18 August Thursday move to Northumberland
Bolbec Manor camp site €44/night
Today we drove past the famous Ribblehead viaduct.
Stopped for a selfie.
The AONB view from the camp site.
Some of the other campers.
17 August Wednesday part of Whernside
After a windy night we scampered part of the way up Whernside.
You wouldn’t want to mess with this sheepdog!
Yorkshire.
Our picnic spot.
Fantastic stones worthy of a famous sculptor.
Quite comfy too.
It’s not too windy today but look how this tree is growing.
Sheep.
A “pavement”.
Coming down to our camp site.
16 August Tuesday Falls Park
Today we went down half of the spectacular “Falls Walk”
So why is it called the “Falls” walk?
Maybe because you could fall in?
A place to fall in love?
You definitely shouldn’t fall over.
The river went that way!
15 August Monday go to Falls Park
Falls Park camp site Near Ingleton. €39/night.
Googlemaps Location
They’ve gone completely potty in Settle!
Mary Poppins just dropping in.
Postman Pot.
The potty pizza chef.
Not very well behaved potty children.
Another potty lot.
Our camp site in the Doe Valley.
Gorgeous.
Stepping stones over the river Doe.
14 August Sunday Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Visit Yorkshire Sculpture Park. £6 each.
Jason Wisher-Mills – one of his Argonauts in Love.
Picnic with Barbara Hepworth‘s Family of Man.
Niki de Saint Phalle – Buddha
JocJonJosch – Eddy
Someone’s been splitting hares. Sophie Ryder – Sitting
Bag of Aspirations by Kalliopi Lemos.
Robert Indiana – A hippy classic. All you need.
Jaume Plensa – White Nomad. Using letters from 8 different alphabets.
Damien Hirst – The Virgin Mother. And a nice tree!
13 August Saturday drive to Holme Valley Camping
Somewhere close to Yorkshire Sculpture park for 2 nights.
https://www.holmevalleycamping.com/ 2 1/2 hour drive from “The Lawns” 00441484665819
Email: enquiries@holmevalleycamping.com
Location in Googlemaps
It‘s still a bit hot in the camper so a cool bench next to the duckpond is just right.
Fairies sleep here…
The camp site is where an old mill used to stand. This is the millstream.
12 August Friday lazy day
Today we just relaxed and did some washing. There was a good stiff breeze to go with the sunshine. Just right for drying the washing.
11 August walk around the marsh & drive north
Looking across the river Alde.
Early start for a cooler walk.
The Lawns Caravan & Camping site is a 2 1/2 hour drive from Aldeburgh. Lowgate, Spalding PE12 8LN, UK
lawnsandlakes.co.uk
+447810026107
£25.50/night
Location in Googlemaps
That is quite some lawn. Anyone for croquet?
Enjoy a cup of tea first.
It’s 31°C today, so best stay in the shade.
10 August Aldeburgh
Park in Slaughden Rd
Parking for motorhome where you can stay overnight. Make sure you park in the slaughen quay car park outside the Slaughden Sailing Club where mororhomes are allowed. Nice view over the Alde river and marshes. motorhomes are not allowed on the road on the higher level overlooking the beach. Public toilet within 500 meters near the old lighthouse.
(Park4Night page)
Location in Googlemaps
Well fed, much contented folk.
9 August Ferry to Harwich
https://www.stenaline.de/routen/hoek-van-holland-harwich
30 min. Drive from camp site.
Hook of Holland to Harwich. Departs 14:15 Arrives 19:45
Glorious, sunny crossing.
Reading next to a porthole. Gerhild is reading Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. Kim is reading The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley.
The Castle Inn, The Street, Ramsey, Essex, CO12 5HH – £20/night
Phone: 00441255880739 www.castleinnramsey.co.uk
8 August Rotterdam
Monday.
Rotterdam station is quite smart.
The famous cube houses.
Inside the stairs are verrry steep and it’s quite hot but lots of fun.
Disorientating isn’t it?
Nice rabbit.
These revolving chairs are great.
Here you can pedal like mad and admire the bridge. There’s always something to keep you entertained.
A cigar-smoking hippopotamus. Love it. Dedicated to Marten Toonder, a famous Dutch cartoonist.
A block of flats over a food market.
The ceiling offers inspiration in case you don‘t know what to eat.
7 August Rotterdam Kunsthal
Visit Kunsthal (10:00 – 17:00 Adults € 16,50)
When the pedestrian lights are made of bamboo and light up like this, you know it’s the way to the zoo.
Interesting architecture in Rotterdam. The small building to the right is a church.
Sleeping stones at the Kunsthal.
This is a warehouse for part of the city’s art collection. Depot Boijmans
Twins.
Bicycle parking in the street behind Wagamama.
6 August drive to Rotterdam
4 hour drive to https://www.stadscamping-rotterdam.nl Stadscamping Rotterdam, Kanaalweg 84 / 86, 3041JE Rotterdam €34 per night.
Googlemap Location
Aaaaah, finished driving for a few days.
I wonder what sort of rubbish you put in this bin?
