Free Wheeler Campers

1) Have a holiday and fun adventure: cycling, mountain hiking and copious amounts of apfel strudel eating are on the list.
2) Go wine tasting in Austria, bring back a van load of wine and try not to drink it before the wedding!
3) Catch up with friends and family on the way

Day 1

We left London bright and early to catch the 8am ferry from Dover to Dunkirk with DFDS, which seems to be one of the more reasonably priced ferry companies (they are also pretty flexible for changing tickets at the last minute which is good). We decided to head through Belgium and Luxembourg towards Germany rather than through France to avoid the expensive toll roads. We stopped for lunch in a little town called Rochefort in Belgium, which is in the Ardennes and very pretty. Stocking up in the local supermarket on wonderfully smelly local cheeses and meats, we had a delicious picnic by the river.

Continuing south, we drove towards Mannheim, arriving around 9pm in Bad Durkheim, where we had agreed to meet a friend. To our delight, we discovered it was the last night of the Bad Durkheim Wurstmarkt, which although it translates as ‘sausage market’ it is actually the largest wine festival in the world. A bit like Oktoberfest, there are many stalls selling delicious local delicacies, fairground rides and of course, tents dedicated to the delicious wine products of local wine growers. People have been growing wine in Bad Durkheim for over 600 years, so there is a great sense of pride and history in the wine. The town is located on the most beautiful part along the “Weinstrasse”, Rhineland-Palatinate and is a stunning location. As it was the last night, we enjoyed some beautiful fireworks and ate lots of spätzle, which is a delicious kind of pasta. As we had arrived late and not been able to find a campsite, we drove down a track where other people were parked. On returning to the van, we were the only ones left, so we just decided to sleep there and woke up the next morning with a gorgeous view of the vines! Free camping night number 1!

Day 2:

We drove towards Neustadt as the famous wine route runs through this town, parked the van and cycled into town. We had a great cappuccino in the sunshine, then headed off on a 16km route up a big hill, then through lots of vines. The wine route goes on for miles and it is possible to cycle along it for days. As we had to get going to Austria, we only did a small section of it (and did not try any wine as we were driving) but it makes a gorgeous bike ride. The paths are all clearly signposted and away from the main roads, so it is really safe as well. We stopped for a welcome orange juice at a restaurant in Maikanner, which only served produce hunted and sourced locally, such as venison, rabbit and wild boar. We bought some delicious smoked wild boar meat to add to our picnic box.

Back on the road, we cruised towards Munich, arriving late afternoon. We parked the van and very happily had a shower at Mark’s sister’s house. Then, off to Oktoberfest, where we drank beer in litre glasses, wandered around all of the fun stalls and of course, danced on some tables, well ‘stomped’ would be a more accurate description to the brilliant German bier fest tunes. There are also some very fun fairground rides at the Fest, one in particular springs to mind, which involves ‘merry’ people trying to walk up a very fast moving travelator. Let’s say one out of 5 managed to stay on their feet in the ‘surf position’ with the rest going head or feet first after a comical, cartoon style flailing arm spectacular tumble! It provided us with people watching giggles for at least 30 minutes and of course, we contributed to fellow watchers’ entertainment.

Day 3

We cycled around Munich in the morning, then hopped into the camper van and drove over the border to Austria. The road towards Salzburg is very beautiful with the mountains getting bigger as you drive further. From Salzburg we headed south towards Bad Hofgastein, which is an Alpine resort famous for its hot springs and of course summer/winter outdoor activities.

On arrival, we drove around the top most resort called Bad Gastein, which is unlike any ski resort I have ever seen. You can really tell that it was built in the era of Imperial Austria, with many grand buildings built into the rocks.

It is a very dramatic village, with cliffs running down both sides of the steep valley and an extremely powerful waterfall rushing through the middle. You can really imagine high society visiting this area in times past for the hot springs and skiing – the place definitely has a historical and regal atmosphere in the air.

We found a campsite in Bad Gastein which is next to the Golf course. It was about 20 Euros per night, which was worth it for the hot shower and view when we woke up to have breakfast – wow, what a treat.

