Tag: travel
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Plants and towns of the Cinque Terre
In April the spring blooms were everywhere. The scent of Wisteria wafts around Levanto. On the trails there’s plentiful wild garlic, some thyme and oregano, and frequently rosemary is planted in public places – ideal for perking up camping cuisine. The small cobbled towns are delightful except for being packed, particularly at the weekend. April…
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Hiking the Cinque Terre – by train is the only way
The only way along the Cinque Terre coast between Levanto and La Spezia is by train. Even the tour groups have to go by rail. With an unlimited Interrail ticket, you just hop on and off to your heart’s content. The higher trails are lovely and empty, I didn’t see people for an hour or…
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Camp food in Lugano and a nighttime visitor
The cooker balanced on my book, food chopped on the base plastic of a shopping bag, matches from my mum’s collection, and dog starting off on his laid flat bed in the sunshine. At 4am we wondered what was snuffling and scrabbling in the outer tent. I found out in the dark when I put…
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Koblenz to Lugano, a long day for a dog
It’s 660km from Koblenz to Lugano, and according to Google maps faster by train than car. Baspie was an angel surviving the 8 hours 10 minutes of train journey, plus a further 20 mins on the suburban train. It was due to be 7:10, but we were delayed 90 minutes, then regained 30, by managing…
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Marksburg castle, Rhine Valley
Dog and I took the train to Braubach again, this time to go up one hill to look at the Marksburg from afar, then up another hill to explore this ancient fortress.
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Short train ride, big hike, above the Rhine between Filsen and Braubach
Saturday was dry. Yippee! So with the help of local trains and Komoot navigation app, we wiggled back along the hillside from Filsen. The week marked trail has occasional maps which point out where the good view points are, so we nipped up and down the hillside to get the best ones in. Well worth…
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Cake at Cafe Flowery, Koblenz
When there’s a plant based cake place, even someone without a sweet tooth like me has to go. Relaxing happy place. The wooden floor is delightful. In my dreams I would host a dance party here.
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Drizzly cycle on Good Friday
The forecast wasn’t good, but what was I supposed to do with an Interrail ticket, a bicycle that came inexpensively with the Airbnb and a dog? We are staying in Niederlahnstein, which has taken a while to learn to spell. It’s the Caversham of Koblenz, ie the pleasant suburb on the other side of the…
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Wine-powered hydro electricity on a big scale in the Mosel / Moselle valley
Baspie dog and I were awestruck by the size and age of the hydropower plant we spotted whilst cycling by the Mosel. They built this hydro 60 years before Reading Hydro. Takes a maximum of 450 cumecs of water. Wow. I wonder if the local wine helped them in their fearlessness? The power is generated…
Railway Dog 