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Monday, 16th September 2019
After yesterday's scorcher, today seems cool at only 14C in the morning, rising to 22C by lunch time.
We plan to leave, tomorrow morning, so, today we have an easy day, a trip into Rudesheim to mix with the tourists, followed by packing away bicycles etc.
We do not plan to move far, only about 20 miles along the Rhine, to Oberwesel. Currently undecided if we should stay at Camping Schonburgblick (N50 06'08" E07 44'11"), or at the Stellplatz nearby (N50.10828, E7.72729),
Tuesday, 17th September 2019
Although the weather forecast was not too promising, it turns our to be another beautiful day, sunny and 20C, but, with a stiff breeze.
An easy drive along the Rhine, entering the section referred to as the "Romantic Rhine".
Our planned destination, Oberwesel, is on the opposite site of the Rhine, so, the Sat-Nav directs us via a small ferry, it may be small, but, it operates very smoothly, and, other than having to make room for a Tourist Coach to get off the ferry, before we could get on, all is well, for 10Euro.
First disappointment, contrary to the reviews on SearchForSites, the Stellplaz (N50.10828, E7.72729), is disappointing, most of the space occupied by parked cars, adjacent to a busy road, and, no visible EHU, it is 8Euro/24hr, not worth it, in our view.
On to Camping Schonburgblick (N50 06'08" E07 44'11"), just a short distance away. This site has a good location, by the Rhine, but, a slightly overcrowded appearance, and, it is full, except for a small area just outside the entrance, which has EHU for Motorhomes. Kathleen is not happy with this, so, off we go.
A few miles further on, we chance upon Campingplatz Loreleyblick (N50 8'37" E7 43'20"). It is again, right on the bank of the Rhine.
Fairly large, and not immediately to Kathleen's liking, but, we decide to stay, for at least one night. After a little explore, Kathleen decides "it is better than she thought", so, we may stay longer, watch this space!
As mentioned earlier, this section of the Rhine is popularly known as the "Romantic Rhine", with castles, either on islands in the river, or, perched on the steep sides of the gorge.
Wednesday, 18th September 2019
Very cool start, compared to what we have been used to, but, sunny, and quickly warming to 20C.
This site, Campingplatz Loreleyblick (N50 8'37" E7 43'20"), is excellent, except for the railway line, running nearby. Trains continue throughout the night, and, they are LOUD. Living, as we do, in an urban area, we are used to some background noise, but, this is definitely in the foreground! Don't think we will stay a third night!
We have new German neighbours, a much younger couple, only 30 something, I would guess, so, significantly younger than the average geriatric Motorhomes They are very friendly, and wave us off on our cycling outing, they are drinking white wine at 10:00 in the morning!
We cycle ten miles, towards Koblenz, following the excellent Rhine cycle track.
We are still in the "Romantic Rhine", so, plenty of Castles, perched on the hill sides.
Also, cruise boats and barges keeping pace with us, as we cycle along.
We eventually reach Boppard, where we stop for lunch.
Our lack of German Language skills are adequately demonstrated, Kathleen gets a Chocolate Muffin, despite asking, in her best German, for a Blueberry Muffin.
I manage to get Belgian Waffles, as requested, but, minus the honey!
After lunch, we wander the shops, cannot complain at this, as if I would, Kathleen has been very restrained this trip, with respect to window shopping..
It would appear this shopkeeper has read my comments about, souvenirs, being made in China!
I am conned, sorry, persuaded into agreeing that Kathleen needs a (smart) backpack, so that she can help carry the shopping, when we visit Lidl Etc.
Needless to say, she does not have her
purse with her, so, I am 18Euro lighter.
I very much doubt the backpack will ever contain any groceries, however, it does have a need internal pocket, which I point out, could be used to carry her purse and glasses (so I don't have to read the menu to her), in future. This is not well received.
