A short trip to Chester, January/February 2011.

We have two celebrations in January, Kathleen's birthday and our Wedding Anniversary. We usually have ourselves a few days away in a combined celebration.

Pre campervan days, we typically went to the Lake District, which is not too far at two hour drive from where we live. But since we have had the campervan, we have usually used that to have a week or so "away".

January in England is not what you would typically describe as good camping weather, particularly if you remember we are "comfort campers", ie more the cosy glass of wine than sitting wrapped in a sleeping bag to keep the cold at bay. 

The normal plan is to choose a campsite near a town or city which can provide some interest if the weather is poor, but is also near nice countryside if it happens to be mild and dry, which can happen.

This year I picked on Chester, I don't know why, except I had not been there before, and good old google told me it had a well preserved city centre, with intact town walls, with plenty of pubs and restaurants (so that was the poor weather possibilty taken care of), whilst nearby the Shropshire Union Canal wound through pretty countryside (providing easy walking or cycling in case it was good weather).

Sunday 30th January 2011

We set off on a damp and dreary morning, typical January day in northern England. But by the time we have arrived at the Caravan Club Chester Fairoaks caravan site, the  sun was shining and it was a crisp bright winters afternoon.

As always, the Club site was of an excellent standard, and, given the time of year, we were surprised to find it was reasonably well populated. Nowhere near full, but at least fifty other couples had braved the January weather to be here.

We spend the rest of the daylight hours visiting the information room at reception, and exploring the immediate area on foot.

Monday 31st January 2011

Today is our wedding Anniversary.

The plan is to cycle along the canal into Chester and explore.

It is dry, but bitterly cold.

Kathleen is determined to prove she is 24 and not 64, so off we go along the canal.

It is so cold much of the surface of the canal is covered in ice.

We see very few other people, most people have more sense than to be out cycling in temperatures like these.

The cycling is quite easy of course, reasonably flat and the towpath whilst not very wide is in a reasonably good state of repair. The main problem is the bridges.

The modern ones, which have been built since the canal was constructed towards the end of the 1700's, are fine, they give plenty of space, but the original bridges like the one shown here, have a very narrow section of tow path as you pass underneath. That combined with the ice which is sometimes present can be a little scary, I would not want to end up in the canal even on a sunny day, but definately not on a freezing day like today.

Before setting off, we had consulted the Ordnance Survey Map for the area, and of course read the information leaflets provided at the site.

Basically we knew that Chester was about four miles away. But that was by road. The canal follows the contours of the land, to minimise the locks required, rather than the most direct route.

 After we had been peddling for about a mile, we passed a sign which read "Chester 6 miles". Kathleen does not usually bother herself with reading signs, I decided a diplomatic silence was called for and kept this information to myself.

The number of photographs dries up now for a while, this is becuase my fingers were numb almost to my elbows, I could not operate the camera.

But, credit where credit is due, not a word of complaint from Kathleen as she bravely peddled on.

Before long we arrive at Chester, what an impressive place, the canal goes right under the old city walls.

It is a cycle friendly place and we find a cycle rack and park the bikes then find a place to eat.

Hot soup, and hot coffee, heaven, circulation returns to the hands!

Having warmed ourselves up, we have a quick look around, the plan being we will return tomorrow (on the bus) for a longer visit.

It really is freezing cold, even the modern covered shopping centre feels like a fridge inside!

Soon we are back on our bikes pedaling back towards the campsite, taking note of the numbers on the bridges as we go, so that we know when we are back where we started.

It is now mid afternoon, and the sun is just breaking through the cloud, the temperature has, I think, just struggled above zero.

We even take a rest on a seat by the canal.

As is common, the seat is in memory of someone who has died in the past.

As you can see, he was a Project Engineer on the canal, and assuming the dates given are his dates of birth and death, rather than the dates of his employment (which I assume they are), the poor chap had a very short life, only 40 years.

As is usually the case, we seem to get back, much more quickly than we went, having cycled 15 miles there and back.

A hot shower, and  turn on the heating is the order of the day now.

