T4rdis2 Tour 2 - Day 116 - 120 Germany

Day 116
Monday 24th October 2016 - A lovely day with lots of bright sunny spells.

And guess what? We were driving for a good part of the day so we missed the best of the sunshine!  This morning we left our Stellplatz in the Muritz National Park and headed for the Jasmund National Park which is right at the top of Germany's largest island - Rugen.  Our travel guide described the island as only being 31 miles across but with a rugged coastline that extends for hundreds of miles due to the many inlets and narrow spits of land that connect it's numerous peninsulas together.   Specifically we were headed for the settlement of Lohme, and because we know there are loads of cycling and walking tracks available, we plan to make it our home for the next few days.

However, getting there was something of a challenge! Our journey was another long one, but as you would expect in Germany, on the mainland the roads were excellent, then we crossed a fairly high tech bridge onto the island, and still all remained good until we got to a couple of it's little villages.  Twice it happened!  The only way to pass through said villages was via their old cobbled and very rough streets, so by the time we got to the other side T4rdis2 was very thoroughly agitated and shaken, and I was slightly worried that instead of milk we'd have several cartons of butter!

Anyway, we eventually arrived safe and sound in Lohme, a tiny village that lies atop a 50 meter high cliff on the northern edge of the Jasmund Peninsula.  Our parking spot was only about a 100 metres form the water, but sadly, we hadn't got a sea view this time.  However, once we'd settled in we couldn't resist a little walk out to see the sea and some of the rugged shore line and it was truly a lovely spot and one we were very much looking forward to exploring further over the next couple of days.

Day 117
Tuesday 25th October 2016 - Cold and a bit cloudy but we also had some nice sunny spells.

Happy Birthday Evelyn and also Happy Birthday Adam.  We hope you both had a lovely day xxxx

This morning our bikes were quickly unloaded and we were off out to do our exploring.  John had planned a ride that would take us from our home location, across a narrow spit of land that passes through the town of Glowe, and then out to the most northerly peninsula to the settlement of Nobbin.


We had considered going all the way to Kap Arkona were there are 2 lighthouses - one built in 1827 which is now a museum, and one built in 1902 that is still in use today, but getting there would have made our ride more of an endurance than a pleasure because of the distance.  But as it was it did turn out to be a HUGE pleasure!

We  passed a plethora of very pretty thatched cottages which all had immaculately kept gardens, we admired numerous sea birds drying their feathers whilst sitting on the many groynes that stretched out into the Baltic sea, we passed through many miles of pine forests where we spotted several pretty 'mushrooms', and we got to watch the majestic ocean as we noshed on our sarnies.


Our trail also took us past a couple of almost land locked sea lakes where there were hundreds of water fowl enjoying the diluted autumn sunshine, and it was at this point that we learnt that this area is a major migration area for cranes.  And we're fairly sure that amongst the many ducks, swans, herons, cormorants and gulls we could see some, but just to check it out I Googled it!  My answer came back as ' a type of machine, generally equipped with a hoist and jib!' (and probably with JCB splattered somewhere on the side).  However, we did later confirm what we had seen, but that might have been easier if we'd remembered to have our binoculars with us!

In all, our ride was about our usual 55 kms and was nearly all off road and mostly with fantastic views, so it suited us down to the ground.  Hopefully we'll be able to find similar ones while we're in this area. 

Day 118
Wednesday 26th October - Not as cold as yesterday and the sun managed to avoid the clouds a bit more!

While we were out yesterday we  learnt from one of the info boards that Jasmund is one of more than 2,200 national parks in 120 states worldwide, so it belongs in the same group as areas such as Yellowstone, Serengeti and Galapagos to name but a few, so we had high expectations of it.  Therefore, this morning we didn't delay in setting off for a walk around the headland of the Jasmund peninsula from our home point at Lohme to the town of Sassinitz (which we never quite got to), along a trail called the Hochuferweg (cliff top walk).
And the trail turned out to be like a good many other coastal paths we've followed, with big downs, followed by equally big ups - so our outing proved to be a proper workout as well as being a joy to the eye!

