Summer 2020 - #3

3rd to 6th September 2020

Brentonico 

Ended up here for eight days! Only cost was 1.50 euros for eight hours of electricity to recharge the bike battery! Discovered some chestnut orchards when walking to Castigone, one afternoon. Never seen anything like that before. Some looked extremely ancient.

7th September 2020 

Casola Valsenio

Headed south across the endlessly flat Po Valley to spend the night at a small sosta a few kilometres into the Apennine foothills west of Ravena. Nice spot with free electricity: but ruined by noise from kids, scooters and footballers until about 10pm.

8th September 2020

Santa Maria Nuovo

South along the Adriatic Coast and into the Province of le Marche. An area l briefly visited a couple of years ago that l wanted to spend some more time in. So, into the hills to the west of Ancona for the night at Santa Maria Nuova. Intensely hot until about 1700. Then headed of on the bike coz the electric was free to recharge the battery! Obviously, the parking, waste disposal and drinking was free as well. There are a number of sostas like that around here - to be investigated over the next week or so. Wish the UK catered for motorhomes like this! 

9th September 2020 

Staffollo

A few kilometres further west to another hilltop village, Staffollo. With a single main street through the old part of the town. Great sosta, with free EHU, surrounded by vineyards and greenery  Spoilt,again, later by noisy teeangers racing 50cc scooters and picnicking until about midnight. Seems to be endemic in parts of ltaly. 

10th to 12th September 2020 

Pievebovigliana

West into the Apennines towards Perugia to stop off at the sosta in Pievebovigliana. Stayed here in October 2016 for a night. Wanted to come back and do some cycling in the hills. Ten days after l left, in 2016, the area was subject to a number if earthquakes. Over a fairly wide area, say 40km by 20km, cracked and abandoned houses, churches and village centres. Many churches supported by external steel framing. Have seen groups of up to 100 small prefabricated houses for the displaced population. After four years little signs if rebuilding. Half of the sosta was occupied by portacabins for the Post Office, a bank and the Police Station. Some good cycling routes. Very hot during the afternoons. 

13th September 2020

Castelangello sul Nera

After a few days cycling around Pievebovigliana moved on to another village in the same general area, still in the zone impacted by the 2016 earthquakes. The centre was completely deserted closed off, as was that in Viso about 8km away. Felt uncomfortable in a 'disaster area' and decided to move on after a night. Three and even four wheeled Piaggio vans are ubiquitous in this area!

14th to 16th September 2020

Torrito di Siena

A hop across to the west side of the Apennines into Tuscany to stop at the small sosta at Torrita di Siena for a few nights. Had stopped over here a couple of times previously but never explored the area. Some important Renaissance towns within a 20km cycle ride - Montepulciano and Pienza. Preferred a smaller less tourist ridden village of Montefollonico.

17th to 21st September 2020

Lusignano

Tuscany and Umbria are two places where the guide books ring true - slightly dilapidated, but lived-in and engagingly attractive hillside towns everywhere, together with vineyards, olive groves and some wooded hills. Still in Tuscany a few days at Lusignano where there was a huge fully serviced field provided as yet another free sosta for vans just below the town.

22nd to 23rd September

Lisiana Niccone

On the border of Tuscany and Umbria, in the hills to the east of Lago di Trasimeno, a couple of nights at the small village of Lisiana in the upper Tiber valley surrounded by wooded hills. Memo to self - when going for a bike ride make sure you route the satnav on roadways/cycleways/gravel roads - i accidently used the hiking setting and set a cycling route up an incredibly steep footpath that was totally water scoured to rock in many places, it took an hour and a half to progress a kilometre in plan and about 400m uphill! Thought that the crop in many of the fields was tobacco and discovered that it is quite an important crop in Italy. Spent two nights totally alone at the free serviced sosta with a pleasant view across the valley to a castle, Rocco del Pierle,which I walked up to it one afternoon between the thunderstorms which have been around for a few days.