Just thought I would include a photograph of said backpack in action (empty of course), although we do make a toilet stop at St Gear, which then results in more shopping, (not bad, for someone who does not have her purse with her), and, an item is actually carried in the backpack.
Kathllen's comment, "it is heavier with something in it",,,,, err, yes, that fits with the laws of Physics, I suppose.
Friday, 13th September 2019
Cloudy, but warm, with occasional bursts of sunshine 23C.
A cycle ride along the Rhine Cycleway, for about ten miles, Picnic lunch, and, a Radler (shandy) in a riverside Bier Garten, paid for by Kathleen, a rare event!
A couple of weeks ago, Kathleen clocked up 91 miles of cycling, in one week. Since then, dare I say, a slight obsession has developed, this week, we have done "only" 69.6 miles, no good enough!
Next we cycle into Rudesheim, to check out Church times for Kathleen, she has to see it with her own eyes, myself/Google are not trusted. It is 17:00 tomorrow (Saturday) evening, so, a repeat of 2013, I suspect, ie Church, drinks in the square, from the "wine kiosk", a meal, more drinks in the square, then, wobble back to the site, on the bikes!
Rudesheim is much more "touristy" than Geidenheim, still very nice, but, a definite tendency toward tacky "souvenir" shops, and, much busier than Geisenheim.
Saturday, 14th September 2019
"Only" 14C in the morning, but, by lunch time, sunny, and 23C.
The section of the Rhine from here, towards Koblenz, is popularly know as the "Romantic Rhine", the bank as are more hilly and covered in vineyards, with castles dotted along the way.
That is where we cycle today, a trivial six miles, a poor show by our usual efforts.
On the return, we pause in Rudesheim, so Kathleen could try out these large seats,
which seem to be very popular here for some reason. they do seem remarkably popular, but, personally, I don't find them comfortable.
The day is rounded off, for me, by sitting in the square in Rudesheim, workingman way through a selection of German wines, on sale at a kiosk in the square.
It works like this, you hire a glass for 3Euro, you have it filled/refilled with wine, for 2Euro. At the end, you return the glass, and get 3Euro back. Very civilised!
When Kathleen emerges from church, we find a very nice restaurant and eat.
We have noticed, in Germany, there appears to be a "cash economy", ie a reluctance to accept plastic.
When we have eaten, I notice that another customer is paying with plastic, so, I ask to pay by Debit card (Starling Debit Card, no fees for foreign currency transactions).
The waiter appears reluctant, and, I have to go to a "cash desk" to complete the transaction, but, otherwise, no problem.
I venture to ask the waiter, why, in Germany, there appears to be a reluctance to use Plastic?
His answer is, that, Germans value their privacy, and, that, using Plastic leaves an electronic trail, ie "they" know, when you ate, where you ate, what you ate.
All seems a bit strange to me, but, I suppose, in a Country which spawned the Gestapo, and the Stazi, perhaps, he has a point?
Just one man's view of course, maybe it has nothing to do with privacy.
Sunday, 15th September 2019.
An absolutely stunning day for mid-September, clear blue sky, full sunshine, 27C.
Now, before I recount this tale, you must understand, Kathleen is most definitely NOT obsessive (she says).
Kathleen, checking her Runkeeper mileage, for the week, finds she has 81 miles clocked up, for the week so far. It is decided, we will go out cycling, taking a picnic lunch, but, with option to eat at a Riverside bar, if we see one.
We duly cycle ten miles along the Rhine, just past a place called Eltville.
We turn back, and stop off in Eltville for a celebratory drink, what are we celebrating? Kathleen's, achievement of, what will be, over 100 miles of cycling, in one week. She is even feeling so pleased with herself that she buys a very pleasant lunch at Rosenstubchen, a pavement bar/restaurant in Eltville.
There are numerous Cruise Boats today, some day cruises, and some of the really large ones where people spend a Holiday cruising the Rhine, and beyond. It is clear that many Orientals (Chinese?) are now taking such cruises, and, places like Rudesheim have groups of them, photographing everything in sight. It seems rather ironic, to me, that they will, possibly, be taking home "souvenirs" from Germany, which, were almost certainly manufactured in China, shipped halfway around the world, in a Container, and, will return in as holiday luggage?
