Sunday 29th June

Woke up to find it was still raining so after breakfast we decided to drive to the Metro the local equivalent of the underground-underground and ride into Lille to have a wander around. Seems funny getting on an electric train with no drivers or conductors though.

We did the sights in Lille taking in the major squares, statues, museums and art galleries which were very nice.

This is Place de Rihour noted for the juxtaposition of brick and stone dating from the 17th century (their words not mine) but all the same the stone against brick above the shop front line is quite stunning. Behind the shops you can see a clock tower and just to the left was the Cathedral. We visited it as it seemed really busy with the majority of the Lille faithful turning up late afternoon. As it happened there was an ordination of a new Deacon so all the faithful were in their Sunday best whilst Viv and I were in our crocs and shorts, at least we had both showered before coming out. We decided not to stay for the service even though the singing was lovely and caught the Metro to the Natural History museum instead having first visited the old citadel where there were some enormous carp swimming around in the moat.

Having a "Senior moment" resting in the Natural History museum.

A few more photos

Walking in the hills above Schladming, the roadside was full of Lupins, Orchids and masses of other flowers.

At times there were so many Orchids they reminded me of the swathes of Bluebells you see in English woods.

Sunlight on the river above Schladming.

A view from the cable car across to the mountains we could see from our balcony on a clear day.

Tea at Ausburg, Germany.

Saturday 28th June

It just so happened that Ausburg where we camped the night is near the bottom end of one of the most popular tourist routes in southern Germany called the Romantic Road after an old Gypsy Route from the Bavarian Alpes back into central Germany. The manager of the campsite told us about it so we decided to follow it north as it went in the general direction we needed to go home. Well worth the slight detour as it passed through some beautiful towns and country side. This is me paddling in the river below one of the many walled towns.

One of the many pretty villages and towns we passed though.

We stopped for a walk around the town of Dinkelshuhl, a medevial walled town that was fascinating, people are still living in all the houses including the town walls and turrets.

We were lucky and found another really nice camp site at Munster with a small lake just behind the tent and a river flowing down from it. We had a beer up at the beer garden on the camp site and watched Red Kites and Buzzards soaring over the hillsides around us whilst we supped a refreshing stein of German beer or two.

Saturday we decided we needed to put a few miles behind us so sadly had to leave the end of the Romantic Road and head north west across Germany to Holland and then into Belgium where we tried to find a hotel for the night as by then it had started to rain quite persistently. Unfortunately we couldn't find anywhere suitable and it may have been the weather or just us getting tired but Belgium was just not rocking our boat so we headed over to France.

We found a nice little hotel on the outskirts of Lille and were recommended a local pub that brewed it's own beer just down the road so toddled off to blow the froth off a couple before retiring to the local supermarket where it appears half of Lille had the same idea to dine in the cafe there, good food and very good value.

We are currently about 80 miles south east of Dunkirk so hopefully will have an easier day tomorrow before getting the ferry Monday. It's pouring with rain at present and really threw it down earlier in the day, so hard at one point that we were doing about 10 miles an hour on the motorway so heavy was the rain and spray you could hardly see the end of the car. I hope it improves tomorrow.

Thursday 26th June

Time to start back home, we drove out of Schladming north towards Germany sorry to leave Austria but vowing to return again in the near future, it is just too beautiful and peaceful not to.

We stopped at a little restaurant at the top of the Golling Pass and the owner told us about a scenic route across the mountains down into what is known as the Austrian Lake District, well worth the detour.

Viv at the top of the Golling Pass.

Looking out across the mountains and valleys with snow capped peaks and flower filled valleys.

One of the many winding roads hugging the cliffs through the gorges and passes.

We eventually pitched camp in a smashing little site at Ausburg in Germany next to a lake full of small rudd and two very aggressive Coots who chased any other bird off the lake including a beautiful male Red Crested Pochard who arrived late evening.

Wednesday 25th June

Wednesday we decided to walk the 4th part of the Wild Water trail starting at Unterdal a valley above Schladming that once had 40 water mills in it but now only one remains and that no longer works. It seems once it became more lucrative to produce milk that could be pasturised there was no longer a need to mill grain so the mills fell into disrepair and floods then washed them away.

