Weds 11 June 2025
A fun-packed five days in Austria with the Ziller Valley as the focus with additional trips to Innsbruck and the Achen Lake.
Once again, it was too hectic for the Blog. Take a look at some of the photos for a flavour.
It‘s back to Germany next week!
Tues 3 June 2025
The lull before the storm as we prepare to head off to Gatwick for our trip to Innsbruck this week.
It’s a packing day today for what it‘s worth. Everything squeezed into a cabin bag and rucksack! Still, looking forward to the hotel life!
Sat 24 May 2025
We left the Berghof at 6.20am for Calais taking some six hours to reach the tunnel. All in all a very good run with good weather up until Gent. The rain then stayed with us to Calais.
We did manage to catch an earlier train and were back at Hunter Towers late in the afternoon. It‘s now time to chill!
Thurs 15 to Fri 23 May 2025
Where has the time gone?
Yet again our feet haven‘t touched the ground during the past week and we‘re almost ready to head back to the UK with Phase 1 progressing well.
The old phrase of „you can‘t see the wood for the trees“ is certainly true here. It‘s hard to see progress when you are so close but stepping back today, it‘s very clear that a lot has been achieved.
The biggest „disappointment“ so far has to be the level of bureaucracy both at government and company levels! The wait times on the telephone have been excruciating at times. Then there are larger organisation that give no email address and the only option is to write a letter.
So, we head back to the UK for ten days or so before boarding a flight to Austria for what should be a welcome „holiday“.
We already have Phase 2 in mind here in Germany from the middle of June.
Mon 5 to Weds 14 May 2025
Big apologies to all you loyal readers out there for the lack of a blog over the past few days but the truth is we‘ve been snowed under here in Deutschland to the extent that we only got to have a part-day off yesterday!
We managed to get a drive into the Odenwald to look at the very pretty villages dotted amongst the hills.
We headed to Gernsheim on the River Rhine for lunch and then on to Biebesheim to look at the Stork Bird Reserve. We‘ve included a few pictures today.
Fri 2 May to Sun 4 May 2025
You‘ll gather from the „Latest News“ page that our feet haven‘t touched the ground since arriving here on Thursday last.
Two nights in a City hotel was a good decision as we were close to the action and weren‘t forced to travel to complete our tasks, especially in daytime temperatures of around 30 degrees Celsius.
All in all we were pleased with what we found and despite one or two teething problems have made good progress, essentially with getting ourselves settled in. There has been a lot of cleaning going on but the staff have done well. The gardener, however, is in for a shock when he arrives for work tomorrow. Hopefully he‘s got his machete with him!
So, as the new week starts, our „to do list“ is full. There is definitely no peace for the wicked!! Watch this space!!
Thurs 1 May 2025
May Day but no dancing round the Maypole at Hunter Towers this morning as we made our way to Folkestone just after 3 am. Surprisingly, there was some mist around, particularly in Kent but otherwise there were no issues as we made LeShuttle by 5.45 am.
We were added to the 6.16 am crossing only to find out after a rushed check in that the train was cancelled! This meant a wait for an hour but it didn‘t really matter as we were ahead of schedule at this point.
We arrived in Calais at 9.00 am and were quickly on the Auto route through France and into Belgium. The traffic into Belgium was minimal due to it being a public holiday. The lack of lorries on the road throughout the day was ever apparent with the rest areas crammed full them, waiting for the day to end.
The Brussels Ring was a nightmare with massive queues for miles but once through we made good time. Lunch was taken just outside Aachen in Germany with the final drive bypassing Köln and then south, arriving in Darmstadt at 3.45pm.
The hotel here is interesting with only a total of about 15 guests. Part of the Acore group, I reserve judgement as we‘re here fore two nights.
We‘ve had a bite to eat this evening after our larger lunch and I suspect we‘ll eat in Darmstadt city centre tomorrow morning after the day‘s business.
The temperatures tomorrow are expected to be similar to today, around 30 degrees Celcius.
Weds 30 April 2025
It’s been all go at Hunter Towers today as we prepare to head to Germany in the Huntermobile tomorrow and not Detlef on this occasion.
It’s an early start tomorrow as we head to Folkestone. Watch this space………..
Weds 16 April 2025
An early 06.15 am alarm call was a shock to the system but sufficient in ensuring an 08.00 am departure from our Site in Grassington.
Other Crew members were obviously too exhausted to make our departure, no doubt having drunk too much bubbly after their „Ludo“ victory celebrations overran into the early hours! Never mind, everyone lives to fight another day!