24th to 26th September 2020

Citta della Pieve

Parked for a few days below yet another walled lively, hilltop town! Sadly the weather has become quite autumnal for a few days, tomorrow the max temperature is forecast as 13C!! Fortunately, temperatures should climb into the low twenties from next Tuesday, Heavy rain, thunderstorms and a cold front today! Fortunately, a free 6amp electrical supply is enough to run the fan heater at 1kW and the van cozy. May head for a coastal campsite for a couple of weeks on Tuesday.

Summer 2020 - #2

20th to 23rd August

Ipofen, Bavaria 

East of Wurzburg to the old fortified town of Iphofen, nestled below the wooded Swanberg and vineyards lower down the slopes. Good cyling routes into the hills, forests and vineyards. First day was blistering hot and impossible to sleep at night. Fortunately, cooled down to the mid twenties over Saturday and Sunday. Clean but busy parking area adjacent to one of the town gates. 

24th to 25th August

Caldozburg, Bavaria

Heading east towards the Czech Republic stopped at another green, free stellplatz adjacent to a hilltop town and castle, for a couple of nights, at Caldozburg, about twenty kilometres north west of Nuremberg. Had a cyling day out to Nuremberg visiting the Zeppelin Field where the NSP  rallies were held in the 1930's, old town and the huge castle.

26th August

Neunburg vorm Wald, Bavaria 

Caught the tail end of the storm bombarding the UK, only strong winds with gale force gusts. Stopped off on the edge of the walled town of Neunburg, about 40km from the Czech border, noisy during the day with road traffic but quiet at night. 

27th August 2020 

Dingolfing, Bavaria 

Decided to head south into northern Italy, as persistent rain for the foreseeable future in southern Germany. Covid rates are very similar in both Italy and Germany to the UK. Had a rear tyre blow, fortunately while only  doing 30mph through a small town. So no collateral problems. Through AA breakdown cover a guy arrived in about an hour and fitted, with a struggle, the spare - which is a bit dodgy as it's fifteen years old. So a new tyre needed tomorrow! Parked up in a free stellplatz at Dingolfing about 100km east of Munich. 

28th to 29th August 2020 

Neubeuern, Bavaria 

Struggled to find a place to get a new tyre. Not usually off the shelf in the UK either, must be an uncommon size. Eventually, thank goodness for Google and Google Translate, found a really helpful supplier near Munich. Long story but turned out that the other rear tyre was damaged as well so needed two. They could only find two winter tyres in all their Munich branches and got them expressed delivered to the depot. Spare tyre carrier needed repairing as well! Such a change to find such a helpful outfit. Drove down to near the Austrian border to destress for a couple of nights on the Inn at the quaint Bavarian village called Neubeuern. 

30th August to 2nd September 2020

Brentonico, Trento, ltaly

Incessant heavy rain the second day at Neubeuern and then through Austria via Innsbruck and then over the Brenner Pass into the South Tyrol. Unfortunately, low cloud, and heavy rain most of the way. Began to clear south of Bolzano. Had intended a long days drive down to the Appenines near Ravena. Incredibly heavy traffic on the autostrada lead to a change of plan and ended up at a great sosta adjacent to Brentonico, at about 800m, a smart, clean village just over the montains on the east of Lake Garda.

Some Italians seem to have been here for weeks! Weather has been variable. Great for walking and biking. Need a bigger battery for the bike as l can only manage about 1200m uphill and 28km! Biked 800m down to Lake Garda yesterday on some unbelievably steep, narrow agricultural roads. Could never have cycled back up the same way! Used the more gently graded main road. Garda was warmer but heaving with people, cars and bikes. 

View from the sosta and Lake Garda yesterday below. 

