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.

Summer 2019 - Poland and Czech Republic

22nd to 23rd July 2019

Bolkow, Poland

Crossed into Poland at Gorlitz, some impressive nineteenth century villas, to immediate chaos at Polish road junctions (many seriously need lights or a roundabout) as soon as I got into Poland. Got of Zlotys from an ATM so already to go! Avoided the toll motorway; but, the pavements on the ordinary main roads are generally good (often better than the pot-holed style we are continuing to develop in the UK). Minor roads are more hit and sometimes miss (avoid the the pothole, broken up verge etc). Ended up at a pleasant campsite (about 6 euro/night) within comfortable walking distance of the small town of Bolkow, impressive castle dating back to the fourteenth century of thereabouts. Stayed here a couple of nights meeting a very friendly Dutch family who were renting a couple of caravans on the site.

Bolkow - Castle

Bolkow - from the castle

24th to 26th July 2019

Karpacz, Poland

Large full campsite at the edge of the as I happened to be at the most popular mountain resort in Poland. The home of Bohemian skiing at the end of the nineteenth century when it was part of Germany. The hills go up to about 1700m but are quite Scottsh looking, rounded with forestry on the lower slopes. Walking into town the popularity of the place quickly became obvious - like Windermere on a Bank Holiday! At least the main streets were pedestrianized during the day and evening, which is probably more than we could achieve in the UK.

Karpacz - Church on Main Street

Ditto - Crowds - but pedestrianized

27th and 28th July 2019

Mala Skala, Czech Republic

Decided to drop into the Czech Republic for a few days because heading east through Poland there seemed to be few places to stay until the area of Krakow or more (probably mountain resorts). So through forests and hills into the Czech Republic. Managed to change my Zloty into Czech crowns. It's like travelling around Europe before the Euro was invented. Getting tired driving in the heat of the afternoon (around 34C) pulled in and found the closest place to park up Mala Skala a large campsite adjacent to a wide cool river. Well the hordes from Prague appeared to have arrived there previously and through to Saturday morning to also enjoy the river and local walks! Stayed a couple of nights, reasonable value at around 7 euro/night. Pleasant walking through the forestry, which was full of 'tor-like' red sandstone outcrops and up stream through similar the next day.

Mala Skala - Riverside Camping

Mala Skala - Chapel in the rocks - steep climb up

Mala Skala - Large Sandstone Formations in the Forest

Mala Skala - More sandstone formations

28th and 29th July 2019

Rovensko Pod Traskami, Czech Republic

Well this was more like a Communist period Workers Holiday Camp that really needed some TLC. Lovely Czech girl running the place who had a miserable English Partner who wouldn't even say 'hello'. Fairly expensive too at around 15 euros/night.  Hot walk on the second day, fortunately the up hill portion through shaded forestry, to the hill top castle of Hrad Trosky, Hrad meaning castle. From the ruined towers extensive views back towards the area of Mala Skala which is known as the Bohemian Paradise. Loads of small railway branch lines and associated level crossings. The railway is usually un-fenced and often no barriers at the crossings just a 'STOP' sign.

Hrad Trosky

Hrad Trosky - the second tower

30th July 2019

Litovel, Czech Republic

Eastwards to stop off at a small town. Litovel, some 70km north of Brno in the east of the Czech Republic. River, kyaking and a busy campsite again at an interesting small town with some large parks and impressive Gymanazium, adjacent to the park lake, which is a secondary school specializing in preparing students for university courses, probably similar to our Grammar Schools (the few that remain).

Litovel - Main Square

Litovel - Gymazium in the Park

31st July 2019

Landek, Czech Republic

Heading north to head towards Poland found a great camping spot in a landscaped park just outside the steel town of Ostrava a few kilometres south of the Polish border. It had been the estate of the local mine owners, the adjacent mine is now a museum (the present mine dates from around 1915 although the adjacent hills appear to be littered with hundreds of shafts and adits dating from the seventeenth century (if my interpretation of a Czech information board was correct - anyway stuck to the footpaths!).