It was quite damp as we headed off with the narrow roads busy with „rush hour“ motorists. With a handful of possible routes to the A1 we decided to take the A59 heading east to Harrogate and Wetherby. The former was quite busy but the Sat Nav took the strain very well.
The A1 south of Leeds is currently slow due to bridge repairs and we were duly caught and delayed by about fifteen minutes but at least we were moving all the time (albeit very slowly).
We duly arrived back at Hunter Towers at 13.30 pm, a trip which took five and a half hours but which included a fuel stop. Detlef has been cleared but the rain and mud have left their mark on the outside and a good clean is required but that will have to wait ˋtil another day.
Speaking of a clean up, me thinks that some Crew members (i.e. me) need to jump into the Golden Bath in the Attic.
Thanks once again to all Crew members for a fantastic few days together.
Es hat Spaß gemacht……. „ Bis zum nächsten Mal…..“
PS…..the Bill for the new set of knees is in the post…..!
Tues. 15 April 2025
We certainly „got away with one“ today as far as the weather was concerned and whilst the sun decided to stay away, we remained dry thank goodness.
The trip to Fountains Abbey took about forty minutes from our site here in Grassington and with no prior research, anything could have awaited us. In fact, we didn‘t need to worry as we were treated to a wonderful day at a fantastic National Trust site.
The Easter Trail once again dominated the pre-lunch agenda as we headed to explore Fountains Hall, Fountains Mill and the Abbey Ruins.
Crew members enjoyed a „Cream Tea“ (albeit for Lunch), followed by a walk around Studley Royal and the Deer Park. Unfortunately, no deer were keen to make an appearance for us.
We’ve now returned to site with a few chores to do before heading back to Hunter Towers tomorrow. The other Crew members have an extra day here and are heading off to Malham Cove.
Mon. 14 April 2025
Another full day here in North Yorkshire with a 13km walk around the Bolton Abbey Estate.
The estate is hugh and very well maintained. We were surprised at the number of people already parked up with the visitor centre really full. The main attraction of the morning was the Easter Trail for the younger family members that took us up to the dangerous Strid, a deep section of the River Wharfe.
It was then on to Barden before returning on the opposite river bank.
The afternoon was spent taking a look at the old Bolton Priory with the stepping stones being the centre of attraction for certain Crew members.
It was then off to Appletreewick, site of a famous camp in the 1980’s, for a quick look round. How things have changed!
We returned to our site here for a quick „chill“ before enjoying a family meal at The Gamekeeper‘s Inn.
It’s our final full day tomorrow with a change in weather expected. It‘s just started to rain here, so fingers crossed.
Thanks to M, E and Family for a great few days!
Sun. 13 April 2025
It was travel day today as we headed out of the Lakes to the Yorkshire Dales, some two and a half hours away.
S was the first to leave, making her way into Nottinghamshire before heading further south later in the week.
M, E and the Crew departed next with The Hunters not far behind. A fuel stop in Penrith meant the H‘s arrived at the new site well behind M and E who had already set up.
Such are the fitness levels of the S‘s, it was hardly surprising that a 7km walk followed to Grassington Village in the afternoon. It was a pity that it was overcast but we managed some reasonable photos and look forward to our Bolton Abbey expedition tomorrow and a return visit after many years to Appletreewick, site of a famous camp around 1990.
It‘s back on site now with another round of Ludo planned for this evening. Who can dethrone the Ludo King (yours truly)?
Sat. 12 April 2025
The final day of our brilliant trip to the Lakes and it was off to Rydal Water and the Caves at 10.00am.
Being a Saturday, it seemed everyone else had the same idea and we were lucky to get one of the remaining parking spots.
The walk into Rydal started quite steeply but once height had been gained the path followed the contours of the hillside into Rydal Hall, our first stop of the day. A welcome bacon bap and coffee at the cafe ensured loads of energy for the remainder of the walk as we skirted the lake, climbing to the Caves.
The Cave area was particularly busy with walkers and it wasn‘t long before we left the maddening crowd behind making our way back to the car.
The river next to the car park proved a real challenge for two of the Crew members who decided to use the stepping stones to reach the other side. What they hadn‘t realised, however, was that two crazy ducks and a dog were trying to distract them from completing their mission. After a meltdown from the older stepper, the younger stepper decided to take a quick unintentional dip into the beautiful clear mountain stream. The screams indicated both fear and complete stress from the cold water.
Luckily the whole episode was documented and proof can be seen in today‘s gallery.
It‘s off to Yorkshire tomorrow.