Summer 2020 #1

10th to 11th August

Edinbugh to Amsterdam 

Fed up with the weather in Scotland and the place is heaving with campervans and motorhomes - so decided to head for Germany which seems relatively low risk for CV19. The Newcastle/Amsterdam ferry was booked for the 11th, a day of fine weather resulted in leaving a day early and overnighting at the Forestry Scotland South Cheviot parking area, a stop with super panoramic views north.

12th August 2020

Amsterdam to Unkel

Arrived in Amsterdam about 10am. Then through the Netherlands on their superb motorway network and onto the more worn-out German autobahns near Arnhem to stop for the night just south of Bonn at Unkel on the Rhine.

13th August 2020

Unkel to Michelbach

Plan was to follow the Deutsche Limestrasse, a route along the line of the border of the Roman Empire between the Rhine and Danube. Like Hadrian's Wall without the wall. Pfft! Something definitely wrong with the route l down loaded on to my sat nav app - l think it was the cycle path. It kept trying to send me up forest tracks. And, then after an hour wandering around a forest loking for a tower, never found, l decided that there must be better ways of seeing Germany and deciding to head slowly south towards the Black Forest. Parked up at a quiet spot in Michelburg for the night.

14th to 16th August 2020 

Leidersbach 

Great green parking area in the village with walks and cycling on aling forest tracks and quiet backroads. Tried out the new electric mountain bike. Have to spend the stae pension on something. Superb! Up and down 300m or more with no problems. Just need places to park up where there is an electric hook-up to recharge it! So far no issues with that. Visited an lron Age hill fort the Altberg and the fantastic old summer residence of the Archbishop of Mainz on the Main in Aschaffenburg, using it. 

14th to 17th August

Leidersbach to Kulsheim 

Still in the Odenwald between Frankfurt and Stuttgart. Endless wooded hills, arable farming and deep valleys. About forty miles from Leidersbach. Yet another fabulous free parking area in a village. Although, you have to pay a nominal charge for electricity and water. More biking and hiking. A huge monastery about ten kilometres away, Kloster Bronnbach due for a visit this afternoon. Below parking areas at Leidersbach and Kulsheim. 

Summer 2019 - Poland, Baltic States, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Croatia, Netherlands

13th August 2019
Suwalki, Poland

Last stop in Poland before heading into Lithuania. Busy if not a locally chaotic  town near the borders of Lithuania and the Kalingrad Oblast (which is politically part of Russia). Brand new totally spotless campsite next to the sports stadium.




14th August 2109
Kaunas, Lithuania

Vaguely northwards into Lithuania, to the new auto-stop just outside the old medieval capital. Small and interesting old centre at the confluence of two rivers. Cycled into the well preserved old town along a dedicated cycle path (we hardly know what they are in the UK) - with cathedral, town hall and castle all in close proximity. 

Kaunas, Old Town Square

15th and 16th August 2019
Anykscial, Lithuania

Interesting stop for a couple of nights at a great campsite next to the river at Anykcial (with various accents that i have no idea how to type). Very busy with a music festival and holiday makers enjoying the river. Before WW2 a thriving Jewish town, all killed or deported just before the german occupation, a very run down jewish cemetery on a hillside is all that remains, apart from some wooden pre-war houses in the old town.  First time I have seen a Soviet War cemetery,

Anyscial - Old Town Church, camping was by the river along the cycle path

Anyscial - Soviet WW2 Cemetery

17th August 2019
Rundale, Latvia

North into Latvia, a local truck driver had bought up an old farm by the river and set up a campsite in Rundale. As most other places very clean with good facilities, such as  complete spotless kitchen facilities for campers to use. The town was interesting with and impressive restored castle next to the river. Nearby, the huge Rundale Palace, which was built by a French architect for the Duke of Courland, a favourite of Catherine the Great, between 1740 and 1780. Totally different history in these parts! This was part of the Russian Empire in the 18th century. Now fully restored it is an important site in Latvia and extremely busy with Latvian and other tourists.

