up on sea angling tackle for this coming winter at the local bait and tackle shop. A quick couple of photos later and we were off to find the coastal path to Berry Head with it’s now defunct coastal fortification complex.

Some 14km and some four hours later we arrived back in Brixham town having had a work out worthy of the local gym. 

Berry Head was at the end of a steady climb with breath taking views of Torbay and the English Channel. There are three main fortification areas to be seen all originally built in the early nineteenth century of ward off the French (and any others) looking to invade.

Lunch at the “Guardhouse” Cafe on Berry Head was followed by a trek to Brixham Harbour and the long “spit” now marking the boundary between the marina and the open sea. This was constructed in the war years and was used by US troops to board their landing craft as D Day approached. 

So, it’s off to Dartmouth in the morning via Kingswear with a ferry to cross the River Dart. 

Sun. June 30 2019

We were on the road early this morning with the intention of getting to the Hillhead site by midday.

In fact, we arrived at 12.15 pm and were surprised as to how full the site was. We had anticipated a few more “goings” than was actually the case and it was a hectic few minutes of searching before finding a suitable pitch.

Looking at our position on site we’ve been very lucky. The afternoon, as is our want, has been spent discovering the site and surrounding area. 

It’s off to Brixham tomorrow.

Sat. June 29 2019

The drive from Devizes to Hunter Towers last week was just about right in terms of comfortable distance to drive and with this in mind yours truly decided to book a stop-over in Wiltshire for this evening as we headed for Devon.

The target today was the C.C. site at Longleat, just next door to the Safari Park.

Needless to say our best laid plans were scuppered somewhat with the trip taking a hefty five and a half hours with delays on the M25,M3 and around Stonehenge. We were not too bothered, however and took advantage of the slow traffic around Stonehenge for a good look towards the stones from our higher than usual vantage point in Detlef.

The clockwise M25 approach to the M3 is atrocious with the motorway needing urgent repair. It felt as if we were in a Sherman Tank as we rattled across the never ending concrete slabs for miles! All this in temperatures in the high thirties Celsius.

Those of you with caravan or motor home driving experience will know that the last couple of miles before your destination need to be treated with respect as the roads invariably get narrower and more difficult to navigate.

So it was today. Blind reliance on the Sat. Nav.  and before yours truly had time to think the left turn that shouldn’t have been had been made. Even during the turn the mistake was evident as the road narrowed alarmingly but it was too late. No turning back now.

Some five minutes later Detlef emerged on the “correct” road. It was a good job that the lanes had been lined with soft vegetation and not hedges or stone walls. It was just like going into a car wash with the sides being constantly “cleaned” as we went along. Surprisingly there wasn’t any damage and we live to collect some more battle scars on another occasion.

At the site we quickly found our pitch for the night and with a minimal set up spent a relaxing afternoon in temperatures in the thirties. The adjacent Safari Park is too be heard as well with the Sea Lions in full barking voice as I write. It would appear that the Lions start their nightly “roar” at sunset so we wait to see (or rather hear) what happens.

The rest of our journey to Hillhead and Dartmouth will be made tomorrow with an estimated drive time of two hours plus.

Mon. June 24 2019

The alarm was set ready for a early start this morning but the inevitable happened – it failed to go off! The leisurely departure for Hunter Towers was suddenly turned into a bit of a rush as breakfast was consumed at double the normal speed and final preparations made.

As it turned out we only lost some thirty minutes from our originally planned time and left Devizes at 9.00am.

The return route took Detlef north east towards Marlborough and on to the M4 bound for London and the M25. The M4 was the only sticking point today with it’s many road works around Reading. At least the traffic was moving!

The M25 was unusually forgiving going clockwise and we made it back to Hunter Towers just after 1pm – a journey of four hours – one hour quicker than last week. Yours truly is pleased to report that the unpacking (what little there was) went well and we were able to relax from mid-afternoon.

We do it all again in a few days! Watch this space!

Sun. June 23 2019

Our last full day here in Devizes and a last opportunity to give the bikes a run. The weather, however, was less than inspiring; very dull with rain forecast. 

We ended up back at the site in mid afternoon with 35km on the clock having cycled to Howden to the east of Devizes and then to Semington in the west. Being Sunday and anticipating an increase in the numbers of walkers we kept to the less busy public roads rather than the more popular stretches of towpath.

The late afternoon and early evening were spent packing and enjoying a farewell drink with our next door neighbours. It was great to meet Evert and Mieke from Holland and we wish them all the best for the rest of their stay in the UK.