Apparently there had been a big snow storm 3 days earlier but when we arrived it was around 25 degrees Celsius, giving that perfect alpine feel of beautiful snow everywhere but you still feel warm! We got on our bikes again and cycled down the valley towards Bad Hofgastein. The place really is exceptionally beautiful, with lovely traditional chalets, where the owners take great care in tending to the colourful geraniums all summer. There is a gorgeous river running through the valley, with the cycle/footpath following it all the way down. There is also a swimming lake, lovely restaurants (we sat in the sun for a traditional mountain lunch of knodel soup, local game and of course, some sachertorte). In the evening we went to the Alpentherme (hot springs) in Bad Hofgastein (there are more hot springs in Bad Gastein). It is quite expensive to get in at 22 euros for 3 hours per adult, but it is absolutely worth the money. There are numerous hot pools both indoor and out with a couple of fun slides for kids. The sauna section really comes into its own, with around 10+ different style saunas, all huge and exceptionally clean with great lighting. This area is adult only and not for the prudish…naked only and communal – this includes the outdoor hot pool. There is something exceptionally liberating about floating around in a steaming hot pool outside with the cold alpine air around your head and the mountains in the background. You can also try about 6 different kinds of mineral water, which come from the local rocks.

Feeling blissfully clean and relaxed, we cooked up a storm in the van and I beat Mark at cards again.

Day 4

We got up early and drove up the hill into the national park, where we parked the van ready for a morning hike.

As we were a bit higher, there was still snow on the ground everywhere and it all looked stunning. After about 1.5 hours of climbing, we reached a beautiful mountain lake with an alpine chalet where we managed to get a very welcome cappuccino. We also made an executive decision that the best hiking snacks are Mannerschnitten, which are wafers filled with a nutella-like goo.

After another picnic lunch, we drove towards Vienna, specifically to Göttlesbrunn, which is one of the many famous wine towns along the Danube, and had been recommended to us for our wedding wine. Arriving in the dark, we could not find anywhere to camp, so as we were starving, we just parked beside the road next to a restaurant that looked open to get some food. I initially regretted walking into the place as we were pretty grubby and very scruffy and it appeared to be some Michelin starred or equivalent restaurant where everyone turned to look at us and you could hear a pin drop. Before we had time to turn back, the waiter was already showing us to our seats, so we thought we would just get on with it! As it turns out, you should never judge a book by its cover…yes it was an upmarket place, but the staff were exceptionally friendly and even told us where we could get free camping, down by the Sportsplatz. We had a delicious 3 course meal, had an introduction to the local wine and Mark only managed to knock the expensive picture on the wall next to us off its hook once.

Day 5

The next morning, we got up early and walked around Göttlesbrunn to start our wine tasting. We visited Payr, Edelmann, Oppelmeier, Markovitsch and Pitnauer and Grassl. We were very interested in grapes specific to Austria such as Zweigelt and Welschriesling. We had a fun and educational day, with all of the wine makers being exceptionally friendly. Each vineyard only produces small quantities each year, making each wine taste very unique. We managed to shortlist our favourites down to 5, for re-sampling at a later date. We had such a fun day going around and meeting each wine maker – definitely a good memory which will hopefully be relived when we have the wine on our wedding day.

We spent the evening chilling out by our van near the Sportsplatz, cooking spaghetti bolognaise and playing more cards. We had a great view of the planes landing over the wind turbines at Vienna airport, which sounds a bit geeky but it looked really cool.

Day 6

The next morning we drove down to Neusiedler See, which is on the Austrian/Hungarian border. It is a huge lake (around 100km to cycle around) full of people swimming, sailing, kite surfing and sun bathing. The weather was beautiful so we went for a great bike ride and enjoy soaking up the late summer sun with a delicious schnitzel lunch. The campsite (Podersdorf) was perfectly located next to the lake and seemed very family orientated.