Rundale Palace

18th to 20th August 
Sigulda, Latvia

Northwards again into Latvia. Not the best idea to take what looks like short cuts in the van, one that looked good to avoid driving through Riga ended up as 50km of rough unpaved road through forests and farms. But surprisingly busy with local traffic - even bus stops, but didn't see any buses. crossed disused narrow gauge railway lines a couple of time as well.The heater in the van hasn't worked properly since all that bouncing and banging around.
Sigulda was a 19th century resort town once the railway arrived,  visited by Tzar Alexander II and other Russian autocrats. Still popular and very clean and green with old castles, museums and a deep wooded gorge and limestone caves. Campsite was a bit wierd; but the girls looking after it were really nice.
Went into Riga on the train for the day, hundreds of art-deco buildings in the town that I didn't know about. Fifty percent of the population is still Russian which the locals are not keen on.

Siguda

Siguda

Riga

Riga

21st August 2019
Raphinge, Estonia

Day pottering north into Estonia, much more expensive than Latvia and Lithuania. Not great distances to drive as each of the Baltic States is only about the size of Wales. Ended up at what appeared to be an immaculate landscaped garden cared for by a miserable elderly couple! All the guide books said that and they were correct!



22nd and 23rd August 2019
Saue, Estonia

To the north of Estonia to stop at a site a train journey from Tallinn on the Baltic. Brand new fast train service into Tallinn, everywhere clean and looked after. Old town has became a big tourist attraction. The middle felt like the centre of Edinburgh - all tourists and no locals! Worth a visit though.

24th August 2019
Paldiski to Kapellskars Car Ferry

Late departure to head for the overnight ferry to Sweden from Paldiski, just to the west of Tallinn. Nearly missed it! As I got side tracked looking at the memorial to a WW2 concentration camp and a Jewish massacre. Then it turned out there were two ferry ports in the same small town - I was at the wrong one. Eventually got sorted. 

25th and 26th August 2019
Uppsala, Sweden


Arrived  at Kapellskar early in the morning to be welcomed and interrogated by Swedish Customs for about forty minutes. Goodness knows why they hit on me - on one else got stopped! Forests and lakes, forests and lakes - so much empty space everywhere. Stayed at Uppsala for a couple of nights and took the train down to Stockholm. Never seen so many bikes anywhere, even in the Netherlands. Thousands parked at the railway station in double tier racks. And of course cycle paths! Sweden is so expensive - £2.60 for a loaf of break!

Stockholm

Stockholm

Stockholm

Uppsala

27th August 2019
Varnama, Sweden

I recall driving through loads of forests and lakes south of Stockholm on excellent free motorways. I remember that I had some how to pay the traffic congestion fee in Stockholm, as the only way south is to drive through on the motorway....but have absolutely no recollection of where I spent the night!!!

28th August 2019
Ringstead, Denmark

Down towards Malmo to take the Oresund Link across to Copenhagen - 8km bridge (viaduct and cable stay), 4km artificial island and 4km tunnel - a pretty impressive way to get into Denmark. 

Oresund Bridge

Ended up in a small town west of Copenhagen, at a pleasant free motor home parking area on the edge with free electricity as well. 

Ringstead Town Centre

29th August 2019


Bonsvig, Denmark

Towards the south of Zealand to spend a free night on a farm near the small coastal town of Bonsvig. Found a walk though the local coastal forest and villages which even encountered a megalith. The locals seem to be into preserving and living in traditional farms and farm houses. 

30th and 31st  August 2019
Ribes, Denmark

West trough Denmark, via the 11km  Great Belt Bridge, to finally end up on the west coast of Jutland, at purportedly the oldest town in Denmark - Ribes. For a night then moved down to the beach and had a night at a small parking area there.