Most of it was through old forests of beach and maple trees that went right up to (and sometimes over) the cliff edge, and the path followed said edge very closely in places - and as you would imagine from the picture on the left, we were very careful about approaching some of the overhangs.   However, despite frequent warning signs some folks seemed less concerned, and once or twice we saw people teetering with nothing much underneath them!  Apparently, there have been major collapses of the chalky cliffs in April 1981, March 1996 and April 2011, and when we eventually went down the 138 steps onto the beach it was easy to see how more could follow in the near future.

As we walked we noted that both the forest and the beach were littered with fallen trees, and some of them were huge but had just been left to lie where ever they had fallen - we later learnt that the park has a policy of only removing anything that may be a hazard or causes a blockage to the trails, otherwise everything is left for nature to take back at it's leisure.   That was probably why we saw 'mushrooms' growing in so many places - I told John 'I'm sure they'll add flavour to our stew pot', but he wouldn't let me pick any!





So why didn't we make it all the way to Sassinitz - well it was about 7 miles each way, but by the time we'd done exploring the woodland, pausing to admire the views and scrambling up and down to the beach we just didn't have time!  But it didn't really matter because all we'd have done when we got there would have been to turn around and come back, and this way our walk was slightly shorter, and possibly more enjoyable because of that.



Day 119
Thursday 27th October 2016 - Foggy in the morning, which just about managed to clear before it rained in the afternoon.

This morning we left Lohme and headed over to the east side of the island of Rugen to the town of Sellin which is one of the main tourist hot-spots in the summer - probably because of it's lovely  long white sand beaches that are backed by colonial style buildings, many of which date back to the early 1900s.  The town was really pretty, and immaculately kept, but for us I think the pier was probably the it's most vivid landmark.

To get down to it you could either descend via  several long flights of steep stairs, (John reckons 85), or you could use the funicular lift  - we walked down and it was well worth it to be able to stroll out over the Baltic sea and to find out some of the history connected to it.   The first pier was built in 1906, but it and several replacements were destroyed by storms and ice when the Baltic Sea froze over.



Today's historic reconstruction was introduced in 1997, however we did think that the huge submersible monstrosity that is at the far end of it wasn't quite in keeping with the rest.  If you choose you can pay 8 euros to be dunked under the water in the contraption on the right - we choose not to!

The town also has a long history related to fishing, but maybe this little 'fisherman' wouldn't quite manage to keep up with demand!  Apparently, pike, perch,  eel, and needle-fish are some of the delicacies available in the many fish reausturants in the area, and while we were on the beach there were loads of tiny boats that were obviously still in use for this trade.



Anyway, as the afternoon wore on the rain started to pitter patter, so we took that as our signal to go home with our fingers crossed that the weather would be more kind tomorrow so that we could go cycling and explore more of Rugen's peninsulas.


Day 120
Friday 28th October 2016.  Heavy rain in the morning but a lovely sunny late afternoon.

Well, we umm'd and arh'd about what to do this morning, but as the weather man had informed us the rain would stop and things would get better, we opted to risk it and go out on our bikes to visit the Klein Zicker (the tickey bit right at the bottom of the map) and Having und Reddevitzer Hoft areas (the long narrow finger that sticks out on the left).

When we left T4rdis2 it was still drizzling, and this lasted until after lunch - thus forcing us to take refuge while we ate our picnic, but at least we found a bus shelter with a good view over the Baltic Sea.

In the end we were very glad we'd 'risked it'  because our ride turned out to be one that suited us very well. In all we only rode about 44 kms, but much of it was over rugged terrain with either woodland or wild ocean views, and although it wasn't particularly hilly there were one or two little ones where we had to work hard, and at times, a strong head wind that we had to battle against.  And then as we were headed down the long narrow Reddevitzer peninsula where we had ocean views on both sides, the sun came out and let us sit and take our last break in it's warming rays.

However, when we were ready to set off again John said his feet were cold.  Now, he's been reading Sir Ranulph Fiennes' book 'Cold: Extreme Adventures at the Lowest Temperatures', and in it he talks about body thermo-regulation!  He advises that if your feet are cold you should put your hat on - so that's just what John did, and hey presto, he soon had warm feet!

We got back to T4rdis2 at about 5pm, but by then the sun was low in the sky and hiding behind tall trees so we were glad to be home - but I suppose that's something we need to get used to now because once the clocks change on Sunday the days will seem very short.





