Our Overland Route to Greece by Motorhome Summer into Autumn 2014 Barry and Margaret Williamson November 2014 For pictures of this journey, click on the following link and hover on 'Travels in 2014' and then 'Germany 2014': http://www.magbazpictures.com/travels-in-2014.html For a map and an overall description of the journey, click: An Autumnal Journey through Eastern Europe 2014 After a wasted month of July in England, wrestling with the phenomenon of Marquis Malpractice, August passed pleasantly in the purchase, equipping and testing of an excellent Carado T733 motorhome from the rejuvenated Brownhills Motorhomes of Newark. By September we were riding the long-distance river cycle paths of Germany, and October saw us motorhoming through the Eastern European countries of Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. Our aim was to reach the warm shelter of Greece before winter strikes! Below is the table of the places we stayed on the journey, along with the distances between them, the total distance along the route and the average distance. In addition to all these miles, we used the bicycles (mainly) and the motorhome (rarely) to make more local journeys and visits to sites as diverse as Colditz Castle near Leipzig and the capital of Roman Dacia in Transylvania. Below the table we give details, including websites and co-ordinates for each of the 36 places where we stayed once we had landed in the Netherlands. Prices are given for a motorhome and two adults. Eventually there will be the full travel log of the journey. Overall we combined new roads and new places with those we knew from many previous East European journeys, since the first foray on our bicycles from England to the far end of Czechoslovakia in the summer holidays of 1988, returning via a flight from Vienna. In the summer of 1989, just before the Wall came down, we cycled to Istanbul via West Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Greece and so into Turkey. In those days, every border was double-protected with a no-man's-land; every entry needed a visa and every country had its own closely-guarded currency. Those were the days, my friend. We thought they would never end. But they did! Table of Places and Distances from Newark (England) to Biser (SE Bulgaria) 2014
No | Month | Place | Country | Trip | Total | Average |
| | | | Distance | Distance | Distance |
| | | | (miles) | (miles) | (miles) |
1 | Aug | Newark | Eng | | | |
2 | | Blackpool | | 148 | 148 | 148 |
3 | | Cheltenham | | 184 | 332 | 166 |
4 | | Newark | | 124 | 456 | 152 |
5 | | Fangfoss | | 79 | 535 | 134 |
6 | | Slingsby | | 60 | 595 | 119 |
7 | | Newton | | 20 | 615 | 103 |
8 | | Scotch Corner | | 62 | 677 | 97 |
9 | | Moffat | Sco | 109 | 786 | 98 |
10 | | Loch Lomond | | 83 | 869 | 97 |
11 | | Balloch | | 14 | 883 | 88 |
12 | | Dunbar | | 110 | 993 | 90 |
13 | | Ferry to Amsterdam | Sea | 100 | 1093 | 91 |
14 | | Apeldoorn | NL | 70 | 1163 | 89 |
15 | | Otterlo | | 50 | 1213 | 87 |
16 | Sep | Xanten | D | 98 | 1311 | 87 |
17 | | Lahnstein | | 137 | 1448 | 91 |
18 | | Weilburg | | 51 | 1499 | 88 |
19 | | Erden | | 119 | 1618 | 90 |
20 | | Sweich | | 25 | 1643 | 86 |
21 | | Grevenmacher | | 21 | 1664 | 83 |
22 | Oct | Marburg | | 172 | 1836 | 87 |
23 | | Knickhagen | | 121 | 1957 | 89 |