In the evening, we walk along to the nearest pub (The Rake), it is not to our liking. Apologies to those of you with children, but it is a "Wacky Warehouse" type place with a play area and lots of children running around. Not what we want for our "Anniversary Meal". So we walk on to the Harvester on the A5117 and have a very enjoyable meal.

Then back to the van and settle down with the heating on, the iPod playing our favourite music and Kathleen in her favourite pose, ie stretched on the sofa with a glass of wine.

We do not usually bother with Television when we are away in the van, but this time I decided to try receiving television on the computer.

So far not a success. Problem is, this site, unusually for a Caravan Club site does not have ariel sockets in the hook up bollards, so using the digital television usb dongle I bought before leaving home, I can get a good picture, but no sound! I will keep trying and let you know how I get on.

Tuesday 1st February 2011

It is milder with a little sun, but we are not tempted to repeat the experience of cycling along the canal.

Instead we walk the half mile or so to the Chester Oaks Retail park and catch the bus into Chester.

Being "pensioners" of course we have a "free" bus pass each. This particularly adds to Kathleen's enjoyment, since like most women she likes to think she is getting a "bargain", and what better bargain can you get than to get something "free"?.

Having arrived in Chester, I get first choice of what to do (there will be a pay back I know). I opt to do the walk around the city walls.

The first thing Kathleen spots as we walk along, is a house in a street called "Albion Street". This is apparently the street where her grandmother lived, not here of course but in slightly less attractive Jarrow.

On the other side of the street is a pub called "The Albion" which has an amusing "Customer Notice" outside. It basically says "We don't do fast food, only good food. No thanks, we do not want your children running wild in here"

Shortly afterwards we pass an area called "The Roman Garden".

From the internet, I know there is supposed to be the remains of a Roman Ampitheatre here, I have to admit we do not find it, something to save for next time. Because already we are warming to this place and discussing the possibility of a return trip later in the year.

The walk around the walls is very pleasant, the walls are lower than in medieval times, but still raised enough to give you a good view as you walk along.

Eventually we come to the River Dee, as it flows past the walls.

This is the least well preserved part of the walls, and for short distances they disappear completely, partly because over the years the course of the river has actually changed.

Behind the University Building, much of the original Castle appears to be intact.

Although it is all closed down in winter, it is clear there are lots of fun things to do here in the summer months, with cruises along the river and riverside eating places to visit.

On we go, past the race course, and the well preserved walls reappear.

Eventually we cross the canal at the point we entered Chester yesterday on our bicycles.

As I say, we passed this place yesterday, at the time I did wonder at the purpose of the large basin and locks, but now I can see it is (was?) a mechanism to transfer boats between the Shropshire Union Canal and the River Dee.

It is not all that apparent from the photograph, but the River (with boats) on the left of the photograph is at a considerably lower level than the canal.

We are now almost at the Cathederal and not far from our starting point.

The Cathederal is impressive from the outside, and probably from the inside too, it is supposed to have some of the best wood carvings in Europe.

But, you have to pay to go in, this offends Kathleen's Catholic sensibilities (she says you should not have to pay to enter God's House).

The Catholics may have built the place, but I don't think they have had a say in it's running for the last 400+ years, thanks to Henry viii.

Although the whole place is well preserved, I am fairly sure these Tudor style houses are not original, they are too straight for a start!

At least the development has been done in keeping with the original style of the place.

Soon we are back at Eastgate, where an ornate clock tower stands, and we are in the city centre, the walls still pass quite high above the shopping street below.

This walkway is actually on the town wall complete with shops built into the wall.

Not a good photograph of the clock I am afraid, dare I say this in England, in January, but too much sun.

The medieval covered walkways with shops set back from the street are still well preserved and in use with a variety of shops and eating places in them.

These I am told (Google again!, what would I do without it, more housework, or even some housework is Kathleen's answer) are called "The Rows".

You will recall at the beginning, I said I was given the choice of what to do.

Now, Kathleen offers to buy my lunch, there is definately going to be a payback.

But, make hay while the sun shines I always say, so I enjoy my lunch in a pleasant little cafe in "The Rows", and enjoy it even more when Kathleen's debit card is brought into action.