So, it’s an early start tomorrow as we head back to Hunter Towers. A five hour drive awaits!!

Sat. June 22 2019

The day started in wall-to-wall sunshine which was a welcome sight after the drab first couple of days on site.

The decision was quickly made to visit Lacock Abbey and Village but there was some debate as to whether it should be by bicycle or bus! In the end the latter won with no obvious direct route to cycle that didn’t include busy “A” roads or obscure bridleways!!

We were pushed to catch our first bus having spent several minutes hunting high and low for a misplaced NT Card which turned not to have been misplaced at all! All good fun that just notched up the stress levels a tad.

The internet is a great source of information which can be accessed at the push of a button. However, the information has to be current to be of use and so it proved today trying to access bus timetables. With no dates on documents it was anyone’s guess when the bus would arrive.

So, what would have been a comfortable connecting service we had a forty minute wait but hey ho, we did finally arrive in Lacock village allbeit slightly later than planned.

Lacock can be described as a chocolate box village with it’s magnificent Abbey and the setting of numerous films and TV series. These include “Pride and Prejudice (1995), Downton Abbey (2015), The White Princess (2016), Harry Potter Films (2001, 2002, 2009), Moll Flanders (1996), Cranford (2007) and The Other Boleyn Girl (2008).

It was interesting to observe the many visitors as they too sort those places where the camera had stood. In the end our visit was all too short. There was just enough time to visit the Abbey in it’s magnificent setting before heading for the bus stop. Even then we had to run to catch our transport back to Melksham!

Rain is promised tomorrow but the bikes will be making an appearance come what may!

Fri. June 21 2019

The bus was just about on time for the fifty or so minute drive to Bath via Melksham this morning dropping us at the railway station, a short walk to the city centre.

The morning was spent on board the Big Red Bus City Tour, a great way to see a lot in a short space of time. Bath is a wonderful city and well worth a visit. Pity we didn’t have enough time to get to the Roman Baths.

Lunch was a quick affair today in the city centre before we headed out once again on the skyliner bus tour of the hills above Bath before returning for the last walk-about before returning to base here.

The weather today has been glorious and we anticipate another good day tomorrow. 

Thurs. June 20 2019

Today was “Day of the Towpath” as we headed west to Melksham along the Kennet/Avon Canal. The initial “plan” was to seek a circular cycle route but it didn’t turn out that way.

What a hive of activity the canal is with scores of long-boats slowly making their way both eastward and westward. It was strange to overtake the coughing barges on a bike and even more so to exchange an occasional greeting with the crews as we raced by.

Just like the Norfolk Broads pubs along the waterway are doing fantastic business. The Barge pub is one such establishment. So, it was Melksham in the morning followed by a return to The Barge for lunch. A table a few metres away from the moored barges allowed us to witness the skills of the crews as they returned to their vessels after their lunches and I am pleased to report that there were no “incidents” as they set off. We had been waiting for an inadvertent slip as they cast-off but we were unlucky!

We headed eastwards to Devizes after lunch and the e-bikes made light work of the distance as we headed up Caen Hill with it’s sixteen locks. The Caen Hill Cafe at the top of the climb was a “must stop” venue but we ventured into Devizes before returning to the Cafe on our return trip.

The passage of two long boats through three of the Caen Hill locks proved very entertaining as we followed their progress westwards but our patience finally ebbed away as we saw the darkening clouds above and made a dash for the site.

As it turned out we need not have worried as we arrived before the rain and even managed to stow the bikes before the wet stuff arrived.

It’s off to Bath tomorrow with the bus taking the strain.

Weds. June 19 2019

I never cease to wonder at the modern Sat Nav device with the technology to help “steer around” potential traffic problems. And so it was this morning with a hastily instigated detour clockwise around the M25 as opposed to the anti-clockwise that had previously been indicated! The delay would have added an extra hour onto the journey out west and it seemed a “no brainer” not to accept the kind offer made by our Sat Nav “lady”.

The softly spoken commands took us along the M3 before hopping across country via Andover and into Wiltshire through tank training country. You’ll be pleased to know they were all tucked up in their barracks and didn’t make an appearance.

The site here is excellent and seems recently refurbished. The staff are very friendly and we were quickly heading along the canal tow path towards Devizes on foot by mid afternoon having pitched in record time.

The 10 km exploratory walk took us past the many locks and no doubt we will have to spend more time during the week watching the “sailors” trying to negotiate them. It could take a long time!