24 | | Dresden | | 211 | 2168 | 94 |
25 | | Bautzen | | 130 | 2298 | 96 |
26 | | Jelenia Gora | PL | 72 | 2370 | 95 |
27 | | Polanica Zdrij | | 69 | 2439 | 94 |
28 | | Hutisko-Solanec | CZ | 140 | 2579 | 96 |
29 | | Martin | SK | 56 | 2635 | 94 |
30 | | Liptovsky Sielnica | | 40 | 2675 | 92 |
31 | | Podlesok | | 77 | 2752 | 92 |
32 | | Satoraljaujhely | H | 118 | 2870 | 93 |
33 | | Debrecen | | 93 | 2963 | 93 |
34 | | Baillie Felix | RO | 53 | 3016 | 91 |
35 | | Simeria nr Deva | | 119 | 3135 | 92 |
36 | | Baile Herculane | | 112 | 3247 | 93 |
37 | | Vidin Fanti TIR | BG | 106 | 3353 | 93 |
38 | Nov | Sofia TIR | | 151 | 3504 | 95 |
39 | | Biser Sakar Hills | | 168 | 3672 | 97 |
40 | | Alexandrouplois | GR | 117 | 3789 | 97 |
41 | | Porto Lagos SP | | 73 | 3862 | 97 |
42 | | Orfani Beach SP | | 97 | 3959 | 97 |
43 | | Thessaloniki SP | | 83 | 4042 | 96 |
44 | | Vergina SP | | 69 | 4111 | 96 |
45 | | Kastraki | | 106 | 4217 | 96 |
46 | | Moucha SP | | 109 | 4326 | 96 |
47 | | Domnista SP | | 94 | 4420 | 96 |
48 | | Killini Harbour SP | | 138 | 4558 | 97 |
49 | | Ionion Beach, Glyfa | | 11 | 4569 | 95 |
50 | Dec | Panapoulos SP | | 53 | 4622 | 94 |
51 | | Dimitsana SP | | 66 | 4688 | 94 |
52 | | Sparta | | 120 | 4808 | 94 |
53 | | Gythion SP | | 32 | 4840 | 93 |
54 | | Areopoli SP | | 26 | 4866 | 92 |
55 | | Gerolimenas SP | | 29 | 4895 | 91 |
56 | | Neo Itilo SP | | 20 | 4915 | 89 |
57 | | Ag Nikolaos SP | | 17 | 4932 | 88 |
58 | | Petalidi SP | | 47 | 4979 | 87 |
59 | | Finikounda | | 23 | 5002 | 86 |
TIR = Truck Stop SP = Stellplatz or Aire or Free Camping
Here are details of the 46 places we stayed as we travelled through the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Czech Republis, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and into Greece. LATE AUGUST – DFDS
FERRY FROM NEWCASTLE TO THE NETHERLANDS
Ijmuiden Port to Camping De Wapenberg,
Ugchelen, Nr Apeldoorn, Gelderland – 70 miles Open 28 March-1 Nov. www.dewapenberg.nl/?file=kop1.php. ACSI Card rate €15 inc
local tax, 6 amp elec and showers. Excellent WiFi €2 per day or €7.50 per week
(with a second machine half price!) N 52°10'19” E 5°54'45” Ugchelen to Camping de Wije Werelt, Otterlo,
Gelderland – 50 miles Open 28 March-31 Dec. www.wijewerelt.nl. ACSI Card rate €16 plus
local tax, inc 10 amp elec and showers. Reductions for long stay (2 weeks
plus). WiFi €3.50 per day or €9 for 3 days (less for 5 days, etc). N 52.08657 E5.76934 SEPTEMBER 2014 – INTO GERMANY Otterlo to Womo Park Xanten, Xanten, Lower
Rhine – 98 miles Open all year. www.womopark-xanten.de. €10 for 24 hrs parking inc water and dump
point. Optional €3 for 16-amp elec. Optional €1.50 per person per day for entry
code to luxury toilet/shower room. (Realised too late that no need to pay this,
as campers let each other in!) WiFi €3 per day (but out of order). N 51°39'15” E 6°27'55” Xanten to Camping Wolfsmuehle, Lahnstein,
Rhineland-Pfalz – 137 miles Open 15 March-31 Dec. www.camping-wolfsmuehle.de. ACSI
Card rate €17 inc local tax, 8 amp elec and showers. May be extra for riverside
pitch when busy. WiFi €2.50 for a day, €5 for 3 days, or €10 for an unlimited stay. N 50°18'54” E 7°38'1” Lahnstein to Wohnmobil Station, Weilburg, Hessen
– 51 miles
Open all year (may be closed
for special events in July/August). www.weilburg.de. €6 per day parking. Optional €2 a day for key