Now of course the pay back comes. We have to go shopping, probably my least favourite passtime.

My first thought is "I will buy a newspaper and disappear to a convenient park bench or even a pub". I know this will suit Kathleen, since she does not enjoy shopping with me in tow, unless she can get me to pay for things!

Chester however seems to have a dearth of Newsagents, we wander through the whole shopping centre, Top Shop, M & S, Next, River Island etc etc (don't they have all this in Newcastle?) and I do not see a single Newsagent.

I am saved by Kathleen's boots, they begin to hurt her feet (good buy those what?), so we head for the bus station, and back to the campsite.

Wednesday 2nd February 2011

I get to choose what to do in the morning, the afternoon is reserved for (yet) more shopping at the Chester Oaks Retail Park / Outlet Centre, can't wait.

So in the morning we walk the mile or so to the canal and set off in the opposite direction to Chester, ie towards Ellesmere Port.

Ellesmere Port is nothing to write home about, more or less on a par with Jarrow I would say, perhaps not even that good.

The Shropshire Union Canal joins up with the Manchester Ship Canal at Ellesmere Port, more or less at the junction, there is a Boat Museum. This is our destination.

When we arrive we find that at this time of year it is only open at weekends, this of course is a Wednesday.

The museum is run by National Waterways, which I assume, like British Waterways is a Quango. 

In the way only such organisations can manage to waste money, the whole place is open, including snack bar, and it would appear fully staffed with nice helpful people. But, they are not open to the public so do not take our £4 entry fee. A very helpful young man does allow us to have a wander around (for free), and Kathleen even manages to appear enthusiastic about a collection of steam and diesel engines.

In the snack bar, I have the biggest bacon sandwich I have ever had for £2-90.

We walk it to Ellesmere Port Town Centre, find the bus station and get the bus (free again, Kathleen loves that) to Chester Oaks Retail Park/Outlet Centre.

It is massive. Some potentially interesting places like a Bosse shop, and a Toshiba shop, but the afternoon is Kathleen's so it is M&S, Next, River Island etc etc you get the picture, success at last one item of clothing (a top) is bought.

Thursday 3rd February 2011

We have a leisurely breakfast and head for home.

So far we have had a good time, except for the cold, but you cannot help the weather in England, it just is what it is.

We get almost home, on the A1(M), north of the A690 at Durham and south of Chester-le-Street, when we get a puncture. Not a pleasant experience in a campervan I discover. By the time I have pulled onto the hard shoulder the tyre is shredded, this is going to be expensive I think.

Undaunted, we phone the breakdown service (Saga, who else for two oldies like us), and settle down to eat a sandwich while we wait for the breakdown truck to arrive.

Kathleen is a model of patience.

About fifteen minutes after the initial call, we get a call from a garage in Sedgefield to confirm our position and to say they will be with us asap. Sure enough 30 minutes later a very helpful young chap arrives, decides he can change the wheel where we are rather than loading us up and taking us off the motorway (health and safety and all that), and soon we are on our way again.

A bit of a dampener at the end, still have not checked how much a new tyre is going to be, but it has not spoiled our outing, a good time was had by all.

July 7th, 2010 - July 10th 2010

 As we were packing up to leave Stenay, an English chap and his wife (Ray and Jan), engaged us in conversation. They too were planning to move on, and head for Charlville-Mezieres.

Kathleen is now focused on shopping for wine, to take home with us, so we call at Aldi and Lidl on the outskirts of town.

Charleville-Mezieres – Aire

First impressions of this aire, are good.

It is located just outside of a Campsite (Camping Mont Olympe), overlooking a Marina on River Muese.

All of this is within a public park area, with walking paths, rowing boats, tennis courts etc etc.

The aire itself is free, with a charge of 5 Euro / day for electricity (if you want it), there are only four hookup points, but there is parking for 8 vans in marked bays, and room for probably at least as many again in unmarked spaces.

When we plug in our power lead, we find the electricity supply is on, but Kathleen’s Catholic conscience, will trouble her if we do not pay, so I go to reception and pay up our five Euro.

