Next stop Walkenried with a visit to lovely Quedlinburg on the way

---

Just a short drive between campsites, this time heading a bit further south to Walkenreid and also slightly West as we’’ve now been as far East as we are going this trip.

We had time for a stop en route so Bob had planned another treat of a visit, to Quedlinburg, another superb timber-framed town and World Heritage listed.

Took the motorway then the exit for the town and easily found a carpark signposted for motorhomes as well as cars.

Paid by card for all day parking as couldn’t work out any hourly option (really don’t think there was one though there was for cars), Didn’t tell Bob but when the charge came up it was €15 though it said €10 on the information board. Never mind it was well worth it to visit this super town.



We wandered round for a good couple of hours stopping in to visit the main church which had some really fantastic carvings from the 1500s. Quite amazing to think they have been around and so perfect for so long.



The town itself was a delight and though full of beautiful timbered and decorated buildings it was different from Goslar, I think because the buildings were more colourful, often painted in pastel colours and there were also a lot of flowers and plants grown on window ledges, up the buildings.

The difference could lie in the fact that Quedlinburg was in old East Germany and Goslar wasn’t. Quedlingburg old centre fell into a state of disrepair during the GDR communist’s reign and was virtually abandoned and indeed was planned for demolition. Fortunately it was saved in the nick of time by the 1989 reunification and a major restoration has been carried out since. There are still quite a few buildings ‘being worked on’ and some still waiting but this made it more interesting really.



We picked up a map from the tourist office (had to put 20 cents into a piggy bank on the desk in payment !) and used it to find our way to the Schloss. We didn’t climb up to it nor the church on the same site as we had limited time and just needed a flavour of the place but we walked right round it and were delighted by the buildings and also the floral plantings everywhere.

We saw a handy looking café and stopped for coffee. Our waitress spoke some English so we were also able to order a piece of cake – pistachio and marzipan torte with schlagsahne (whipped cream). Can honestly say it was probably the nicest cake I’ve ever eaten. May go back to Quedlinburg one day for another piece and to visit the Schloss we missed today.



Another wander round the rest of the town and then back to the carpark where we found we had started a queue. Another 6 motorhomes had lined up beside us. We had lunch before getting on our way to Walkenreid and our campsite.



Not taking the motorway for the first time but Tomtom took us a strange way, West, out of town when it was quite obvious we needed to go South. As a result we then found the road Tomtom needed us to take next was closed for roadworks and we ended up driving a windy and narrow road up and over a steep hill. Thanks Tomtom. Back at ground level we made our way to Walkenreid and Tomtom at last agreed with me we were on the right road.

Campsite is a Knaus site and ACSI for the first time this trip. It has a pool, indoor but limited opening. Think it is open to the locals when closed to the campsite as it is equipped like a public pool with full dressing and shower facilities which is most unusual on a campsite.



The sanitaires are extraordinary. Cannot fault them in any way – I always appreciate a shower cubicle where there are plenty of hooks And a shelf. I sent Bob in to look and said “prepare to be amazed” and he was !

I had a swim in the pool before dinner (had to be before as it closed at 17.30) then we had a stroll round this exceptional campsite. Very very green and some lovely sited pitches, semi-permanent. Filled with bird song which will undoubtedly resume at 5am as the birds in the part of Germany are exceedingly vocal. Yesterday it was a song thrush, tonight a blackbird who almost drowned out all other sounds.

Tomorrow we will explore on Kisbee and have spotted a supermarket a couple of miles back the way we came so will need to pop in there for some fresh supplies. Stopping for 3 nights so a bit of relaxation will be in order. Swim tomorrow at 8am before my shower as pool closes early in the afternoon.

Apologies. Can't put Walkenried in its correct location which is Lower Saxony.

---