Tuesday, 10th September 2019
A bright sunny day, 21C, by lunch time, even at 09:00 it is warm enough for people to be having a picnic breakfast, on the banks of the Rhine.
We decide to cycle north, along the Rhine, trying to keep to the opposite bank (ie the eastern bank) too yesterday. It proves quite difficult, since we are soon in a busy built-up area, then, before we know it, in central Mannheim.
We find a bridge, and, cross to the western bank. It is still an urban area, but, with excellent cycling infrastructure.
Soon we are cycling alongside a massive BASF Factory, not that you would readily know it was a factory, since it is all neatly landscaped and very well kept.
We eventually give up on the idea of riding beyond the edge of the city, and turn
around, with the intention of finding somewhere to eat our picnic lunch.
We eventually find what we think is a public park, but, it turns out to be the grounds of a BASF training building.
The grounds appear to be open to the public, well, that is, no-one challenges two elderly cyclists sitting on a park bench, eating their sandwiches and drink bottles of railer (shandy).
Fortified, we head off, in search of ice-cream. We recall that, on our way here, we passed a bar/cafe, on the Rhine Promenade, which, we suspect, will sell ice-cream.
We find the Rhine Bridge, and, even find our way up, onto the cycle track, but, at the other side we are completely baffled by the maze of cycle tracks, and tunnels, leading in every direction. There are sign posts, but, since we do not know where any of the places are, they are of little use. We can SEE where we want to be, but, there is a railway line, between us and the river.
After several abortive tries along various tracks, including riding into the University, Kathleen eventually, deduces the correct tunnel, and, we find the bar/cafe to have our ice-cream.
We arrive back at Camping Strandbad having ridden 17 miles.
The site seems much busier today, and, soon, we have new neighbours, a couple of Aussies (man and wife), who are Motor Racing (GP) fans and have been to the Belgian Grand-prix and the Italian Grand-Prix. They are on their way to Frankfurt to drop off their hired Campervan, and fly home.
We spend a pleasant evening chatting to them.
They borrow my van cleaning gear (bucket, sponge, chamois leather) to clean their van, before returning it, and, give us their unused milk, kitchen roll, and, a pack of serviettes, they must be posh Aussies, serviettes, in a camper van!
Wednesday, 11th September 2019
Another beautiful day, 25C by lunch time.
Our Aussie neighbours leave at about 10:00, leaving us with even more surplus items, sugar, jam, eggs!
We have planned a "lazy" day, a few chores and some reading.
Kathleen does some clothes washing, first, then we decide to find the nearest Lidl, for wine and treats.
We set off on our bicycles, according to Google, it is about 2 miles away, in a place called Lindenhof. Eventually, we ask a very helpful lady, who tells us, in perfect English, how to find the Lidl. We arrive having covered about 4 miles!
Big disappointment, this Lidl does not appear to sell one of my favourite treats, they are a sort of Danish Pastry, a spiral of pastry, with lots of raisons embedded in it. They sell them in UK, and, in France, but, not here. I have to settle for bar(s) of chocolate.
We end up with more shopping than I can fit in my backpack, so, I end up with a back pack, and a carrier bag tied to the back pack!
We take a risk on finding our way back, without retracing our steps, relying on my gut instinct for directions, which Kathleen, of course, does not trust,
My instincts are correct, we find our way back to Camping Strandbad, no problem, and, it is only about 2.5 miles, quite why Google directed us the way it did, I have no idea!
Thursday, 12th September 2019
The day starts nicely, sunny and warm, but, as we travel toward Koblenz, it become overcast, with the odd shower, however, by 16:00, at Geisenheim, it is sunny and a very warm 23C.
From what I have already said, we decide to move on from Camping Strandbad, and head for Geisenheim, a place we have visited before.