We have a good view over the Marina, from our van.

When we arrive at around lunch time, five of the eight marked bays are occupied.

By 16:00, there are 12 vans there. The secret seems to be with these places, you have to arrive not later than about 15:00 to get a space.

We set off to buy bread for lunch, as we walk past the campsite, I notice a campervan we had seen yesterday, at Stenay.

The couple in it had very kindly explained to us how to get into the Aire, at Stenay etc, and where to get bread. They were able to tell us again, where to get bread in this new place. We do not know their names, only that they are from Whitehaven. So, they shall be known to us as “the English couple who knew where to buy bread”.

We return with bread and also a little treat, Apple Tart, to find that Ray and Jan (another couple who we met at Stenay) have arrived.

The park area, campsite and aire are effectively on a large island in the River Muese. There is a pedestrian bridge over the river to make a short walk to the very attractive town centre.

Kathleen keeping cool by a fountain in Charlesville-Meziers.

Shopping street in Charlesville-Meziers.

Ducal Square in Charlesville-Meziers, where we rest with a cool beer.












Thursday and we leave Charlesville-Meziers, saying goodbye to Jan and Ray.

We pass an aire at Catillon-sur-Sambre, it looks pleasant, by a canal.

We are pretty sure this is where Joan and Bryan a couple of nights ago. But it has no facilities at all, so we continue on to the next aire we have picked out.

Le Cateau Cambresis – Aire

The Aire at Le Cateau Cambresis is a fairly typical basic overnight stopping place with some facilities.

It has marked parking bays for five vans, with space for probably one or two more at a push.

There are four Electric hook-up points, with free Electric and free water.

It is beside a busy and noisy road and about five minutes walk into a town which has seen better days.

Things follow a familiar pattern, we are the only ones there at 14:00, then another British van arrives (Andy and Shiela from near Plymouth), and then  one by one four French vans, so the place ends up full.

Andy and Sheila walk into town to eat in the evening and tell us there is a good restaurant in the Hotel, there.

Friday, it is getting near the weekend and the need to find a church becomes Kathleen's obsession.

The plan is to stay on an Aire at Escalles (south of Calais), but when we arrive there, the Aire is full.

We set off for our second choice, which is north of Dunkirk. As we pass Dunkirk, we stop and ring Norfolk Line to see if we can get on a ferry today, instead of 09:00 Sunday morning. It is now about 14:45 on Friday, and they tell us we can go on the 18:00 this evening, with no extra charge other than the usual £10 fee for changing a booking.

When we arrive at the check in, they are still checking in vehicles for the 16:00 ferry, and since it is not full, they put on that, soon we are on the dockside, going through the usual search of the van by Immigration, looking for illegal immigrants, pets etc

Welwyn - Caravan Club Site

We arrive at Dover, at 17:00 UK time. We decide to make an overnight stop, rather than drive the 350 mile shome, having driven for most of the day already. The M25 and Dartford Crossing are there usual traffic jam, and we make it only as far as the Caravan Club site at Welwyn by 20:00, but by 21:00, we are all set up, and eating Spaghetti Bolognaise cooked by Kathleen's fair hand.

Saturday, and we have a leisurely drive home. As lunch time approaches, Kathleen expresses an interest in having a bacon sandwich.

This is such an unusaul request from her, that I begin eagerly watching out for truck stops which may provide a decent bacon sandwich.

Before I succeed in finding one, Kathleen changes her mind (well it is a woman's perogative) and declares a desire for a pub lunch.

So we stop off at Retford for a pub lunch, just to keep the "holiday spirit" going a little longer.

Kathleen even kindly offered to pay for lunch, out of our "holiday fund". Since we both contribute equally to this, I failed to see how this could be contrued as a "treat" to me by her, since I was paying half anyway!

The end of another trip!

Very enjoyable, particularly enjoyed Germany, and would recommend it.

July 4th, 2010 - July 6th, 2010

Mersch - Camping Krounebieg - ASCI2010-410

The site is very smart.

