Germany 2006 - Mosel, Rhine and Neckar

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Germany - Mosel Rhine and Neckar
Our journey started after an overnight stay at the carpark in Gravelines just west of the Dunkerque ferry terminal (the nearby campsite was full, and the carpark was also full when we awoke with lots of kite buggy enthusiasts preparing for a contest!). A very wet journey through to Poperinge and Ypres into Belgium followed, via the free autoroutes and after being confused by names of towns in two language on the signs Tournai = Doornik and Mons = Bergen, eventually on our planned route, very slow at times for long stretches of roadworks near Namur. Bypassing Luxembourg city and Trier we skirted north to reach the Mosel at Schwiech. (Yes I know we missed some gems of places but they are on our plans for another year, hopefully when the weather will be better).
The Mosel and Rhine riverbanks are motorhome heaven with nearly every village and town having a stellplatz, sometimes free but usually between €5 and €10 for a night stop. The camperstop at Schwiech was €5 for parking but to use the facilities available in the adjacent campsite costs €10.50. Eventually in the evening the sun came out so we strolled through the tidy village as the locals came out of the church dressed in their Sunday best, then lazed around after the long drive watching the huge barges passing. The next day being a Sunday we drove on empty roads along the attractive banks of the Mosel stopping at Bernkastel-Kues at the motorhome parking platz on the northern bank where there was a service point but no overnight parking allowed. Bernkastel is an attractive town, touristy of course with its timber framed houses backed by vineyards on the steep hills. In the afternoon we continued along the river crossing at busy Traben-Trarbach and calling in to the large stellplatz at Enkirch but we decided to continue to Reil, again crossing the river to a pleasant stellplatz with service point and half a dozen other vans. Reil Stellplatz	Bernkastel house Bernkastel narrow house
The rain returned the next day as we continued along the Mosel to Cochem where we found an ALDI store to stock up on supplies, then we turned away from the river and over steep wooded hills to the Rhine at Boppard, a much larger and busier town than I remembered from a Youth Hostel cycling holiday many many years ago. After driving around the town and getting confused by the signs to the various parking places we decided it was too busy so drove along to St Goar, a much quieter place where we parked free (displaying our Scarborough council parking disc) and walked along the main street to admire the world's largest wooden freehanging cuckoo clock (so the sign read). There was the usual mix of small shops that seem to be in abundance in these towns, selling wines beers and cooked meats as well as leather goods and other gifts.	St Goar wooden cuckoo clock
Continuing past the famous Lorelei rock we stopped at Oberwesel where we found a small campsite Camping Schönburgblick on the riverside at the southern edge of the town for only €1 more than the stellplatz which was just a parking place with no facilities. Another pleasant town with several shops and a marked walk through the vineyards to viewpoints over the Rhine valley and a strange modern stone sculpture. Strange sculpture near Oberwesel Although the campsite was well situated beside the Rhine, both sides of the river have busy rail and roads. We were amazed at how many barges travel along the river some extremely long or joined together and carrying various cargos such as coal, timber, fuel and scrap metal, surely a more economic way of transporting goods than by road. The families who live on the barges often had cars and even a childrens' fenced in "play pen" onboard. We noticed far more freight trains than we've seen in the UK and even a steam train passing along on the opposite side of the river. There were also many cruise boats some very large and luxurious but with only a few passengers onboard. Camping Schönburgblick Oberwesel	Oberwesel view from vineyards Oberwesel town square Oberwesel church
The next morning we continued further upstream to Bacharach another attractive town with many interesting old buildings and walked up to a leaning tower in the vineyards with fine views over the valley. We also noticed several plaques on the town walls showing flood levels from many years ago. There was another stellplatz by the campsite but we only stayed there for a lunchstop. Bacharach leaning tower	Bacharach and Rhine Bacharach timbered houses
We decided to head further south towards Heidelberg on the A61 autobahn which wasn't very busy, then cutting across country but got completely lost in the suburbs near Speyer (where there is a transport museum), let down by our satnav which was determined to take us back to a waypoint we had missed. Eventually after passing through more small towns we arrived at Neckargemünd where we booked in at the ACSI listed Camping Haide for two nights. The site was in the wooded countryside a couple of miles from the town centre, beside the river and unfortunately more busy roads. The barges passing here on the Neckar were smaller than those on the Rhine. The next morning we drove to the town for a stroll around and visited the tourist office which had mostly timetables and holiday brochures for distant places. We found a bookshop where the assistant was so helpful - in English of course, that we felt obliged to buy a local map of walks. After admiring the decorated birch tree in the town centre and topping up provisions in a small but well stocked supermarket we headed to the forest and a three mile walk from a picnic place. We hoped for some nice views but a walk through a thick pine forest could be anywhere!	Neckargemund decorated birch tree
We returned to the van and studied the map heading for Hirschhorn on the river where there was a small stellplatz (but no facilities). After a stroll around the old restored town with its buildings overhanging the town walls we had our evening meal and drove back to the campsite so that we could do some washing and household chores. Later In the evening we investigated the internet connection listed in the campsite details which was just a keyboard on a shelf with a monitor inside the office window - and no success with finding useable wi-fi hotspots so far! Hirschhorn stellplatz	Hirschhorn town gate Hirschhorn

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