Day 7

We drove back towards Göttlesbrunn to retry the wines on our shortlist to check that we had not been crazy. My German is a bit hit and miss anyway, therefore, the explanations given to us a few days earlier from the wine makers, combined with the number of vineyard visits meant retrying the wine was essential to ensure our guests would not drink any old plonk. Satisfied, we bought up wine from 3 different places and filled up the van – it was definitely the party van now! Again, the wine makers were exceptionally friendly, especially at Payr, where we got a guided tour of their cellars, as well as Sturm (which is the fermenting grape juice) straight out of the large stainless steel barrels – it was still warm from the fermenting process and absolutely scrumptious.

We headed towards Vienna, via Carnuntum, which is famous for its Roman ruins. Sadly we only had time to have a quick walk around and pop our heads over the walls of the ruins as we had to be in Vienna to collect something, but we could see how impressive and well preserved it all was and it went straight to the top of the list for a revisit. We drove into the centre of Vienna to pick up a table, had a quick bit of lunch by the river, then headed back towards Salzburg, stopping in St.Wolfgang.

Day 8

Having been to St. Wolfgang as a child, I was very keen to go back. It was every bit as beautiful as I had remembered, with a gorgeous lake, surrounded by mountains. The town itself is very touristy, with lots of alpine shops and bus loads of visitors but people come here for a reason. The lake is crystal clear and perfect for swimming.

In the afternoon, we drove back north through Germany with a decidedly heavier load with our end destination being Heidelberg. We found a lovely campsite by the river for 20 euros a night.

Day 9

We were on our bikes again and cycled the 4km or so along the river to the centre of the city. Heidelberg is famous for its old university and the place certainly has lots of atmosphere. It reminded me a bit a going to university in Durham, with the castle, river and old town – there were even rowers shooting up and down on the river. The difference is the fact it is in Germany, a lot warmer and surrounded by green hills.


View of Heidelberg from the Castle

We ploughed up the hill on our bikes to the castle (there is a train if you are feeling less energetic) which is worth it for the view over the city. The shopping streets are fun – there is a crazy Christmas shop which seems to be open all year round and it a never ending grotto of every colour bauble and tree decoration you can possibly imagine – if you are having a ‘frog themed yellow and purple Christmas’ you can find everything you need in here. As a big fan of Christmas, I was rather excited to get lost in this kitsch cave of sparkle and tradition, but for Mark, the ice cream shop outside was much more appealing and better for his sanity.

After another picnic in the van by the river, we jumped back in the camper van and drove north towards Dunkirk, stopping off for a welcome meal and shower at Mark’s brother’s house in Antwerp. We continued to Dunkirk, where we slept down a quiet lane until our early ferry…the convenience of having a camper van!

What a fun trip – very fast paced, but we have seen so much and achieved all of our objectives. We just have to try not to drink the wine before the wedding now! We are already planning our next trip…

Last weekend, we decided to head off to Belgium in our trusty Free Wheeler Camper van to enjoy the start of the warm weather in the Ardennes. We decided to go for a P&O ferry this time – we have tried most of the companies and the prices tend to vary, so we usually just go for the cheapest and convenient times. We had a gorgeous crossing with the sunset and we were in France only 3 hours after leaving London, which is not bad.

We took the E42 road for about 3.5 hours pretty much all the way through Belgium to get to the Ardennes region, which is really beautiful – full of gentle rolling farmland, forests and pretty rivers. We arrived quite late but stayed by the river near Durbuy for the first night which seemed to be a quiet and free spot. It’s on the left as you come into the town from the Hamoir direction.

On Saturday we walked around Durbuy, which is a pretty old town with a lovely castle. There are plenty of enticing coffee shops selling delicious waffles or tempting smoked local meats, which we thought it would be criminal not to sample. To burn off the indulgence, you can hire bikes and cycle along the river or if you are feeling flush, visit the michelin starred restaurant called Le Coq au Champs, which is perfect for a 30th birthday celebration with a difference.

On Saturday night we stayed at a campsite in Comblain au Pont, which has a great location, by the river again. It is a lovely walk from Comblain au Pont to Comblain-Fairon along the river, or if you fancy a different mode of transport, you can hire Kayaks and take in a different view.

Finally, after stocking up on cheese and chocolate, we headed back towards Calais on Sunday, having had a really lovely weekend. The Ardennes is very accessible from London and definitely close enough to just go for a fun weekend and escape from London without having to take any holiday. We will definitely be going again!

