Wednesday 11th May 2011 - Tuesday 17th May 2011

Markelfingen , Camping Willam (ACSI2011-590)



Today, Wednesday as we leave Freiberg, it is overcast and rain looks like a real possibility. As we climb towards Titisee, the rain starts. This is the first rain we have had since we left home two weeks ago. We cannot complain at that, but of course we do.


It is clear by the way the road climbs, we would never have made Titisee on the bicycles, even if we had kept going beyond the 11 mile mark yesterday, admittedly, yesterday was fine and sunny, but today, we are soon engulfed in cloud as the road snakes it’s way up.


Once we have got over the hills past Titisee, the rain stops and the sun is shining again.


We are still on kat-nav, road 34 until we join the A81 autobahn. The Germans do not appear to prefix their road numbers with a letter which indicates the type of road. Maybe it is because all of their roads are of excellent quality.

A slight hiccup as we miss our exit and almost end up crossing into Switzerland. This is not deemed a mistake, since, at the point where we turn around there is a Lidl supermarket and we are able to do necessary shopping, then via a slight detour get back on track.

The site is on the shore of the Bodensee (Lake Constance, to us), between Markelfingen and Allensbach, slightly nearer to Markelfingen , with a traffic free cycle track to both.

Facilities are up to the usual high standard you would expect in Germany. There are no English instructions on how to work the washing machine, we learn that “Geld erst einwerfen wenn rote lampe leuchtet!” means “put your money in when the red light comes on”, but not of course until we have put our money in BEFORE the red light came on!. I know we are in Germany, and here they speak German, but, they could give some consideration to those of us whose knowledge of the language is limited to reading the Beano in their childhood, and hence know only "Achtung", "schnell", "swinehunt".


Only problem so far, there does not appear to be a wifi signal at the van, we might have to go to the bar.

A little cycle ride to Allensbach, accompanied by Kathleen, and we find a church, so the coming weekend's church requirements are sorted.


Thursday we wake up to rain, but it is hair washing day, so no real problem.


For the whole day, we have periods of dry followed by heavy downpours, not the weather to risk the carefully dried and straighten hair, so the most we do is a short walk into Markelfingen .


The highlight of the day is another culinary delight rustled up by Kathleen, using the Remoska. This really has been an excellent buy, I cannot understand why no other manufacturer has copied the idea and made a similar product. It is so versatile, a few days ago, I managed to make roast potatoes in it, and today Kathleen has made what she calls an oven omelette, which is like a quiche, without the pastry.


Friday dawns bright and sunny, not quite as hot, but a pleasant 24C will do us.


There is a cycle track right around the Lake, I have been told, it is 230km (144 miles), I cannot talk Kathleen into attempting it, so we settle for something more modest.


After breakfast we set off on our bicycles along the Cycle track to Konstanz. It is (fairly) easy going, a few ups and downs through the undulating countryside, but nothing too strenuous.

Konstanz itself is a slight disappointment, plenty of fine old buildings with murals painted on the wall, but given that it is a town built on a lakeshore, I had expected more of a “waterfront” feel to the place, where in practice the lake does not form a major part of the town.

It is a busy place, with lots of pavement cafes and bars, and lots of people strolling about or sitting in the sun.

Plus of course several fine churches.


We sit among the students on some steps to have our picnic lunch. I thought we fitted in rather well. Kathleen said she thought they would wonder why she had (as a student) had brought her dad (me) with her.


After lunch, we cycle part of the way back the way we had come, until we reach the causeway to Insel Reichenau, a sort of island in the lake.

We peddle along the cycle track, on the causeway, to the island.

Once on the island, it turns out to be quite hilly, which we did not expect. Only a few mutterings of discontent as we peddle along. The intention is to take a ferry back to Allensbach. We have an hour to wait for the ferry, so we indulge in a few beers and some chips at the cafe beside the ferry landing.

The ferry arrives dead on time (well this is Germany), and we find we are the only two passengers, for the short crossing.

We are soon off the ferry at the other side and peddle back along the cycle track to the campsite, to clock up 20 miles.


