Robinhood Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 Following on from my May 2019 German trip report, still active and set out in: https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Trip-Report-Germany-May-2019/54332/ ....here by popular demand (it's all your fault, Jeremy :-)), is a follow-up from our September 2019 trip. With a three week holiday in Canada deftly inserted between the last trip and this, we were off yet again to the Continent, and also yet again, almost by default nowadays, our target was Germany. This would be modified somewhat by a possible foray into the Czech Republic - we have been through with a 'van before, dropping down from Dresden, through Prague and into Austria, but that was 18 years ago (I really did do a double-take as I wrote that) - so it was time for another visit. Ceský Krumlov (which is a World Heritage Site) had rather piqued my interest, so it was pencilled in as a potential ultimate destination. We've covered large areas of Germany, but that still leaves swathes unvisited, and the aim this time (as it had been in May) was to cover locations so far unseen. With one slight exception, this was easily and interestingly achieved (and even the exception was much enjoyed, though it was a repeat visit). This time, heading almost immediately due East "on the other side", a short sea crossing (Eurotunnel) was in order, rather than one of the longer ones, so, sometime after mid-day on Wed 28th August we set off for a ferry pitch at Black Horse Farm at Densole, and arrived shortly after 5. (We had done a similar thing at almost the same time the previous year, and had ended up parked for 10 hours in a jam on the M25, arriving at 02:30 in the morning, so we were quite relieved). They'd allocated us the same pitch as the previous year, far from level and next to the (quite noisy) road - so we got ourselves moved - sorry if you're the people who came later and got our original pich :-) . It was dull and damp, so we wandered around the local area for a little exercise, and then settled down for the night. Off at 07:30 in the morning for an 08:50 crossing. Invariably, we either get offered a slightly earlier crossing when we check in, or the booked one that is then announced as delayed (though more often than not, at the last minute any such delay suddenly "evaporates"). It was much like that this time - indeterminate delay to our crossing announced, but we were on the train and moving only about 5 minutes late. As I've posted before, we like to get a good few miles under our belt immediately across the channel, 200 miles or so being a good target allowing for both a provision and lunch stop. The Stellplatz at Aachen (full facilities, and pleasant enough for an overnight stop, though a bit of a walk into the centre) falls about into that range, as does the motorhome parking spot at Rekem (Belgium - no facilities, but on the canal, and next to a pretty little town with good shops and restaurants). We'd used both these before, though, and on the latter had talked to people who'd cycled the shortish run along the canal into Maastricht, and rated it. So, the Camperplaats at Maastricht, 4 miles down the road from Rekem, but in a different country, was our destination. Of the various routes across Belgium, we used that via Brussels and its ring road, on which there were the inevitable delays. Then, once we had left the Autoroute for the final few miles we hit major roadworks, with no diversion possible, so were delayed a bit (a lot) more. We finally arrived at the Camperplaats in fine weather at around 15:00. https://camperplaatsnederland.nl/en/motor-home-site-maastricht/ https://i.ibb.co/ysPNskV/Maastricht1.jpg Though quite large, it was already moderately busy, and we parked outside to book in at the automated machine. Unfortunately, it was entirely recalcitrant. Obviously designed to be multilingual, it was completely stuck on a (foreign language) screen to buy electricity (which someone had obviously got to, and then abandoned). No way could I get it back to the home screen, despite "help" from various other passing motorhomers who obviously thought "The English" were entirely incapable of operating anything newer than a Spinning Jenny. Once left to my own, I decided to accept payment of the quoted electricity amount, and then see what happened. Card-only, it asked me several times to insert a card (in whatever language it was stuck on). Ignoring it, it finally gave up, and deposited me back at the home screen where, with a bit of care, I was able to book in. Ha, take that! I didn't get where I am today by only knowing about the Industrial Revolution. ;-) The machine issues a code to let you in through the barrier, and you need the same code when you exit. Select a pitch, then, if you need electricity, plug in to an adjacent free outlet marked with a 4-digit code, and head back off to the entrance to pre-load some Kwh. Inevitably, the code has been forgotten by the time you reach the automat (unless you were clever enough to write it down), so there may be a few false starts. It seems really odd to put only €2 on the credit card (though luckily, I have one that carries no penalty whatsoever for overseas purchases). €16 per night (now €17) with electricity and water chargeable. I didn't see the showers rumoured on the link above, though. It was quite a pleasant spot, walkable to central Maastricht (though it is a good walk, along the river bank and then through the streets - you can even stop to stock up at the "Coffee Shop" (sic) on the way in if you're that way inclined). Maastricht is interesting - whilst not exceptional, it has a nice, cosmopolitan ambience, and exudes prosperity. Most notably, I don't think I've seen so many bars and restaurants per hectare for a long, long time. We wandered around from area to area, and each seemed to have its set of them, and "set" means "a lot", all of them busy on a sunny Thursday evening. https://i.ibb.co/87HBH22/Maastricht2.jpg https://i.ibb.co/r75Fnsk/Maastricht4.jpg We had a nice early dinner in the main square (I didn't notice at the time, but the photos of the town hall indicate that Maastricht could possibly have been twinned with Chesterfield!(think spire)), walked around for somewhat longer, and then headed back to the 'van for a quiet night (though there is some noise from the adjacent road, it wasn't too obtrusive). https://i.ibb.co/1TGbh05/Maastricht3.jpg TBC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted January 31, 2020 Author Share Posted January 31, 2020 Our travels over the years had not often taken us directly east of Kõln, and it appeared that ther was some attractive countryside to be found. As it was in our desired direction, we looked for somewhere to stop, and a small Stellplatz at a place called Winkhausen rather jumped out at us. A little remote from anywhere large, but the weather looked like it was set fair, so this wasn't going to deter us. The drive was around 140 miles, including round Kõln, where, though there were some major diversions signposted, we ignored them and seemed to get away with it. As we approached our destination, we passed through the nearest significant town, Schmallenberg. Hmm, Schmallenberg......that rings a bell.......Oh yes, it has a virus named after it! What more could one want from a holiday destination than that it has a virus named after it? (luckily, it affects sheep ;-) ). We arrived at Winkhausen at midday, located the Stellplatz and booked in. http://www.wohnmobile-winkhausen.de/ https://i.ibb.co/B2TK3gm/Winkhausen1.jpg Now I know it was sunny and warm, which certainly has an effect on perceptions, but boy, did we like it here. Just our sort of stopover, and with walking in all directions straight from the door. There were two or three 'vans already there, but plenty of room and we selected a nice flat grassy pitch and hooked up. Nominally a cabinetmaker, the main business seemed to be (trying) to sell "antiques" from a large marquee. We got a very friendly greeting, though neither the proprieter nor his wife had any English. €9 per night (electricity and water chargeable) and though it notes a tourist tax on the link above, I'm sure we didn't pay it (my notes confirm €9 paid). Rolls could be ordered for the morning, and were hung, warm, by the house door (...and yes, we did). It being a lovely afternoon, we walked down the valley to the nearby village of Oberkirchen, stopped for a much enjoyed Bier, and walked back to the 'van over the hill, which made for an energetic afternoon, and a prelude to a BBQ dinner. A couple of years