Approximately 75 miles, almost all motorway.
We had tried to find Geisenheim Am Rhein / Rheingau Camping N49.979271, E7.95744, in the ACSI Book, without success.
On arrival, we understand what, it is no longer an ACSI site.
We are even puzzled by the site name, it was called Geisenheim Am Rhein, the last time we were here (2013), and, according to SearchForSites website, it still is, however, the paperwork we are given is headed Rheingau Camping.
No matter what the name, the site is good, and, we are allocated an excellent location, overlooking the Rhine, with ducks swimming up and down the river, and, a constant procession of barges and cruise boats sailing past.
For the first time, since leaving Cite Europe, Calais, we have several UK Vans onsite.
After lunch, Kathleen disappears to attend to hair washing duties, whilst I get us "set up".
After our evening meal, we have a short (3,5 mile) cycle ride to explore the immediate area, and, locate the nearest Church and Lidl.
Sadly, it would appear the Geisenheim Lidl does not sell my favourite pastry either!
Monday 23rd September 2013
Heading toward the Rhine or Moselle, not quite decided yet.
First stop is Gottingen, a very pleasant town, is our first impression..
We stay on a stellplatze. Badeparadies Eiswiese (N51 31'23" E9 55'46"). Very nice it is too. Almost empty when we arrive, but, by 17:00 almost full, as you can see.
We meet yet another couple of New Zealanders (France and Cynthia), who are now living in the UK, but, spend most of their time roaming Europe in a Campervan. France is of Dutch extraction, but went to New Zealand as a baby, with his parents. He thus has the luxury(?) of New Zealand, Dutch and EU citizenship.
A very pleasant evening, drinking red wine and comparing notes on the places we have visited.
Tuesday 24th September 2013
Kathleen is not feeling too well today, cold type bug symptoms, but, being a woman, she will not just stay in and keep warm and comfortable. As a dutiful husband, I cycle to the supermarket and buy her a bottle of whisky, so, she can have hot lemonade and whisky drinks.
We spend the day exploring Gottingen, by bicycle. This is all very enjoyable, cycle tracks everywhere. The cycle tracks even have traffic lights to control the flow!
I realise that Kathleen is probably not cut out for life here. Everyone abides by the rules, waits for the "little green man" before crossing the road etc, waiting is not really Kathleen's forte. The problem is, the local population obey the rules, and, assume everyone else will, so, when you get a "wild card" potential disaster beckons.
Wednesday 25th September 2013.
Mundane tasks have to be attended to, ie clothes washing etc,so, we head for a campsite.
Back to Eschwege, Knaus Campingpark (N51 11’ 29” E10 10’ 7”).
All washing done, and lunch over, we spend the afternoon, cycling around the lake, drinking beer in the sunshine, before cycling around the lake again, just for the hell of it.
It is warm and sunny, but, autumn is definitely here, as can be seen from the colours of the leaves on the trees.
Thursday 26th September 2013.
We arrive Geisenheim, Am Campingplatz 1, (N49 58' 45" E7 57' 27"), an ACSI site.
We get a spot right on the banks of the Rhine.
Once parked, we cycle into Rudesheim, for a late lunch.
Rudesheim is a stopping off point for the river cruise boats which ply the Rhine, so, is a rather busy place, but, still very pretty, if you get away from the river front street.
Tomtom has her voice back, the volume had “accidentally” been turned down by “someone”.
Difficult to get lost in any case, it is simply a case of following the Rhine, which is pretty difficult to miss.
Reference yesterdays blog, we still have not encountered a bridge across the Rhine!
Geisenheim – Geisenheim am Rhein – ASCI2010-471
We have an excellent spot here.
We have a view over the Rhine.
I can sit and watch the barges ploughing up and down, when I have finished my chores that is.
Kathleen has her own little sunbathing area.