On our return to the site, we notice there have been quite a few arrivals some to the static caravans around the site, and some towing caravans. As the evening progresses, more and more arrive, it looks as if it is going to be a busy weekend!

One amusing little scene unfolds just beside us. A Swiss family arrive with two small girls (aged about 5 and 7), before their caravan is even unhitched, they are both whizzing around on bicycles!


More rain overnight, by morning it has stopped, but there is thick cloud cover, no blue skies today I fear.

We set off to cycle towards Radolfzell and perhaps beyond.

I think we could easily make it to Stein am Rhein (32km or 20 miles away), but I am out voted.

The cycle tracks are excellent, and it is easy going, we are soon at Radolfzell, where we stop to buy bread.

The cycletrack more or less follows the lakeshore, as we head on past Moos, for the point where the River Rhine leaves the lake.

This made me think that the Bodensee must be the source of the Rhine, but apparently not, the source is (I think) in Switzerland, I will have to look that up, when next I get access to Google.

We cycle through meadows, as I remember they used to be, ie filled with wild flowers of various types (signs of advancing years, talking about how things used to be).

Although the photographs do not show any other people, there are in fact quite a number of cyclists travelling in both directions.

Cycling along the lakeshore is clearly a popular pastime.

We make it as far as a place called Gaienhofen-Horn, which is at the point where the lake begins to taper off into a sort of “v” shaped bay, and then becomes the river Rhine.


We return the way we have come, despite my suggestions that we could keep going to Konstanz, thus, making a circuit of it.

We stop off for lunch at a beer garden beside the cycle track.


This evening, Kathleen goes to church in Allensbach, so with the 23 miles we clock up during the day, plus the 5 miles round trip to the church, that will be almost 30 miles today, quite enough for two pensioners, I am reminded. Plus it begins to rain just before we set out, so we get slightly wet on the way there, and soaked on the way back. I hope the powers that be appreciate the trouble Kathleen takes getting to Mass, and the trouble I go to in helping her get there.


Although going to Switzerland was not really part of our plan, we are so near, it seems silly not to go.


So accordingly on Monday morning (16th May) we check out and head for Interlaken.


I have tried to get into the sat-nav to see if there is anything which can be fixed (I suspect the battery), but my little box of various screwdriver bits does not include one small enough to fit the screws, which means we are still on kat-nav.

I not at liberty to comment, let us just say we got to know a place called Singen pretty well, before we got to the Swiss border. We bought our outrageously priced ticket to allow us to drive on their roads (35 Euro!).

Once in Switzerland it all went smoothly and we found the campsite without a problem, despite an unplanned diversion because of a closed road.


Interlaken-Ost, TCS Camping Interlaken 6, (ACSI2011-717).

We are right beside the waterway connecting the two lakes (Thunersee and Brienzersee), this is the view from our window.

The site is only ten minutes walk from Interlaken, and appears all very organised and clean, Swiss fashion.


The site has WiFi, so we should be able to get online, but I find (at 19:00) the Reception closes at 18:00, so I cannot buy an access code, I will have to wait until tomorrow.


The sun is shining, the weather forecast is for at least two more days of sun and temperatures of 23C, and this being Switzerland, the scenery is stunning.


Switzerland is not part of the Euro-zone, so we have to get some Swiss Francs. When I withdraw 100 Swiss Francs, at a cash machine, it gives me a 100Franc note, equivalent to £75!.

We decide to sit at a pavement bar to have a drink and get change. I anticipate problems trying to pay for two beers with what is effectively a £75 note. The waitress does not even falter and gives me change no problem. This is a seriously expensive place I suspect.

On Tuesday, we cycle to Brienz, which is almost at the other end of the lake (Brienzersee).

It is ten miles (there), and initially I have my doubts we are going to make it.

After only 2 miles (all up hill), Kathleen is asking "how far have we come?".

This is not a good sign. But, I can understand why. When you travel along a road in a car (or campervan), it may appear to be fairly flat. This is because to go up a hill, all you have to do is press a little harder with your right foot. When you have to peddle along the same road, you realise it is most definitely NOT flat, because you have to peddle a lot harder to go up hill!.