I am standing outside one of the local house we thougth about buying as a summer retreat.

The last water mill in Untertal.

The "Happy Trecker" plodding her way up to lunch.

Tettor Moor where the valley widens and there is a beautiful clear trout stream running through the middle of it. In the spring the whole moor floods almost from side to side.

Monday 23 June

Sunday we drove up to the top of the Wild Water trail, I had a long walk up into the forest whilst Viv climbed up the Reisach Waterfall which I visited on my way down from my walk. I was quite chuffed as I saw my first ever Nutcracker a type of crow that looks like a cross between a brown crow and a jay and a Capercaillie a sort of very big grouse.

The Reisach Waterfall is very impressive falling some 140 metres and at the top there is a wire bridge over 150 metre long that crosses the gorge above the waterfall, you can just see it in the photo above, both Viv and I walked over it.

The cable bridge over the waterfall.

Monday we went up in a cable car from Schladming to the the top of Planai one pf the peaks around Schladming just over 6000 feet high, the views were stunning and it was still around the mid twenties degrees in the sun. If we were in Scotland we would have been over 2000 feet above the summit of Ben Nevis in thick ice!

Having lunch at nearly 6000 feet above sea level.

Looking back down at the top of the cable car across the valley.

Saturday 21st June

This is the fifth time I have tried to post these pictures so I am getting close to giving up now!.

We decided to walk up the "Wilde Wasser" (Wild Water) walk which starts just down the hill from where we are staying and follows the river up stream to the next village. A beautiful walk with lots of waterfalls and rushing white water, trout in the pools and Dippers and Grey Wagtails all over the place.

All along the route where small streams joined the main river were little water driven machines like this one, sometimes just water wheels and other times they rang bells or drove hammers.

As the water was so clear and pure there were drinking stations like this one with little ceramic cups to drink the cold clear water.

As the valley opened out there were farms and house in typical Austrian style, lots of wood, balconies and flowers.

We stopped for lunch at the head of stage one with the valley still ahead of us and then came back via the Silver and Nickle trail back down into Schladming.

To say the views were stunning, well just take a look, what a back drop to be walking in and all along the way there were lupins, orchids and a host of alpine flowers, what it must look like in spring must be breathtaking. We saw at least 20 different sorts of butterflies.

A few more photos of our arrival in Austria

A roadside view

One of many pretty villages with fantastic mountain backdrops all around them.

The view from our balcony as the clouds roll in, the pillar in the foreground is a cable car that goes up into the mountains behind the resort for the winter skiing.

On of the houses in Schladming where we are staying.

They also brew their own beer here, so we tried some this afternoon, after all it would have been rude not to.

Thursday 19th June

We walked up the gorge recommended by Mel and Ingrid, you could not get all the way up it because last winter some parts were damaged by snow falls and floods. The picture above shows the base of a small avalanche that has been covered by debris and it stretched right up the side of the hill.

One of the many waterfalls along the route.

Viv crossing one of the bridges over the gorge, underneath is some rubble from a previous bridge washed away in a flood.

Having finished our walk we set off again and found a nice spot next to a river for lunch and watched a Dipper searching for flies to feed it's young in a nest under a bridge just up stream. Also just up stream was a chap panning in the gravel deposits near the bridge, we think he was panning for gold as the rocks in the river were mainly volcanic in origin.

This is the view from our balcony, not bad eh?

It constantly changes as the weather sweeps in, one minute you can see the mountains with snow on them then they are gone and the rain rushes across the valley only to clear as quickly as it came.

I was entertained on arrival by a Crag Martin swooping around in front of the balcony it was only the second time I have seen one and this one was really close at times and looks a bit like a cross between a swift and a sand martin with little white "mirrors" on the trail.

We have seen far more birds in two days in Austria than a whole month in Greece and far more different species as well with some good close up views of Black Redstarts, Redstarts, White and Grey Wagtails and Dippers. Hopefully I might get to see a few different mountain species as well before we leave.