The Three Magpies pub provided the refreshment this evening and no doubt we will revisit that particular watering hole before the week is out!

Time for a few zzzzz’s now. The bikes are waiting for a trip out tomorrow. 

Mon. June 17 2019

The travel day routine has become well-embedded and all appeared well as we departed Dower House at 11 am. It was hard to imagine that the almost empty site had been home to so many visitors over the weekend!

The mile or so drive along the pot-holed track to the main road was dry compared with the wet conditions that met our arrival a few days earlier. Nevertheless it was comforting to once again be on hard asphalt as we made our way into Thetford on the LPG gas trail!

It would appear that the availability of LPG gas is getting to be a problem with only a handful of filling stations here in the East that have it. The filling station manager was very helpful as he must have observed our hopeless attempts to get the hose connected. Indeed, it was he who drew our attention to the ominous “hiss” coming from the gas bottle compartment once we had finished! A leak had appeared!! A spanner was quickly summoned from the depths of Detlef to stem the flow but despite my best efforts yours truly was not one hundred percent happy!!  

Nothing for it then but to set course for our good friends at the dealership where we arrived just after lunch.

It had been a good decision to seek help as the gas measuring devices soon revealed a bit more needed tweaking than had been anticipated!! We were on our way again in no time and made it to our temporary stop at Hunter Towers by 3pm. Thanks to the guys for a good job. 

The excess equipment from the weekend has now been stowed and all that remains is to run a vacuum cleaner through Detlef ready for the trip to Devizes.

Fri. June 14 – Sun. June 16 2019

Friday morning was spent getting the awning set up on Detlef whilst S battled with the second tent ready for the afternoon arrivals. We finished just after lunch and waited.

The S’s were on site just short of tea time and the evening was spent settling in with the girls discovering all the familiar nooks and crannies from last year as well as meeting new friends this time round.

Saturday morning saw the arrival of V and A with M and E arriving early in the afternoon. The swimming pool became the focus of attention in the afternoon with the Ludo challenge the highlight of the evening – won in dramatic style by E.

Fathers were the toast of Sunday as the hard work of dismantling the tents was well underway by lunchtime for an afternoon exit by all except for T, E and Delef. The awning, pod and accessories were finally stowed by 6.00 pm after a stop-start afternoon dodging the showers.

The glass of Spaetlese was well received for our troubles!! 

It’s travel day tomorrow with Devizes in our sights later in the week. All in all a great weekend for the whole Hunter Clan. Thanks guys for your company!

Thurs. June 13 2019

What a wet day to start the latest tour. Things can only get better as far as the weather goes!!

The trip from Hunter Towers to Thetford was relatively short thank goodness and we spent a leisurely afternoon getting set up for the arrival of the crew tomorrow and on Saturday.

The rain has continued for most of the day meaning the awning will be making an appearance early tomorrow morning and not today as planned.  

Sat. May 25 2019

Early starts seem to be becoming a regular daily feature and so it was yesterday as the crew headed to London by train for a day out. The main event was the Chelsea Flower Show and having had a taster on the TV expectations were high that a good day was in store.

Covent Garden was the first port of call as we sped across London by Underground. We had hoped to catch a number of street artists before the main event but there were surprisingly few “acts” on display. 

I’ll get the complaint out of the way before we go any further. London prices never cease to amaze. Why are things so expensive? Yours truly had to apply for a second mortgage by midday to afford a basic lunch and that was before trying to buy food and drink at the Flower Show!

As it turned out the Show was an experience with some stunning displays but you had to enjoy the company of every other man and woman on the planet to enjoy them. Did I say enjoy? It’s all relative. Crowds come with the event.

The merry throng did dissipate  after 6pm and we at least could get closer to the display gardens but by the close at 8pm the legs had well and truly given up the ghost and we made our way back to Hunter Towers arriving after midnight. It was a long day!

Weds. May 22 2019
It was an early start this morning as we headed south hoping to make Hunter Towers by lunchtime. As it turned out we fell victim to the inevitable delays around Huntingdon and eventually arrived at 2pm.

The afternoon has been spent tidying up and getting Detlef ready for its trip to Wales next week with M, E and the girls.

Tues. May 21 2019
It was a “chill” morning after the exertions of the Matlock Bath trip with final preparations for the journey back to Hunter Towers made after lunch.

The weather has certainly been kind today and we did indeed manage our circular walk taking in Solomon’s Tower once more. The quarry here is well fenced off and it proved impossible to get “over the edge” photos but those that we did manage to capture give a good idea of the site geography.