ago, we stopped in Mosbach on the Neckar for a few days. There was a travelling exhibition, comprising life-size figure set out in various activity groups around the town. I appears that one had escaped from wherever they currently were, and stopped for a Bier at Oberkirchen :-) . https://i.ibb.co/Svmq5L0/Winkhausen2.jpg As in much of Germany, there are walking and/or cycling maps on sign boards around the area. We tend to take photos of these on the 'phone to act as a makeshift map (augmenting my GPS, which, in this case didn't cover this are with maps). There was a plethora of routes, and the rolling countryside is quite pretty. https://i.ibb.co/qgGXvqQ/Winkhausen5.jpg Whilst the Stellplatz is adjacent and below a local (minor) road, it was a beautifully quiet night. It was about this time that I began to really notice a smell of gas, but couldn't find any problem anywhere. We took the precaution of turning off at the cylinder when not in use. The next day, Saturday, turned out to be a scorcher (30°) , and there was no hesitation in staying put. We did a long walk, out to the local "Aussichtturm", (challenging if you were to suffer from vertigo, but worth the climb) round to Schmallenberg, a Bier in Grafschaft, and back to the 'van for another BBQ. The gas smell was still there, so careful to turn off again when not in use. https://i.ibb.co/f84dTQk/Winkhausen3.jpg https://i.ibb.co/gynkGzN/Winkhausen4.jpg Though it was somewhat duller the next day, we were enjoying the area enough to stay yet again. I checked the gas and all connections a further time (with some help from the other residents), and finally, with some soapy water and a mirror, located the problem. I've already posted about this at the time, and the outstanding service I got from Truma and one of their Service Agents, so I shan't repeat it here - it can be read on: https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Truma-Customer-Service-Germany/53029/ Having closed the gas off, we set out for a walk, and it began to rain. Though there is little in Winkhausen, there is an adjacent 5 star hotel, which does meals for non-residents, and the menu didn't look too intimidating. They also run a little "hut" (actually, a very attractive forest bistro) up in the forest, which is open limited days out of season. We had noticed signs for it on our first day's walk, and the Stellplatz owner had advised us it was open today. So, in the midst of our walk we dropped in and had a very nice light meal. We then continued our day's walk, which finally ran to about 12 miles (though largely because we got lost, and had to retrace some of our steps :-( ) Another quiet evening in the 'van Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted January 31, 2020 Author Share Posted January 31, 2020 ...and, as I said on the other thread, because of the way they are hosted, clicking on a picture should reveal a bigger, higher resolution version (for anyone who wants to spot where they have been photoshopped ;-) ) Probably the best option, should your browser make it available, is to "right-click" and select "open in new tab/window". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 1, 2020 Author Share Posted February 1, 2020 Fine and warm the next morning, our onward direction was rather dictated by the search for a gas-system repair as set out in the link above. With this successfully achieved (that's a spoiler for anyone who didn't follow the link!) we didn't then feel like travelling far, so we decided to look at the Sellplatz (Am Weserstein) at Hann. Münden, about 25 miles away. (As a tip, anywhere in Germany that stands on a decent-sized waterway is usually worth a look). Though attractive on paper, the Stellplatz was quite disappointing. On an island just outside the town walls, it was on a large car park shared with many cars. It was busy, with both cars and 'vans, very disorganised, and didn't look at all relaxing - TBH, just the type of Stellplatz we don't like. €6 per night and chargeable water and electricity (and use of the public toilets). However, just as we had turned onto the island, there was a campsite (over on another smaller island), in a much quieter location, AND, it had motorhome spots in a separate area at a lower price than the main campsite. So we headed for that but hesitated, however, as the only access was across a swing bridge across a lock, and it was clearly signed as a 3 tonne limit. I walked over to talk to the receptionist, and she wasn't concerned; there were plenty of other 'vans there, and some of them were patently considerably heavier than our 3.5 tonnes; so we went for it :-). €15 per night plus €3 for electricity, but also free use of the adjacent campsite facilities, including showers. Given that it was cheaper than the campsite, there really wasn't much downside other than a (slightly) smaller pitch. https://www.camping-und-kanu.de/ https://i.ibb.co/YBK934D/Hann1.jpg https://i.ibb.co/gMvZ4mX/Hann2.jpg Hann. Münden (Hann short for the, unused, Hannoverische) was yet another very attractive, half-timbered German town. (You could almost forgive it for being twinned with Hackney!). It was easy to use up the rest of the afternoon walking round, and, after a BBQ back at the van, another stroll round in the evening. https://i.ibb.co/NrBh029/Hann3.jpg Despite the close proximity to the town, it was a very quiet night. With a decent forecast the following day, and being comfortable, we decided to stay and get the bikes out. This is the confluence of the Fulda and the Werra rivers, and there were signposted, well-surfaced cycle routes in all directions. We decided the Werra might be the better (quieter) option, so set out to ride up, and back down the valley. It clouded up somewhat, but with the inevitable café stop, we reached Wendershausen before turning round and heading back. An enjoyable 37 mile round trip. https://i.ibb.co/9qw1Tnh/Hann4.jpg After a break at the 'van and a shower, we took the short walk into town and ate at the Rathaus, outside in the square, and just in what remained of the sun. Then back for yet another quiet night. https://i.ibb.co/TwM5w45/Hann5.jpg https://i.ibb.co/tz1yvYZ/Hann6.jpg TBC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 1, 2020 Author Share Posted February 1, 2020 Another fine day, and we set off to look for a reasonable Stellplatz further East in the Southern part of the Harz. We checked out a couple of locations (and I can't remember which as my notes are silent about them) that didn't "float our boat", and finally simply decided to return to Ilsenburg, where we had been in May (see the previous Trip Report for details/pictures). We'd really liked the place, and the scope for walking meant there was unfinished business. https://i.ibb.co/vJkWd8R/Ilsenburg1.jpg It was somewhat busier than May, but still ample space, so we pitched, (after the Platzwart, who was doing his rounds, had returned to the shop) paid (€13 incl tourist tax; elec and water extra) and strolled into and around the town and environs in lovely weather. Finished the day with a meal outside in sun back at the 'van, and a quiet night. It was a dull start the next day, but OK to be outside, so we did another of the many leafleted walks (free leaflets in the Tourist Info in town), adding a little variation, and again calling in at the high café we'd used on our previous visit before dropping back to the Stellplatz. More views of Brocken, and clear evidence of the damage climate change/acid rain is doing to the forest. A 14 mile day was finished off by a BBQ (under the roll-out awning, in the drizzle, and which was eaten inside). https://i.ibb.co/F7Qr2qn/Ilsenburg2.jpg https://i.ibb.co/L93GbRn/Ilsenburg3.jpg Another very quiet night. TBC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 1, 2020 Author Share Posted February 1, 2020 Having lost a bit of distance, both by our delays for the gas fix, and by heading off-route to Ilsenburg, we decided that, if we awnted to spend time exploring the German/Czech border, we'd better do a significant hop today (Friday). We looked at a couple of potential targets, but decided that the Stellplatz at: https://waldgasthof-bad-einsiedel.de/ ...around 180 miles away would probably meet the bill. Though it doesn't actually advertise availability on their website, I can assure you that it is an active Stellplatz (we found it in Bordatlas, but it is widely publicised). https://www.promobil.de/stellplatz/waldgasthof-bad-einsiedel-588f1f19721d54a5281605c2.html It was a dry and quite bright drive, and, despite being diverted in the last few miles, such that we