Fri. 11 April 2025
An adventure to be had in Borrowdale today, or so the locals said.
A twenty minute drive to Rosthwaite and the Team were off on the tour to Grange via Seatoller and Castle Crag.
The start following the River Derwent to Seatoller was straight forward and relatively flat but quickly turned into a steep climb to the contouring paths back to Grange. The scenery was once again stunning all the way. We managed to find a hill stream to have lunch by and made Grange by 2.00 pm. Disappointingly, the cafe at the end of the walk was closed and we had to go into Keswick for a top up in Hope Park.
It looks like a short walk might be on the cards for tomorrow, our last full day before decamping to the Yorkshire Dales on Sunday.
Thurs. 10 April 2025
Another great day spent out and about with the Crew.
It was off to Grasmere this morning for a wander through the village. First stop was inevitably the Gingerbread shop followed by a leisurely riverside stroll including a visit to the grave of William Wordsworth in St Oswald‘s church grounds.
The overhead jets were a source of entertainment during our lunchbreak and what a noise they made!
The afternoon was spent at the Brockhole Leisure complex where younger members of the Crew enjoyed an Easter Egg Hunt and a round of Crazy Golf.
We are booked in for a team meal at the local pub this evening. Hic!!
Weds. 9 April 2025
Talk about being spoilt by the weather!
There‘s no doubt that opening the blinds first thing in the morning can be a hit and miss affair given the changeable nature of the weather in the UK; one never quite knows what one is going to encounter. Not so here in the Lakes where once again we were met with pure sunshine!
There was a slightly later start for the Crew this morning with a five minute drive into Keswick to find the Keswick FC car park. It was then up hill all the way to the top of Latrigg, just above Keswick.
The good company and frequent pauses ensured a pleasant walk to the summit where we enjoyed a picnic- style lunch with great views over Keswick and Derwent Water. The low-flying jets also provided splendid entertainment as did the rather slower Spitfire and Hurricane that suddenly appeared!
The walk down took us to a point along the old Threlkeld Railway line from which we made our way into Keswick for a well-earned coffee and later a fish and chip supper.
It‘s a „feet up“ evening here on site with an easier day planned for tomorrow!
Tues. 8 April 2025
The Crew slipped into their seats in the Team Volvo XC90 at 10.15am for the ten minute drive to the Whinlatter Forest site for a prompt 11.00 am „Go Ape“ start.
Regrettably, there were only three members of the Team physically capable of the ninety minute session and the rest were forced to sit comfortably in the brilliant sunshine and watch!
It soon became apparent that our Team members had done this before and were quickly round despite getting stuck behind slower „Apes“ from other families.
The photos of the event weren‘t bad but the back light proved a challenge, hence the need for image processing afterwards.
The facilities at Whinlatter are excellent and the Crew thoroughly enjoyed their romp in the tree canopy. The lunch in the restaurant was good and this was followed by a circular walk to Seat How and back. The views were fantastic on such a great day and the climb was worth it.
It‘s more of the same tomorrow as we head to Latrigg.
Mon. 7 April 2025
Another perfect day here in the North West with wall to wall sunshine.
The trip to Buttermere Village took twenty minutes from our site here in Braithwate over some stunning countryside, arriving at around 11 am. We were lucky to find one of the last parking spaces and it was then off around the lake, a trip lasting until mid afternoon.
It is well worth a look at the photos today to get an appreciation of our surroundings today and one can see why this area of the UK is so popular.
The sites seen today are too numerous to do justice to in words but a perfect day was spent firstly in one of the Buttermere coffee shops and laterly in the Royal Oak here in Braithwaite.
It looks like another fine day tomorrow with a trip to Go Ape for the younger members of the Crew.
Sun. 6 April 2025
What perfect weather for our scheduled six hour trip up north today.
The planned leaving time was 07.30 am heading west along the A14 before heading north via the A1. In fact, the leave time was slightly earlier and with two brief stops managed to get to the site here in Braithwaite by 13.30 pm.
The reported closure of the A1 near Leeds proved to be false and we were duly treated to superb views of the western Lakes area as we headed in that direction along the A66.
It was great to meet S waiting on site for us and we were quickly tucking into coffee and biscuits. M and E and the crew turned up mid afternoon to set up their caravan and the team was complete when T and the dog joined us just before the evening meal, superbly cooked by S.
After some traditional games in Detlef, all are now safely tucked in bed ready for our trip to tomorrow.
Mon. 31 March 2025
It was off to the Dealership this morning for the annual „habitation“ check and luckily no problems were found.
