Long haul to Lauda-Königshofen

Sunday 3 July 2016

Nido's parked up in his first ever Stellplatz.  In fact, this is also our first time in Germany too. There's only us here - €5 for the night, but the hotel where we pay appears to be closed tonight, so its a freebie.  It's a very quiet aire in the village of Marbach, not far from the town of Lauda-Königshofen, which sits in a small valley with vines clinging to the side.

We slept well last night, although the local cockerels decided to have a crowing competition at 0430! After a quick breakfast, I dialled in the coordinates for a Stellplatz near Würzburg at the start of the Romantic Road. But before that, we drove a short distance up to the Polygon Cemetery and the New Zealand Buttes monument, which also encompassed the new British Cemetery from those killed in another battle in 1917. It was very peaceful and, as always, immaculately kept. The birds were singing and we soaked up the silence. It was so different 100 years ago, when Polygon Wood was a muddy quagmire and water logged trenches. We wandered around, reading the gravestones and paying our respects to these brave men, some of them only just out of boyhood. 

Back on the road, we decided to drive all the way to our starting point, despite the 6 hour estimate on the satnag.  So it was a long haul down Belgian and then German motorways. It rained hard for some of the time and the roads were busy, much more than France.  We stopped for lunch and continued on for a couple of hours, before pulling in again for a brew. Eventually we left the motorway and arrived at the Stellplatz. It had 90 spaces and is next to the massive Hymer World Motorhome superstore by Wertheim.  There was plenty of space, but was within hearing distance of the motorway; after the long slog we fancied somewhere quieter. But I took the opportunity to empty the grey and black water at the service point, then headed for the Stellplatz we're now on.  Cathy cooked a lovely chicken one-pot dinner, enjoyed with a bottle of Muscadet.  It's been a long driving day, so an early night is called for, then tomorrow we'll really slow down and start to enjoy the delight of the Romantic Road, slow heading south.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning

We Will Remember Them