approached from the opposite direction, we arrived not much after lunch. We "booked in" at the Gasthof, being slightly delayed by the staff seeing off a party on one of their horse and cart picnic tours, a rather magnificent pair of large greys pulling the cart (I hesitate to use their description "carriage"). The niceties were rather short (the woman we talked to obviously busy) but we were pointed to a field to the side of the Gasthof, and told to hook-up if wanted "Strom". (I speak enough German to be haltingly conversational, once I've limbered up, and I understand a significant amount more than I speak, but she either had a very heavy accent, or was herself speaking German not as her native tongue, as I found it difficult to elicit any more). The field was flat, had a caravan and a Pössl PVC parked along one edge, another unused caravan, and also a couple of cars (which we later found belonged to the cart drivers, and disappeared before evening). The Pössl seemed to be in use (the rooflight was open) but in our two day's stay we never saw anyone. The people in the caravan were on holiday from Berlin, and the fact that we could understand each other later proved very useful. I parked spaced well away from the other occupants, and at the limit of my hook-up cable from the single cabinet at the entrance (I have an additional length, but didn't see any need for it). https://i.ibb.co/BCQCCbX/Einsiedel1.jpg https://i.ibb.co/Thx7f1p/Einsiedel2.jpg We had a quick snack, as it was early enough to get out for a decent walk. Adjacent, there was a small walker's car par, with a map board, so we were able to take a phone picture and set out in sun for the nearest high/viewpoint, Schwartenberg, and then a circular stroll back. Only about 4 miles, but (apart from the café at Schwartenberg being closed) a pleasant wy to pass the rest of the day, the rolling countryside round here being very attractive. https://i.ibb.co/4dW16Jx/Einsiedel3.jpg https://i.ibb.co/55H9kjW/Einsiedel4.jpg As it was so close, we ate a simple, but substantial meal in the adjacent Gasthof, and then retired to the 'van. https://i.ibb.co/25hzTKN/Einsiedel5.jpg And as was becoming almost boringly common, another (very) quiet night. TBC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 2, 2020 Author Share Posted February 2, 2020 The following day dawned mainly overcast, and threatening to rain. We had access to walks, however, and liked the local countryside, so we decided to stay and have a walk around. It is only 2km from the Czech border here, and we were going to be keeping in touch with it for much of the day. It was now that my ability to communicate with my caravanning neighbour from Berlin paid off. Whilst the electricity had been obvious, the fresh water supply was less so - so I asked. He directed me to the inside rear of the stable block, where there was indeed a water tap (and one of the grooms working there pointed me at it). To get water, you had to run the gauntlet of the large cart-horses who, though segregated in stables were very curious and desparate for attention, heads pushed over stable doors. Beautiful beasts! Having replenished the water supply, I thought I'd push my luck again and ask my new friend where (if any) was the chemical disposal. "It's................" he replied in German, "It's.............complicated.... I'll have to show you!". So, off round the back of the Gasthof, detach an electric fence (one with a handle), head through a door into the dingy undercroft and locate a mains switch and switch off, out and move another electric fence (sans handle), over to the next fence and climb it, and there was a covered spout into the main drain. Remove the cover and Robert's your Mum' brother. I doubt I would have found it, even with instructions :-). I must admit, I did one trip before we left (and the toilets in the Gasthof were available in opening hours), but the grey water went down the field edge. And people complain about the regimentation of Caravan (and Motorhome) Club sites ;-). We set off for a circular walk, mainly following our noses, but generally in the initial direction of Seiffen, the nearest small town. Having been forced, by the diversion, to approach our Stellplatz via Seiffen, we'd had a bit of a hint...... This was originally a silver and tin mining area, but as everything "dried up" the miners had been forced to diversify to live.... and now the area around Seiffen was the wooden toy capital of Germany (given the scale of things, possibly even of the World!). Every other private dwelling in the area seemed to be making and selling wooden toys; there were a number of large wholesalers, and Seiffen itself was "toy central". https://i.ibb.co/NyJ4b87/seiffen1.jpg https://i.ibb.co/596YyN0/seiffen2.jpg https://i.ibb.co/nQCXh3d/seiffen3.jpg Not entirely to my taste, but certainly the quality, variety and scale were astonishing, and it made for an interesting diversion, (before we found a nice café, .....the other half of which was a wooden toy shop). We then headed South towards Deutschneudorf, where there was a minor border crossing. No sign of any security as such (though the 3.5t limit was obviously designed to dicourage any heavy traffic), and we walked across into Czechia (the artist formerly known as the Czech Republic :-) ) and back again (because we could). TBH, there were warnings posted that some of the footpaths were effectively open only in daylight hours, but there were no signs that even this was "policed". https://i.ibb.co/54PphyJ/seiffen4.jpg There had been a couple of showers, and it looked like it would get wetter, so, as it had been a decent walk we headed back to the 'van (and it rained). https://i.ibb.co/TLV5M0v/seiffen5.jpg .....and, of course, a quiet night. BTW, on our perambulations we had noted the odd 'van in the car park of the hotel a couple of hundred yards away on the main road. Free, but use of the Restaurant mandatory, it might make a decent one-night stopover - far-reaching views, as above, and the quiet side of the building. https://www.berghof-seiffen.de/index.php?id=75 TBC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 Robinhood - 2020-02-01 3:53 PM I parked spaced well away from the other occupants, and at the limit of my hook-up cable from the single cabinet at the entrance (I have an additional length, but didn't see any need for it). Typical British. :D Robinhood - 2020-02-02 9:24 AM It was now that my ability to communicate with my caravanning neighbour from Berlin paid off. Whilst the electricity had been obvious, the fresh water supply was less so - so I asked. He directed me to the inside rear of the stable block, where there was indeed a water tap (and one of the grooms working there pointed me at it). To get water, you had to run the gauntlet of the large cart-horses who, though segregated in stables were very curious and desparate for attention, heads pushed over stable doors. Beautiful beasts! Having replenished the water supply, I thought I'd push my luck again and ask my new friend where (if any) was the chemical disposal. "It's................" he replied in German, "It's.............complicated.... I'll have to show you!". So, off round the back of the Gasthof, detach an electric fence (one with a handle), head through a door into the dingy undercroft and locate a mains switch and switch off, out and move another electric fence (sans handle), over to the next fence and climb it, and there was a covered spout into the main drain. Remove the cover and Robert's your Mum' brother. I doubt I would have found it, even with instructions :-). I must admit, I did one trip before we left (and the toilets in the Gasthof were available in opening hours), but the grey water went down the field edge. And people complain about the regimentation of Caravan (and Motorhome) Club sites ;-). It's been my observation that Germany seems to have more 'odd' set ups than any other country I've been to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 2, 2020 Author Share Posted February 2, 2020 colin - 2020-02-02 9:51 AM Typical British. :D ...One has one's standards to keep up....... The next morning was again bright. We were enjoying the countryside on the border, and, without losing sight of our possible destination of Ceský Krumlov, that, and the potential availability of decent Stellplätze influenced us to continue to follow the German side of the border for some further time. The Stellplatz at Eibenstock, just over 50 miles away, seemed to meet our criteria, so we set off to check it out. https://www.badegaerten.de/wohnmobilplatz.php