We are now in Luxembourg, I was not sure what to expect, from childhood memories of "Radio Luxembourg", it had sort of "exotic" expectations to it.

In reality, it is very pretty, very rural, and very hilly. Not really high hills, but just sort of very up and down.

Monday, Bryan and Joan decide to take the bus into Luxembourg City.

Kathleen and I decide to investigate the cycle track, although we have no real intention of going all of the way to the city (it is 17km, 10.5 miles, from here), and we have been told it is quite up and down.

In the event it turns out to be easy going, it is fairly flat, as you can see, since it follows a river for most of the way.

The signposting is not up to the German standards we have become used to, and eventually we lose the track, and end up having to cycle along a fairly busy road. We decide to turn back, since we are not too bothered about going to the city, we are just out for the ride. We end up doing 20 miles, so we could have comfortably made it there and back, if we had not got lost.

One odd thing we have noticed, other than in the towns, there does not seem to be any shops, cafes or bars. Goodness knows where the Luxembourgers (or whatever they are called), do their shopping or have a drink.

We return to Mersch, find a cafe and have a snack and a drink, before returning to the van, so that Kathleen can indulge in her hair washing activities for the rest of the afternoon.

Tuesday, and it is time for us to begin the final leg of this trip, we have to travel across France to Dunkirk, in order to catch our ferry home.

We say goodbye to Bryan and Joan, for the second time on this trip, as they are now heading toward Brittany, to meet up with some family members, for a family camping holiday.

Our first task before leaving Mersch is to fill up with diesel, Luxembourg we have been told has the cheapest diesel in Europe, it is 1.007 Euro per litre, which is roughly equivalent to 88p /litre, I wish we had a bigger tank!

Stenay - Aire, Port Plaisance

This is the French version of the German Stellplatz we have been using, here it costs 7Euro per night, and that includes Electric hookup, toilets, showers, waste disposal etc.

Our problem now is, we are in "high season", and most of the campsites in our ACSI book do not give discounts during this period. This means that instead of typically paying 15 Euro per night, in many cases, the price increases significantly to something more in the 25 - 30 Euro per night range. As a result, we are using Aires to try and keep our costs under control.

The Aire is by the Canal de La Meuse, which is a functioning canal, with barges and pleasure boats passing, this is the view from our window.

I say the Canal de La Meuse, there is a river and a canal, it is very difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins!, but I think the bit we are beside is the canal.

The Aire is quite scenic as these things go. It is not quite as smart as we have come to expect of the German version, but everything is usable.

We arrive just after lunch time, at which point it is about one third full, but by 16:00 it is full.

It is quite a large aire, with space for about 40-50 vans, in addition to the area you can see in the picture, there are an additional six or so spaces, next to the office (where you "clock in" and pay).

It really is quite a picturesque spot, just a short distance away (about 100 metres), is this Water Mill.

Unfortunately it is no longer actually working, but it is quite an impressive sight all the same.

We are about 40 kilometres from Verdun, of World War One fame.

Stenay, must one have been quite a significant place, there is an enormous building, which is called "The Citadel" and was clearly once a military building, it has now been converted to shops and apartments.

Overall, it is a place of faded grandeur, but it still has that a certain charm and sort of "shabby chic" which the French seem to be adept at preserving.

July 1st 2010 – July 4th 2010

Thursday, we decide to move a short distance along the river, to a Stellplatz, we found whilst cycling along the Moselle.


We have arranged with Bryan and Joan, who are nearby, to meet at the Stellplatz.


Unfortunately, there is a little confusion, when we discover there are two Stellplatz in Longuich, and we have the sat-nav co-ordinates for the wrong one! The confusion is eventually sorted out, and we all arrive at the correct place at more of less the same time.

Longuich - Stellplatz – Feiten Weine & Edelbrande (Page 389)

As we arrive at the Stellplatz, a very helpful Welshman comes over and gives us a quick rundown of where everything is, who to pay etc.

It turns out he is called Phil and is here with his wife Lynne, in a campervan of course.