After yesterdays 18 mile ride, Kathleen cannot me motivated to do much today. We cycle only as far as the village (1 mile), to check out church times (it is Friday, so Sunday is fast approaching).
We find the church, and think we have it organised, we leave with a leaflet giving service times, and choose ourselves a bar to have a cooling glass of Rose.
The bar is run by a Sikh couple, who, it turns out, speak English (they were probably born in Leeds). Kathleen decides to ask them to translate the German leaflet into English for her. Only she could think of asking a Sikh for information on a Catholic church, and not see the irony of it.
We have English neighbours, Dennis and Trixie, from Snodland in Kent. They are the classic sort of pair you meet, 74 and 73 years old respectively, and still roaming across Europe in a campervan, they are leaving for Luxembourg tomorrow.
Saturday, we visit Rudesheim, a more touristy place, but nice once you get away from the “front” street.
We find another Catholic Church, this one has mass on a Saturday evening, so that is this evening planned.
Kathleen is in “topping up tan” mode, so I pedal off along the Rhine by myself, towards Wiesbaden, and get my exercise in for the day.
Just as well Kathleen did not join me, the cycle track on most of this stretch is gravel, rather than the smooth tarmac she prefers.
Late in the afternoon, a large number of campervans and cars arrive, all with kayak type canoes on their roofs. The cars and campervans are driven by people at least as old as us. They unload all of the kayaks and put them on the green beside reception.
I ask one of them what is going on. After we have got over my little joke about them coming to watch their team be beaten tomorrow, he tells me there is some canoeing event going on tomorrow, cannot quite understand what it is all about, but a sort of “Race for Life” in canoes as far as I can tell.
In the evening, Kathleen goes to mass in Rudesheim, then we find a place to eat.
Having eaten, we retire to a wine bar in the market square. It is just a wooden kiosk, with tables and umbrella’s set around it. The wine is remarkably good, and cheap. The clientele overflow the available tables and onto the park benches in the square.
We meet a young English couple, he is in the Army (at Munchen Gladbach), and she is a Teacher.
They are cycling along the Rhine, with their 11 month old baby daughter in a little trailer towed behind one of their bicycles, and are staying in small hotels along the way.
One of the things they tell us, is that tomorrow the road along he Rhine from Rudesheim to Koblenz will be closed to all motor traffic, and will be open only to Bicycles, Roller Blades and Pedestrians.
After the English couple have left to put the baby to bed, we are joined, or perhaps invaded is a better word by a whole group of Germans.
We think they are a family group, celebrating some occasion. They soon have three or four tables joined together, and all of the available seats, the proprietor even produces some folding chairs from somewhere.
It is just like a McCafffery family bus trip, taking over the whole place.
We eventually cycle back to the van, Kathleen dangerously drunk in charge of a bicycle.
Sunday, another beautiful sunny day. We decide to cycle into Rudesheim to see if the road is indeed closed, as we had been told it was going to be.
Sure enough, we find the roads, running along the river, on both sides of the Rhine, for a distance of 64km (40 miles) are closed to everything except bicycles, roller blades and walkers.
This we understand is an annual event, and judging from the huge number of people present, it is a very successful one.
Caught up in the excitement of it, we join the crowd and set off in the direction of Koblenz.
We do just over 7 miles (11km), before turning around and heading back for lunch, making 15 miles in total.
Kathleen is so convinced she could make it to Koblenz, if we had set off earlier in the day, the gauntlet has been thrown down, the plan is to return next year, on the same day and do the whole distance.
There are hundreds of people taking part, all shapes and sizes, and all ages from children to pensioners (like us I suppose!).
Every few kilometres along the way, they have set up seats and umbrella for shade, with stalls selling beer, bratwurst etc etc.
Everyone, young and old are having a wonderful time,
At one stage we pass the canoeists I mentioned earlier.
They have set off from the campsite where we are staying, just past Rudesheim, and are paddling their way down the Rhine to Koblenz.
Unfortunately for them, the river traffic has not stopped, and they have to compete with barges as you can see.