This is on the edge of Eibenstock, behind a leisure complex with a swish swimming pool, and a riding school, with the entrance through the car park protected by a (unlocked) chain. After an easy drive we arrived before lunch, selected a pitch and booked in at the hotel/swimmimg pool reception. Regardless of the prices shown on the website, it cost us €15 for the night, and that included the €2 I fed in for electricity. There is, however, a substantial refundable deposit to be paid for the electronic key to the adjacent excellent facilities block. None of the pitches were quite flat, but it wasn't difficult to level using ramps. https://i.ibb.co/xC1WmQD/Eibenstock1.jpg https://i.ibb.co/mT829tw/Eibenstock2.jpg Having pitched, we went for a stroll into Eibenstock. It was another fairly unremarkable town, set off by very pleasant surroundings. As we walked in we passed signs for yet another "Aussichtturm", so we had to divert. The current Mrs Hood, though claiming to suffer from vertigo, will insist on climbing anything that gives a viewpoint, as long as it doesn't invoke that vertigo. (The tower already described and pictured up-thread was on the limit, being rather "open" in construction). Anyway, this one was clad, so up we had to go. It was also 50¢ via a turnstile, so reluctantly I had to tap up one of the locals for some change :-). It certainly gave a good view out over the town, demonstrating its attractive setting admirably. https://i.ibb.co/JBtKWKh/Eibenstock3.jpg https://i.ibb.co/RzgBVn7/Eibenstock4.jpg Eibenstock was another place where, surprisingly, we were struggling to find somewhere comfortable for a snack. No sign of anything in the central shops, but eventually, following signs down ever-narrowing side streets, we found a very nice family-run Café-Konditorei. They are there, but you might have to search! It was beginning to cloud up somewhat, so we returned to the 'van, and set off directly from the Stellplatz for a late-afternoon walk along the side of the nearby reservoir, and around the Gerstenberg and back. About 6 miles of easy, quiet walking, (mainly in trees, so no pictures) and it turned from mild drizzle to proper rain as we got back, so it was dinner and an evening in the 'van. ....and, guess what, it was quiet again! TBC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 2, 2020 Author Share Posted February 2, 2020 I think we would have had another day at Eibenstock. The walking the other end of town looked good, and anyway it had an Allwetterbobbahn (sometimes, if season restricted, AKA a Sommerrodelbahn) which is always good for a laugh :-). The weather forecast was, however, dire, and by the morning the rain had reached near-biblical proportions. Packing in rather wet conditions, we decided to move on and have a travelling day. Perusing weather forecasts, routes, etc. we'd just about made up our minds to continue to head down through Germany as far as Grafenau, or thereabouts (which is on a level with Ceský Krumlov), before dipping over the border, even if it were only for one night. That was certainly too far for a single day, (not least because of the driving conditions) so we decided on a number of other places to check out en-route. The first was at Hohenberg an der Eger, around 70 miles away, a small but interesting looking place, with town walls/castle and views. We had a slowish drive there and checked out the Stellplatz - which was close to town, cheap, had clean public toilet facilities, and a few large 'vans taking up the best spaces. In better conditions, we might well have stayed; it was entirely acceptable, but the weather wasn't. Still torrential rain, and no sign of it stopping. Continuing to use the bad weather to gain miles, we now decided on a single-night stopover, and set off to look at the Stellplatz at Moosbach, around another 50 miles. Again, not the fastest of drives, the windscreen wipers working overtime. Moosbach was chosen for its convenient location en-route, rather than anything else specific. We drove into the town, and the satnav directed me to turn left up a narrow lane. The 'van would just about have cleared it, but there was no sign for a Stellplatz, and the end wasn't visible - a leap into the unknown! I regretfully declined. We drove through the town, and a bit beyond the satnav then rerouted me down a narrow back road (where at least I could see where I was going) and after a turn or two, we ended up at the Stellplatz. https://www.moosbach.de/gastgeber_wohnmobilstellplatz.htm (the Wieskirche one) This is located next to the town cemetery, just up the road from the church, and is a couple of hundred yards down the narrow lane I refused into the town. Reasonably flat spaces for about 6 'vans, €5 per night including electricity water and disposal, and the entirely acceptable public toilets just inside the cemetery gates were flagged as available. Payment was by form and envelope (which we found inside the electricity cabinet) to be deposited at the Rathaus/Tourist Office. Cat lovers (see the other Trip Report thread) can look away now. There was no-one on site, in fact, there was no-one in sight, so we parked up and I got out to hook-up. The minute I got out of the 'van, a cat materialised, and everywhere I tried to go, it wrapped itself around my feet such that I was perpetually in danger of falling over. With a bit of gentle encouragement, it finally gave up, and retreated under the 'van. Every time either of us got in or out, it repeated the feet thing, until finally, rather wet and muddy, it made for the 'van door to get inside. It was unceremoniously removed by its tail, its front claws dragging the mat with it. This was repeated several times, until it got the message and returned under the 'van. It stayed there until well after we'd disappeared into town to look for somewhere to eat - we did notice that there were a couple of empty tins of fish under the adjacent picnic table - so it just might have been the Stellplatz cat. We did the short walk into town, called at the Rathaus where we failed to find an appropriate letterbox, and then headed to the one (of a small number) Gasthof where it wasn't Ruhetag (closing day). It had a fairly simple menu, and just before 18:00 was empty. We thought we might be alone, but having just ordered, 18:00 was obviously the witching hour, and a good number of people joined us. Simple meal, but cheap and tasty, good Bier and warm and dry. That counts as a fairly good end to a poor day. We returned to the 'van by walking to the edge of the town, where we spotted the sign to the Stellplatz that we had missed on the way in, which gave a rather better driving route. All by ourselves, not even the cat, and another quiet night (and thankfully, the neighbours were quiet ;-) ). Apologies for the lack of pictures, but the weather really was so bad neither of us took even one. TBC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 3, 2020 Author Share Posted February 3, 2020 The morning weather was a considerable improvement. We walked into town for bread, and to call at the Rathaus to hand over the Stellplatz fee to a rather surprised man behind a desk (whether he was surprised that someone had chosen to stay on such a night, or whether it was just surprise that someone had bothered to walk in and pay, we weren't sure). Todays target was to be Grafenau, still about 90 miles away, but an easier drive, especially given the improved weather. We could possibly have stopped a bit further North of that, but we have had a couple of short forays into that area before, staying at a campsite in Klingenbrunn, so we wanted a bit of variance. Grafenau turned out to be another top spot. We arrived at the Stellplatz before lunch (there was a significant road closure at the town, but luckily we turned off just before we were blocked). The Stellplatz is a separated and dedicated area entered through the town's main car park, and abutting the Kurpark with gardens, lake, leisure facilities, etc. Large, flat, marked hardstandings with very pleasant surrounding. There were two or three 'vans there, but we were surprised that it wasn't more popular (both then, and for the length of our stay). Payment was via a (motorhome-dedicated) ticket automat at the entrance, and was €13.90 per night (€10 + €1.95x2 tourist tax) incl. WiFi, but with elec and water extra. If proof of purchase of the tourist tax is taken to the Tourist Information Office you get a Gästekarte, which bestows various discounts and free travel on all the local transport (the train gives some interesting