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

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

(to be continued)