We have fallen in love with Munich as a destination for Camper van travel. We spent a week in this very cool city and there is so much to do. It’s also perfectly positioned for travel to other destinations in Europe, namely the Tyrol ski district! It is full of beautiful & traditional buildings & seems to be the perfect size to wander around & absorb the atmosphere.

In terms of parking, we were very lucky and had a relative’s parking space to use, however, we were keeping a close eye out for other parking opportunities – there did seem to be some long term residents parked near the English Garden Park, although I am not sure whether this is officially allowed, so you would need to check first. There are also some good campsites just outside of Munich, and with the public transport system being so efficient, and the numerous cycle paths, it would be very easy to get around.

Highlights of our trip?

 
Watching the surfers in the Englische Garten

The river which runs through this park has been built up in one area to allow people to surf – it’s great fun watching them try to catch a wave or two. I was also very impressed at their dedication bearing in mind it is February & pretty icy! The park itself is beautiful and full of various cycle paths and big green spaces – great I imagine in summer as well. It certainly does not feel like you are in a city.

Food
White sausages are famous in Munich and there is a special way of ‘skinning them’ before they are eaten – quite a skill to complete, although luckily we had a seasoned teacher. They are delicious, especially washed down with a local beer & followed by some scrummy apple studel.

The Beach Club

Considering it was -3 outside, an evening visit to a tropical oasis on a Saturday night was fantastic. A great concept – sand, deckchairs, great music and cocktails make you feel like you are on a desert island in the evening. To top it off, they have a huge indoor area with 7 beach volley ball courts, which is open until midnight. Therefore, we earned our cocktails first with a few slam dunks, before continuing the beach life into the night. In the summer it has an outdoor area (also with lots of sand) where you can sun yourself in deckchairs and play more ball – now that is what I call a low carbon footprint beach holiday for Munich residents!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nuremburg

Munich is perfectly placed for visiting other areas. It is still fun to see road signs to Milan, Salzburg, Berlin and just think ‘I’ll hop in the van and visit.’ Nuremburg is only a couple of hours drive north of Munich and it is definitely worth visiting. It was not damaged too much in WWII so there are still plenty of original and beautiful old buildings. The castle up on the hill looks menacingly over the city and there are plenty of winding streets with overhanging ancient buildings really giving a nostalgic feeling of another era. The city is famous for the little chipolata style sausages (we found out that every region in Germany has it’s own type of sausage) and of course for Lebkuchen, which are delicious biscuits.

 

Leermos

You really know that you are near the ski slopes when on a clear day you can see the snow capped peaks of the alps in the distance from Munich. We drove over the border into Austria (the joy of the EU) for about 1.5 hours to get to the small family resort of Leermos. We had a lovely day’s skiing followed by a wonderful sauna and spa in the town. All this and home in time for dinner in Munich. We were very jealous to find out our hosts can regularly ski this easily every weekend…

Marsden is a village in the Pennine hills in West Yorkshire, at the northern edge of the Peak District National Park.

The village buildings are made up of the local grit/sand stone and are built in the traditional fashion. These were originally built for the mill workers who worked within the woollen industry. You can still see the impressive structure of the old Mill at the end of the village near the reservoir. The river Colne runs through the village which provided the water and power for the mills. When the local coal was discovered and mined, it was used in the mills to power the steam engines.

There are quite a few good walking areas / trails in the Colne Valley and Marsden area. A favourite walk takes you up through the Wessenden Valley which contains streams, reservoirs and waterfalls and is a popular picnic area in the summer.

There is also the famous Tunnel End in Marsden which is a canal basin area which is at the start of the canal tunnel which cuts underneath the Pennines into Lancashire. Standedge Tunnel is the longest, highest, deepest canal tunnel in Britain and it has a visitor centre operated by British Waterways. You can take trips into the tunnel, which gives you a good idea of how people used to ‘walk’ their way through in the past.

The countryside around Marsden is rugged and the weather is changeable but it is a beautiful area and is popular with photographers. Its claim to fame is the TV Programme – “Where The Heart Is” – was filmed nearby, which gives an idea of how picturesque the views are.