The later afternoon was once again spent taking in the rays on site with yours truly trying to get some shots of the birds nesting on the rock faces within the quarry.

It’s an early start back south to Hunter Towers tomorrow.

Mon. May 20 2019
An early start today for the forty minute trek through Grin Low Country Park into Buxton to catch the Trans Peak bus into Matlock Bath. The route took us along the A6 through Bakewell. The fifty minute trip took us through some beautiful countryside and it was great not to have to drive!

Once in Matlock Bath we headed straight for the cable car to The Heights of Abraham and spent two to three hours exploring the various attractions on the heights. 

The views were fantastic from the Victoria Tower and we even took in the guided tour down the old lead mining shafts.

The rest of the day was spent in the town itself with a short bus ride back into Matlock itself before taking the evening bus back to Buxton.

The uphill hike back to the site was a chore but we made it in one piece. It’s a chill day tomorrow, getting sorted for the return to Hunter Towers on Wednesday.

 

Sun. May 19 2019

We managed to achieve a 10 km circular walk today despite doubts that it would be possible given the landscape around Buxton.

We reached Harpurs Hill for a pub lunch before heading back to Buxton where we took in the Fairfield Brass Band at the Pavilion.

It’s off to Matlock tomorrow.

Sat. May 18 2019

It was an overcast sky that greeted us this morning, somewhat of a contrast to the sunny breakfast times spent in Carsington.

The bikes were swapped for walking boots and poles as we ventured into Buxton via Solomon’s Temple in the Grin Low and Buxton Country Park.

The views from the tower are spectacular; just a pity it was overcast but hey ho!

The country park appears to well managed today with numerous walking routes into the town. It is now a mature forested area having been originally created to hide the huge quarries and lime burning activity in the 19th century.

Buxton on a Saturday is no different from any other town in the UK with a lot of “main street” shoppers. We took the opportunity to visit the Saturday market and to find the public transport stops for a possible trip to Matlock in the next couple of days.

Buxton claims to be the oldest Spa Town in England and no visit would be complete without looking at the Spa Baths and Crescent although the later was being refurbished. We did manage to get into the “Pump Room”, photos of which are in the gallery.

The Opera House and Pavilion attract many visitors. The existence of an arboretum was a novel and pleasant surprise. It is not often that one comes across this kind of attraction at least not in the towns and cities we have visited recently.

The ascending walk from Poole’s Cavern to our site took fifteen minutes and it was at this stage that the walking poles came in very handy. It’s feet up time now and a welcome rest! Take care.  

Fri. May 17 2019

Travel day and a short drive to Buxton – but how? The sat nav took us via the A515, through the centre of town to our site. No problem despite the narrow roads in this area of the Peaks.

The site here looks to have recently been refurbished and is ideal.

We were set up by 2.30pm and decided to bike into town. Not a good decision as it turned out with the busy roads and large lorries. The Carsington traffic had followed us it seemed.

We did make it into town but then hit school pick-up and all chaos ensued. To cap it all we got lost and some very kind local cyclist went out of his way to direct us onto the right road back to the site.

Looks like we’ll be walking into town tomorrow.  

Thurs. May 16 2019

A last minute change of plan this morning as we ruled out heading to Brassington. The roads around here with all the giant lorries are just not safe if you are on a bike so we headed to the high ground to get some photos of the spectacular scenery well away from the speeding juggernauts!

The country lanes that we did explore were very quiet in comparison and only single-track in places which suited us fine. We ended up doing a wider anti-clockwise sweep around Carsington Water and as on Tuesday ended up going through Hopton and Carsington Villages before stopping for lunch.  

Despite all our efforts we couldn’t find a suitable way of getting to Hognaston in the afternoon and ended up crossing numerous fields full of sheep at the base of the dam.

Our trusty steeds have now been stowed safely for our journey north tomorrow. With any luck it will take less than an hour to arrive in Buxton, our next port of call.

Weds. May 15 2019

The bikes stayed firmly tethered on Detlef today as the crew enjoyed a rest day out of the saddle. Instead we made our way to the nearest bus stop to visit Ashbourne.

The 11.08 bus was a few minutes late and we should have realised what was to come as the bus screeched to a halt almost overshooting the stopping area! Once aboard we enjoyed a white-knuckle ride along the narrow country lanes at speeds only matched by rides at Disneyland, Paris. I am not sure that the courteous “thank you” to the driver as we got off was entirely meant but we survived.