opportunities). https://www.grafenau.de/tourismus-grafenau/de/uebernachten/urlaub-mit-wohnmobil/ https://i.ibb.co/8NfTJrG/Grafenau1.jpg https://i.ibb.co/kSrbqnx/Grafenau2.jpg Having pitched, we walked the few hundred yards or so into the attractive town centre, visited the Tourist Information Office, had a wander around and sat outside a café in the warm sun for a Bier, then decided it would be a good afternoon for a bike ride (using a cycling map from the TI). https://i.ibb.co/yyYqcSZ/Grafenau3.jpg It is quite "rolling" countryside round here, so the E-bikes were a definite plus. We set out on a signposted cycle route to Spieglau, initially on minor roads, then on tracks, and then on what can only be termed rough paths (though still signposted as a cycle track, the last bit would have been nigh-on impossible even with a mountain bike, and required significant uphill pushing - at which I got two opportunities :-) ). We reached Spieglau, and then turned back, bypassing the difficult section by using the road and varying the route slightly. Despite the "issues" it was a good 15 mile or so ride, with extensive views. https://i.ibb.co/Gp0jfHb/Grafenau4.jpg (incidentally, we didn't dally in Spieglau since we have been there before, but it is a centre of quality glass-making - think specialist wine glasses, etc. - and the various factories/outlets make for a decent distraction, and would be a day out from Grafenau on the (free) train). Returned to the 'van, it was still sunny and warm enough to BBQ and eat outside. A final stroll round town (now lit up) and back to the 'van. The adjacent outdoor courts at the sports facilities might be lit and in use until about 22:00, but after that lights-out and quiet (though the Stellplatz itself is "street-lit"). https://i.ibb.co/fr828Dd/Grafenau5.jpg TBC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 3, 2020 Author Share Posted February 3, 2020 Grafenau was one of those places that just "clicked". Enough in the town to make it interesting, and all things like bakers, supermarket, cafés etc. to make it sustainable. The Stellplatz felt just right as well. With the wide scope for both walking and cycling (and indeed, using public transport to get around) we could easily have passed a good few days here. Time pressure, however, meant that we need to keep moving fairly often if we weren't to have some very long hops on our way back, but even though the morning was a little overcast, we decided one more day, walking, was a must. So, setting off fairly early into a day of slowly improving weather, we did a signposted "Panorama Walk" with variations, which lived up to its name, and ended up at just over 13 miles. The road closure already mentioned above was a large section of the road out of Grafenau towards the Czech border - the road we had intended to head out on for our next leg - and diversion didn't look short or simple. As we were walking, however, the extensive views indicated that, given traffic it might, in fact, have re-opened that day, which was encouraging. https://i.ibb.co/qWrkDwh/Grafenau6.jpg https://i.ibb.co/wcP3DKs/Grafenau7.jpg One curious local inhabitant showed some significant interest in us.... https://i.ibb.co/0CkHXz3/Grafenau8.jpg It was quite a long day, with very few other people out walking, and we returned to the 'van in sun, and then set out for dinner, in town, nicely in the last of the evening sun. Then, back to the 'van for another quiet evening. TBC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 3, 2020 Author Share Posted February 3, 2020 So, though Grafenau could have kept us a little longer, we needed to move on, and this was the time to nip over the Czech border and take a look at Ceský Krumlov, which was a little over 60 miles away. Research had found multiple hits on the availability of overnight stays behind the tourist bus car park. It sounds less than attractive, but posted pictures, and Google Streetview revealed a large, partly grassy field well behind the buses, and with the advantage of easy walking into the centre. Cost was quoted at anywhere between €10 and €15 (or equivalent), depending on payment in Euro or Koruna, and which side of bed the barrier guard had got out of :-). I'd noted this location a couple of years ago, and there had been varying reports of it being not available, then re-available, etc. but the latest review (Campercontact, I think) was only 6 weeks previous, and positive. I commented above on the road closure, and luckily it had re-opened the previous day, after quite a lengthy outage to resurface a (very) long stretch of road. Accordingly, we were able to take the direct route, pausing on the way to pull a few Czech Koruna from a hole in the wall. (We might well have managed without, as Euro were accepted in quite a few places, but best be sure). We arrived at the bus parking at around 11:00 to the obvious sight that the whole area had been very recently rehashed. Resurfaced roads and parking, complete new barrier system, and, worse than that, a big "no motorhomes" sign. We pulled up, and that provoked the arrival of a man from the guardian's hut. "Kein Wohnmobil!", but then he directed us the the parking P4 "300 meters up the road", and confirmed when asked that overnight parking would be allowed. I'm not a great fan of shared parking, let alone for an overnight stop in a busy area, but we were here, so we turned back and looked for P4. 300 metres up the road, there was certainly a sign (up a narrow entrance between trees that we were past before it registered) but no sign of any parking. In for a penny, etc. we turned round, and carefully threaded between the trees. The road improved in width, and went upwards, but still no parking. A mile and a half later, we found ourselves high up, next to the Castle gardens, at the entrance to a long, sloping car park - P4! There was a sign indicating prices, including for overnighting in caravans; one confirming that the area was under video surveillance (reassuring) and a little warden's kiosk at the entrance, completely shut. The nearest part of the area was flattest (but not flat - and the remainder was quite sloping), had 6 large parking spaces marked, two of which were occupied by 'vans. (the rest of the car park was virtually empty). We pulled up in one of the spaces, and I asked the youngish German couple in one of the 'vans how we paid. "Don't know, they said - we've been here two days and still haven't paid - same with the people who were here when we came". Out with the ramps, which, despite quite a slope got us absolutely level, and off to work out just exactly where we were. We were high up, just outside the (free) daytime entrance to the castle garden, and surprisingly, closer to the centre than the bus park (albeit, getting there involved a bit of a climb). The garden terrace, and the route down gave magnificent views of the town, which, as I've said, is (deservedly) a World Heritage Site. https://i.ibb.co/2sb3hQ4/Cesky1.jpg It isn't a large town, but you could spend all day wandering round, discovering some new magical angle on the architecture. We stopped for coffee and cakes, and then later, walking past a hostelry just outside the walls (and therefore not so much a tourist trap) the sign on the wall provoked the comment "how much is that beer?". We went and sat on the terrace of what was obviously very much a "local". Ordered a large and a medium beer, and then, spotting that they did snacks, decided to order a plate of local bread and cheese, and one of bread and sausage. The attempt to order produced much pointing, shrugging of shoulders and a torrent of Czech we understood not a word of. The barman then disappeared. There was a delay, and we weren't sure whether we were getting anything or not, but eventually the, well stocked plates arrived. Seemingly, the plain sausage I ordered was off, so we had pickled sausage (no problem). The whole, beer and food, was the equivalent of just over £5. After a good long wander round, taking in the sights, we retreated uphill to the 'van for a rest, preparing for an evening return visit and a search for dinner. Ceský Krumlov is one of those places that a few photographs can't really do justice, but..... https://i.ibb.co/qg4dY45/cesky2.jpg https://i.ibb.co/0mdRfkY/Cesky3.jpg https://i.ibb.co/TbhsDC7/Cesky4.jpg https://i.ibb.co/Bn1xCQZ/Cesky5.jpg https://i.ibb.co/gR2CNDP/Cesky6.jpg TBC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 3, 2020 Author Share Posted February 3, 2020 In our wandering around, we had passed a couple of the other Pn car parks, all of which shared the same ticketing system, with the