Finally, on a completely different note, I don't want my 'baby' to feel left out. In my last blog I included pictures of my two older 'children' Sarah and Adam. So in this one I'll add a picture of Ben - he's hiding there somewhere!

Anyway, that's enough for now, so till I get around to putting my fingers on the keys again .... take care xx

T4rdis2 Tour 2 Day 110 - 115 Germany

Day 110
Tuesday 18th October 2016 - Rainy in the morning then low cloud  later.

This morning we left Rurberg and headed for Cologne -  a city originally founded by the Romans, and one that is the 3rd biggest in Germany, but having said that, our passage into it was very easy.  The road just followed the Rhine all the way to a very busy Stellplatze that allowed us to park with a front row seat overlooking the river Rhine.  However, the only down side to that was the fact that our electricity cable wasn't long enough for us to plug in, so this was to be our 3rd night without electric!  But that didn't really matter because T4rdis2 is very self sufficient and can manage for long periods with her own batteries and solar panel, and the only thing I couldn't charge and use was my chrome book!

Anyway, once we'd got settled and had lunch the weather had improved slightly, so we set off on the 3 km walk into the city, mostly to see the Cathedral - although there are 12 other Romanesque churches we could have visited (but that might have been 12 to many)!

And we weren't disappointed - the Cathedral was stunning, but we didn't particularly think that could be said about the stretch of water front that we'd walked along to get there especially when we compared to other cities that we had visited recently.  It all seemed a bit scruffy, and sadly, it was littered with beggars - a theme that continued throughout all the parts of Cologne that we saw.

However, back to the Dom, whose 2 towering spires are visible for many miles, but the nearer we got the more impressive they became with their complex filigree like construction, and when you stood at the bottom and looked up, they seemed to go on for ever.  While we were there we learnt that the foundation stones were laid on 15th August 1248, but the building wasn't consecrated until 1324, and from then building work slowly continued until 1520, but then it was stopped leaving the church incomplete.


However, this was remedied in the 19th century and the work was finally finished between 1842 and 1880, and since then it has mostly survived unscathed despite numerous other buildings all around being flattened in World War II.

Once we had circumnavigated and admired the outside of the building we went in and found even more works of art.   These included towering support columns, beautiful stained glass windows, Gothic carved choir stalls, intricate floor mosaics and numerous carved shrines  - along with hundreds of people exploring this architectural miracle!  The skill and craftsmanship that allowed it to be built is beyond imagination so it's not surprising that it has the accolade of being one of the most visited monuments in Germany.


Following our tour we wondered out into the city streets that we found to be lined with numerous familiar shops, and we weren't surprised to see one of my old favourites, C & A amongst them, but we couldn't quite work out why there were so many people and mean looking police thronging the streets.  Hundreds of them were milling around in one of the squares, and many were carrying six packs or had pints in there hands - but then I noticed SPURS FC on the back of someone's jacket and it all became clear.  It turned out they were playing Bayer Leverkusen in a European champions league game that evening, but we later learnt that it had been a 0-0 draw, and it must have been a mud bath cos the rain pounded down from about 6pm onwards.

As well as the churches we'd also read that there are loads of excellent museums to see in Cologne, but I hadn't realised that the Linnett chocolate one was there.  When I spotted it John had to hold me back to prevent me from charging across the road and rushing in (chocoholic that I am!)  However, after he'd reasoned  with me for a minute or two I did see sense  because I am trying to be good at the mo. And then he presented an alternative - he said we could visit  the 'Mustard Museum' instead, so with the lack of anything else to do I grumpily agreed!


However, it turned out to be quite a good alternative and a tasty treat for out taste buds!  As we entered we were greeted by a German lady who spoke excellent English, who invited us to taste their range of organic mustard's  which were attractively displayed and made from top secret recipes using some of the oldest mustard mills in Europe that dated back to the 18th century.

The story goes that Wolfgang Steffens - a registered mustard maker craftsman - brought the dilapidated 'monuments' in 1997 and then lovingly restored them to put them back into production on April 1st 1999. Since then he has used a basic recipe form the 15th century with slight adjustments to complete the 'range' that is available in the shop today.  These included such flavors as garlic, cayenne, honey and Riesling, but we opted to buy Cologne Mostert - a general all rounder that is said to go with everything - and when we tried it with our steak we weren't disappointed.

