Where's Bertie? After visiting a couple of other Stellplätze today, he's back in the same spot in Altenglan.
Weather: Gloriously sunny except for a spell late afternoon when clouds bubbled up and rumbles of thunder were heard. Hot (low thirties).
Whilst we want to spend a couple more days loitering in this area, the next nearest Stellplatz is only 6.5km along the road, in the town of Kusel, so that's where we headed this morning.
It wasn't a successful visit. Incorrect positions info in Park4Night, caused us to drive narrow town centre streets until I called a halt at a point where the next turn looked like retreat would be difficult if we couldn't proceed. An on-foot recce found no hint of a parking area. Digging out our 5-years-out-of-date Bord Atlas (German Stellplätze directory) I found the correct location and directed us back through narrow, cobbled streets only to find it closed due to being occupied by a fairground. It's incredible that we've got this far through August before having this issue; two years ago we were being thwarted by fairgrounds on a daily basis.
With thoughts of looking around Kusel abandoned, I suggested we may as well go on another 4.5km to the castle at Lichtenberg.
It was moments before we arrived that I pointed out that it's Monday and thus it was likely everything would be closed. Initially indications didn't look good:
Bertie, all alone in the bus/motorhome parking area
First view of the castle - one of the largest in Germany and dating from 1200
It turns out that you can wander inside the castle walls at any time, where you'll find located a large Youth Hostel, three museums (open on Mondays!), a restaurant (closed on Mondays) and a tower, amongst the historic remains. We had a good shufty around and (of course!) climbed the tower...
Mick admiring the views
...for good views of the surrounding countryside:
Having decided against any museum visits, it didn't take us awfully long to look around, after which the only things we could see to do in the immediate area were to go for a walk or to sit around in a tarmac car park with little shade. We weren't in the market for any significant walking (rest day today after yesterday's long runs) and if we were going to loiter somewhere then the surroundings at Altenglan are much nicer for the purpose. So, back we came.
Our neighbours set out on a bike ride just before we left this morning and got back shortly after we returned. I'm sure when they saw us sitting out on our deckchairs they must have assumed we'd been in that position all day. Soon after their return, they left, leaving Bertie currently all on his lonesome.
Worthy of Fountain of the Day? I'm not sure.
Weather: Gloriously sunny except for a spell late afternoon when clouds bubbled up and rumbles of thunder were heard. Hot (low thirties).
Whilst we want to spend a couple more days loitering in this area, the next nearest Stellplatz is only 6.5km along the road, in the town of Kusel, so that's where we headed this morning.
It wasn't a successful visit. Incorrect positions info in Park4Night, caused us to drive narrow town centre streets until I called a halt at a point where the next turn looked like retreat would be difficult if we couldn't proceed. An on-foot recce found no hint of a parking area. Digging out our 5-years-out-of-date Bord Atlas (German Stellplätze directory) I found the correct location and directed us back through narrow, cobbled streets only to find it closed due to being occupied by a fairground. It's incredible that we've got this far through August before having this issue; two years ago we were being thwarted by fairgrounds on a daily basis.
With thoughts of looking around Kusel abandoned, I suggested we may as well go on another 4.5km to the castle at Lichtenberg.
It was moments before we arrived that I pointed out that it's Monday and thus it was likely everything would be closed. Initially indications didn't look good:
It turns out that you can wander inside the castle walls at any time, where you'll find located a large Youth Hostel, three museums (open on Mondays!), a restaurant (closed on Mondays) and a tower, amongst the historic remains. We had a good shufty around and (of course!) climbed the tower...
...for good views of the surrounding countryside:
Having decided against any museum visits, it didn't take us awfully long to look around, after which the only things we could see to do in the immediate area were to go for a walk or to sit around in a tarmac car park with little shade. We weren't in the market for any significant walking (rest day today after yesterday's long runs) and if we were going to loiter somewhere then the surroundings at Altenglan are much nicer for the purpose. So, back we came.
Our neighbours set out on a bike ride just before we left this morning and got back shortly after we returned. I'm sure when they saw us sitting out on our deckchairs they must have assumed we'd been in that position all day. Soon after their return, they left, leaving Bertie currently all on his lonesome.
Worthy of Fountain of the Day? I'm not sure.
Are those some hills I see in the distance?
ReplyDeleteThey look like anarchist's bombs at Fountain of the Day. In the Beano or Dandy they would have had the word "bomb" written across them.
This bit of Germany is hilly, although not mountainous. In Altenglan we were parked at an altitude of around 650' and the largest-looking nearby hill was just over 1000' higher than us. With most of the hills being rounded in shape and covered in trees, their appearance was down at the very low end of the 'spectacular' scale. Had we felt so inclined, we could undoubtedly have taken a walk up to a summit.
DeleteI see what you mean about the fountain. I saw Christmas puddings with candles on the top - perhaps because of the colour.
...he's got big balls...
ReplyDelete*giggle*
...and quite a few of them...
Delete