Schlogen Bends and Melk

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08 May 2013

In the morning we cycled along the beautiful tarmac Danube path around the Schlogen bends. We started on the near bank and after about 6 miles caught a small vehicle ferry to the far side. We thought we could ride all the way back from here, but the track deteriorated into a footpath. Fortunately a small ferry arrived to take us across from where it was an easy 3miles to the camp site.

After lunch we drove along pretty riverside roads to the town of Melk which is dominated by a 16^th century Benedictine Abbey.

09 May 2013

We got up early to go to the Melk Abbey when it opened at 9. Our site was situated on the river where the cruise ships docked and at about 8.15 a multitude of coaches arrived to carry the hundreds of cruisers on their visit. We had a word with a local English guide who said it would be much quieter at lunch time and suggested we wait until then. She also recommended a 12 mile cycle ride we could do to fill the time. The ride, on both sides of the river again proved to be excellent.

On getting back we drove up to the Abbey and had an excellent wander around the marble hall, library with its thousands of books, the elaborately decorated baroque monastery church and the surrounding park land. Although there were lots of people leaving when we arrived and lots coming in when we left it was beautifully quiet while we were there, so the guide was right.

Melk is the gateway to a famous Danube wine growing area called the Wachau which has terraced vineyards on the steep valley sides, several castles and many pretty villages and towns. We drove through the area and stayed at the other end in the town of Krems on another riverside camp site.

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