machines issuing tickets that covered all of them - except P4, where we were. It would definitely appear that the system for this, more remote location (at least in terms of vehicular access) relied on the kiosk, which they simply weren't bothering to man. This rather tied in with our perception that the place was geared up for considerably more tourists than were actually around - a very "end-of-season" feel. As we headed down to find somewhere to eat, the light had changed a bit, bringing yet a different focus to the place. We paused to take some more photos, then found a restaurant with a terrace overlooking the river, where we could sit in the last of the sun and have a pleasant (though far from cheap) meal. https://i.ibb.co/pvFdw9h/Cesky7.jpg https://i.ibb.co/mvFqpFQ/Cesky8.jpg Back up to the 'van again, to find we now had five neighbours of differing nationalities (and different degrees of levelness :-) ) and the car park was entirely devoid of any other vehicles. After a short rest, we walked the short distance back again, staying at high-level, the access into and through the castle surprisingly still being open, to take some spectacular floodlit pictures. https://i.ibb.co/wz4nWmG/Cesky9.jpg https://i.ibb.co/2yLzX9D/Cesky10.jpg https://i.ibb.co/6YnR2rg/Cesky11.jpg Then, back to the 'van (and, of course, another quiet night). It isn't at all difficult to recommend a visit to Ceský Krumlov, it is more spectacular than mere photographs (at least mine) can do justice. Though it made the visit what it was, it's rather more difficult to recommend where we stayed. It worked very well for us, but remember, there are no facilities, and I have no idea what things would be like at busier times (as set out above, the whole place seemed remarkably quiet at the time of our visit). If you were to be as lucky as us, however, it might just be worth a try. TBC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 A day walking round Ceský Krumlov is ample time to take in the sights, without diluting them by overstaying. The car park, whilst entirely adequate for a night, wasn't really our thing for an extended stay, and anyway, with the limited time we had left, we needed to be heading back to the Tunnel. We were tempted to use Grafenau for another night, having enjoyed it so much, but (with that as a standby) we headed to look at the Stellplatz at Freyung, just short of there, and about 50 miles away. We left at around 09:00, took a different route back to the border, and arrived at the Stellplatz at Freyung before lunch. This is located just over half a mile from the town centre, in a raised location surrounded by trees and next to the Ice Rink and a kids football field. We had an interesting time getting there as the satnav insisted on directing us up a (now) largely non-navigable back track (Google Maps reveals that it wasn't entirely surprising it tried). We finally made it, though. A circular parking area with wifi, water, disposal and electricity, it wasn't quite flat, so ramps may be in order. There were three other 'vans there when we arrived, (and a couple more later) and I parked on the flattest spot available, and went to hook-up. The column had a message displayed advising one to "Call the service personnel", so I asked the guy in the next 'van whether he had electricity, which he confirmed. I connected and dropped the lowest value coin in, but nada. Watching me, he offered to get his "spliiter" out and let me jump his supply, but I thanked him and declined, and said we'd run on gas. (The column on the opposite side of the circle, which was rather less flat, was mainly held together with tape and plastic, so we didn't bother to move). https://www.freyung.de/de/gastgeber-und-service/gastgeber/campingplaetze.html https://i.ibb.co/tcXRtpn/Freyung1.jpg https://i.ibb.co/tpPJ9fJ/Freyung2.jpg https://i.ibb.co/HpsVqX9/Freyung3.jpg We headed down the hill into town, and the habitual exploration and café, and decided to call in at the Tourist Info to tell them about the electricity - unfortunately, all the town hall staff were absent on a "jolly" training day and it was shut for the day. Freyung was another pleasant town, bigger and not quite to the standard of Grafenau, but nonetheless OK. Returning to the 'van, I had a brainwave, and disconnected the hook-up and moved it to another one, of the six, which was still vacant. Strom immediately, no coins, no change of the display, so as we have an AES fridge, there it stayed (with the gas set ready for standby). We then set out on a good afternoon walk, up the hill, through the grounds of the large Klinik, and round the Geyersberg. Good views, and dry if rather overcast. https://i.ibb.co/VBhpb93/Freyung4.jpg Having returned to the 'van, whilst preparing dinner the lady Platzwart wandered round collecting the €6 nightly fee. I pointed out the problem with the electricity, and the display, but she just smiled, shrugged her shoulders, and said "It's new!" (though in German of course) and wandered off. We had an evening stroll back to town (down the track the satnav had tried to get us there on), and returned for a quiet night. (A good Stellplatz this, but one caution; the circular parking space should effectively be dedicated to motorhomes, there is further ample parking at the entrance. It was obviously (a) training night while we were there, and there was quite some traffic in the evening dropping kids off for football and then picking them up again. It wasn't particularly disturbing, and was quiet by 21:00 at the latest, but they did tend to park in the spare motorhome spaces. Arrival between 18:00 and 21:00 might not, on that night, have provided a space without waiting). TBC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 The following morning was bright and sunny. There was still quite a distance to do back to the tunnel, with six days to go. One-night stops work for us - when they have to, but we like to settle for at least a couple of nights, to explore and get some exercise. The plan that was forming was to have a long hop, a shorter one, both with two-night stops, and then a longer one to get us to within an easy day's run of the coast (and given our experience of Maastricht, a return there was a potential for that last stop). There weren't too many obvious stops on our "direct" route that jumped out, and it being Saturday, we were wary of the weekend Stellplatz demand. We finally settled on a medium-sized area, just on the edge of the town of Forchheim, 170 miles West. It being a pleasant day, we rejected the (quicker but longer) option of the Autobahns, and decided to head across country, albeit still on main roads. It was a good choice - travelling largely by the 85 and 470, the countryside was good, the roads (initially at least) lightly trafficed and we made good progress. Somewhere more than half-way, a convoy of articulated tractor units (maybe a dozen) pulled out in front of us, and drove at medium speed sounding off their horns at all and sundry. Too close together to get past, we simply had to slow down and follow (with a large queue behind as well). It would have been even more annoying if we hadn't hit a spectacular stretch of road down the Wiesenttal, a gorge where the scenery was so good we wanted to go slow anyway. Having left at 09:00, it was still early afternoon when we reached the Stellplatz. It is on an "island" (almost, but technically not) the opposite side of the river from the town, the latter being a short walk over a footbridge. There were only a few places available when we arrived (and it was full, and people were turning away shortly after). €9 per night paid at a ticket machine, water and electricity extra, disposal free. https://www.fraenkische-schweiz.com/de/gastgeber/detail/56387d08975a5c0673281de9 https://i.ibb.co/dmdyzYL/Forchheim1.jpg This was a typical large town Stellplatz; functional, quite acceptable, great for access to the town, but don't expect views. The adjacent parking for the sports facilities (and people just walking the riverbank) meant it was busy in the vicinity in daylight hours, but this abated entirely by mid-evening. We headed off over the footbridge and found a pretty town with a castle, walls, half-timbered buildings and some kind of festival going on. Spent the afternoon just bimbling around in the sun, and then back to the 'van for a BBQ. Then a walk down the "island", over the lower bridge, and back through a different bit of town. https://i.ibb.co/JjRN4b3/Forchheim2.jpg https://i.ibb.co/C1bhmHM/Forchheim3.jpg https://i.ibb.co/k9p7W6p/Forchheim4.jpg I'd like to say another