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Published: September 3rd 2023
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I entered Switzerland last Thursday after following Veloroute 15 along the German side of the Rhine for about fifteen kilometres after crossing from France to Neuenburg am Rhein. It was a lovely path with a gravel surface. The Rhine was flowing fast over rapids and around little stoney, forested islands. Cormorants flew up and down along it.
Now I want to cycle along the Rhine.
Then in the space of one kilometre or so I crossed the Rhine from Weil am Rhine (Germany) to Saint Louis (France) and then into Basel (Switzerland).
It was late in the day so I pressed on to the campsite rather than explore Basel.
Tadhg notes in his diary of the Flight "...and numerous boats afford a means of leaving it and getting to it (Basel) from Flanders and the country around the river."
Which makes me wonder why they didn't just sail from Flanders as far as Basel at least.
He also notes " Afterwards, through fear of conspiracy by the heretics, they left the city."
My excuse for speeding through was that I'd wasted over an hour earlier in the day, and added 24km to my itinerary,
searching for my phone which I had stupidly dropped without noticing. I did find it after a frustrating search!
By the time I got set up at Camping Waldhort I'd covered 121km.
Next day I cycled to Surcee via Liestal and Olten. Both visited by the Earls.
It was a gorgeous sunny day. I noticed loads of primary school children in their yellow baseball caps. School's back already.
There was a little bit of climbing today. I managed fine, some final preparation for the Alps. However, I relaxed too soon when I thought I was at the summit and was whizzing downhill. There was a wee sneaky second peak that I had to grind up.
Olten was a very pretty town with a castle on a ridge high above the town and a covered bridge.
I also got my first view of the Alps. Snow on the higher peaks. The Earls travelled this way in early spring. It would have been a lot whiter then. I wonder what they thought on seeing those huge mountains.
Tadhg's only comment on this is that they saw the Alps.
I had originally intended to press
on to Lucerne, but it was teatime when I arrived in Surcee. I couldn't bring myself to pass Camping Surcee. Plus, I thought it would be nice to stay having met Simone from here, weeks ago now.
It was a lovely camp site, but again, a very restricted area for tents.
Next morning I noticed a group of people standing in a little group near reception. All looking skywards. No wonder. Right above us was a massive hot air balloon, only a couple of hundred feet up and gaining height slowly. Its burner sounded like a jet engine.
It was an easy cycle to Lucerne, but in my rush to get there quickly to see a little of the city and catch a ferry, I sped down the western side of the lake. I think the Earls took the eastern side as they passed through Sempach. Now I'll have to start again!
Like the Earls, I took a boat to Fluelen. They had to row through the night. I had the luxury of sitting on one of the regularly ferries that traverses the lake. Sitting up front, it was very relaxing to glide slowly into the
midst of Alpine peaks on the three hour trip. It also saved me a lot of cycling.
Last night I stayed at Camping Fluelen. I was lucky to get the last spot. Again, they only have a very restricted area for tents. Mostly mobile homes and camper vans.
It's also water sport central. Wind and kite surfers were packing up and leaving as I arriving
Myself and the Finnish lady, living in the neighbouring tent,which was even smaller than mine, spent a while chatting. Comparing notes on our respective trips, walking and cycling. It sounds like I have been very lucky. The weather here a week ago was atrocious.
Today was the day I have been both looking forward to and dreading. The proper climb into the Alps. When I set off I still wasn't sure if i would stop in Andermatt, about 1400m or press on through the Gotthard Pass.
The first 20km was pretty flat, following a river flowing down off the mountains. The 20km climb to Andermatt was tough and hot. The sun shone all day. I cycled it all except where there was a separate bike path, either adjacent to or
on top of the road tunnels/shelters.
I was in awe of the fact the Earls travelled up this relatively narrow glen. I was really looking forward seeing the Devil's Bridge where one of their pack horses stumbled and fell into the raging torrent carrying a lot of gold with it.
The horse was recovered. The gold never was. The copy of The Flight of the Earls that I have with me says that the original bridge is still there. Must be the one the bike path comes over now.
It was a raging torrent today in a narrow ravine. Swollen by melting snow in spring 1608, it must have been terrifying.
I reached Andermatt at 1400. Sun still shining. It's14 km to the Pass. I decided to stop at Camping Gotthard tonight and press on tomorrow. The campsite is lovely and spacious and scenic. It gave me time to catch up on this blog a little. There's also no campsite for some distance.
So the sun has now set behind one of the peaks. Two hours in advance of actual sunset. Its starting to get a little chilly so I am going to make another
coffee.
It feels like my trip is starting to come to an end. The Earls must have felt they were getting further from Ireland and no closer to Spain.
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