Marsden is the perfect base for a holiday of walking and cycling in the beautiful Peak District. For experienced walkers the long distance 431km (268 mile) Pennine Way National Trail follows the Pennine chain along the rugged backbone of England from Edale crossing Kinder Scout, the highest point in the Peak District at 636 metres (2,087 ft). Or why not try the famous local route from Marsden to Edale which is 24 miles of stunning and dramatic British scenery?

Marsden has an annual Jazz festival which attracts a variety of Jazz bands every year. Jazz bands play in the local churches and pubs as well as the community centre and in the open air. Both young and old visit the festival and have a great time.

If you fancy a bit of indulgence in Marsden, Titanic Mill is a spa just down the valley in a village called Linthwaite – quite expensive but worth the indulgence.

Where to eat and drink:
There are plenty of good places to eat and drink in Marsden. There are many nice pubs, of which we would recommend the Tunnel End near the tunnel (unsuprisingly!) and the Riverhead in the village, which brews its own beers, named after local reservoirs.

There is a real feeling of tradition in Marsden with lots of individual shops (Florist, Greengrocer, Butcher, Deli) selling delicious local produce.

Where to camp:
It is illegal to wild camp anywhere around Marsden, either on National Trust moorland or in the Peak Park, so your best bet is finding a decent campsite and using it as a base for your camper van. We would recommend the following places to stay in West Yorkshire:

1) JERUSALEM FARM
Jerusalem Farm Campsite
Jerusalem Lane
Booth
Halifax
West Yorkshire
HX2 6XB
Tel: 01422 883246
Open: Easter to September

Description
“Jerusalem Farm, Sowerby Bridge, is a 13 hectare nature reserve. The site makes an ideal location for exploring the surrounding South Pennines, an area rich in both natural and industrial archaeology. The surrounding landscape of woodland valleys and high moorland plateaux, which are largely protected as a Special Protection Area for its breeding bird population, is easily accessed on either foot or bike through an extensive and well-waymarked network of public rights of way. The camp site, which can accommodate up to 30 tents, has car parking, toilet and shower facilities, as well as children’s play area”

2) HARDEN AND BINGLEY CAMPSITE
Goit Stock Lane
Harden
Bingley
West Yorkshire
BD16 1DF
Tel: 01535 273810
Open: April to October

Description
“A little gem of a place, the site itself has decent facilities and the corner reserved for campers is cosy and picturesque”

3) ROUGH HEY WOOD CAMPSITE
Triangle
Sowerby Bridge
Halifax
West YorkshirE
HX6 3NB
Tel: 01422 834586
Open: open all year

Description
“Our site is a 2.5 acre level flat field with room for five motor homes or small caravans and about fifty pitches for tents. The site is in approx 1000 acres of woodland with a small river at one side just down an embankment. There is also a disused railway line at the other side which is now called the Calderdale Way a lovely walk that cuts through the woods from Sowerby Bridge to Ripponden. We have three toilets, two hot showers and a washing up sink we have just had installed. We have portaloo emptying facilities for caravans. We do allow campfires but we do stress that a fire must be raised off the ground so that the grass is not burnt. Some old raised barbeques are provided for this purpose depending on availability. Dogs are allowed if they are quiet and friendly.”

For more tourist info:
www.yorkshire.com

http://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/

Places nearby:

Holmfirth is another Pennine town a couple of valleys away, which is quite nice to walk around. It’s where they shot ‘Last of the Summer Wine’.

Hebden Bridge is a small town in Calderdale with a few interesting shops. It’s supposed to be the lesbian capital of Britain!

The National Coal Mining Museum is near Wakefield. You can take free trips down the mine, which is really interesting.

Nostell Priory is a stately home near Wakefield, owned by the National Trust.

Harewood House is a stately home near Leeds.

Fountains Abbey is a ruined Cistercian abbey and deer park near Ripon in North Yorkshire, which is owned by the National Trust.