We make it to Brienz, without further signs of mutiny, it is a very pretty little place, and we have almost cycled the full length of the lake.

I make an attempt at persuasion to go just that bit further right to the end of the lake, nothing doing.

Here you see Kathleen, with her patient face on, waiting for the waiter to come and take our order for Latte Mochiatta, our present favourite (non-alcoholic) drink.

While here, it is a pity the camera puts only the date, and not the time, on each photograph, you see the transition to impatience, because the waiter has not appeared quickly enough.

I go inside to order, and discover he is having a bad computer day, with receipts spilling out everywhere.

We get our drinks in due course.

Having had a hot drink, and then eaten our picnic lunch, by the lakeside, old persons syndrome strikes of course, a toilet is needed. We find a novel public convenience. The walls are made of glass. From the outside, they are opaque (as you would expect). But once inside, they do not appear to be so opaque, it is rather disconcerting to be standing (or sitting) there doing the necessary, when you feel like the walls may be partially transparent!

We need to visit the supermarket for vegetables, which we do when we return to Interlaken, this place is expensive!

Tuesday 10th May 2011

Freiberg, Camping Hirzberg (ACSI2011-520)

Looking at the information leaflet for the campsite, I see that one of the places Kathleen would like to visit, Titisee, is “only” 29km (18 miles) away. The route appears to follow the river, so on the basis that following the river should be easy cycling, I convince Kathleen that we should go for it.



The river is flowing towards Freiberg, we are cycling away from Freiberg, which means we are going up hill, all of the time. I point out it will be downhill all of the way back.

It is absolutely beautiful as we cycle along.


There are no complaints. By Kirchzarten (about 7 miles), little mutterings are apparent, these are quietened with a Latte Mochiatta in a pavement cafe. We get to the 11 mile point (by which time we are going up hill quite steeply), before the mutterings turn to mutiny, and we decide to turn around and head back, stopping for our picnic as we roll downhill back towards Freiberg.

By the time we get back to Freiberg, we have done 21 miles, about 11 of it steadily uphill.

Not bad I think.

Kathleen is soon in the "recovery position", and all is well with the world.

Friday 6th May 2011 - Monday 9th May 2011

Eguisheim, Des Trois Chateaux, (ACSI2011-1274)

An uneventful journey, except that Jane (the Sat-Nav lady) gave up the ghost completely. Not surprising really the amount of abuse she has had to put up with. Now when you switch on the Tom-Tom, it just keeps on asking you which voice you want to use, then, no matter which voice you choose, it restarts itself. This happens over and over again.

We have been to Eguisheim before (on our way to Croatia about three years ago). It is a beautifully preserved medieval village. Touristy of course, but not unbearably so. This part of France was once part of Germany and it looks very German, most of the place names sound German, even although according to the information boards it has been French since the 1600’s.

The site is one of those which is “natural” ie not all of the grass is neatly trimmed etc.

The pitches are set among trees. As ever the Dutch are here in large numbers, but there is a greater mix than we have had so far with French, Belgians, Germans, Danish, and even three other British vans, plus us of course.

As we sit eating our lunch, we are visited by a number of sparrows, who hop about eating the crumbs from our baguette.









Tomorrow is the weekend, so that means we have to find a church for Kathleen. We also need to find a shop, to buy mushrooms. We get the bicycles out and set off, we find the church relatively quickly, but no luck with a shop, so our plans for our evening meal are revised from Spaghetti Bolagnaise to Chilli Con-Carne. The exploring takes us 7 miles of cycling.


The weather is superb, even at 20:00 in the evening, it is 22Centigrade, as we stroll through the narrow streets of the village.


The site is called “Des Trois Chateaux” because there are three ruined Chateaux on the hill behind the site, reception have a map of a walk through the vineyards to the “Trois Chateaux”.

We decide, given how hot it is, that we will do the walk on Saturday morning, before the heat builds up.

You can see the three ruined chateaux on the hilltop (on the right) in the photograph.

We set off quite early (10:00), but already it is so hot we are pleased when we make to the forested area on the hill, to get some shade.