They have a tandem, and, very kindly offer Kathleen and myself a try at riding it. (photograph courtesy of Joan)

Kathleen is not happy because she is at the back and therefore not in control, but it is hilarious fun!

Bryan takes some video, which I will try and post at some point in the future, when I obtain a copy.

Phil makes matters worse, by pointing out that in cycling slang, the person at the back of the tandem is called "the Stoker", whilst the person at the front is called "the Captain". She does not like the idea of me being "the Captain".

As I said we have great fun mastering the technique of riding the thing, we have not laughed so much in ages, and entertain the whole place as we struggle to ride around in some kind of harmony.

We eventually get to be good enough to venture onto the cycle track, and manage to do a couple of miles without falling off, or crashing into anyone else.

On their way here, Bryan and Joan have found a source of cheap Grand Marnier, but Bryan has to hide their stash to prevent Joan from drinking all of it.

At this Stellplatz there are showers provided, so you do not have to use your van shower unless you particularly want to.

The cost of a shower is 1 Euro, but you get at least enough hot water for two showers, or of course to shower two people.

Kathleen’s notices that most people share a shower reducing the cost to 50 cents each.

A battle between her personal modesty and her legendary thrift ensues. Thrift wins.

I have great fun at her expense with suggestions such as the need to shower four times a day, at least, in such hot weather.

There is often a small queue to us the shower, typically two or four people, who sit on a convenient park bench near the shower, waiting their turn. To add to her discomfort I have succeeded in getting at least one squeal per shower out of her, much to her embarrassment, when we emerge from the shower, to the waiting people.

Friday, Bryan and Joan decide to cycle to Trier.

We have already done this, so we do not go with them. Kathleen succeeds in convincing them it is easier and shorter to cycle along this side of the river, rather than the other side (which we did).

Part of her convincing story is that since it is generally downhill on the way back, you can freewheel most of the way.

Needless to say, it turns out to be the same distance as our route (23 miles), with no freewheeling, I do not think Bryan will be taking advice on cycle routes from Kathleen again in the future.

While Bryan and Joan are cycling to Trier, we go in search of a church, since the weekend is approaching. We do a tour of the nearby towns and villages (12 miles) to determine which church offers a Mass at the most suitable time.

Those of you who are regular readers, may have noticed that in most if not all of the photographs in which Kathleen appears, she is wearing the same orange top.

Leaving aside her claims that she has no clothes etc etc, I took this quick photograph just to prove that it does get washed, daily.

Singing starts at 18:30, we are joined by a very lively German woman, who we had met earlier in the shower queue (with her husband, we assume).

I am not sure if she is naturally as lively, or if she is on something. She does not speak much English, and we do not know her name, Kathleen christens her “Mad Monica”. She joins in the singing with gusto. As far as we can understand her husband (or at least her shower partner) is a drummer in a band in Koln (Cologne).

Phil and Lynne join us and it emerges Phil is quite an accomplished singer, and Kathleen, Joan and Phil end up as a little trio, with the singing going on until about 23:00.

We have Dutch neighbours who act as an audience and it turns out their son is married to the daughter of the Technical Director of Newcastle United, he proudly shows us his Newcastle United shirt.

Of course Holland beat Brazil (2-1) so the Dutch are all in fine form, and not in the least concerned by their noisy English neighbours.

Saturday the hot weather continues without a break.

The four of us set off to cycle down river Moselle, towards Dhron Neumagen. Needless to say we stop after about 5 miles for a Radler (Shandy), Bryan and Joan opt to turn back at this point, since they want to do some shopping at the supermarket (perhaps Jaon has found the Grand Marnier stash?).

Refreshed, Kathleen and I cycle on to the next village (Thornich). It is unbearably hot, and we too decide to turn back at eight miles.


We come across a German couple, their bicycles laden with luggage walking along the cycle track. He has a puncture, and they do not have a tyre pump. He tells us his spare inner tube and tyre pump are in his car in Koln, obviously he was not a boy scout. We offer him the use of our tyre pump and one of our spare inner tubes. The inner tube is not the right size, but he is able to repair the puncture and get on his way.