We hope you had a great break over the holidays. We are very excited about the year ahead and are already planning our road trips…we think taking a camper van on the ferry to Santander in Spain, then driving into Portugual will be on the cards this year. We are also very keen to explore more of Scotland and take the bikes along for some fresh air in the Highlands. We are in the process of revamping our website and expanding our fleet, so it’s definitely exciting times ahead for Free Wheeler Campers! Do get in touch if you have any travel advice for the UK or the rest of Europe – we would love to hear your stories!

So… after the little tour around Europe I was wondering how much it had actually cost and what that was compared to flights, buses and train connections.

Taking into account a ten day trip, most options do not offer accomodation and this is on average 20 Euros a night in a dorm, or 30 for a double room.

This adds to the below comparisons 200 or 300 Euros for ten nights travel.

Bus and train connections would have been viable, but they actually cost quite a lot as I am a European Adult. For example a train ticket via Europass for one week to cover the UK, France, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland would have cost a whopping 538 Euros. For two that is 1076 Euros… and that does not include bedding down for the night!!!
A Busabout Flexipass for 8 stops was a more affordable £359 each, but again did not include over night stays so the basic price for two was £718 plus accomodation. Importantly it did not visit some of the places I went to.. so was not an option. Other bus lines like Contiki offered good value for money if you are keep on drinking and eating and travelling around with 50 odd other people on a set route. Straight city to city bus lines Euro Lines quote £160per head from London to Munich… so those costs are going to run up quickly.
In peak season, our summer in Europe, my trip around Europe cost Four full fuel tanks of 80 litres each. I filled up half full in the UK for £40 and then filled up in Belgium for 90 Euros which got me 500 miles. Had I not been the owner of the van and needed to rent it the ten days on the road would have cost £350 in fuel and £700 for the van hire, including insurance and European cover. The ferry cost was an additional £96 for a return to the UK using Norfolk lines and travelling at fairly unsociable hours. Having stayed overnight near dover it was pretty easy to do though.

so eurorail for two would have worked out in double rooms as 300 euros for rooms plus 1076 euros for the four country rail pass for 8 days travel, a whopping 1376 euros.

Busabout for two would have worked out at £718 for two and 300 Euros (£260) for two sharing a double room… so £980 roughly, plus extra to get you to other small towns and cities.

Staying in dorms is not generally an option for two people travelling together and actually makes it more expensive overall with the usual pricing structure.

Camping can be cheap or free, it does not have to cost you camp site fees everynight, campsite fees range from £6 to £100 per night… but that is not a must spend cost with a campervan. You can free camp at most highway stations, or hide out in quiet parts of two, and find petrol stations or small hostels who also have showers for a couple of Euros a time.

So I would of course go with a van everytime!

With our third van just ready, it was decided that it was high time for a trip to Europe, to enjoy the van and combine a little exploration with visiting friends and family.

The van has been kitted out with an absorbtion fridge, a double bed of course, cooker, sink and high roof. Not quite finished with the kit out, I headed for the cheapest ferry bookable two days ahead of leaving, with Norfolk Lines, a sailing on a Sunday morning at six am. The idea of leaving London at four repelled me somewhat so I decided to drive down and catch some sleep near Dover… quite common for truckers and travellers I think. I pulled over before heading down hill to Dover near a large building store which had a couple trucks already parked on the road and the curtains drawn. I copied, parked up and had a great nights sleep till four thirty… an hour and half ahead of sailing time and in line ten minutes later.

Bleary eyed I drove on the ferry and found a spot to continue my snooze which sadly is one of those things that are hard to get on a ferry. I found a slightly quieter spot soon after in a comfy leather chair.

Arriving in Dunkirk, and I always think to myself, what a horrible industrial sight as I arrive, but also think of the thousands of soldiers who were eagerly awaiting evacuation many years ago, and perhaps before that, the French and Romans starting their invasions. I suppose heavy industry is best placed near the cheapest transport… oh well, shame, the beaches there look terrific.

Heading north though France, then Belgium, my first stop was near Koblenz in Germany where I met family in a wine region along the river Mosel. It is a very picturesque landscape with incredibly steep hillslopes and lots of terraced wine production. The river itself is pretty busy with ship loads of coal being ferried from Belgium to the industrial Ruhr Gebiet in Germany. What wine areas in Germany often feature, which I love them for, are great cycling tracks, shielded from the roads in most places by a metal barrier giving cyclists options to stop by the river anywhere and go for a swim. Sadly, I arrived, and brought it seemed steroetypical English summer weather with me. It rained solidly so my cycling trips were short lived. I did spend an absolutely peaceful night in the camper van outside the hotel parked on a flat bit of the slip way watching the boats go by and being woken by ducks chattering. Pretty Idylic.