Gerhild thinks this is a duck – with ears…
5 August leave Berlin for a cherry orchard
6 hour drive (should have been 4) to Hagen am Teutoburger Wald
Reisemobilstellplatz Hagen a.T.W. Zum Jägerberg, 49170 Hagen am Teutoburger Wald (Link to Googlemap)
Hagen is a pleasant little village with some nice benches.
The free camper parking spot is next to a cherry orchard, where you are invited to have a nibble. ( Hagen‘s cherries) 10 minute stroll under cherry trees down into the village.
There‘s loads of uses for cherries.
Postcards
Im hohen Gras
Trifft ein junger Löwenzahn
einen alten Löwenzahn.
Was machst Du hier
fragt der Junge frech.
Ich warte auf meinen Freund, den Wind
er trägt mich geschwind
nach Italien.
Und da treffe ich Gerhild und Kim!
Wir sind in Florenz, einer schönen italienischen Stadt. Gestern hatten wir nichts mehr anzuziehen und mussten schnell unsere Sachen waschen. Die Bäume waren zu weit auseinander, um eine Wäscheleine zu spannen, aber es gab genug Gänseblümchen. Mit etwas Zauber konnten wir so die Wäsche trocknen.
Liebe Grüße von Kim und Gerhild
Heute hatten wir Glück. Als wir einen Platz für unseren Camper gesucht haben, haben wir ein Wildschwein getroffen. Es sagte, seine Höhle in der Kastanie ist zu klein seitdem die Frischlinge geboren sind und ob wir vielleicht da übernachten möchten. Das wäre sehr schön und vielen Dank, sagte ich, und versprach alles sauber zu machen, wenn wir am nächsten Tag weiter fahren. Gerhild fragte, ob es Hula-Hoop probieren möchte, aber der Reifen war leider zu klein für das Wildschwein!
Alles Liebe aus dem Kastanienbaum
Kim und Gerhild
Heute haben wir eine Wanderung gemacht. Ganz in der Nähe war ein schöner Berg. Er war ziemlich steil, aber es hat Spaß gemacht. Die Sonne schien und die Vögel zwitscherten. Ganz oben haben wir dann ein Picknick im Schatten eines freundlichen Baumes gemacht. Zwei Zwitscherspatzen haben mit den Köpfchen genickt, weil sie mit picken wollten. Ganz schön frech, aber da hatten sie Pech.
Liebe Grüße
Gerhild & Kim
Eines Tages hat uns Emil, der Esel gefragt, ob er und seine Freunde im Camper übernachten dürfen. Wir haben ja gesagt und in der schönen Scheune geschlafen. Die Tiere haben es sich im Camper gemütlich gemacht. Sabrina, das Schaf wollte auch das Fahren probieren, aber die Beine waren zu kurz. Am folgenden Tag, als die Sonne aufwachte, hat Heinrich, der Hahn so laut gekräht, dass Gudrun, die Gans vor Schreck ein Ei gelegt hat. Hugo, der Hund hat das Ei vorsichtig ins Maul genommen und in die Scheune gebracht. Sebastian, das Schwein hat alles super sauber gemacht. Die Tiere haben sich alle höflich bedankt, ich habe ein Foto gemacht und wir sind weiter gefahren.
Tierische Grüße
Kim & Gerhild
Hier in Italien gibt es jede Menge Klatschmohn. Wir sind über eine magische Wiese gelaufen und die zauberhaften Blumen haben ein Lied gesungen. Als sie mit dem Lied fertig waren haben sie geklatscht. Komisch, dachte ich und habe genauer hingeschaut. Sie kamen mir dann ziemlich bekannt vor. Ulkig, oder?
Süß duftende Grüße aus der Wiese!
Gerhild und Kim
11 June Dresden
Dresden revisited after 28 years.
Haus der Kultur.
How to plant your flowers without a pot.
Nice exhibition of moving toys.
Very smart boxing game to see who can knock the other player’s head off.
The robot girl from Metropolis.
TV report on exhibition https://www.mdr.de/kultur/ausstellungen/dresden-skd-ausstellung-figurenautomaten-100.html
Kim in the entrance to the Kunsthalle im Lipsius-Bau.
Now behave yourself or you won‘t grow up into a real statue!
Dresden.
Gerhild trying to work her own blue wonder on Dresden‘s most famous bridge.
You know that feeling that you’re being watched, well…
10 June move to Dresden
Long drive to Campingplatz Dresden-Mockritz Which has a bus stop to Dresden just outside the gate.
9 June long drive to Pfaffenhofen
Super place €8 to park the camper provided by the council, with grass and electricity!
First impressions of Pfaffenhofen after a long and rainy drive.
The main square which is pleasant to sit around and watch the world go by, even if it’s 10 degrees cooler than Merano.
Popped into the church which was chocka with very professional carvings.
Cherubic, just like me.
8 June walk up to Tirol Dorf
Today we walked from the camp site up a pleasant, shady walk along a slightly over-manicured promenade.
Guess what the farmers grow around Merano?
It was about a 10 km stroll and then a bus brought us back down to town. By 1 o‘clock we were snoozing on the lawn in the shade.
7 June Merano
After a rainy, stormy night.