to 16-amp elec, water and dump point. Free WC
at Fire Station opposite. No showers or WiFi. N 50°29'0” E 8°15'29”
Weilburg to Camping Erden, Erden an der Mosel,
Rhineland-Pfalz – 119 miles
Open 1 April-31 Oct. www.camping-erden.de. ACSI Card rate €16
inc 4 kWh of 16-amp elec (extra usage is metered) and showers. Beware: Riverside
pitches cost €22! Also a cheaper motorhome park on an adjacent sloping field,
with use of campsite facilities. Free WiFi in reception/restaurant only. N 49°58'48”
E 7°1'13”
Erden/Mosel to Camping Zum Faehrturm,
Schweich, Rhineland-Pfalz – 25 miles
Open 5 April-20 Oct. www.kreusch.de. €11 plus metered elec (€0.60
per kWh) plus a one-off €1 connection fee. Free shower tokens. WiFi very
expensive. Also adjacent 'Quickstop' motorhome parking area with no facilities for €5.50. N 49°48'52” E 6°45'1”
INTO LUXEMBOURG
Schweich to Municipal Camping La Route du
Vin, Grevenmacher – 21 miles
Open 1 April-30 Sept. www.grevenmacher.lu. €15.30 inc 6-amp
elec and showers. Free WiFi. N 49.68302 E
6.44891
OCTOBER 2014 – BACK TO GERMANY
Grevenmacher, Luxembourg to Camping Lahnaue,
Marburg an der Lahn, Hessen – 172 miles
Open all year. www.lahnaue.de. €20 inc 10-amp elec and showers (Winter rate
Nov-March, €12.) Free WiFi. N 50.80000 E
8.76861
Marburg/Lahn to Camping Fulda-Freizeitzentrum,
Knickhagen im Fuldatal, Hessen – 121 miles
Open all year. www.campingplatz-knickhagen.de.
ACSI Card rate €16 inc 16 amp elec and showers. Free WiFi. N 51.400204 E 9.550531
Knickhagen im Fuldatal to Schaffer-Mobil
Stellplatz, Schaffer-Mobil Motorhome Dealers, Dresden, Saxony – 211 miles
Open all year. www.schaffer-mobil.de. €16 per day. Metered elec (€0.50 per 0.7
kWh). Water €1 for 40 litres. Dump point €1. Showers €0.50. WC free. Washing
machine out of order. WiFi €4 for 1 day, €5 for 2 days, €8 for 1 week. Beware: Crowded
parking lot of a greedy dealer. Even the morning rolls cost more – and were
smaller - than usual! N 51°5'9” E 13°40'59”
Dresden to Natur & Abenteuer Camping,
Bautzen, Saxony – 50 miles
Open 1 April-31 Oct. www.camping-bautzen.de. ACSI Card rate
€18 inc 16 amp elec and excellent showers. NoWiFi (free use of one computer in
Reception). N 51.20194 E 14.46083
INTO POLAND
Bautzen, Germany to Auto-camping Park No
130, Jelenia Gora – 72 miles
Open all year. www.camping.karkonosz.pl. PLN 54.54
(c €13) inc local tax, 10-amp elec and hot showers. Credit card accepted. Free
WiFi. N 50.89638 E 15.74266
Jelenia Gora to Auto-camping No 169,
Polanica-Zdroj, Nr Klodzko – 69 miles
Open all year. www.osir.polanica.net/pl. PLN 56 inc
6-amp elec. Euros accepted (€13.50). No
hot showers. Free WiFi in Reception only. N 50.41502 E 16.51335
INTO CZECH REPUBLIC
Polanica-Zdroj to Euro-camp
Caravan Park, Hutisko-Solanec, Nr Roznov pod Radhostem – 140 miles
Open all year. ACSI Website. ACSI. Euros
accepted: €9 inc elec and hot showers. No WiFi. N 49°25'42” E 18°13'30”
INTO SLOVAKIA
Hutisko-Solanec, Czech Republic to
Autocamping Turiec, Vrutky, Nr Martin – 56 miles
Open all year. www.autocampingturiec.sk. Euros
accepted: €15.20 inc elec and use of bathroom with hot shower in guesthouse. Free
WiFi. N 49.1982 E 18.89888
Vrutky/Martin to Penzion Villa Betula
Caravan Club, Liptovsky Sielnica, Nr Liptovsky Mikulas – 40 miles