We walked into town this afternoon and the hike back was testing as it is all uphill for a mile or more. Once back we went swimming and I had a sauna, an interesting experience. I met a nice Russian couple Mr and Mrs Putin and their son and a nice Italian lady who chatted away for awhile. What made it strange was the sauna plays by "Finnish Rules" which means no clothes on! I was sitting there with a towel covering the marriage bits laughing to myself inside thinking how my mother would rather die than trade places with me! Needless to say Viv chickened out of a sauna.

Wednesday 18th June

I left Sam and Monica mid afternoon on Monday and drove off towards Ingoumenitsa to catch the ferry stopping off at a big lake for a bit of bird watching en-route. Not much bird life but loads of frogs calling and some big carp mooching about in the weeds and lots of huge dragon flies over the water.

The ferry was about and hour and half late leaving but I managed to secure luxury accommodation on the rear deck under the stars for the night but had to pack my stuff up sharpish the following morning when the crew started to hose the decks down.

Met Viv without any problems in Ancona and as instructed by Gareth gave her a big hug and kiss then repeated it a few times as it felt good.

We set off north and found a campsite about 30-40 miles north of Ancona for the night. Funny how many Italian campsites seem to be sandwiched between a railway line and the beach. About half the units seem to be little wooden huts with shutters and porches and the rest caravans with just a few tents. We enjoyed sharing a couple of different pizzas and a carafe of local plonk before bed.

Next day we decided to put a few miles in and try and clear the coast so drove north of Venice looking for a place to camp near the mountains. We saw signs for a site and just before it found a Lidl to stock up with dinner. Whilst in there we heard a couple speaking English and to cut a long story short starting chatting and they invited us back to their place for a Bar B Q saying we could camp in their garden for the night. We followed them about an hour north into Austria to their place in a little village called Hermangor.

They have a house they are doing up but it will be beautiful when finished and the views across their land to the mountains all around are just fantastic.

The drive up was in the mountains and like in France, Switzerland and Italy they don't shirk when it comes to roads in mountains, it either goes over a bridge, through a tunnel or crosses the valley on stilts.

We eventually reached the house and were joined by another English couple for a really nice evening. Below are Barbara and Colin who were visiting Ingrid and Mel our hosts with Viv centre stage. We chipped in our tea and some wine whilst Mel and Ingrid provided the meat, beer and more wine. We sat chatting until late and I even had a play on a guitar once owned by Eric Clapton that Mel had bought some time ago, he had a fantastic collection of really great guitars.

By the time we had finished chatting and drinking it was a bit too late to pitch a tent so we ended up sleeping on the sofa bed in the front room.

It was amazing how many coincidences we shared, Mel and I had both been in the police we both had sons called Gareth, each had a daughter with nearly the same name Leah and Lea and had worked the Miners Dispute, Mel having been posted to Warsop which I went to a number of times when he must have been there.

The following morning Ingrid made a great breakfast and after saying our goodbyes to them and their lovely daughter Isabella (5 years speaking 3 languages) we took our leave to visit a local beauty spot with a walk along a gorge.

Monday 15th June

It seems funny but when we first came out to Greece with Sunsail in late April the Swallows were just starting to pair up and build nests. Almost every restaurant and house had a least one nest on it and now the first set of young are ready to fledge and in some cases already have and they are getting ready for a second brood.

A last view of Paleros at night from the boat in the marina as I start to go home tomorrow, just hoping I meet up with Viv without any problems.

Sam amd I saying goodbye to each other in Tomorrow Bar after lunch having picked up Monica who will be taking over my baby sitting duties, little does she know what she is letting herself in for!

Sam. Monica and Me outside Tomorrow Bar after our last supper.

Not a bad trip all in all, we are still speaking to each other and have had a fantastic few weeks and learnt a lot. Next time I'll take a portable toilet, better earplugs and book the accommodation but on a serious note we covered over 300 miles had some great sails and learnt a lot about the boat and each other, I think ASam and I can call each other friends now.