We get back to the van, just in time, the inevitable end to the hot weather we have been having is a thunderstorm, and sure enough we get one.

It is spectacular, but it is all over in about an hour, and the sun is shining again, in time for the Germany v Argentina world cup match on TV in the bar at the Stellplatz, Germany thrash Argentina 4-0, so the Germans are absolutely ecstatic, mad Monica and her husband are shouting themselves hoarse.

Kathleen and I watch the match, in between waiting in the shower queue. This results in big embarassment for Bryan and Joan (well Joan is embarrased, I think Bryan just sees it as enhancing his "street cred"), who are in the shower when we arrive, to join the queue.

Kathleen and I knock on the door of the shower room, and shout for them them to hurry themselves up, since we are waiting our turn.

Of course we then wander off to watch the football, but Bryan and Joan think we are waiting outside, and put on a good show of teenage behaviour, by making suggestive noises and comments from within the shower room. When they emerge of course it is to see a queue of bemused strangers.

Well it is only fun, we may be pensioners, but we are not dead yet!

In the evening, there is food, wine and music, all outdoors, with temporary seating and pergolas to provide shade. You have to pay for the food and wine, but it is all very inexpensive. The "staff" are, we are told, all relations and friends of the owner, who do it just to help him out.

Sunday, Kathleen and Joan cycle off to church, whilst Bryan and I pack up our respective vans, ready to move on. We are heading to Luxembourg, where we duly arrive just after lunch time.

It is sad to leave Germany, we have had a wonderful time, I cannot understand why more British people do not come here on holiday.

June 30th 2010

Schweich – Zum Fahrturm – ACSI2010-575 contd

Wednesday, we cycle to Trier, reputedly the oldest town in Germany. It is an easy 22 mile round trip, mostly along the banks of the River Moselle.

The first task on arrival, is a drink, we have just cycled 11 miles, no, not alcohol, we have a very pleasant Café Latte Machiata.

Trier is quite a large place, this is one of the old city gates, called “Porta Nigra”, which I assume translates (from the Latin) as “Black Gate”.

The Cathedral is very impressive too, clearly the German attention to quality and detail, is not a recent development, since the quality and detail of the stone carving etc is truly amazing.

For me personally, the cloisters where probably the most impressive, so beautifully kept and so peaceful.











Once we had our fill of culture and piety, we get down to more worldly matters, Trier is a large place and has an excellent shopping centre. I have managed to avoid shops, markets etc for most of this trip, I have to give in occasionally.

We first of all buy two tops at a shop called M&S. It looks very much like Marks and Spencer, but I am not sure if it actually is.

Then the hunt is on for a pair of white pants. Kathleen has been coveting a pair like those worn by our German neighbour at Bernkastel.

The obvious thing to have done of course was to have asked her where she bought them and then go there, or go on the intyernet and buy them. But that would not be nearly as much fun for a woman.

So we begin a relentless search of every clothes shop in Trier.

I must admit, it is not entirely without it’s lighter moments for me, as I sit outside of numerous changing rooms waiting for madam to emerge.

I get to observe that German women are every bit as obsessed by the “does my bum look big in this” question as English women, since every single one of them (if they are trying on pants, shorts, a skirt or a dress), as they emerge from the changing cubicle, to view their potential bargain in the mirror, turn first to look at their bottom!

It so happens there are a few very attractive bottoms as well.

Success at last, we find a shop which has not one, but three pairs which potentially suit the bill.

I am waiting outside of the changing cubicles with a fellow sufferer (a German man, his wife is in another cubicle), his enthusiastic thumbs up, to the view of Kathleen’s bottom in the second potential purchase, clinches it.

I am so pleased the ordeal of shopping is over, and we can now retire to a bar, I rashly offer to pay for the pants.

After a couple of delightful cold beers, we set of to cycle back to the campsite. Kathleen peddles with enthusiasm.

I suppose I should be pleased, the running costs are not high, a couple of tops and a pair of pants, 25 Euro to get 22 miles of enjoyment, that’s only roughly 1 Euro per mile!

June 25th 2010 - June 29th 2010

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.