Kathleen as usual forges on ahead, and has a near miss with a small snake sunning itself of the path. I am no expert, but it is only a grass snake I think.

By 11:30, we have reached the top, Kathleen looks as fresh as a daisy not bad for a 64 year old who has just walked 3.5 miles up a steep hill!

Maybe Dr Thornley-Walker needs to reduce her tablets again!

The view is quite stunning, although the three chateaux are now in ruins.

As always I marvel at how on earth they transported all of this stone up here, and then build these enormous structures, all before any form of mechanisation?


The return journey is shorter only 2.5 miles, because we can take the steeper but shorter path downhill through the forest, so we have walked 6 miles in total.


In the evening, I wait in a nice little bar, whilst Kathleen attends church, then we find a pleasant little restaurant for our evening meal.


On Sunday morning, we cycle to Colmar, a ten mile round trip. We have a map from reception, but fail to follow it correctly on the way there, so although we are on a cycle track, it is alongside a fairly major road for most of the way.

There is some form of ceremony going on in Colmar today, a version of Rememberance Day I would guess, since there is much laying of wreaths by dignitaries, and marching of soldiers.


Soon however we are in our favourite position, ie in a pavement bar watching the world go by.

Colmar is quite a beautiful place with some fine buildings and an area of canals, called predictably enough “Little Venice”, where you can wander along the water side,

with the odd horse drawn tourist trip going by.

There are plenty of places to sit and enjoy a rest, or a picnic lunch, It is one of my most enjoyable pastimes when in France, to sit munching my way through a good French baguette.

When you are an OAP, you have to be uptodate on how to find the vital services, since you may find you need to visit them more than in your youth!

Particulalry when you have been visiting too many pavement bars.

But OAP or not, doesn’t she look a picture, outshining the flowers!


We manage to cycle back to the campsite via the correct route, which is just about all away from the main roads, and passes through quiet fields.

In the evening, there is much excitement on the site.

A stork lands in the middle of the site, and wanders around quite unperturbed, whilst everyone rushes to take photographs of it.

It is not unusual to see them circling in the sky, or perched on chimney pots, but I have not seen one this close up before. They are big birds, and it is not at all clear how it is going to manage to get airborne again from among the many trees.

I took this photograph, Kathleen says, is art, I think it just shows that “somebody” is not quite as tidy as they would like to think they are, and that the same “somebody” has too many pairs of shoes with them!






Monday we pack up, and set off for Freiberg. The Tom-Tom is broken, so we are now on Kat-nav (Kathleen-Navigating). We find our way no problem to Freiberg, but finding the site is another matter, and Freiberg is quite a big place. But, not bad, after only one false start (ie turning up at the wrong campsite), we find our way eventually, and we are still speaking to each other (only because I am so easy going).

Freiberg, Camping Hirzberg (ACSI2011-520)

The site is typically German, ir spotlessly clean and very well organised. The chap who books us in is just a little over the top, he not only gives a lengthy explanation of all there is to see and do in Freiberg, but also directs you to your pitch and has you manouvre (my spelling!) until you are neatly lined up with all of the other vans. All very nice however.

This is the area where you put your rubbish, it is so clean, neat, tidy and organised, it could only be in Germany or one of the Scandanavian countries.

Once settled in, and lunch eaten, we set off on foot to explore Freiberg (we are only 1.5km from the city centre). It is hot (27C) and sunny. A cooling beer is necessary.

In the pedestrian streets of the city centre, they have small water channels flowing to cool the place down!

Wednesday 4th May 2011 - Thursday May 5th 2011

Villers-les-Nancy, Campeole Le Brabois, (ASCI2011-1268) continued....

The plan today, is to travel into Nancy on the bus, but, it is hair washing day, so everything must be organised around that.

Whilst I go and collect a baguette, make breakfast and wash the dishes, Kathleen attends to her hair. By 10:30, it is all over, and we go for the bus.

We have already bought our bus tickets in advance at reception (1.30Euro each, each way), so we are all organised.

We arrive at the Bus Station in Place Republic, no problem, well, no problem except that I have forgotten the camera (so any photographs today are via my phone), but I have remembered to bring the street map of Nancy, a bottle of water, and some bread and cheese. Not bad for a man who had to do everything else this morning, I think.