And we were also interested to read about the health benefits that 5 grams of the product per day is  said to provide!  These included regulation of blood pressure and cholesterol, inhibition of bacterial growth, anti-inflammatory properties for the respiratory organs and that's to name but a few - but we took all that with a pinch of salt!

Once we (I) had tasted all we could we started on our way back to T4rdis2 but on the way we did stop off once more to part-take of coffee and cake by the river (our own of course), and  we also took the time to visit Cologne's botanical gardens which were quite lovely dressed all their autumn colours, and after the hussel and bustle of the cities busy streets, they provided a peaceful retreat .







Day 111, 112 and 113
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 19th, 20th and 21st October 2016.  Lots of rain but with occasional windows of brightness!

Partly because of the miserable weather and partly because we're itching to see the sea we decided to put these days to use for our long trek north - about 500 miles in total.  So really, other than long drives along very busy motorways and roads, and poor John having to cope with heavy rain which resulted in loads of spray, I haven't got much to tell you about.  However, we did count ourselves fairly lucky,  because for many miles on all three days traffic in the opposite direction was just about at a standstill - the lorry queues were horrendous and looked like 'operation stack!'

Our first hop (Wednesday) was to Mohnesee Reservoir - a place we'd visited before and one that had provided lovely views over it's tranquil waters and had excellent facilities for T4rdis2 to enjoy.  When we arrived we had planned to go for a walk, but that went out the window when the rain poured down and the wind howled around sending the falling leaves swirling in all directions, so instead we put our feet up to read and watch a film or two.

On Thursday we moved on to the town of Steinhuder in the state of Lower Saxony,  where we found another lovely Stellplatze on the edge of yet another lake, and this one had cheap washing machines for me to take advantage off!   However, before my chores we did manage a walk out to see the lake - apparently one of the largest in North Germany and one that hosted the Flying Dutchman boating event earlier this year.  The waterfront was extremely well kept and had numerous little bridges, shops and cafes along it's way, and the Wanderweg - the 25 kms route that circumnavigated the entire lake was well signposted, but with grey clouds looming we didn't risk going to far before returning home via Lidl where we picked up essential supplies to see us though over the weekend.


Then, on Friday morning we set off on the last and longest leg of this part of our journey, however, we hadn't gone far when we met with a significant delay - not traffic this time, but trains.  We'd just left the village when we were stopped by a red light at a level crossing, but the stoppage wasn't for one or even two trains - there were 6 - I thought only busses came all at once!

Anyway, we eventually got going again, but even without any further major delays,  our journey took us most of the day, and when we reached our target we knew we would still be quite a few miles form the seaside. We were aiming for the village of Robell in the state of Schleswig Holstein - the northernmost German state which is situated between the Baltic and the North Sea.  But by stopping short of the coast we gave ourselves the opportunity take a few days to explore Holsteinische Schweiz  - an area of low hills and over 140 lakes that are surrounded by trails, and is said to be a nature lovers heaven.

We finally got to the  Stellplatz, we were aiming for at about 5pm.  It's in a marina and right on the water's edge, but even though our book said the Harbour Master's office would be open till 6 there wasn't a sole about to pay for our plot, so we just plugged in and shut the rain out and settled down for a lovely evening meal cooked by my own fair hands.


Day 114
Saturday 22nd October 2016 - It's still raining

Oh dear - we've been  couped up in T4rdis2 and on the road for the best part of 3 days, so this morning we were chomping at the bit to get out and about, but with the rain still hammering on the roof our chances looked a bit remote.   However,  being optimistic we looked at the weather forecast to see if things were going to improve - but BBC said NO - rain all day - maybe we were just going to have to have a duvet day! But then the Accu-weather forecast popped up on my phone and that said 'FINE' in the afternoon, so being fairly desperate we choose to believe that one!  And they sort of got it right, it rained for most of the morning, but then at lunch time it stopped, so we quickly ate our sarnies, then donned coats and walking shoes.  Then, like little 'moles' we popped out of our 'hole' and set off on an exploration of the area that turned out to be  a hike of about 7 ish miles.

Daughter Sarah and Grandson Thomas
enjoying all the fun of the fair!
But I'm not sure who that is behind them!