Open all year. www.villabetula.sk. Euros or credit card
accepted: €21 inc elec and hot showers. Free WiFi. Excellent restaurant with
3-course daily menu for €8 pp. N 49.13608
E 19.5125
Liptovsky Sielnica to Autocamping Podlesok,
Podlesok, Nr Hrabusice – 77 miles
1 April-31 Oct. ACSI Website. ACSI. Euros
accepted: €13 inc elec and use of a WC/hot shower in Reception. Free WiFi in
Reception. N 48.96444 E20.38500
INTO HUNGARY
Podlesok, Slovakia to TIR
Truckstop, Satoraljaujhely - 118 miles
Open all year. Euros accepted:
overnight parking €6 inc use of modern toilets (and showers for men only). No
electric hook-ups. Free WiFi in Reception (out of order). N48.419261 E 21.645384
Satoraljaujhely to Camping Dorcas, Debrecen
– 93 miles
Open all year. ACSI Website.. 5,600
Forints inc elec. (€20 note accepted, with 400 Forints given in change.) No hot
showers. Free WiFi at Reception only. N 47°26'55” E 21°41'22”
INTO ROMANIA
Debrecen, Hungary to Camping Apollo, Baile
Felix, Nr Oradea – 53 miles
Open all year. www.campingapollo.ro. Euros accepted:
€15 inc elec and hot showers. Free WiFi. N 46°59'67” E 21°58'76”
Baile Felix to Villa Doerr Guesthouse &
Minicamping, Simeria, Nr Deva – 119 miles
Minicamp seasonal. Overnight
parking in secure courtyard may be possible at other times. www.doerr.ro. Euros accepted: €10 inc elec and
use of hot shower in guesthouse. Cooked breakfast available. N 45.856139 E 23.019426
Simeria to Camping Hercules, Baile Herculane
– 112 miles
Open all year. ACSI Website. Euros accepted: €16 inc
elec and hot showers. Excellent restaurant with 3-course meal for €12 pp inc
drinks. N 44°52'8” E 22°23'15”
NOVEMBER 2014 - INTO BULGARIA
Baile Herculane to TIR
Truckstop/Fanty-G Restaurant, Vidin – 106 miles
Open all year. Euros accepted:
overnight parking €5 inc use of toilets and hot showers (separate men's and
women's). No electric hook-ups. Free WiFi. N 43.930894 E 22.837701
Vidin to TIR Truckstop/Hotel
Panorama, Sofia (NE of city on outer ring road) – 151 miles (545 m or 1,800 ft
high)
Open all year. Euros accepted: overnight
parking €10 inc elec and use of WC/ hot shower in hotel. Free WiFi. N
42°46.034 E 23°26.234
Sofia to Camping Sakar Hills,
Biser – 168 miles
Open 1 April-31 Oct. www.sakar-hills.com. Bulgarian Leva or
Euros accepted: €14 inc elec and hot showers. Free WiFi. Excellent own-label
Merlot wine for sale! N 41°52'13” E
25°59'29”
INTO GREECE
Biser to Municipal Camping
Alexandroupoli Beach, Alexandroupoli, Thrace – 117 miles
Open all year. www.ditea.gr. €17.63 inc local taxes, elec and
hot showers. Free WiFi. N 40.84679 E
25.85614
Alexandroupoli to Car Park at
Porto Lagos harbour, Thrace – 73 miles
Open all year. Note: closed
Saturday night and Sunday morning/afternoon for huge weekly Sunday market. Free
parking, no facilities. Good fish taverna opposite. N 41.00633 E 25.12028
Porto Lagos to Car Park at
Orfani Beach, Nr Kariani, Thrace – 97 miles (with detour to Amphipolis)
Open all year. Note: closed
Sunday night and Monday morning for weekly Monday market. Free parking, no
facilities. N 40°45'49” E 23°54'7”
Orfani Beach to Zampetas
Camper Stop, Zampetas Caravans & Motorhomes, Perea, Nr Thessaloniki, Greek
Makedonia – 83 miles
Open all year. www.zampetas.gr. Note: closed Sundays. Free
parking with free elec, water, dump point and WC. Free WiFi inside the