quiet night, but I can't, quite! Just the other side of the river, between it and the town, is the A73. The road noise, as is the norm in Germany, was constrained by a high acoustic wall, which started just South of the Stellplatz. Not enough noise to disturb overnight, but definitely background. Whilst not being the most exciting Stellplatz we'd used this holiday, the weather for the morning was set fair, and we decided we'd probably stay, and cycle the Main-Donau Kanal (which was the adjacent river here, but diverged either end of the town. TBC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 The decorative buildings we see don't give any clues to there ever having been a serious war in which a large part of that country (we were told) had been obliterated (Forcheim is not far from Nuremburg). Did you have any thoughts that they had survived untouched by war or they had been masterfully rebuilt ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 5, 2020 Author Share Posted February 5, 2020 Quite a few of the historic buildings survived the war, but there was also a lot of damage in some areas. I know for a fact that the Germans, instead of redeveloping with concrete jungles like much of Britain, in many cases filled in, or completely rebuilt "in the vernacular", at least as far as style is concerned, though not necessarily using historic building materials or practices. Without getting inside and checking out the building practices, it is difficult to determine its real age. (though many of those I've posted pictures of are, I believe, mainly original). The centre of Münster is a pretty good example of the approach they took. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 5, 2020 Author Share Posted February 5, 2020 It's probably useful to cover the subject of Stellplatz payment here. In general you may need to pay for the pitch, electricity, and/or water. It is rare, though not unknown, to have to pay for grey or black disposal. Payment for the pitch can be as simple as handing over cash to someone who lives adjacent, or to the Platzwart when they call round (usually early evening and first thing in the morning), or filling in some details and posting the fee through a letter box. The next level is the fixed-term parking ticket, issued by a fairly conventional machine, and that then goes up to the more sophisticated methods, involving issuing of a card ticket which gives barrier access, and enables calculated payment on exit. Further sophistication adds access to some or all of the facilities on this card, possibly even totting up those which are chargeable and adding to the final exit bill. At the lower end cash (it is useful to have the exact amount) is expected. In the middle, you may find machines that take EC cards (but, AFAIK, no UK banks now issue these, and a UK debit card will not work) in addition to cash. At the higher end, you may well find credit cards are taken (and sometimes exclusively, i.e. no cash). We have never had problems with UK credit cards in the latter. Payment for electricity may be inclusive in the pitch price, but it is not common. There is widespread use of coin-operated electricity outlets, the price varying somewhat. Most commonly, we find the cost is around 50¢ per kWh (possibly slightly higher if the pitch fee is low), though you might find it is metered by time, rather than consumption (e.g. €2 for 12 hours). The outlets will often, though not always, have the ability to display how much is left, and sometimes the instantaneous consumption. Many will allow you to pre-load kWh or time by inserting multiple coins, some will not (and then, deciding when to put any money in, especially if time-controlled and you don't want to have to get up in the middle of the night, can be interesting). Some people, not me of course, check all the available outlets to see if there is any credit left, and only then hook up. Water, where a payable commodity, in the past tended to come as a bulk purchase (100 litres for €1 was typical). This best supports filling by a hose, but we now regularly see water offered pro-rata for any denomination of coin (10¢ to €1) which makes filling via a water carrier much more viable. (We tend simply to top-up when we can, and generally this is more convenient via a water carrier). As you can see from this, a selection of coins of all denominations is just about a given, and we squirrel away coins every chance we have (and we always make sure we bring a selection home with us, as a starter for the next visit). == Anyway, the next day's weather was corking, and we set out to ride North on the Main-Donau Kanal. (Nuremburg, to the South looked a little too far, and though we had reasonably recently visited Bamberg, via its Stellplatz, we thought the ride looked better). Bamberg is another world heritage site, and the architecture (and the Rauchbier) is quite compelling, so it is highly recommended, but, having seen the sights recently, and being a little ahead of our estimate, we stopped only at a café on the way through, and continued to Bischberg before turning back. https://i.ibb.co/KyP2YCb/Forchheim5.jpg https://i.ibb.co/2nXf5wJ/Forchheim6.jpg Just North of Bamberg people were having fun with a steam train on the opposite bank. On the return journey, we alternated banks for a while where tracks allowed, and being rather hot and sweaty diverted for a beer at shady a Biergarten in Pautzfeld. We returned to the 'van after 41 miles of largely flat canal-side cycling, and having rested, ate out in the garden of a nice, but busy, Italian restaurant in the quieter part of town. https://i.ibb.co/YQxwzQt/Forchheim7.jpg https://i.ibb.co/DgQnVJV/Forchheim8.jpg Then back to the 'van, and another night with the faint background buzz of Autobahn traffic. With the forecast still good, we were hopeful of our short-hop in the morning and another two-nighter, and our research of possibilities came up with what was to be another cracking find. TBC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 6, 2020 Author Share Posted February 6, 2020 It should be obvious that with a few diversions into larger towns/cities to explore, we like to seek out the smaller locations, a little off the main tourist track, and positioned to let us explore on foot or by bike. Our search has turned up a good few excellent locations (and, as I've said, wherever we stay in Germany, we invariably find something of interest to divert us). Poppenhausen, our next destination, and only 100 miles away, was one of those chance finds we really liked. A word of warning here, there are a few places in Germany called Poppenhausen. One of them, a town of almost equal size to our target, was only around 40 miles away from it, and on one of the potential routes there. You could end up very surprised (thankfully we didn't make that mistake). We were heading for Poppenhausen (Wasserkuppe). We once again had to follow an "Umleitung" (that dreaded German word - it generally results in quite a lengthy diversion) near to our destination due to major road resurfacing, but it had the added value of dropping us into Poppenhausen from high, with wide-ranging views. The Stellplatz here is a hard surfaced area on a quiet part of the edge of town (albeit with the town's sport facilities adjacent but not joined), divided into level, terraced pitches. €6 per night via a ticket machine, disposal free but with water and electricity chargeable (and the latter at €2 per 12 hours, and no pre-loading of extra coins - so I refer readers to the notes on timing of invoking the start of that 12 hour period above, particularly if using a non-AES fridge). There were three 'vans here when we arrived around midday, and a couple more overnight plenty of room, and I think it had been recently extended to add a couple more spaces over the 10 quoted on the website. https://www.poppenhausen-wasserkuppe.de/de/tourismus/unterkuenfte-gastro/unterkuenfte/wohnmobilstellplaetze.html https://i.ibb.co/kHqVDhV/Popp1.jpg https://i.ibb.co/6m2tCxX/Popp2.jpg We walked into (the very quiet) town to suss out the facilities. Whilst smallish, it had most of what you would require. A few shops, a Supermarket, a Gasthof, and a bakers with a large café. It didn't take long to explore, and being back at the 'van, and the weather being good, we decided to set off and explore some of the higher contours on a "panorama" walk. The views being good, and the walking easy and direct from the door, this expanded into a stroll of over 6 miles, taking in a local ruined castle, and we returned via the Gasthof in town to attempt a drink. Though