The first port of call was to find the start of the Tissington Trail and a walk through the Ashbourne Tunnel and beyond but alas we had no bikes to go further. So back into town we went.

All-in-all, Ashbourne was a slight disappointment with no real focus for visitors. True, St Oswald’s church was impressive but the town is suffering big time with the numbers of heavy lorries clogging up the streets on their way to and from local quarries and farms. The noise was deafening at times!

The trip back to the site was a lot more sedate and it was good to get the advice of our driver as to the best way to get to Buxton later in the week. 

The late afternoon and early evening has been spent soaking up the rays and our thoughts have been slowly turning to tomorrow’s activity. Brassington village has been recommended so the bikes could make another appearance.

Take care!

Tues. May 14 2019

It’s been said before but alongside the pleasures of owning a motorhome or caravan there is that frustrating inevitability that something will go wrong or break!

That was the case yesterday evening when one of the cupboard doors came off in my hand! Rumour has it that I was heard to say, “Oh bother” once or twice before retiring to bed to contemplate this morning’s repair.

Luckily, we were well prepared having experienced the same problem last year in Germany and all necessary items were aboard for a speedy reinstatement of the offending article after breakfast.

We decided to tackle part of the High Peak Trail today in perfect weather conditions – wall-to-wall sunshine and hardly no wind. Our route headed north along the Carsington Water Dam to the north end of the lake before crossing into Carsington Village.

The climb from Hopton to the Trail was imposing and it was at that point that the e bikes came into their own! We were slightly miffed that parts of the trail were closed due to rock falls but nevertheless decided to complete what we could before heading back the way we had come. As it turned out the stretch that we did complete was more than adequate and no complaints have been registered with the local tourist authority!

The trail follows the route of a disused railway line which still boasts many old railway buildings. The area we explored today around Hopton Heights is full of redundant lead mines and evidence of their glory days still adorns the countryside.

After a quick afternoon refreshment stop at Carsington Water Visitors Centre we made our way back to base for a well earned rest and some “feet up” time.

It looks like we’ll be using public transport tomorrow with Ashbourne high on the list of places to visit.

Mon. May 13 2019

Somewhat of a late start this morning as the fatigue factor kicked in but that didn’t deter an anti-clockwise ride around the lake this afternoon. The views at certain points along the route were spectacular (see the latest photos section). The e bikes made light work of the steep gradients along parts of the trail.

The Visitors Centre provided a very welcome break towards the end of the ride and we completed the 10 mile ride in time for tea back at our site.

It remains to be seen if we will attempt parts of the High Peaks trail tomorrow or stay local to explore the local villages.

 Sun. May 12 2019

Thanks for taking the time to log-in to the travelogue and apologies for the lack of news over the mast few weeks.

Needless to say yours truly has been to the Austrian Tirol since the last notes were written but this time without the motorhome (or better half for that matter)! Suffice to say a good time was had by all team members!

The cultural visit (editor’s licence) took in the sights of the Ziller Valley (Mayrhofen, Zell am Ziller), Salzburg and the Achensee (Pertisau and Seespitz). Travel was undertaken by hired mini bus from Munich whilst good use was also made of the local trains.

Since returning to the UK the tempo can only be described as “hectic”.

The gardeners at Hunter Towers are also taking their annual holidays at this time of year and it befell to yours truly to set about the ever increasing biomass by taking the sit-on mower for a spin around the grounds! 

Then, of course, there was that minor irritation that you just can’t seem to shake off, despite your best efforts. The “irritation” from yours truly’s point of view was the French camp site that I’m trying to book in July. Despite countless emails and even attempted phone calls nothing has been forthcoming so……….

I found another phone number and tried to call….success…. someone answered and after a few exchanges I agreed to email details but it did appeared a booking was possible! Having received their email in reply I am now not so sure so I’ve sent another communication asking for clarification! Happy Day! As I write I am still waiting!

The main priority, however, was preparation for the Derbyshire Peaks trip. Easy, I hear you cry!  It would have been had the tyre inflator pump not failed late in the day on Saturday with Dethlef’s tyres way under pressure. However, a quick visit to the local motor accessory shop did the trick and we were able to proceed once more.

The trip to Derbyshire took four hours via the M1 and A50. The approach to the site was well calculated by the Sat Nav and we managed to avoid the caravan and motorhome traps lurking in wait for unsuspecting travellers.

The site here is at the southern end of Carsington Water and is amongst very tall pine trees. We’ve a very flat pitch and are very close to all the necessary facilities. No chance of Sat TV,  however!