 I think the fine weather lasted for about half an hour and then a shower  deluge recommenced - and that pretty much lasted for the rest of the day, but having said that it was nice to get out and stretch our legs properly!

Also I think maybe we've been a bit spoiled on this tour, because in the main we've had fantastic weather, but as John pointed out, we're on about the same latitude as our home town of Ripley and they often don't get good weather at this time of year - especially when the fair is there!






Having said all that, we did enjoy our walk through the village and out along the lake side, although we did note some funny creatures lurking by the waters edge!











And although we didn't go into this church, the scaffolding seemed such a work of art it deserved a photo!  The town itself was also quite picturesque with lots of pastel coloured half timbered houses, quaint shops, cobbled streets and even an old windmill.














Day 115
Sunday 23rd October 2016 - At last, a fine  but chilly day!  Not really any sunshine, but no rain either

As the weather was fine we were going to take full advantage of it and spend most of it out on our bikes riding  beside lake Muritz - at 117 square kms it's the biggest of the 140 lakes in this area.  And we did consider riding all the way round but that would have been about 70 kms - and from the map we had deduced that the cycle track strayed along way from the water's edge once you got about half way around.  Therefore, we settled for riding from our 'home' at Robel to the town of Waren - a distance of 27 kms x 2 (there and back).

I did wonder if I could spice dinner up with these!

And it really was quite a good ride, because despite the cold the terrain was very varied taking us through forest, villages and open countryside, and we also had frequent spells right beside the lapping waters of the lake. At one point we spotted these contraptions - apparently they're barges that you can load your motorhome onto and go sailing on the water - we thought maybe we should pass on that because T4rdis2 might make it a bit top heavy and hasn't had her James Bond conversion yet!

There were also lots of interesting information boards (with English translation) and from them we learnt that the Mecklenburg Lake District (which we were in) was sculptured during the last ice age by 'run off' from 60 to 70 metre high glaciers that reached this area from Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea when the ocean flooded this part of Germany many millions of years ago.


Along the way we also found  Schloss Klink - not a prison but a beautiful hotel - I think you would have to have lots of money to stay there.


Eventually, we got to the town of Waren where we paused for lunch, and it was here that a small seagull adopted us.  As soon as we sat down he landed in front of us squawking loudly and begging for crumbs, but when his pals tried to approach he aggressively saw them off - there was no way he was sharing - and in the end we did give him a few bits as a reward for the entertainment he provided.


Unfortunately however, we couldn't linger long over lunch cos it was just too cold.  It was ok while we were generating a bit of heat by peddling, but shivering while munching on sarnies just didn't do it.  So once our food was eaten (shared 3 ways) we donned as many clothes as we could and set off back - I think John thought he was a Vulcan in his new winter mitts! ( or a lobster ).

1 year old Evelyn
and 35 year old Uncle Adam
(but not till Tuesday)

In the end it took us a couple of hours to ride back, but as we'd left the central heating on in T4rdis2 it was toasty when we got in, and while we drank our cuppa and nibbled on biscuits we had the pleasure of looking at loads of pics from our Grand-daughter Evelyn's first birthday which she shares with her Uncle Adam.

Anyway, that's about all from us for now so take care till next time xxx

T4rdis2 Tour 2 - Day 106 - 109 Germany

Day 106
Friday 14th October 2016 - Some glimmers of sunshine but mainly overcast, then rain overnight

Deutches Eck - The Mosel on the left and the
 Rhine on the right

This morning we left Oberwesel to make the short journey to Koblenz - the place where the River Mosel flows into the Rhine and a city that can trace it's history back to 9 BC when the Romans gave it the name Castellum Apud Confluentes - The Camp at the Confluence.

Our intention had been to park on a small Stellplatz right on the river edge, but there was only room for 10 vans and when we got there around lunch time it was already full.  'Never mind' we thought, 'we'll go into the camp site right next door' - we did and got stung to the extent of 34 euros for the pleasure, and if we'd opted for a river side pitch the price increased to  44.  I don't think we've ever paid quite so much before, but having said that, it was very convenient for the sights, and as usual we'd only allocated the afternoon to see them all in!















So, with our list of the ones we most wanted to see compiled, we set off get a closer look at Deutches Eck and the enormous equestrian statue of Emperor Wilhelm I that stands on a massive podium towards the back of it.