Nancy turns out to be quite stunning, there is an enormous square "Leopold-Ville Vielle".

All around the square, there are magnificent buildings, and of course, since this is France, pavement cafes, with people sitting reading newspapers, drinking coffee, or drinking wine or beer.

The French certainly know how to relax!

We choose a seat at one of the cafes, and join the theme, watching the world go by.

It is now 11:00 in the morning and, at the table next to us, two young men are having breakfast.

They also have a two litre bottle of Rose, we do not know it right now, but when we return to the same cafe for lunch, some two hours later, they are still sat there working their way through it!

After our coffee, we wander through the old streets, we have already decided to keep the picnic for when we return to the campsite, and that we will have lunch in the square.

This is a really impressive place for what is a provincial city, eat your heart out Manchester, Liverpool or Birmingham.

The cathederal is in the process of being renovated, so is covered in scaffolding, which limits the photographic opportunities. It is not even possible to browse the inside unfortunately.

There are plenty more impressive building and open spaces however, and we have not even got to the park yet!

This one is recently renovated and cleaned, not the best photograph I have ever taken, the limits of a phone as a camera is my excuse. It is the Ducal Palace of the Dukes of Lorraine.

Next we stroll into the park, where peacocks are wandering about, and people are sitting eating their picnic lunches in the sun.

We sit and enjoy the sun for a while, before returning to the square for lunch and a glass or two of Rose.

Since I bought the coffee this morning, we discuss the possibility of it being Kathleen's turn to pay. Particularly since she is sitting with 100Euro in her purse which I gave her yesterday. The purse is not openned today.

The two young men who were there in the morning are still working their way through their large bottle of wine, joined now by two friends.

Fully fed and watered, (well wined), we need a stroll for some exercise and for Kathleen to work off the alcohol, she does not do well on lunch time drinking.

We head off towards the canal and the river.

Soon it is time to find our way back to Place de la Republic, to catch our bus to the campsite.

From my point of view, this has been a perfect day in a city. Pleasant weather, a good lunch and a few glasses of wine, a stroll in the park and by the river. Not a single shop visited. Heaven! 

The remainder of the day is spent lying in the sun, drinking wine, what hard work this is!

In the evening, by the time she has graduated to the Gin and Tonic, and talk becomes careless, Kathleen owns up to the fact that, although we have been away from home for a week today, she has not even opened her purse, except to put something in the collection at church, on Sunday.

Thursday morning, Kathleen goes to collect the baguette and buy bus tickets from reception.

The chap in reception admits that he is actually English (from Manchester), so all this time he has been pretending he did not speak English and forcing her to speak French.

We head off to Nancy again, we are joined at the bus stop by another English couple, we had thought that everyone else on the site was Dutch, but no, there is at least one other Brit.

We intend to have an exercise day today, as we maxed out on culture and drinking yesterday, so we stroll along the canal as it runs through Nancy.

It has presumably once been an area of industry and warehouses, but now it has been redeveloped as housing, shops and offices, with walkways and cycle tracks along it's banks.

We use the iPhone to record our walk on Runkeeper, it would appear that picking up the GPS signal is free, this sets me wondering, who pays for all of these GPS satellites whizzing around up there? Someone (the Americans presumably) must have put them up there at great expense.

We do about 4.5miles, and eventually end up back in the large park beside the Square, for a picnic, a rest and a sit in the sun.

Next we move on to the square and Kathleen cracks her purse open to buy the beers.

Eventually we remember, there are chores to do, we (well Kathleen) must wash some clothes, so after our cooling beer we head back to the bus station in Place de la Republic, and take the bus back to the campsite.

Just to prove it is not all fun and drinking, here is Kathleen doing the washing.

But soon it is all hanging on the washing line to dry, and she is sprawled in the sun in her bikini.

Saturday 30th April 2011 - Tuesday 3rd May 2011

Saturday April 30th 2011, Rainham, Kent.