Travel from there continued south to the German industrial heartland, Mannheim. While there is frankly not much to Mannheim bar a HUGE industrial area outside of it,BASF amongest others have huge works there, the city is interesting and I think unique in Germany due to the circular design and layout with grid references for roads, and only the main roads having names. I parked up and slept in a friends flat that night… Parking the next day was pretty cheap, One Euro per hour…

Heading from there to a neighbouring city with true historical context, I went for a wonder around the castle and old town in Heidelberg which is really worth it. A medival castle with a steep climb up the hill and huge ramparts. There is a HUGE wine barrel inside which was built in the middle ages and has survived till today which is ten metres high and fifteen meters long. A whole years supply for the castle apparently. For those too lazy to walk, there is a little train which can be involved… and is included in the ticket price.

Parking in Heidelberg is tricky, head for the opposite bank and there is loads of free parking. We spotted a couple campervans hidden along the river bank who were getting ready to stay the night… and no signs to say it was forbidden.

Carrying on south, I headed to Zurich, once more followed by the rain which got heavy and slowed traffic right down, which is rare in Germany. Crossing into Switzerland I headed into a country with strict speed limits which are adhered to by pretty much everyone. I found a great camping spot on a hill to the south west of Zurich which was quiet and away from traffic and near a bus line that connected with a train into Zurich. Switzerland is pretty pricey so it was a good way to save money, but I didn’t think it would be feasible too close to Zurich itself as they have loads of rules and regulations that ARE followed to the letter.

The evening in Zurich was spent drinking pricey beers in an Irish pub with some friends, so feeling a little light headed I headed back out of the city on a comfy train and settled in to sleep somewhere near midnight. The next day I was woken by torrential rain yet again. Boring. My bike ride plans were pushed aside once more. I headed onwards to Munich via St Gallen. To avoid paying another motorway toll I drove through Bregenz in Austria which is a beautiful town on a huge lake and a great place to stay. I do not advise campsites too close to town, I was in a very long queue [not an original idea to avoid the Austrian toll] with the majority of vehicles being Motorhomes and Caravans. The route also passed several campsites which look great, but were pretty crowded. Outside of July and August they are probably really nice to visit and uncrowded, offering good outdoor pools, lake access and showers of course. Nice for a day or two.

Arriving in Munich, and time for a beer or two. Parked up on the outskirts where I had some friends, so was able to grab a shower and freshen up before heading into town and taking in the sights yet again. I parked in a very quiet neighbourhood and found great cycling paths into the town centre. The next day I headed for another ride around the outside and found the German Museum for Aircraft which technical museum and really very good. There are two parts to the Museum, one on the outskirts and one in the town centre. Both are great. Another good place to visit.. if you are a petrolhead or not, is the BMW works near the Olympia Park, very cool building and of course great cars inside…

I left Nurnberg for a quick visit to Nurnberg which has the legendary Rock Festival every June, called Rock im Park, in that same park are what appear to be free Campervan sites… near an Esso garage… so have a look around if you are visiting and you might find it.

Frankfurt is one of those cities.. really busy town centre, but around the fringes are all sorts of great free camping potential, and in summer outdoor local swimming pools which are terrific for a refreshing swim and lazy day for usually around four Euros. In winter there are a bunch of thermal swimming pools dotted around Germany so for warming up or having a great sauna experience in between camper vanning in winter… mental but fun. They are called Thermen, and usually wellness centres with indoor and outdoor pools…. From ten to fifteen Euros per two hours. If you are sneaky you can probably find parking nearby and go to bed afterwards… Explore and park carefully and you should be ok… ask if really unsure.

