Where's Bertie? He's at a large Stellplatz just opposite the south end of the city* walls at Rothenburg ob der Tauber. It costs €12 per day to stay here. Water and electricity are available for extra fees. (Exact location: 49.36992, 10.18311)
Weather: Wall-to-wall sunshine and hot.
In June 2018, over coffee with parkrunners in Stuttgart, a chap recommended that we should come to Rothenburg. That is the only reason we found ourselves here today, although I have since learnt that this is a massively touristy place that's not just on the Romantic Road, but also draws coach parties from all around.
It took us around an hour to get here from Cadolzburg and we timed our arrival nicely, just at the lull in the Stellplatz between last night's visitors and tonight's. The official signs say there are spaces for 50 motorhomes here, but it was surprisingly quiet when we arrived. That gave us a choice: a level spot in the middle of the parking area, in full sunshine, or a shaded spot on the edge, adjacent to the road and on a side-ways slope. Today shade won over all other considerations, even though the slope is such that even our levelling ramps haven't been able to entirely cancel it out.
Our opinion on the town, having had a comprehensive look around its streets this afternoon? If Disney created a German Medieval town, then this would be it. It's not just that it is, by appearances, perfectly preserved, but the fact that it was almost impossible to spot a local going about their business - the whole place was stuffed with tourists. English and American accents were everywhere. Also helping with the Disney feel was the knowledge that what we see today is, to an extent, a recreation following damage during WWII.
Did any of that put me off? No. I don't mind a bit of Disney.
I'm feeling like a cracked record saying this again, but I fear that these snaps don't even start to capture the nature of the place:
A couple of views along streets.
Two shots from the same spot in the Market Square. No snap of the town hall as the Ambassadors of Music (a large orchestra of High-School-aged teens from all over America) were playing a concert there this afternoon, so in that direction the view was mainly of chairs, audience and musicians.
The city wall can be walked the whole way around with access/exit points at most of the towers (of which there are many)
I reckon that if every side street, area of parkland and all of the walls were explored, as well as the river in the valley below, then we could happily spend a couple or three days here, and if the Stellplatz was nice, we probably would. However, whilst convenient for the town, it's in between a busy-ish road and a railway line and €12 for nothing more than a space in a car park (there's no prettiness or attempt at landscaping here) is purely a reflection of the touristy nature of the place, rather than value for money.
View down into the valley. Lots of trees, as expected in Germany.
Talking of woods, here are a couple of snaps from our run at Cadolzburg this morning. There was only one significant navigational mishap, when I led Mick up the steepest incline of the outing, only to realise at the top that we'd gone the wrong way.
I wonder where people put their hands when having a photo taken next to this chap?
We saw these in a shop window and were so intrigued as to what they were that we bought one. Worst cake of the trip. It's not that it was unpleasant; it just didn't hit the level of 'nice' required in a cake.
(*I would have classed Rothenburg as a small town, but the tourist leaflet refers to it as a city.)
Weather: Wall-to-wall sunshine and hot.
In June 2018, over coffee with parkrunners in Stuttgart, a chap recommended that we should come to Rothenburg. That is the only reason we found ourselves here today, although I have since learnt that this is a massively touristy place that's not just on the Romantic Road, but also draws coach parties from all around.
It took us around an hour to get here from Cadolzburg and we timed our arrival nicely, just at the lull in the Stellplatz between last night's visitors and tonight's. The official signs say there are spaces for 50 motorhomes here, but it was surprisingly quiet when we arrived. That gave us a choice: a level spot in the middle of the parking area, in full sunshine, or a shaded spot on the edge, adjacent to the road and on a side-ways slope. Today shade won over all other considerations, even though the slope is such that even our levelling ramps haven't been able to entirely cancel it out.
Our opinion on the town, having had a comprehensive look around its streets this afternoon? If Disney created a German Medieval town, then this would be it. It's not just that it is, by appearances, perfectly preserved, but the fact that it was almost impossible to spot a local going about their business - the whole place was stuffed with tourists. English and American accents were everywhere. Also helping with the Disney feel was the knowledge that what we see today is, to an extent, a recreation following damage during WWII.
Did any of that put me off? No. I don't mind a bit of Disney.
I'm feeling like a cracked record saying this again, but I fear that these snaps don't even start to capture the nature of the place:
I reckon that if every side street, area of parkland and all of the walls were explored, as well as the river in the valley below, then we could happily spend a couple or three days here, and if the Stellplatz was nice, we probably would. However, whilst convenient for the town, it's in between a busy-ish road and a railway line and €12 for nothing more than a space in a car park (there's no prettiness or attempt at landscaping here) is purely a reflection of the touristy nature of the place, rather than value for money.
I wonder where people put their hands when having a photo taken next to this chap?
(*I would have classed Rothenburg as a small town, but the tourist leaflet refers to it as a city.)
Germany does seem to cater for motorhomes more than we do even though it is at a cost and from what you say often overcrowded. Up till now Arnside is cost free and there is quite an invasion - the word obviously spreads. My friend Pete complains endlessly - I am more laid back. I suppose the parish council will wake up one day and impose some costs and regulation. That looks s particularly pretty town over and above other pretty ones you have visited.
ReplyDeleteThe whole of Western Europe caters well for motorhomes, whereas in the UK I can count the number of official motorhome parking areas on the fingers of one hand.
ReplyDeleteFrance probably leads the way in the provision of 'Aires de Camping
Cars', with Germany hot on its heels with its 'Wohnmobile Stellplatz' (not that provision in other European countries is shoddy either, as evidenced by all of our European tours to date). They often don't even come at a cost to the motorhomer - the attitude in Europe is that towns want to encourage tourists to visit, and motorhomers are seen as a valuable source of tourism, so often the parking areas are provided for free (albeit, particularly in Germamy, with a €1 charge for water, if you need it). Where they do charge, outside of the really touristy (and thus expensive) areas, the fee is generally just a few Euro.
The stats from last summer's German tour were that we spent 80 nights away, at a total of 55 different locations, of which 39 were official motorhome parking areas. Across those 80 nights we paid parking fees totalling €99.50.
Unfortunately, the Apps that are so useful in Europe for finding overnighting places, are a bit of a curse in some places in the UK. Almost certainly, the reason Arnside will be overrun is because the location has made it onto the Apps. I agree that regulation is required. Personally, I don't think banning motorhomes is the answer, but then I am biased!