An angler‘s float next to the Ponte Romano.
Not your common or garden grass snake.
The giant South Tyrolean woodpecker.
Atlas‘ load lightened now that the UK has gone it’s own way.
Look at who‘s appearing on this stone-age TV set.
6 June do some washing
Nice sunny day to do some washing.
Look at the mountains.
5 June move to Merano
Drove 100 km north to Merano https://www.livemeranocamping.com/de/
4 June Rovereto & MART museum
Top topiary near our area sostra camper oak.
Look at this frame!
Freaky still life.
The things they made children do for Mussolini…
How do you like these two?
Love these futurist models.
Speed!
Now we know what goes on at art school.
Blimey, her lemons must be sour!
Futurism is fab.
Who could resist a Campari with advertising like this?
Futurist gelateria.
3 June Bosco Arte Stenico
We went for a walk in the forest today https://www.boscoartestenico.eu/
Two old men in the forest.
Draw a picture anyone?
Nice wolf howling at the moon.
Now that would be a dress for Cinderella!
Joi de vivre.
What happens when your strings are cut. Some climb to great heights, others collapse in a heap.
Art with a view.
That frog looks hungry, the busy bees had better watch out.
No idea what this is, but I wouldn‘t want to bump into it in the dark.
Last one before we walk down to Stenico village for a cup of coffee.
Nice view of the castello.
After our snack we drove to Rovereto.
Mozart liked it enough to mention it in Don Giovanni so of course we had to try some with our delicious meal at El Raminel.
2 June looong drive to Comano Terme
The drive should have been two and a half hours, but it took five.
Nice half-finished camp site in Comano Terme.
1 June Parma
Today we went to Parma which has a very rudimentary camp site right next to the motorway.
The lady in the tourist office told us that everything was closed except for the cathedral.
So we popped into the cathedral which showed loads of people sitting on clouds.
I enjoyed a huge round of aperitivi. Gerhild didn‘t appreciate all of the bready stuff. We tried new drinks and rubarbaro zucco was a bit too bitter for G. so I had to drink it.
31 May Parco Naturale San Bartolo
We are in Camping Panoramico today. Good name that.
Lazy day today. Just when we felt like stroll it rained.
30 May Grotte di Frasassi
We went to the amazing Frasassi Caves today after spending the night gratis on their car park in a special section for campers.
Incredible what nature can produce given a million years or so.
29 May Tempio del Valadier
Groovy gorge but why did we park there?
A church in a ginormous cave.
28 May Otters on the way to the supermarket
From the bridge over the currently almost dried up river on the way to the supermarket you can see a family of otters who take no notice at all of these funny humans jogging, walking, riding e-bikes way up over their heads.
Ponte del Vibrata earlier in the year.
27 May down to the seaside
Moved back to the coast for better weather.
Gerhild wanted to walk along the beach, but it was a bit cluttered.
That bike looks a bit small for Kim.
26 May move to Ascoli Piceno
Good ice cream in Piazza Popolo even if you do have to eat it fast before it runs down your elbow.
Ha, ha, ha! These crazy tourists.
Piazza Popolo.
Well, what symbol would you use for a unisex toilet?
This fishy looking fellow is a favourite drinking spot for children and dogs.
Look what happens to you if you eat too much ice cream!
So where is Gregory Peck?
25 May last day in Sirolo
Bit misty this afternoon.
No reason not to have a Bassotto ice.
View of the beach. We‘re off tomorrow.
Gerhild can‘t resist a last paddle.
Not exactly Andy Goldsworthy but a nice pile.
Climb back up to the camp site.
24 May Acanthus
We tried to get acanthus to grow in the garden in Wimbledon. Here it simply flourishes next to the very steep road down to the camp site with no TLC at all.
Today we strolled along to the next village, Numana, and ate an ice cream.
23 May 41st anniversary
Aperitivi in Sirolo
22 May lazy Sunday in Sirolo
Great ice cream from the Dachshund shop https://www.ilbassottogelateria.com/ then did a bit of Sunday shopping.
Just a few things from the market stalls…
Kim wanted a go on one of these electric animals but they said he was too heavy. Cheek!
21 May hot walk in Conero natural park
Today we walked up to the abbey of San Pietro al Conero which is 450 metres above sea level, almost at the top of Mount Conero. It is now a posh hotel.
Nice little path occasionally blighted by young men hurtling downhill on their bicycles.
The church.
A bit slippery on the way down.
Our camp site is down there somewhere.
Sirolo, a welcome sight at the end of a strenuous 12 km stroll.
20 May beach
Our camp site from the beach.
Gerhild‘s first paddle in 2022.
A cool cave in the cliff. All white just like Dover (and Gerhild‘s hair).
A cool man in a dark hole.
19 May Sirolo
Started the day with a podcast
Modigliani – der Mann, der die Frauen liebte podcast
A pearl of the Adriatic Sea – could be a motto for our new camp site. (Camping Internazionale)
The girls at reception whizz you around the site on these electric golf carts to choose where you‘d like to park. Fantastic service!
Our pitch (161), with a gorgeous view over the beach and over our washing.
A fine place to eat biscuits.