Floods in the 1990s

The initial statue on this site was erected in 1897 but that was destroyed in World War II and replaced with a copy in 1993.  And it really is quite breath taking, but unless you've actually seen it, it's quite hard to put into perspective how big and awe inspiring it is.  The statue itself must stand at least 30 feet tall, but with the podium upon which it is set, it towers about 80 feet over the confluence of the rivers and dominates the skyline for anybody travelling towards it down the Rhine.

While we were there we were also entertained by a group of young lads lugging their bikes up the steps below the statue. We discussed if it was likely that they intended riding them down,  they did, and quite skillfully, but when John suggested that we might try it - I quite politely declined and told him of a place he could go!




Also, while we were pottering around the Deutches Eck we found quite a few of these.  I did debate if we could take one home to use as a doorknocker, but on reflection, I thought it might cause T4rdis2 to be on more of a wonk than usual!

Next we went to see the History Column - a fountain that is called Historiensaeule.  It is located in a square named after the poet Josef Gorres and was erected in 1992.   It stands 10 metres high, and if you get to close you run the risk of being spat on by the figure at the front of the rowing boat!  It was created by Jurgen Webers and represents the history of Koblenz from the time of the Romans (at the bottom of the fountain), then around the middle it shows the French and Prussian revolutions, a bit further up is the destruction the city suffered in the Second World War, and at the top the rebuilding of the city is represented.

Unfortunately, the light was quite poor for taking pictures, so sorry, but couldn't do better that this.

And finally, we couldn't really leave without visiting at least one church! So we choose the ancient Basilica St Kastor 

We learnt that the first church on this site was consecrated on 12th November 836 AD, but even before that, investigations proved that the site was used by pre Christian cults for several centuries.  The present appearance of the church however, is as the result of work from the 11th and 13th centuries.

Obviously, there was loads more to see and do in Koblenz, but I think I've told you before, we're not really 'City' people, so apart from admiring the facade of the Kurfurstliches Schloss, along with several other statures and fountains, we were soon heading for home where we were hopping to be able to sit out in the late afternoon sun - thus making the most of our expensive camp site!  But it wasn't to be, cos the weather deteriorated and rain was soon pitter pattering on the roof.  Oh well, the beer tasted just as good inside as it would have done out!

And while we were drinking said beer, we had a chat and changed our homeward bound plans completely. Originally, we were going to cross back over into France and then follow the Loire Valley for a while before heading for the North coast where we would cross back over to England.  But all that meant we would mostly be staying inland and

We do like to be beside the Sea side

Oh, we do like to be beside the sea

We do like to stroll along the Prom Prom Prom

Where the brass bands play,

Tiddely-om-pom-pom...

So, instead of the Mosel, we've decided to carry on heading North until we get to Germany's bit of the North Sea!  Then we're slowly going to wend our way, mostly tracking the coast,  back through the Netherlands and Belgium, then into France to catch the ferry back to Blighty from Dunkirk!

Day 107
Saturday 15th October 2016 - Another mixed bag weather wise - but we did get to see the sunshine in the afternoon, and the evening was positively glorious.

This morning we left Koblenz and headed a few miles further down the road to Maria Laach  where an Abbey stands at the side of Larrcher See - not the real sea, but a lake formed in the crater of an extinct volcano.

Now, there are only so many religious buildings that you can enjoy going to see in a fairly short period, but as we were here it seemed a shame not to have a peek.  The Abbey was built between 1093 and 1220 but has obviously seen numerous renovations since then.  And more recently, since 1802 it has been the home of the Benedictines, and even to this day it is said that the church regularly resounds with Gregorian chants several times a day.







However, while we were there it wasn't chants that we heard, rather it was the roar of the gigantic organ pounding out a recital, but on this occasion we didn't linger long.  We just popped our noses around the door and took advantage of the opportunity to see the interior that is decorated with religious paintings, mosaics and beautiful stained glass windows, all of which  that had been crated over many centuries


Anyway, after our 'peep' we set about our real reason for visiting this area which was a walk to circumnavigate the Larrcher See which is now part of the East Eifel Volcanic field.  Apparently the lake was formed following an eruption approximately 12,900 years ago, but today there isn't really much evidence of it left to see because the lava was quarried for millstones from the Roman period until the introduction of iron rollers in the 1900's.  However, when the eruption occurred it is thought that it  lasted for about ten hours, and that the plume reached a height of about 35 kilometres, and then volcanic activity lasted for several weeks.