I did ponder just glossing over this part.
In the early evening I watched the England v Germany game in the World Cup. How humiliating to be beaten 4-1, while in a bar full of Germans who were enjoying their victory to the full.
Monday, we head west, towards the Moselle.
Bernkastel-Kues – Stelplatz
We find the Stelplatz easily, with the aid of the Tomtom.
It is associated with a Winery, and, is located at the end of a long tarmac track on the banks of the River Moselle, overlooking vineyards all around.
The chap who runs the Stelplatz is a card, he is very elderly (80 we are told), and he insisted on telling Kathleen, how exactly to open the box for the electric hook up.
He also emphasised, by telling her three times, that the box and the handle were plastic.
I can only assume they have met before and he is fully aware of her legendary patience when confronted with anything which does not work the way she wants it to first try.
There are spaces for about 45 vans, (all with electric hook up), but only seven occupied, including ourselves.
The nearest van is occupied by a very pleasant German couple, who even volunteer to bring shopping from the supermarket for us, on their motor scooter.
We get ourselves parked, it is a beautiful spot, overlooking the river, and just beyond the end of the stelplatz there is a cycle track into Bernkastle-Kues (about 2 miles along the river).
Naturally we cycle to Bernkastel-Kues and spend our time browsing around the quaint small town. It is so hot we are forced to have drinks and ice cream.
The place has several fountains and is full of half timbered buildings, still in amazing condition, and in everyday use as houses, shops and businesses
At one point we encounter a chap playing a violin in the street, the music is very good, so we decide to sit on the terrace bar of the hotel across the street and have a glass of wine, while we listen to the music.
Kathleen is feeling particularly generous and offers to pay for the drinks.
We must have chosen the most expensive hotel in town, two glasses of wine cost 9 Euro!, this plus the 1 Euro I had put in the violinists hat made it 10 Euro for two glasses of wine.
We decided the violinist must be a plant, put there by the hotel, to tempt people to sit at their very expensive terrace bar.
I continue my quest to try various items of German food, and Kathleen manages (in her best German) to buy various items from a small shop.
We emerge with Kartoffel Salad, Wurst Salad and a thing which looks like a cold beef burger, but is (we are told) called a Frikadel and is made of pork.
It turns out, the wurst salad is like poloney in mayonaise, the Frikadel is very nice, the Kartoffel salad is quite nice.
In the evening, as I wash the dishes, Kathleen begins playing her guitar, within a short time, she has attracted a German chap (Helmut), who also has a guitar, and says he is very much a beginner at playing it.
Things soon follow a familiar pattern, and Kathleen and Helmut are soon playing and singing together, Inger (Helmut’s wife) and myself, are allowed to join them (with wine of course) when we have finished our chores.
Despite our initial protests that we do not want to drink too much, nor stay out too late, we are there until midnight, with mosquito cream supplied by Inger, and three bottles of wine are consumed.
Tuesday, we say our goodbyes, exchange Email addresses etc, and head further South along the Moselle, toward Trier, which is likely to be our last stop before Luxembourg.
Schweich – Zum Fahrturm – ACSI2010-575
Goodness knows how you pronounce that!
The site is by the river, and we have a riverside pitch, so interesting views, but not the best site we have had in Germany.
The weather continues to be absolutely roasting hot. At home I would expect such weather to end in a thunderstorm, and I have the same expectation here, but when will it break?
I have another puncture!, this is my third puncture this trip, but I suppose, if you accept that I have cycled roughly 400 miles in the past three months, then three punctures is not really a bad average.
We venture out to check out the riverside cycle route, we plan to cycle to Trier tomorrow, but for today, we are content to cycle to Longuich and Roil, a total of about 10 miles.
In the course of our exploring we find a good stelplazt (Weinkultturgut Longen-Schloder p389 of Stelplatz book) which looks a better bet than the site we are on, and it is cheaper, so we may move there tomorrow or the next day.
