In search of summer sun?

[snail]

Hi all, barring any bad news, exspence from mot or servicing in two weeks time, we should be off end of April!

Not really into city tours but thinking of visiting Brugge, Ypres, going north to Holland for the bulb fields is Amsterdam worth a visit?

Coming back to Arnhem, crossing into Germany near Munster for the fairy tale route from Hamlen, pied piper trail, and in no particular order Kassel, east towards Dresden, Liepzig for Colditz, south onto the Romantic road route, the Ruhr dams, on south towards Black forest, Berchesgarden for the Eagles nest and Fussen area.

Not sure then weather to go through Austria into Italy to visit Venice? Trouble being the tolls and go boxes things is putting me off? Have found what I think is a toll free route, we could then head towards Pisa and hug the coast back into France. Or forget Italy go towards lake Constance and exit into France at Strasborg and dive down to French med skirting the Alps, making our way back through France.

Have got sheet maps, Aires books, board atlas and going to load camper contact onto the tablet, satnav, French and German euro 4 emmision stickers.

So anyone been this way have knowledge of must see places, areas, seems to be an abundance of national parks in Germany? Have followed the Rhine before but want to go more east,central this time, the Wesser river also looks nice?

Snail

 

[chrisjones18]

Can't help and a little envious..
Have been to Dresden about 40 years ago... don't remember a thing about it.
Liepzeg ... no one spoke any English and my German is worse than poor... huge viaduct there and lots of loverly young ladies waiting at bus stops going through border to Czech (as it is now). They must have been freezing as it was winter..
We are still waiting on the council about planning so can't go very far...

 

[chrisjones18]

Brian.are you using fiat glos? Is Paul still running service side?
If so I might get them to do mine with the mot this month (april)

 

[vwalan]

got friends that live in radebeul between Dresden and meissen.
head north from there and see est germany its fantastic.sprawold is great. cottobus etc or have a peep into poland . fantastic . and the brown coal fields are amazing .

 

[snail]

Hi Chris, yes still using Imperial commercials, Paul still there, the Fiat side is now run separately to the right of the main buildings, not sure how long but Lidl are buying the site, Paul said they are having a new purpose made garage built but can't remember where he said now, ours will be in this month also.

Alan, yes want to see a bit more of euroland just roughed out a route probably change when on the ground? Picked out a few places to visit just need to fill the gaps!
Are you still home? Any trips planned for summer?

 

[vwalan]

never know might get up your way in summer . keep thinking of doing the eastr coast as well. but this summer is building bobs new camper . when he gets back to uk he is thinking og buying a new van.
but east germany is fantstic , much better than west germany. colditz is great went there in 1999 they found more wartime food etc hidden under the floor in the potato store while we were actually there. have fun .

 

[coolasluck]

Bobs only thinking about it....unless he's changed his mind . Is Mike still with you? I know how he loves the same places you do.

 

[Dunroamin]

Hi Coola that thing I told you about works a treat,found lovely places.Makes paper map a thing for dinosaurs.Alan and bob wouldnt like them tho they are not slopey laybys.

 

[coolasluck]

Lol. We will have to compare notes when we next meet up.That train station with Alan and Bob is a belter though ain't it! You could spend weeks there. We did discover one place you may be interested in though.We had to rush back to blighty as f in law died .Back in Manchester now 1100 Miles in three days got here last night.

Will be using that thing much more in exploring later in the year.

 

[Dunroamin]

Sorry to hear about your loss.Yeah its a cracker couple of yards from railway track and a view over Torrelevega and the motorways.Alan told us you could see over Santander and the sea!!!!!!! We drive along and Heike sees all the likely spots on the screen complete with info brill. We are on an area de recreativo just outside a little village,tables and benches,intact grill stands,water.Quiet, not a plastic in sight.Heading ever so slowly direction Portugal.You would never find these places from a paper map or navi as long as you had a hole in your whatsit.An absolute boon for "wilders"Mums the word.Alan brought me my new drone,he tried to post it but no-one would take it because of the lithium batteries.Now I can make some great arial movies and pics.

 

[coolasluck]

It be good to see those movies
Just a word to the wise though don't go giving clues to that train spot place as before you know it ,it will be shared all over the place in a spirit of were all in this together and then plastic all over the place lol. Couldn't wait to get inland from the coast as the amount of Tupperware was too much!!!

 

[Dunroamin]

Must admit we did try to show him a few spots up there but he wasnt interested.There will be men on Mars before he goes digital.

 

[chrisjones18]

Dunroamin. Did you ever find out about water on osmand.. we used the mapping in australia and found if better than satnav. Combined with wikicamps found loads of out of the way places. ( free and no data needed)

 

[Dunroamin]

We have maps we use offline and yes a search function but not osmand .Tho we have used Osmand to find water and supermarkets.

 

[Dunroamin]

We dont use a navi just moving maps with bluetooth gps and tablet.

 

[Dunroamin]

They are here cutting the grass and tidying up for communion Sunday,will be heaving here but we will be gone. Maps!!!! We have MemoryMaps complete collection of British and French OS maps,QuoVadis (formerly Touratech) maps for the whole of Africa as well as the Fugawi collection.Ozi Explorer for the Antipodes and Spain/Portugal.Garmin maps for the Far East,Russia and points East.Iceland.Also every Lonely Planet ever printed as P.d.f. Added up including all Open Street Maps round 200gb of maps not counting the Ocean maps. We dont have a problem finding oue way around.

 

[snail]

Any inspiration places to see in Germany then for us, thought you would have had first hand knowledge?

 

[Dunroamin]

I will give it some thought.promobil aires books north and south with maps but not worth it cos the aires are in camper contact.worth googling wine festivals.not really au fey with the tourist routes.

 

[Dunroamin]

PN me with an email and I will send Lonely Planet Germany.

 

[vwalan]

good if you are in germany begining of may .they have birken fest . bit like our may day. we were at colditz and got invited on to the mayors table at the street party. we had met him at the scloss when the food was found under the floors .
eisanach is good go to the car museum there . wartburg museum where the first bmw cars were made . austin sevens under licence.
could do the mosel river run upto koblenz thengo on again .
some times there are big motorbike gatherings in koblenz on a sunday. think is last sunday of the month . but might be wrong.