The Rhine and Moselle

I am told Imelda Marcos had a thing about buying shoes, well Kathleen has a thing about buying hats. Yet another one is acquired when visiting Rudesheim.

Friday 27^th September 2013

We spend the day, cycling along the Rhine to Guisenheim and beyond.

Visiting the market, to buy fresh vegetables.

Lunchtime is spent drinking white wine in a pavement bar.

All very enjoyable.





Saturday 28^th September 2013

We leave Guisemheim, for the Moselle.

Kathleen is very concerned about the route the sat-nav will take us, the Rhine is a big river, and there are not many bridges.

Initially, she is concerned, because we are heading toward Koblenz, a significant distance down river, but, after just a few kilometres, we are directed to a ferry across the Rhine to Bingen.

The Rhine is an incredibly busy river, with barges and large river cruise boats passing up and down the river every few minutes.

So, crossing the river in a ferry, is, we find, the equivalent of attempting to cross the M1 on foot.

The ferry has to pause and turn head on to the current, whilst barges pass on either side of us, several times during the crossing.

We are heading for a Stelplatz which we got from a book I picked up at a tourist display, we arrive at Minheim, (N49 51’ 54” E6 56’ 28”).

But, the best laid plans of mice and men, seldom work out.

I have carefully checked out the church in advance on Google, but, we arrive to find the place absolutely full.

A van just leaving, but the German van we have followed for the past five miles gets the space. I knew I should have taken a chance and overtaken him! He is so anxious to grab the space, he begins reversing into it, before the departing van has actually exited the space, and promptly reverses into him! No damage done fortunately.

Never mind, we know of another Stelplatze. 

Longuich, Felten Weine and Edelbrande (N49 48’ 7” E6 46’ 49”) A return visit, so, a stroll to refresh Kathleen’s memory of where the church is, and check out mass times.

We pause in a Bier Garten for a glass of wine, then, back to the van to snooze in the autumn sun.

The banks of the Moselle are covered in vineyards, and, most of the stellplatz are set in the vineyards.

This one, at Longuich, is no exception, we are surrounded by the raw materials of our lunch time tipple!

Sunday 29^th September 2013

Sunday, so, that means church.

While Kathleen cycles to the village to attend church, I bake bread for later.

No, I have not become a bread chef, we bought part cooked bread buns, at Lidl, all you have to do, is pop them in the oven for ten minutes, even I can do that.

After Kathleen returns from church, we cycle down river for about six miles, a little beyond a place called Mehring. We call in at Mehring, to check out the Stellplatz there, it has a good spot, right on the river bank, but, it holds approximately 100 vans, and is a little too big for our taste.

By the time we return to Longuich, we have cycled about twelve miles, that is quite a feat on our folding bicycles, which are not designed for significant distances.

We cycle back to the Wine / Bier Garden we visited yesterday, for a very enjoyable lunch, some excellent wine, German brandy and German Liquers.

Monday 30^th September 2013

A beautiful autumn day, bright blue sky, warm sunshine.

We cycle along the Moselle into Scweich, passing a rather large river cruise ship, executing a complete turn in the river. The ship is almost as long as the river is wide.

The plan had been to use a cash machine in Scweich, then cycle along the river in the direction of Trier.

But, we meet an Welsh couple who have ridden to Scweich on their motor scooter from further down the Moselle. They turn out to be an entertaining pair, 74 years old, but, not even looking retirement age, they are making their way back home, from a visit to Poland.

We talk for so long, we run our of time to do our cycle ride, and instead return to the van for lunch, and an afternoon of reading in the sun.

South West across Germany to the Rhine

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.