The traffic on the southern section of the M25, past Gatwick Airport, is surprisingly light. We had expected jams because there would be many people returning from London after watching the Royal Wedding yesterday, but no, the traffic was moving quite freely, and we arrived at Brian and Linda’s ahead of schedule.

On Saturday afternoon, we all went to Rochester, to attend the “Sweep’s Festival”. This is a very old festival (400 years old, according to the literature), which has been revived for the past 30 years or so. It is connected with Chimney Sweeps (hence the name), and seems to consist mainly of Morris Dancing, with of course copious amounts of Real Ale.

Saturday is rounded off with a Chinese meal, cooked by Brian, ably assisted (that is supervised) by Linda. Victoria is the only daughter at home, so we have her company, along with her boyfriend Graeme. I hope his meeting the "Reays" experience has not put him off.


Sunday Morning, we have the obligatory church going by Kathleen.

While she is there, Brian takes me to see the area where our Great, Great, Great Grandfather (on our mothers side) was born, in Gillingham, before he moved to South Shields. It is an amazing coincidence that over a hundred years later, Brian should return to live within a few miles of our ancestor’s birthplace.

After a Sunday “Brunch”, we set off for Dover and the Ferry.

This is the first time we have used Norfolk Line since they were taken over by DFDS. They are running almost an hour late, not a good omen!

We wait patiently on the Dockside, watching the seagulls.

Once the ferry arrives, it is quickly unloaded, and we are equally quickly onboard, and on our way to Dunkirk.

We do not make up any time on the crossing, so we arrive almost an hour later than expected, at about 20:00 French time.





Guines, La Bien Assise (ACSI-2011 945)


Our regular overnight stop, when we need one after getting off the ferry.

It is well placed being just a few miles from Calais, but for some reason it always gives the Sat-Nav a problem. So, as we leave on Monday morning, Sat-Nav wars begin. To prevent divorce, the Sat-Nav is turned off, and Kathleen relinquishes the driving to take over the navigating.

As far as I can see the only difference between and female navigator and a Sat-Nav with a femail voice, is, when the Navigator makes a mistake (and they do occasionally, but we will not mention that), the Sat-Nav does not shout abuse at her.


Monday 2nd May 2011 Aire at Catillon sur Sambre (N50 32.155’ E1 35.563’)


Just off the N43, with room for four vans, right beside the La Sambres et L’Oise Canal.

It is a very pretty spot, spoilt a little by the noise as heavy goods vehicles pass over the bridge (which is able to open to allow boats to pass) on the N43. But the traffic died away to almost nothing overnight, so it did not disturb our sleep. 

There is free unmetered electric hook up. The Aires Book (All the Aires France, 3rd Edition), and the sign at the Aire say it is 5Euro per night to stay, but no one turned up to collect any money, and there is no facility to pay with a credit card or whatever, so we had a freebie. 

There is a path/cycle track along the canal, in both directions (ie North towards Belgium, and South).

I cycled along the path to the South for about three miles, after about two miles you come to a lock and a cafe (closed when I got there).

I went on for another mile, but did not come to any further signs of life, except for a few people fishing from the banks of the canal.

As you can see, Kathleen opted to top up her tan, rather than join in the healthy cycling.

We had a major panic in the evening, Kathleen could not find her bottle of Gin. Now a campervan is not a very big place in which to lose something the size of a 1Litre bottle of Gin, but we had managed it. After turning out all of the cupboards, she eventually found it, I have not seen as big a smile since I gave her 100Euro to spend.

Villers-les-Nancy, Campeole Le Brabois, (ASCI2011-1268)

A sat-nav free journey, with Kathleen sharing the driving for part of the way. Since this put me in charge of the navigating (well as much in charge as a man ever can be), I took us via the more twisty and hilly road of the two options we had.

The site is on a hill, just a short distance from Nancy. It is not full and so far seems very nice. We got free wifi (because we said we staying for three days), I am not sure if this concession is extended to everyone, or if the chap in reception did it as repayment for the entertainment we gave him with our poor French. We went there to ask for a Bus Timetable, a tourist map of Nancy, and a Wifi password. 

Just time to explore a little, and find a shop to buy wine for this evening.