Great Escape

Last year i started to plan the great escape as i have called it 3 months away touring europe, we had bought a new Fendt 700 la vogue having had a fent before we liked the lay outs, i got lots of infomatio from using the caravan Club site and chattin with other members who have tored Europe. As we are still touring i will post the first part of our story then later on the rest of the story, I hope my grammar is correct and tha i dont drone on about to much detail. Thank you for reading here is our story.

26/April  to 2^nd June 2015

The Great Escape well it seems like that to me although my wife is some what subdued about the idea, We started caravanning 30 years ago, But after our van was stolen we decided to give it a rest, but two years ago with retirement looming we decided to buy a second hand caravan, we were fortunate  to find a Fendt twin axle. We were really pleased with the caravan so we decided to buy a new one. So it begins the big push the planning stage,We bought our car and caravan breakdown cover and health insurance  through the Caravan Club (Red Pennant), we found these to be the best and cheapest. It was the little things that pose many problems, Emissions sticker for going into German towns,  where do we buy the toll  tickets for going into Switzerland ,what was needed so we could bring our much loved dog with us, all these had to be sorted out and it did take me a while to find things out and how to get them.

Our great escape started on the 26^th April 2015, our first camp site was to  be Black horse caravan club site, close to the channel tunnel, we stayed for 3 days got everything ship shape with the caravan, we had  a very enjoyable time with the sun beating down on us.  29^th April 2015 the day had finally arrived we were to get the train to France, I was a little daunted at the thought of getting us on the train as we are quite long, but it proved to be quite easy, In France we breezed through what was or used to be immigration control, out on the open road heading for Leper (Ypres) Belgium, the satnav took us straight to the door so to speak. Having never caravanned in Europe before ever, we had booked our sites through the ACSI camping association, We arrived at our Camp the site was called Camp site Jeugdstadion Bolwerkstraat 1 Leper. The site was ok but basic beware if like us you get there in the late afternoon its an automatic check in and takes a little getting used to. This site is the only site close to the Menin gate the ceremonies start every evening at 20.00hrs or 8pm, It was clean plenty of hot water, but the wifi is only available at reception  and is free, we stayed for 6  days with plenty to see and do with the museums, and war cemeteries.

Tuesday the 5^th May 2015 saw us arrive at next camp site, this is called camp site Familia 19 Rue des Bruyeres  4960 Malmedy Arimont Belgium, On arrival we were told that the new pitches would be the best for us as we are a long caravan, we set up all going well until it started to rain our pitch flooded and wouldn’t drain because it was a clay surface pitch, the electrics kept blowing we had to get a  electrician to come out to the van to fix the electrics, he also had to put in a 16 amp fuse in the electric fuse box of which we had to pay for, we spent a miserable night. Most of the toilets were locked and at night there were no lights in the toilets so needed a torch and the washing up water was a pay as you go.  Over the two years we have been members of the caravan club we have been spoiled  no I'm not just saying that, we have, we have got use to hot water on  every site, electrics that are fit for purpose, and a certain standard of health and safety, the electric boxes are unlocked which leads me to believe this happens all the time. Putting that aside the area is beautiful the scenery here amongst the Ardennes is beyond belief. The WIFI is very expensive so we would go into town and use it for free, we will be leaving on the 13^th May 2015, 

The 13^th May we headed for our fourth site our third in Europe,Camp site Schonburgblick Am Hafendamm 1  in Oberwesel, The site is a small site mainly motor homes but a few caravans great views over the Rhein in fact if you got any closer you would get your feet wet, we are staying for 10 days lots to see and do the amount of traffic on the river if you are into boats or trains this site will be paradise for you. The town of Oberwesel is a mediaeval town lots of towers nice main street, with quite a lot of shops plenty of restaurants and German bars, Oberwesel was at one time a walled town you can walk around the walls and also climb the steps up to the top of one of the towers, for the princely some of nothing, no charge. The castle that over looks Oberwesel is now part hotel and part museum, a pleasant walk up to the  castle takes about 45 minutes, but you need to be careful when choosing your route as one is precarious to say the least.

We used Schonburgblick as a base, so as to see the area, Koblenz was  a very nice place where the Mosel and the Rhine Rivers meet plenty of architecture and also a magnificent cable car that crosses the Rhine, shopping is good and plenty of parking at a cost. The little towns are a delight in that they have kept there originality, Bingham, Burg Rheinstein, Heimburg,Burg Stahleck, moving north from  Oberwesel you have St, Goar, Boppard, Schloss Stolzenfels, to name but a few. Tomorrow the 23^rd May 2015 we leave the Rhine and head south for our next camp site at Hafgut Hopfenburg, Munsingen, Baden Wurttenberg, Having spent 10 days here the never ending change of scenery on the Rhine will be sadly missed, The site is a good clean site with the toilets being kept in immaculate condition and plenty of hot water for the showers.

Saturday the 23^rd May sees us arrive at our next camp site Hafgut Hopfenburg, just outside the town of Munsingen, we were originally going to stay for 5 days but the site is well situated for things to see and do, its what is known as a eco site with teepees, igloos, and traveller caravans, it also incorporates a farm which the children on holiday can see the animals up close, dotted around the camp they have these fire pits round covered area made from wood inside they have these fire pits to start fires and then Bar B Q  if you want to people from all over the camp gather at these fire pits and have a few drinks or sing songs, the logs are free and are replaced there each morning by the camp staff. The toilet block  is very good almost looks new plenty of hot water showers , the only down side at the moment is the showers are push button and last 30 seconds then you need to push again but really know problem. We are very impressed with this site so much so we have decided to stay for 10 days. Around and about Munsingen is a small town with lots of free parking limited shopping but very nice for taking picture, just outside there is a shopping maul area with lidl, and numerous other shops.

Schloss Hohenzollen is one of the many castle that are throughout Germany but this one was well worth the visit the cost of 2 Euros parking and 7 Euros entrance fee very reasonably for what was there, the views from the battlements were fantastic. Lake Konstanz was another of our trips out the drive from Munsingen took us through lots of open country side and wooded areas we saw quite a few Hawks but the names I couldn’t tell you, when we were about 8 miles from our destination we top this mountain and in the distance we could see the Alps they are a magnificent sight to see and for those  who have travelled these roads long before we did, they  know what I am talking about. On the hill over looking Lake Konstanz there was a church/Basilica just outside of the town called Meersburg the inside was breath taking it was on par with  the Sistine chapel in Rome, unfortunately we couldn’t take photographs and they didn’t sell any pictures of the inside. The day arrived for us to depart, just as well because a school trip arrived two nights before not that they were rowdy in fact the one who spoke to us were very pleasant and well mannered, this camp site we enjoyed very much.