Great Belt Bridge

Ribes

Ribes Beach

Ribes - Wine Festival

1st September 2019
Salzhausen, Germany

Now to head south for some autumn sun at the coast! So south to Croatia - first,  into Germany to hit a colossal traffic jam through Hamburg (3.5 hours to travel about 20km) due to a combination of road reconstruction and the last weekend in August holiday traffic! There are massive rebuilding projects all over the autobahn network in Germany and the delays can be pretty awful at times.
Stopped off at a village south of Hamburg, not so far from Luneburg Heath, where the Germans surrended to the British in 1945, which had a free stellplatz.

Salzhausen Church

 2nd September 2019
Hann-Meuden, Germany

Autobahn and roadworks for an aoveright stop in a quiet car park at an amazing little gem of typical German multi-storey wooden buildings at Hann just a few kilometres of the autobahn between Kassel and Gottingen.

Hann

3rd September 2019
Swandorf, Germany


South along the Czech border into Bavaria to finish the day at another pleasant german town, Swandorf, with a great, green and  free parking area next to the river and gorgeous ice cream in the town square.

Swandorf

4th September 2019
Eisenerz, Austria

Through Bavaria, crossing the Danube a few times, to cross into Austria where I found a free parking area at the old mining town of Eisenerz.

Just read the sign on the building

5th and 6th September 2019
Bad Gleichenberg, Austria

Through Austria to end up close to the Slovakian border in a free green parking area, next to the sports ground at Bad Gleichenberg. After the mountains during the day's drive a lower area of green wooded hills and farms. Organised walks through the woods and hills. Chilled out for a couple of days after the long drive from Denmark.

Bad Gleichenberg

7th September 2019
Ptug, Slovenia

Took a back road route to avoid paying the motorway toll in Slovenia, via Jerusalem with its steep vine covered hills, to a perfect brand new aire next to the river just outside Ptug.

Ptug

8th to 29th September 2019
Novalja, Croatia

A back route through the stunning low hills on the Slovene-Croatian border, to a small border crossing into Croatia. Actually got pulled up in the middle of nowhere, on a wee back road, by a police car and checked out before they would let me use the border crossing! Long drive on the Croatian motorway around Zagreb to finally end up on Pag Island at a new camp site a few kilometres north of Novalja. Four kilometre coastal walk into the town. Time not to do much at all - even the well equipped free gym didn't get many visits. Mainly sunny and warm with a couple of wet days in three weeks. Decided to move further south when the temperatures began to drop towards the end of the month. Some stunning coastal scenery with little vegetation.

Pag

Like Skye - no longer an island with the road bridge at the southern tip.

30th September to 10 October 2109
Trogir, Croatia

A couple of hundred kilometres south to stop just outside Trogir at a place I used a few years ago. Terraced camping in pine forest above the Adriatic, with low wooded islands off shore and about an hour's walk into the old town. Great for ten days!






11th October 2109
Brezice, Slovakia

A long days drive north through Croatia to cross into Slovenia and spend the night at the small border town of Brezice in Slovenia. There was a small parking area down by the river which used to be scavenged for coal according to the information board nearby. As in many places in eastern Europe a sad history - most of the towns population was deported by the Germans in 1942 to a concentration camp in Serbia and the place resettled by Austrians.





12th October 2019
Ubersee, Germany

North through Austria to cross into Germany near Salzburg and stop in the extreme south of Bavaria on a farm looking out to the Alpine foothills and into Austria. A little bit of late summer weather brought out hundreds of Germans on to the roads and camping places for the weekend.

13th October 2019
Westehofen, Germany

Up north westerly through Germany towards the Netherlands stopping off in an area of endless vineyards and smart wine merchants in the old town of Westehofen, near Worms, for the night.




14th October 2019,
Isselburg, Germany 

And getting closer to home Isselburg, near Kleve in Germany and Arnhem in the Netherlands. A smashing parking area on the edge of the village next to the river. Then through the Netherlands to take the over night ferry to Newcastle from Amsterdam the next day. Arriving back in Edinburgh at lunchtime on the 16th.