Camping Strandbad, Mannheim (N49.450137, E8.445048) contd...

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!

Camping Strandbad, Mannheim (N49.450137, E8.445048)

Monday, 9th September 2019


The rain has stopped, but, still cloudy and cool. 

We decide to move on, it is very pretty here at Eberbach, but, the weather does not look promising.

A very short drive, approximately 35 miles, to Mannheim, Camping Strandbad (N49.450137, E8.445048). A site on the banks of the River Rhine, just outside of Mannheim. It has mixed reviews, on SearchForSites, (one good one bad).So far, it appears to be a typical "city" campsite, ie, a bit rough at the edges, but, contrary to the (bad) review, the warden seems a perfectly likeable chap, to us. One point, not mentioned in the reviews, is the extremely tight entrance, and narrow approach road, I don't know what you would do if you met something coming the other way, certainly beyond my reversing skills to reverse through that entrance!

The site is on level ground, on the banks of the River Rhine, we can almost claim to have a view of the Rhine, it is just visible, past the telegraph pole, between the trees!

We arrived around lunch time, so, after lunch, we set off on the bicycles for a "small" explore.

Apparently, it is not permitted to ride bicycles in "the park", but, there is an excellent cycle route, following the river (we are told after inadvertently cycling where we should not have been).

The "small" explore takes us on a 14 mile round trip.

First, we ride through a forested area on the banks of the Rhine, then into a more urban, park area.

Kathleen is having an adventurous day, we cross the river on a large road/railway bridge (with dedicated cycle track of course, cycle onto an island in the Rhine, through a park, then, back via another even larger bridge, again with dedicated cycle track.

We find our way remarkably well, with only a

slight "hiccup" after crossing the second bridge, the cycle route takes us some distance from the river, and, we are aware that there are several "channels" and islands in the river, and, that we must ensure we end up on the "correct" bank.

No problem, after a small detour, planned of course, through a rather shabby area of warehouses and docks, we emerge, back on the cycle track we recognise.