First caravan trip overseas.... They didn't tell us it rained here!
Well, here we are one week into our first trip abroad in the caravan. As we are moving around a bit, I'll keep adding bits as and when. Photos to follow when I get home, as unable to transfer from camera to iPad whilst on the road.
After a night at Black Horse Farm, Dover ( to be recommended, easy to find, surprisingly good pub across the road which served better food than external appearances may have suggested), we hopped onto the P&O 8.30am ferry in pleasant sunshine.
We were headed for Camping Gritt, Luxembourg, a fairly easy 4.5 hour drive through France and Belgium. This site wasn't the easiest to find, and we wondered if a new road layout existed around Ettelbruck. By this time, to say it was wet, was an understatement. More on that later!
The site itself was easy to access, with a friendly English-speaking welcome (our Luxembourgian is not too good) and a reasonable sized pitch. There were quite a number of static/seasonal vans, and we were pitched in amongst them. The site is right next to a river, on flat land in front of a heavily wooded hillside, with walks we didn't sample due to the rain. Two toilet blocks, both in pristine condition, although for some reason only the one near reception seemed to have loo paper and hand towels replenished. The more distant block was 'out-of-stock' every time we visited. A small bar and cafe adjacent to reception seems fairly busy, but perhaps partially due to World Cup football on the TV in there. Advertised closing time was 11pm but it certainly didn't remain open that late during our two night stop. The constant rain made the pitch very soggy, even inside the awning, but surely this weather was unusual?
The nearby small town of Ingledorf has a sizeable supermarket, and petrol station, but seemed short of bars/restaurants, with just two pizza/pasta houses. We tried one, and gave it a thumbs up. The second night we popped down the road a couple of miles to Diekerk, which had a greater selection of options.
Things to do in the rain in Luxembourg.....
1. Pop into Luxembourg City, some spectacular buildings, expensive shops, interesting landscape. Try the tourist mini-train or open top bus.
2. Ettelbruck has an interesting war museum, largely featuring its liberation by Gen Patton as part of the Battle of the Bulge.
3.fill up with cheap diesel at equivalent of approx £1 a litre.
Overall impression of a Camping Gritt, good for a stop over, and like everywhere, so much better in fine weather.
And so on to Germany.........
We pondered the route options to go from Luxembourg to Staufen in Germany, and in the end opted for the most direct through France skirting Strasbourg. Maybe not the best idea as The Strasbourg area was very busy, with some route alterations via diversions and new roads. As we approached Camping Belchenbrick on the edge of the Black Forest, the little seen phenomenon of the sun became visible. Having seen the campsite setting and the close-by town of Staufen, we were disappointed we had only booked a single night. In fairness, the toilets/showers were a little tired and dark, but the shower cubicles were very spacious. A somewhat over-officious campsite guide who enjoyed issuing directions as to how to park etc, and insisted on plugging in our (metered) electric hook-up made us wonder if the pressure of the World Cup was getting to him. No such worries fur us English. Only real downside of the site was the railway right alongside, not too frequent or noisy, but might have been a niggle if staying more than one night. What a little gem the town was. Within walking distance alongside the river, real olde Germany. Interesting shops and restaurants. Few English speaking locals around it seemed. Had we stayed an extra night or two, one can get a free train pass into Freiburg which is apparently a larger version of Staufen. But rested and fed, we set off for Switzerland......
A short hop of some 80 miles saw us make Sempach in Switzerland, still sunshine, but more weather updates later! Very helpful, English-speaking receptionist, who directed us through the now customary statics/seasonals to an excellent pitch some 10m sq, with no near neighbours - not that we are antisocial, but space is good! This site is something of a resort, with 'beach' area, cafe, bar etc. Pleasant loos, but slightly marred by children continually using them as a playground. Why? A short walk into the town which was a fairly sleepy location, where I could not resist visiting a bier house, and trying a pint of good old London Pride, at only 10 euros. Mad or what? Most retailers apparently took euros, but gave change in Swiss francs. Day 2 saw... Absolutely nonstop rain! We didn't eat out here, partially due to cost and partially due to the second day's weather. The rain caused us to drive into the town, where we discovered one needed a parking permit for 'blue' spaces, and a kind local lady gave us her spare one. Diesel was dearer than in Lux, but slightly cheaper than UK. Now beginning to doubt our own wisdom in coming to the more northerly aspect of Europe, with this appalling weather. Next.... lake Como.
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Our last 'wet' day in Sempach turned into sunshine as we departed the next morning for Sorico, at the northern end of Lake Como. This is developing into a pattern; wet when we could be lazing around and bar-b-q-ing but bright and sunny when driving
all day. But what a drive over the Alps. The OH is not keen on tunnels, or at least ultra-long ones, so in an effort to avoid the Gotthard tunnel, we drove the longer route to the east, via Chur and thus arriving at Lake Como directly from the north. Anyone
fancying this option is advised to go via Thusis and Bivia to access the optimum routes when towing. This route provides the most stunning scenery, absolutely spectacular. Camping La Riva at Sorico is actually on the river flowing into Lake Como, but is a
delightful site. A small site, Clean, tidy, pretty. Friendly and helpful staff, great loos, swimming pool, boats for hire. Only downside is really that Sorico itself fails to buzz like many of the other resorts on the lake itself. There are a few restaurants
and bars, but seemingly little used..... Unless of course, that emptiness was all due to the rain which punctuated 4 of our 6 days there. Why don't I feel better when everyone says 'it's not typical weather'?
Eating out tips; first, La Fenice, turning right by road out of the camp, but walkable along the riverside path. Served and cooked by mama, who spoke absolutely no English, but knew how to cook. Second, Europa hotel, a family affair, cooked by mama and
served by English-speaking papa and son. Great steak and most unusual but delicious style of tiramisu.
We did drive round the entire lake, and would not recommend towing lakeside to the west (Sorico-Como) as the road is very narrow in parts through some of the villages. The eastern side is fine, as is approaching from the north as we did.
Top tip for a day out to remember is to drive the hour to Tirano to catch the Bernino express train to St Moritz. Two hours each way in observation carriages and scenery which can only be described as breathtaking.
Time now to head homewards, next stop Solothurn in Switzerland for a one-night stopover. Read the next instalment to find out if we were rain-kissed yet again....0 -
And yes, Solothurn was very wet. Non stop rain for our 24 hours there. Pleasant enough site, flat and easily accessible to the baroque town which was well worth the stroll round to view it's many tributes to the number eleven. (it was the 11th Canton to
join the Swiss federation, apparently). Plenty of bars and restaurants and OH was pleased to discover a C&A store. Solothurn will stay in my memory as the place where I discovered the difference between showerproof and waterproof; my jacket was clearly only
the former! One final comment about the site; if one parked in the lay by too close to the entrance when booking in, it became a very tricky right turn to get through the barrier. We saw one Dutch driver have to unhitch and use his motor mover to get through.
Hang further back and you can swing wide enough.0