Tuesday to Thursday – 14th to 16th August
Our campsite for three nights: Grohnder Fahrhaud, Grohnde – GPS N52.019440 E9.177460
This Stellplatz was one of the most well kept, organised and with the best bathroom facilities by far of any that we have stayed in.
The Stellplatz is fully automatic – at the entry gate you take a ticket which grants entry to the site and you use that ticket to gain credit for electricity, should you want it.
The ticket also grants entry to the toilets and showers and rubbish disposal areas.
On departing the ticket is inserted in the machine again and you insert the required amount in the machine – the machine also grants a credit for any unused electricity – have never seen that before.
The Stellplatz has two parts, the first being at the entry to the resort with only mountain and rural views, while the second and smaller area around the corner from the resort, was directly on the Weser River. Here we scored the prime corner position which gave us both the rural and mountains view on one side and the river, parklands and the village on the other. Primo!!
The bathrooms as mentioned before were equivalent to those provided in a five star hotel and as much hot water for as long as you wanted – very rare to find and took advantage of this for a few LONG HOT showers during our stay.
The resort itself included a camping area, Stellplatz for us, cabins as well as large grassed areas for tents on the river with huts and fireplaces for use in the winter.
Placed mid way between Hamelin (the Pied Pipers home) and Bodenwerder, it was ideal as a central point to visit both towns over the next few days. The Weser Bikeway passes through the middle of the Stellplatz so was ideal to head off in both directions.
This Stellplatz really caters for cyclists – they have a “Bicycle service station” where electric bikes can be charged, a pneumatic pump with guage for pumping up tyres, a vending machine dispensing tyre tubes of various brands and lockable cages for bikes overnight.
We cycled 60+ kms over two days on the bikes with the bikeway being so great, we did not need to use the batteries at all.
At the end of day two – found sore muscles where I didn’t know there were muscles.
On the bike trips we passed through fields of corn, fruit groves where apple, pear and peach trees grow wild along the bike path, various vegetables, shady forests and sleepy little villages and a Nuclear Power Station midway between Grohnde and Hamelin.
Hamelin was a real treat with the Aldstadt displaying so many beautiful old buildings. Certainly should be on the “to visit list”.
Wind Mill on bike track to Hamelin
Here you can find the Pied Piper Museum (he stands guard at the entrance), souvenir shops eager to sell you rats in all shapes and sizes from cuddly stuffed ones to those made of wood.
The Main Street even has rat tiles strategically placed on the cobbled stone street. These tiles lead you to the river.
On the hour, the Rathaus (town hall) about 15 bells of different sizes begin to chime and high up on the building, large metal doors open then the Pied Piper appears leading the children away.
There is a large Turkish community in Hamelin.
The bike trip to Bodenwerder next day was equally special where we passed by similar stunning scenery.
Not a patch on Hamelin but still worth seeing.
Friday 17th August
Our campsite for tonight: Marina Mehlbergen – GPS N52.687351. E9.177460
Very quiet peaceful location at a small marina in the middle of nowhere just off the Weser. The harbour housed about 40 small boats where there was a bit of activity with owners coming down to have a drink on the back decks when the sun went down. Brought back a lot of memories of our boating days and with it the longing and desire to again set out to sea on our return.
A little cafe at the end of the marina became the focal point for happy hour.
Saturday 18th August
Our campsite for tonight: Wohnmobilstellplatz, Bruchhausen- Vilsen – N52.826752. E8.995330
Grassy and open area surrounded totally with large trees and scrubs. The campsite is very tranquil with a good amenities block which is shared by the children’s playground next door. Wifi is provided compliments of the tourist bureau but for one device only (we got caught having turned Wifi on our Iphone when in the tourist office and then on returning to Ziggy could not turn Wifi on our laptop.)
Typical tidy German town but with no Old Town however lots of great Fachwerk houses. Steam trains are a feature in this town with lots of old ones to see at the railway station. The train leaves regularly for joy riders.
Very quiet and peaceful until the fireworks started at about midnight. Some of the local lads letting off steam no doubt, but only lasted for a few minutes and all was quiet again.