Qplate
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- Joined
- Jan 12, 2015
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This year my wife and I decided to leave the rest of the gang behind and head off on our own for a week into Europe.
On one of our previous trips we had found a great looking medieval town called Cochem in the Mosel valley in Germany. We said at the time that we should go back one day. This was the opportunity.
The Z was packed up, and we left home at 3 am to catch the 8 am ferry from Dover. (Roof down, of course).
First stop was in a small town called Ratingen. Its just over the border from Luxembourg.
MOS_0496 by g cole, on Flickr
The view from our balcony was the river which is the border.
On our way through Luxembourg we had seen some roads that required more exploration so the following morning we went to find them:
DSCN4666 by g cole, on Flickr
DSCN4688 by g cole, on Flickr
Our second night was back into Germany and we headed for Trier, where the Mosel valley effectively ends in the German section.
Next day we headed for Zeltingen-Rachtig. We stopped at small towns and castles along the way as we found them.
SAM_1827 by g cole, on Flickr,
DSCN4683 by g cole, on Flickr
DSCN4749 by g cole, on Flickr
DSCN4711 by g cole, on Flickr
After a couple of nights here we moved on to Cochem with its Reichsburg Castle and river cruises etc.
MOS_0387 by g cole, on Flickr
SAM_1862 by g cole, on Flickr
The tour of the castle was good and it was even in English.
I discovered that the Nurburgring was going to be open during the evening so we headed north for a cheeky lap as we hadn't taken the Z round before.
DSCN4758 by g cole, on Flickr
DSCN4767 by g cole, on Flickr
The following day we moved on to view what we thought was the best castle in the area, Burg Eltz.
Real fairytale stuff.
MOS_0434 by g cole, on Flickr
SAM_1912 by g cole, on Flickr.
To complete the valley we had to reach the confluence of the Mosel and the Rhine at Koblenz before heading home.
DSCN4864 by g cole, on Flickr
The only issue with the car was was actually the fault of the operator behind the steering wheel.
According to the trip computer we should have arrived back at the docks with 50 miles of fuel left in the tank.
Having gone passed the services at Jabbeke, on route to the boat, all was looking good. With 30 miles to go, we hit a very, very slow moving tailback which took about 45 minutes to clear. At that point, we had 25 miles left in the tank and no petrol stations between us and the boat. We tuned the engine off, on the boat with 18 miles left. We knew of a petrol station within a mile of the docks in Dover. A close call, but it proves our trip computer is pretty accurate.
So, Mosel Valley done, a Lap of the Nurburgring, complete and 1500 miles on the odometer. Two very happy people and, would we do it again? Oh yes! the next trip is in the planning already
On one of our previous trips we had found a great looking medieval town called Cochem in the Mosel valley in Germany. We said at the time that we should go back one day. This was the opportunity.
The Z was packed up, and we left home at 3 am to catch the 8 am ferry from Dover. (Roof down, of course).
First stop was in a small town called Ratingen. Its just over the border from Luxembourg.
MOS_0496 by g cole, on FlickrThe view from our balcony was the river which is the border.
On our way through Luxembourg we had seen some roads that required more exploration so the following morning we went to find them:
DSCN4666 by g cole, on FlickrDSCN4688 by g cole, on FlickrOur second night was back into Germany and we headed for Trier, where the Mosel valley effectively ends in the German section.
Next day we headed for Zeltingen-Rachtig. We stopped at small towns and castles along the way as we found them.
SAM_1827 by g cole, on Flickr,DSCN4683 by g cole, on FlickrDSCN4749 by g cole, on FlickrDSCN4711 by g cole, on FlickrAfter a couple of nights here we moved on to Cochem with its Reichsburg Castle and river cruises etc.
MOS_0387 by g cole, on FlickrSAM_1862 by g cole, on FlickrThe tour of the castle was good and it was even in English.
I discovered that the Nurburgring was going to be open during the evening so we headed north for a cheeky lap as we hadn't taken the Z round before.
DSCN4758 by g cole, on FlickrDSCN4767 by g cole, on FlickrThe following day we moved on to view what we thought was the best castle in the area, Burg Eltz.
Real fairytale stuff.
MOS_0434 by g cole, on FlickrSAM_1912 by g cole, on Flickr.To complete the valley we had to reach the confluence of the Mosel and the Rhine at Koblenz before heading home.
DSCN4864 by g cole, on FlickrThe only issue with the car was was actually the fault of the operator behind the steering wheel.
According to the trip computer we should have arrived back at the docks with 50 miles of fuel left in the tank.
Having gone passed the services at Jabbeke, on route to the boat, all was looking good. With 30 miles to go, we hit a very, very slow moving tailback which took about 45 minutes to clear. At that point, we had 25 miles left in the tank and no petrol stations between us and the boat. We tuned the engine off, on the boat with 18 miles left. We knew of a petrol station within a mile of the docks in Dover. A close call, but it proves our trip computer is pretty accurate.
So, Mosel Valley done, a Lap of the Nurburgring, complete and 1500 miles on the odometer. Two very happy people and, would we do it again? Oh yes! the next trip is in the planning already