Landek Park - Mining Equipment

Landek - Old Mine Museum

1st August to 3rd August 2019

Suloszowa, Poland

Crossed into Poland west of Krakow into the busy old industrial area of Silesia. Toyed with visiting the extermination camp at Austwitz; but, there were no tickets left on the online booking system for days and to be honest I don't think it's the type of place to be visited in peak holiday season with hordes of people potentially taking selfies of the crematoria etc. It's interesting to note that it was built in a very developed area (I had always assumed out of the way in the forests of eastern Poland) and is huge around a square kilometre. 

Headed towards Krakow, but the campsites there were overflowing and ended up about 30km north at a beautiful campsite, just opened this summer, in a limestone valley (the Polish Jura) with an important castle which houses part of the main art collection from the Castle Museum in Krakow just a couple of kilometres walk away.

Zamek Pieskowa

One of Many Limestone Features in the Valley

4th and 6th August 2019

Tyrawa Solana, Poland 

Into the extreme SE of Poland (near where Ukraine, Poland and Slovakia come together, in the meandering San Valley at the edge of the Carpathian Mountains. Some older wooden buildings in some of villages, more than I have seen else where, some wooden churches and the memory of the local Jewish population, which was around 30% of the total population before they we annihilated by the Germans in 1942 - mostly just herded into the  local forests and fields and shoot. The memory mainly being the abandoned Jewish cemeteries often completely lost in the forest or the overturned and heaped up headstones in what just looks like a rough field. No living relatives remained to look after them.

San River

Old farming equipment and carts were all over the campsite - sadly just rotting away

Russian T-34 - makes a change from the American Shermans in France and Belgium!

Two churches on one side - the gatehouse church is medieval and supposedly a unique surviving example (it said that in English!)

7th and 8th August 2019

Lancut, Poland

Travelling through northwards to Lancut to stay at beautiful campsite, more like an ornamental garden, for a couple of nights and visiting the important aristocratic residence and park there. As the Red Army approached in late 1944 the last owner packed all his belongings into six freight trains and headed for Liechtenstein - the rest of the locals were not so lucky! One rule...blah blah.

Zamek Lancut

9th August 2019

Sandomierz, Poland

Few choices on route towards the next country 'to tick off the list' -Lithuania. So a noisy campsite adjacent to the ring road at Sandomierz; placated, by the fact that it was only a 500m walk into the old town with castle, cathedral etc on a bluff above the Vistula. Huge outdoor market was still open in the evening on the other side of the main road. Selling everything including literally hundreds of bikes. You see a lot being used locally for transport and for recreation at the weekend (great when the country is pretty flat). There are very few motorbikes or scooters but loads of well cared for cars often Audi or BMW. The houses look great too and I have not seen anything as bad as the less desirable parts of Edinburgh or Manchester - and every where is spotlessly clean. One wonders why Poles come to the UK - I think its a matter of potential income the average Polish salary is about 35-40% of that in the UK.

Sandomierz - Looking back at the Cathedral

10th and 11th August

Warsaw 

Next to the main road again! But cheap and just a 5km cycle ride into the centre of Warsaw. Which proved to be a very green city large parks and gardens together with a long 'promenade' along the Vistula. Deck chairs and beaches included - packed at the weekend. As was the rebuilt old town with tourists. Hard to believe that it was virtually totally destroyed by the Germans in 1944 after the abortive Warsaw rising. A free Chopin recital by a Japanese pianist in one of the parks on Sunday lunchtime. Also came across the first British van at a stopover since I first went into Germany on the 8th July, with a pleasant couple from Christchurch.

Warsaw - Lanzienc Park - Chopin Memorial and Piano Recital

Warsaw Old Town - rebuilt Royal Castle

Warsaw Old Town - Re-built Main Square in the Old Town

Warsaw Old Town - re-built Barbican Gate

12th August 2109

Kurowo, Poland

North east towards Lithuania (dual carriageway most of the way as well - normal roads are unbelievably slow and congested - if you're lucky you average about 30mph). After Warsaw a totally peaceful green campsite at the Park Offices on the edge of the Narew National Park - based on a shallow braided river valley covered in reed beds (about a kilometre wide along a 30km length of the River Narew). Not much bird life going on in the heat of August but must be alive in the breeding and migration seasons. 

Narew NP - endless reed beds