As usual we had our picnic lunch with us so we had a late lunch sitting on the lake's shores, but we really did need to be  very careful what we munched!  This was because, over our heads there was a high canopy of autumnal broad leaf trees, and every now and then when a gust of wind caught them,  acorns would rain down and try and hide in our sarnies - we did wonder if there was a vindictive squirrel hiding up there somewhere!

Once our walk was complete we headed back towards the Rhine to the town of Andernach where John had spotted a huge Stellplatz that would hold 70  vans.  To say the least it was busy, and we just managed to sneak into the very last space.  And how lucky we are - we've got a lovely river view, the sun is shining and it only costs 7 euros.  Also, there is an old Geyser here that is a unique natural spectacle.  No, it's not a male -it's of the water kind and is the highest cold water geyser in the world - apparently it regularly reaches  60 metres and is driven by CO2.  The blurb says that you can catch a boat to go and see it but we're hopping we can go by bike - but that will be tomorrows story.

The view from our front window!

Day 108
Sunday 16th October 2016 - a lovely sunny warm afternoon, but this morning you could hardly see a hand in front of your face - did I say it was foggy!

When we drew the blinds back this morning it was just as if we'd landed in a lake of pea soup, so we are holding the weather fully responsible for making us change our plans!  We really didn't think it was worth setting of to see the Andernach Geyser in that lot, and additionally we'd realised by now that the only way to get there was by boat - you have to pay your 28 euros to get into the Discovery Centre and then the trip to the Geyser is the second part of the deal.

Therefore, in the morning we stayed snug inside T4rdis2 and had a look for campsites and Stellplatz that we could use on our up to the North coast, and then in the afternoon, when the fog had cleared a bit, we set of on the first leg of that journey.  We plan to travel about 80 miles each day, but as usual, if we find somewhere nice we'll stop off to enjoy it.  So with that in mind our goal for today was a Stellplatz in the Northern Eifel region which is just over the border into North Rhine Westphalia.   We had read in our guide book that this area has low forested mountains that line the valley of the Rur river which has been dammed in several places to form artificial lakes.  Therefore, we thought this would be another lovely place to cycle, and with all the fantastic autumn colours that is exactly what it proved to be. 

By the time we arrived the sun was shining and there was hardly a cloud in the sky, but it was a bit too late to do more than have a very pleasant walk around the nearby village of Rurberg where we found a bench and sat and soaked up some of the rays.


Day 109
Monday 17th October 2016 - a bit cloudy but fine and warm with occasional glimmers of sunshine.

Happy Birthday Paul - Hope you had a lovely day

This morning our bikes were soon unloaded and we were off around the lakes that are set in the dramatic landscape of the Eifel National Park.  I say dramatic - there really is no need to go as far as New England in America to see The Fall - all you need to do is come here.  Most of the trees in this area are ancient old broad leave ones that carpet the valley sides for as far as the eye can see, and there colours at the moment are stunning - some of them almost looked as if they were on fire.

We rode around one arm of the reservoir for a distance of about 25kms, but when we got back to the Rurberg we thought that  wasn't really far enough, so we set of along another track that followed the riverside until it reached the massive Urftseestaumauer - the hydroelectric dam that was built in 1904.


We dawdled here for a while to admire more of the stunning scenery that was all around us.

However, all good things come to an end and we eventually had to tear ourselves away and continue our  journey, and when we saw the signs on the right we considered for a moment is we should aim for one of the places indicated - maybe not it was a bit to far for today!

So instead we set off back to T4rdis2. but on the way home we  stopped off at a bird watching station to see if we could spot any of the wildlife that might be roaming in this area.  There are supposed to be wildcats, deer, woodpeckers, black storks and many more, but all we managed to spot were a few ducks and geese!

However, I did see this strange creature on the Victor Neels suspension brucke (bridge) that was erected in 2009!  I think he was trying to leave without me but I soon caught him up!

Tomorrow we're going to move back to the Rhine and nip into Cologne to see the Cathedral, and then after that it will be a bit further north.

But that's all from me for now xxx