relatively early, the place was heaving, and we abandoned any thought of being served without a wait, and headed back to the 'van (raiding the fridge for a beer, and then later a BBQ). There was a bit of rain in the evening, but we were back to a (very) quiet night. https://i.ibb.co/C6QtcCd/Popp3.jpg https://i.ibb.co/34Jw81X/Popp4.jpg The following morning was a little misty, but the forecast was good. Having really enjoyed our afternoon ramble the previous day, we decided something longer and more strenuous (this would be the last opportunity this holiday) would be a good idea. The "Wasserkuppe" used to identify the correct Poppenhausen is, in fact, the hill we could just about see from the Stellplatz, and at 3120ft is the highest point in the Rhön Mountains. It has an interesting aviation history, still having an airfield on the top used by gliders and light planes, as well as a prominent, but now unused radome. We reckoned we could take it in with a circular walk, if we took most of the day (we were, after all, starting at over 1700ft). https://i.ibb.co/zrngr8Q/Popp5.jpg ..and it was a good day. Only slightly hazy and with massive views over the surrounding countryside, we made our way to the top via quiet well-signposted paths (though, with various routes possible, decision-making was required at a good few junctions). The top was quite well-developed; buildings, cafés, visitor centre, kiosks, and "tat" souvenir shops, all the evidence that you could, in fact, drive to the top on the other side. The radome, being disused, allows trips and its use as a viewing platform, but as well as being disused on our visit, it was closed. We stopped for a very tasty and surprisingly cheap local Bier and "Wurst unt Brot" before setting out back down again, varying our route. We were early enough back to venture through the village for coffee and cakes, and then back to the 'van for a later BBQ (and quiet night!). https://i.ibb.co/rs94znd/Popp6.jpg https://i.ibb.co/fX7Y3hs/Popp7.jpg https://i.ibb.co/Lv8p8TT/Popp8.jpg https://i.ibb.co/DbKhtG1/Popp9.jpg We might well return to Poppenhausen if we find ourselves nearby. The scope for walking and cycling is large, and the place itself very relaxing. TBC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 6, 2020 Author Share Posted February 6, 2020 ...and that was the holiday almost over, with one more night before we were due on the Tunnel, best part of 450 miles away. We wanted to get at least half that distance out of the way, and also have an opportunity for a last-night meal out. Maastricht had suited us on the way out, and would knock off 250 of those miles, so the destination was decided. After a short stop in the village for provisions, we set off reasonably early, and were at the Stellplatz at Maastricht by 15:00. We'd taken a short break just as we drove out of Germany to fill the tank, since diesel is the cheapest of the near European countries (by quite a bit in some cases). Paid at the (this time non-recalcitrant) machine and chose a pitch (it was slightly less busy than on the way out). Having hooked-up I then returned to pay for electricity (I wrote the 4-digit number down this time, Ha!) to find a Dutch couple really struggling to work out what to do. Given the prime language for the machine was Dutch, and (when it wasn't being recalcitrant) it was fairly easy to master, I was quite confused (but not as much as they were!). They seemed uncertain how to pay (though there was only a card slot - no coins or notes) even though holding a card. The woman seemed to want to insert the card without even using the screen. Anyway, I finally managed to prove that the English had certainly advanced beyond the Industrial Revolution, got them a ticket, explained that they needed the code thereon to get in and out, and left them to (surprisingly) successfully enter the Stellplatz. .....they spoilt it all though by then immediately parking (in a shortish 'van) in one of the spots very clearly marked as only for oversized vehicles. Hey ho. https://i.ibb.co/gyDyL02/Maastricht5.jpg Late lunch at the 'van, then a walk into Maastricht again (avoiding the lure of the "coffee shop") in pleasant sunshine. We walked around some of the areas we hadn't touched on previously, and then headed over the bridge to the Eastern side of the city, where there were just as many restaurants and bars per hectare as there were on the other side. Trust me, you won't have any difficulty finding somewhere to eat or drink in Maastricht!. Even relatively early on a Wednesday evening, places were quite busy, so we dropped into a bistro that had a few tables free, and passed much of the remainder of the evening before retreating to the 'van. https://i.ibb.co/q7VcLGK/Maastricht6.jpg https://i.ibb.co/yVgbm60/Maastricht7.jpg Again quiet, with a bit of passing road noise. We were booked on the 17:20 shuttle so no rush to get to the Tunnel, roughly 200 miles away. We left at 09:00, however (long delays on the Autoroute not being unknown) and diverted near Calais to the Carrefour at Bois-en-Ardre. It's become a bit of a tradition to head there, as it has a reasonable wine selection, a largely empty car-park, and (now not relevant given the way Diesel prices have risen in France) a fuel station where it was easy to fill up (but which we now don't). It's only 10 mile from the ferry or Tunnel, so easy to judge timing, and there used to be a good off-road layby (unfortunately now gone) at the other end of the village where you could pass time quietly if ahead of schedule. Nowadays, we simply hang around in the Carrefour car park if that is the case. With an eye on possibly being allocated an earlier Shuttle, we were at the Tunnel at 15:20, but still allocated the 17:20, which this time, really was delayed somewhat. Even then, and with some delay on the Dartford Crossing, we were home by 22:00. TBC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted February 6, 2020 Share Posted February 6, 2020 Being Dutch that was probably the only time they had ever used a card. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted February 7, 2020 Author Share Posted February 7, 2020 ...and that really is "about it". Hopefully some of you have gained inspiration or information from my two trip reports on just how easy it is to flexibly tour Germany, and how easy, with only a little careful selection, find acceptable Stellplätze that support activities, or exploration in attractive areas. Whilst the places we've stopped vary in both quality and surroundings, all have been fit for their purpose, and there are only very few that we would use solely for a one-night transit stop. Germany is motorhome friendly, with diesel cheaper than most of the rest of Europe, and roads generally in much better condition than the UK. I think there are few other countries where, as I did, you could report a problem with the gas regulator, and have it fixed within half a day, with the repairer sorting out the manufacturer directly picking up a €400 bill. It helps if you speak or understand a little German, but it is not compulsory. English is widely spoken or understood, and (contrary to some rumours) the Germans are a polite and helpful lot. Food and drink are relatively inexpensive to buy; Coffee and cakes, and a Bier in a Gasthof are probably slightly cheaper than the UK. Food eaten out is also good value, if sometimes a bit "hearty". Probably the most awkward aspect is that credit card use is still rather variable. All fuel stations seem now to take them (I can remember when few off the Autobahn did), the majority of, but not all, supermarkets do, but, except in the real tourist hotspots, other shops, cafés and restaurants might well not. Oh, and the Germans are fond of speed cameras, often not well marked, and speed limits signs (especially at remote junctions, which might also be accompanied by a camera) are easily missed. Gute Fahrt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 Rob, Thanks for the interesting reads, Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spirou Posted February 8, 2020 Share Posted February 8, 2020 Robinhood - 2020-02-07 6:34 PM Hopefully some of you have gained inspiration or information from my two trip reports on just how easy it is to flexibly tour Germany, and how easy, with only a little careful selection, find acceptable Stellplätze that support activities, or exploration in attractive areas. Is there any other way to travel in a MH? Germany or otherwise :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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