From there I decided to head to Antwerp and visit some relatives, crusing across to them from Frankfurt took four hours.. I took a laid back approach to driving, and enjoyed the views, through Cologne and Aachen..and then into Belgium. The great thing about Belgium is the little villages and the camping culture. On a bike ride around the country side near Antwerp [yes I know… lots of cycling], I noted loads of camper vans on the river sides and in car parks, all free camping with bbqs out and beers in hand… it seems to be very casual and relaxed.. so next time a little more of that for me.

The week and a bit on the road was great, exploring for potential holidays and trip and inspiring parking choices was fun… please email me at info [at] freewheelercampers.com if you have any suggestions of where to go and camp cheaply or for free in the future.

Angel of the North – this brilliant structure towers over Newcastle, giving a sneak preview into the culturally rich capital of Northern England

We knew that we wanted to go on a road trip for the long weekend, but the question was which part of the UK did we want to venture to? This was decided by getting a wedding invitation, one of seven this year, to a castle in Northumberland, the beautiful Langley Castle. Friend or family weddings are something that you really want to try not to miss, especially as they only happen once in a lifetime, therefore it would be a shame for something like cash flow to stop you attending, at least those in Europe. Having looked at a train fare 120 pounds each and a room in a B&B for a minimum of 60 pounds per night, we thought it was time to look at other options – camper vans! At only 30 pounds per person for 24 hours, then van proved to be a very cheap and fun option. Not only did we go to Langley Castle for the wedding, we saw so much more as we had WHEELS!

Hexham – we stopped here to have a look round this gorgeous little medieval town – as with most of the towns in Northumberland, it is surrounded by greenery, gorgeous rolling hills and medieval buildings. We managed to find a lovely little Indian restaurant which had giant sized champagne flutes (the same height as me) to line our stomachs before the evening frivolity began.

Langley Castle – there is something really fun about ‘roughing it’ in a van, then putting on a bit of slap and a pretty dress and pretending that you have just stepped out of a 5 star hotel – feels like a real adventure! The castle is beautiful & a lovely setting for a wedding. It was fantastic to see Rachel & Colin celebrate their wedding & we certainly managed to give everyone a run for their money in the Ceilidh. Left – proving it is possible to get ready for a wedding in a camper van!

Haydon Bridge – this is a beautiful village centered on the picturesque bridge & river. The campsite we stayed in was called Populars Riverside & as it says on the tin, was right next to the river, where you could try your hand at trout and salmon fishing for free. We quickly got ready and got a taxi the mile down the road to Langley Castle.

Hadrian’s Wall & Bamburgh Castle – the next morning after a lovely comfy night’s sleep, we dined by the river & munched on croissants & fresh coffee. Then off to Hadrian’s Wall for a walk in the countryside to admire the tenacity of the Roman Empire before heading up to Bamburgh. We decided to take the B roads and had a really beautiful drive through the countryside, which comes highly recommended! We had a lovely day at Bamburgh, looking at the castle, walking on the beach and enjoying a hearty pub lunch. We took the coast road back down towards Durham and found a field to park the van in & jumped into bed for another blissful night of sleep.

Durham – we did not realise that it was 11am when we woke up – the van is so comfortable and the countryside is so quiet! We drove into Durham, parked the van and had a potter round the lovely city, visiting the castle, cathedral & walking beside the river. After a yummy lunch, we got back in the van and started driving back down to London. Even though we had only been away for 2.5 days, it felt like a week’s holiday as we had seen so much & also had the chance to relax. Top tip: Hire a Free Wheeler Camper van for weddings & go to Northumberland!

Our first van is just being converted and we are really very pleased. The carpentry is coming along nicely an our design for the interior is looking good. The first load of enquiries have come through and we are chuffed. So.. we will shortly starting the second van to convert into a four/five person one and we reckon this will put the rest of the budget camper into the shade too.

So, we are finally getting somewhere! We are about to take on our first van and have it converted to our own design which have been mulled over during copious hours of discussion. Usually… in vans parked in campsites overlooking beautiful lakes, over wine and beer whilst cooking food… stew usually and everywhere else we had a few minutes to think. We are excited and can hardly wait to actually take it out for a long weekend ourselves and head to the coast for a weekend of kitesurfing or cycling, weather dependent of course.