Having set up we ventured on foot to the Visitor Centre at the lake via the path along the dam clocking up 10km in doing so. 

The bikes are scheduled to make an appearance tomorrow as we try and get completely round the lake.

Mon. Apr 15 2019

It’s always disappointing to wake up on a departure day morning knowing that the trip will shortly be coming to an end! On the positive side, planning for the next adventure can begin!

It didn’t take long to prepare ourselves for our journey back to Hunter Towers and after a leisurely breakfast we made an 11 am start along the M23 and M25 dreading what might be waiting for us at the Dartford Crossing! We need not have worried and although it was “stop and go” we did not get totally stuck!

Some three hours later we arrived at our destination, unpacked and prepared Detlef for the trip to Norfolk starting tomorrow. 

Sun. Apr 14 2019

It was an early start with the alarm going off at 06.50 but we need not have worried. E and A were already awake and it didn’t take long to down breakfast and head off into the city centre – all before 08.00!!

We had already got a text to say that M had decided he was not fit enough to run and met him around the pier where we settled down to wait for V to appear close to the start of her 10 km run. With an estimated time of fifty minutes to complete the course it didn’t take long before she appeared only to disappear within seconds along the road to Hove. We kept our place on the railings and waited for V to reappear some twenty minutes later. It was all over by 10.00 am with V recording a personal best time of 49.47! Well done! 

With M not competing the day was over really before it started and all that was left to do was to cheer on the other competitors before M, V and the girls headed off to do battle once more with the M25.

Yours truly and E headed back to our base where we spent a leisurely afternoon having clocked up some 33 km walking in the last three days!

We head back to Hunter Towers tomorrow (Monday) with Detlef due to travel up to Norfolk in the good hands of M, E and family. 

Sat. Apr. 13 2019

It was always going to be a relaxing morning with the expectation that the crew were arriving at some time in the afternoon. And so it proved with M and E the first to arrive in the Brighton area parking at the Marina and spending most of the day in the city centre before returning for our pre-planned evening meal.

M, V, E and A arrived mid afternoon to meet here at the site before we all headed off to the Marina and then on to the Marathon Village for a good look around. M was still in two minds about running but wanted to leave his decision as late as possible.

The evening was spend in one of the Marina’s many restaurants. Thanks go to M and V for their hospitality. 

Fri. Apr. 12 2019

The alarm actually worked this morning as we woke to a cold, sunny morning.

The trip to Brighton went well taking some three hours without any problem. In fact the timing was spot on as we arrived just after midday ready to check-in.

After setting up and a quick lunch we walked to the Marina and then on along the promenade to the Pier and City Center. The prom was given over to the Marathon with runners signing in and getting their numbers and t shirts etc. The race “village” was very busy and who knows what it will look like on  Sunday when the run takes place. 

We managed to walk 12km this afternoon which is enough for the first day. Who knows what Sunday will bring. We’re off to the Marina for our evening meal tomorrow when the other crew members arrive.

Mon. Mar. 11 2019

Sunshine all the way today but unfortunately accompanied by the wind once again.

Nevertheless that did not stop a brisk round walk of just under five miles to Wells lifeboat station and Holkham Beach.

Our two neighbours  decided to head for home this morning which left us all alone as the only guests at the site. When was the last time that happened? Perhaps they knew something about the weather in the next couple of days. We’ll see.

Wells is a very interesting town. There is such a stark differences between views at high and low tide. You could almost be in a different place! Today we had the pleasure of walking along the dyke at high tide watching the small boats bobbing at their moorings. Yesterday at low tide they were resting on the sandy river bottom with no water in sight.

It’s about time to head off into Wells again for a “fish and chips” supper. No doubt we’ll find yet another restaurant offering their award-winning dish. It’s the watering hole afterwards that I’m looking forward to. Adnams anyone?

Sun. Mar. 10 2019

Most of the “club” sites in the UK open annually in the middle of March. We found out why today.

Venturing out before that magical start date is a risk, weather wise, that is. And so it proved today. 

The relative short trip to north Norfolk was made in driving rain and strong winds. What awaited us was a grass only CL site with a lot of surface water and mud! Getting set up was “interesting”; no traction for Detlef and a mass of deep ruts across the site!

The weather improved in the afternoon as we ventured into Wells on foot.  The Golden Fleece provided a warm refuge to watch the rugby and for a couple of beers.

Let’s see what tomorrow brings as far as the weather is concerned.