One or two cosmetic issues were addressed; filters were changed and it was then back to Hunter Towers by lunchtime!
It‘s preparation week for our next trip.
Fri. 28 March 2025
It was an early rise today as we were treated to some East Yorkshire morning sunshine.
The trip back to Hunter Towers took five hours (exactly the same time we took getting to Bridlington). The school run saw minor delays through “Brid” but once out of town all went smoothly.
All in all – a good first trip. The internet connection on site once again disappointed and is so frustrating to work with, especially for this blog. It’s about time to look for an alternative. We’ll see.
We are now unpacked and ready for the inspection on Monday.
Thurs. 27 March 2025
Don‘t you just like to get on a bus to be met by a driver who really doesn’t want to be there. Yes, that was the scenario today as we headed in the wrong direction to Flamborough instead of waiting for the same bus to return heading towards Bridlington. Luckily it wasn‘t our fault that the driver was so manky but nevertheless, not a good start!
The journey to Filey took around forty five minutes and we ended up staying three and a half hours before heading back. What to say about Filey?
Filey is a compact seaside town but without any over the top seaside attractions. There is a promenade but once again our visit was pre-season and a lot of the amenities were still closed in preparation for an Easter opening.
The cliff top gardens were well manicured and colourful and well supplied with benches. In fact, we have been impressed with the number of benches provided, for example, both today and at the Sewerby Cricket Club where benches surround the outfield.
It‘s our last evening here before heading back south tomorrow. Just enough time to have a couple of beers.
Detlef has it‘s annual habitation check on Monday, so we‘re off to the Dealership and then we have the Lake District to look forward to.
Weds. 26 March 2025
A misty early morning gave way to a sunny day as we headed to Bempton Cliffs by bike to visit the RSPB Centre.
This was a first for the Hunters and what a day we had.
The bike ride took twenty minutes from our site right to the front door of the Centre. The bikes even had their own storage area!
The RSPB area at Bempton Cliffs stretches for about two miles and contains five large open viewing platforms giving good views of the thousands of birds nesting on the cliff face.
On arrival we were informed that some Puffins had been spotted and it was “game on” as we headed for the cliff edge and guess what? Our first stop – jackpot!! Take a look at the photos from today for the evidence!
Bempton is so different from the RSPB sites further south. The chaos in the skies and on the sea surface has to been seen to be believed. How birds manage not to fly into one another is a mystery.
The morning session was spent moving from platform to platform always having subjects to watch and photgraph never quite knowing what one would see next.
After lunch we moved south towards Flamborough. The cliffs appeared a lot bigger with hundreds of birds clinging to the narrowest of ledges. Apparently, the numbers will double in the next few weeks!
The day was a great success and needs to be repeated soon, ideally in good light. We returned to our site in the late afternoon to look at the fruits of our labours.
Tomorrow is our last full day. Let’s see what the weather has in store before making any plans.
Tues. 25 March 2025
An overcast start to the day as we made our way to the bus stop for the short journey into Bridlington.
Like a lot of seaside towns, the years have not been that kind to “Brid” with a lot of closed high street outlets and open urban decay. The obligatory fun of the fair activities filled the promenade and it looked like they were being prepared for the annual Easter opening but today without customers.
The working harbour area is always worth a visit and so it proved today with lobster pots galore on the quayside. What an ingenious design! Easy to get into but a lobster university degree to get out of!
Our fish and chips lunch was eaten alongside the harbour under the glare of gulls the size of flying pussy cats. We were lucky not to receive a visit although a passer-by with an ice cream wasn’t so fortunate!
We returned to our site in Sewerby mid afternoon just as the sunshine appeared.
Let’s hope the weather plays ball with our RSPB Bempton visit tomorrow.
Mon. 24 March 2025
The walking boots were called into action today as we walked to the coastal path across Bridlington golf course and on to Sewerby Hall.
The weather played ball too which was a bonus. We then headed east along the coastal path to Danes Dyke before heading to Flamborough Road to catch the bus to North Landing.
The cliffs were stunning in the afternoon sunshine and we look forward to visting Blempton later in the week. From all accounts there are a few Puffins to be seen.
The bus brought us back to our site in good time to enjoy a glass of wine before the evening meal.
It’s off to Bridlington tomorrow with Bempton on the cards for Wednesday.
Sun. 23 March 2025
The 2025 season kicked off today as we left Hunter Towers for Bridlington in Yorkshire. The trip to our site took five hours in wet driving conditions. The day was spent setting up and chilling with a bit of exploration around the site which has changed since we were last here.