accessory shop. Servicing, repairs etc available. N 40°30'9” E 22°58'15”
Perea/Thessaloniki to Coach
& Motorhome Park, Vergina, Greek Makedonia – 69 miles
Open all year. Overnight
parking €4 inc water (no dump point). Elec hook-up €3. Free WiFi. N
40°29'6” E 22°19'10”
Vergina to Camping Vrachos Kastraki, Meteora,
Nr Kalambaka, Thessaly – 106 miles (250 m or 825 ft high)
Open all year. www.campingkastraki.gr. ACSI Card rate
€16 inc 16 amp elec and showers. Free WiFi at or near Reception. N 39.71313 E 21.61420
Meteora to Moucha, Lake Plastira, Thessaly –
109 miles (790 m or 2,600 ft high)
Open all year. Free car park by
the reservoir near the dam bridge. No facilities except a water tap. N
39.23816 E 21.75011
Moucha to Domnista, Central Greece – 94
miles (1011 m or 3,335 ft high)
Open all year. Well-lit free parking
area in front of village museum. No facilities. N 38.75873 E 21.84596
Domnista to Kyllini, Peloponnese – 138 miles
(Sea level!)
Open all year. Free parking at
the harbour. WC nearby. N 37.93460 E 21.14664 Kyllini to Camping Ionion Beach, Glifa, Peloponnese
– 11 miles Open all year. www.ionion-beach.gr. ACSI Card rate €16
inc 16 amp elec and showers. (Winter €15, or long-term deal with metered
electricity possible.) Free WiFi (300 MB daily limit). N 37.83640 E 21.13340 DECEMBER 2014 Ionion Beach to Panopoulos, Peloponnese – 53
miles (575 m or 1,900 ft high) Open all year. Well-lit parking
area at the 'Silk' petrol station/café on road 33. Water tap and WC. N
37.82325 E 21.68269 Panopoulos to Dimitsana, Peloponnese – 66
miles (867 m or 2,860 ft high) Open all year. Large free car
park at Open-air Water Power Museum. Water tap. (Café and WC inside excellent
Museum: entry €3, free if aged 65+) N
37.58485 E 22.04657 Dimitsana to Camping Paleologio, Mystras,
Sparta, Peloponnese – 120 miles (230 m or 760 ft high) Open all year. €23 inc 16 amp
elec and showers. Free WiFi. Free oranges! N 37.07187 E 22.40531 Camping Paleologio, Mystras to Mavrovouni
Beach, Gythion, Peloponnese – 32 miles Open all year. Level parking
area outside taverna (closed) alongside beach. No facilities. N 36.73120 E 22.56095 Mavrovouni Beach, Gythion to Bus Station Car
Park, Areopolis, Peloponnese – 26 miles (259 m or 855 ft high) Open all year. Large free car
park/market place. Water tap. WC and café at bus station. Note: Avoid Friday
night due to Saturday morning market. N 36.66810 E 22.38289 Areopolis to Gerolimenas, Peloponnese – 29
miles Open all year. Free parking beyond
Akrogiali Hotel near harbour. No facilities. (Meals available at excellent
hotel; double room €35 plus breakfast. Free WiFi for guests.) N 36.48241 E 22.39975 Gerolimenas to Neo Itilo, Peloponnese – 20
miles Open all year. Free parking
along sea front. No facilities. N 36.69246
E 22.38969 Neo Itilo to Ag Nikolaos, Peloponnese – 18
miles Open all year. Free car park on
sea front. Water tap. N 36.82314 E
22.28353 Ag Nikolaos to Petalidi,
Peloponnese – 47 miles Open all year. Free parking on
sea front. No facilities. Avoid Thursday night due to Friday morning market. N
36.95758 E 21.93368 Petalidi to Camping Finikes, Finikounda, Peloponnese
– 23 miles Open all year. Winter rate €12 (€11
if staying over 2 months) inc 16 amp elec and key to own shower and WC. Free
WiFi. N 36.80238 E 21.78171 (to be continued)
|