Thursday October 13 Walldurn

We are in the grape growing region

No rain today although temperatures still requiring the merino’s. Well very interesting as found that once we left town this morning, my Vodafone data was working, although seem to have run out with our 3 Network. So won’t load my blog again today, will save the small amount we have.

Planned today’s route while we perused maps yesterday, not using motorways, but following some scenic routes. Everything was going well as we cruised along HW26, enjoying the scenery with not a lot of traffic, stopped at a supermarket for fresh supplies. We passed a nuclear power plant, had read that following the Fukishima disaster in 2011, Germany has permanently shut down eight of its seventeen reactors and has pledged to close the rest by 2022. I guess this is why we are seeing so many solar power “farms” being built and so many wind turbines. Germany of course doesn’t have the advantage of being able to use hydro for power production.

Then came an oops, there was a road closure on our route. Very quick change of plans, and the navigator managed to find another route towards Wurzburg, then back to Karlstad and Lohr but after driving for about 30 minutes, discovered the road ahead was also closed. Grrrr! Navigator stressed, driver having to find somewhere to turn and stop while we calculated…not easy when you are in a busy area! Finally managed to get onto a scenic route to Wertheim (although still another detour required, thankfully more minor) which initially meant using some smaller country roads which passed through small villages with even smaller narrow roads, taking a big breath as we squeezed through them. But when you see big truck and trailers using these roads you realise that people are used to having big vehicles driving through their small country villages.

We are now starting to get into the wine growing region, with vineyards clinging to the sides of steep hillsides, and lots of old brick terraced walls. And all around the hills are covered with forests, with patches of autumn colour. There are just so many small towns, each with their own church and steeple and small areas of vineyards and cropping between them.

Have also noticed lots of very old apple trees covered in ripe fruit on these old hillsides, not all neatly manicured like in NZ. People are out with little tractors and trailers picking the apples.

The scenic route that twisted its way through the valley south from Wertheim was just beautiful. We turned west onto 27 and by now it was 4.30 so decided to call it a day and stopped at a Stellplatz at the village of Walldurn, just a small place but very quiet and no charge except for electricity. We used 2 Euro’s worth! We are close to the town so will check it out in the morning, but it was time to hunker down as temperatures still below 10 degrees although no rain.

A nucelar power plant.

Vines beside the motorway

...and castles

Breath in going through these narrow streets

Collecting apples