The 3rd of the 3 large leisure lakes in Franconia, Bavaria and part of the water supply to Nuremberg and beyond by taking Danube (black sea bound) water to the Rhine (North sea bound)
We left early and came direct to the lake and quick spot of elevenses/lunch prior to the bikes coming out. Decisions amounted to left or right at the lake.
Firstly the Aire is a bit crystal maze. You park and meander over to the nearest paying machine with a sign next to it. But you can't speak a word of German so the picture translator comes out and after some 30 second adverts I work out I can stay 24 hours for 12 euros. But the sun is shining into the LCD part of the machine and you can't see what you're selecting. So a walk to another machine further away but no wohnmobile option. I go back to the original machine thinking someone is going to point me in the right direction soon, but no they left me without any Richard O'Brien clues but I then saw a map. Tried working out where I was on the map and located a "smart" machine (smarter than me)
So they want my reg number then ask if I want a smart card for 5 euros to have electric and water and shower. I said no. But it still wanted to charge me 17 euros but I get 5 back when I hand the card in.
Wife wondered where I had gone.
*Update. This morning walked across to machine rather than drive as nothing to dump or fill up. Pressed English speaking button selected "I m off" placed their card in, then my credit card I paid with and refund given. Quite easy in comparison to booking in.
We turned left and found a bar within 200 m of stellplatz
Then windsurf and paddle board schools and constant beaches and boat harbours
with separate walking and cycling paths which were fully tarmacced immaculately
It was like this most of the 3.5 Kms to end of lake.
We then took a detour up the canal to where it goes underground to join up with yesterday. It was a tad disappointing because it was basically the same view but we got to wait for a goods train forever before it came.
Paula with her left foot on Danube bound water and right foot on Rhine bound water
Below might explain something about the dammed underground canal
We returned to Grunzenhausen, where we decided not to stay in their traveller filled stellplatz. We also struggled with their roadworks and umleitung but we were sort of going through it anyway. Lucky we did. Nice walled town with cobbled streets and as we walked towards the town centre we could hear chimes and worked out to be this huge bell tower glockenspiely thing with dancing couples at the top. By the time the video camera on phone was working it had finished.
We worked out it turns on at 0900 1100 1300 1500 and 1700 in summer.
Then the above tower had Geöffnet written on a door with a spiral staircase going up. Google translated this to "Open" so we climbed the stairs and got knackered but views of nesting storks at their height were worth it
We had now decided to have a beer at 1450 in the ice cream parlour next to the bell glockenspiely thingy tower.
We went off the other side of the lake still going clockwise and came across great children's free play area. It was a little too young for us.
Trampolines and bridges and slides and dam making with hammocks and chairs and swings and water features. Brilliant.
Then came the wetland walk. We didn't bring the decent camera nor binoculars so took longshots for you
But we cut that short as it was now 1420, a wee stop was required and we had 6 Kms to make.
We made it and got a video. I m sure there are many better on YouTube than ours.
One of the things I haven't mentioned before is doggy beaches. All 3 lakes have them with assault courses for dogs. Loads of people there (and dogs). This one was easily the lesser of the 3. The other 2 at the other lakes looked so good I wanted a go
There is another aire nearby (kilometre away) 14 euros. Both can easily park 60 and this one is a third full when warm.
We left early and came direct to the lake and quick spot of elevenses/lunch prior to the bikes coming out. Decisions amounted to left or right at the lake.
Firstly the Aire is a bit crystal maze. You park and meander over to the nearest paying machine with a sign next to it. But you can't speak a word of German so the picture translator comes out and after some 30 second adverts I work out I can stay 24 hours for 12 euros. But the sun is shining into the LCD part of the machine and you can't see what you're selecting. So a walk to another machine further away but no wohnmobile option. I go back to the original machine thinking someone is going to point me in the right direction soon, but no they left me without any Richard O'Brien clues but I then saw a map. Tried working out where I was on the map and located a "smart" machine (smarter than me)
So they want my reg number then ask if I want a smart card for 5 euros to have electric and water and shower. I said no. But it still wanted to charge me 17 euros but I get 5 back when I hand the card in.
Wife wondered where I had gone.
*Update. This morning walked across to machine rather than drive as nothing to dump or fill up. Pressed English speaking button selected "I m off" placed their card in, then my credit card I paid with and refund given. Quite easy in comparison to booking in.
We turned left and found a bar within 200 m of stellplatz
Then windsurf and paddle board schools and constant beaches and boat harbours
It was like this most of the 3.5 Kms to end of lake.
We then took a detour up the canal to where it goes underground to join up with yesterday. It was a tad disappointing because it was basically the same view but we got to wait for a goods train forever before it came.
Paula with her left foot on Danube bound water and right foot on Rhine bound water
Below might explain something about the dammed underground canal
We returned to Grunzenhausen, where we decided not to stay in their traveller filled stellplatz. We also struggled with their roadworks and umleitung but we were sort of going through it anyway. Lucky we did. Nice walled town with cobbled streets and as we walked towards the town centre we could hear chimes and worked out to be this huge bell tower glockenspiely thing with dancing couples at the top. By the time the video camera on phone was working it had finished.
We worked out it turns on at 0900 1100 1300 1500 and 1700 in summer.
Then the above tower had Geöffnet written on a door with a spiral staircase going up. Google translated this to "Open" so we climbed the stairs and got knackered but views of nesting storks at their height were worth it
We had now decided to have a beer at 1450 in the ice cream parlour next to the bell glockenspiely thingy tower.
We went off the other side of the lake still going clockwise and came across great children's free play area. It was a little too young for us.
Trampolines and bridges and slides and dam making with hammocks and chairs and swings and water features. Brilliant.
Then came the wetland walk. We didn't bring the decent camera nor binoculars so took longshots for you
But we cut that short as it was now 1420, a wee stop was required and we had 6 Kms to make.
We made it and got a video. I m sure there are many better on YouTube than ours.
One of the things I haven't mentioned before is doggy beaches. All 3 lakes have them with assault courses for dogs. Loads of people there (and dogs). This one was easily the lesser of the 3. The other 2 at the other lakes looked so good I wanted a go
There is another aire nearby (kilometre away) 14 euros. Both can easily park 60 and this one is a third full when warm.
