GREECE-ENGLAND-GREECE EXPRESS

DECEMBER 2018   Margaret Williamson

INTRODUCTION: Three Eventful Days at Igoumenitsa

4th December: After a week at Camping Drepanos near the port of Igoumenitsa, Barry is casually watching a You Tube clip of a contest between a racing bike and an e-bike climbing Bealach Na Baa (the Pass of the Cattle in Scotland's Wester Ross). A ride we remember completing with pride: 6226 metres/2,054 ft (from sea level at Applecross), single track, twisting hairpins, a 1-in-3 section. The e-bike wins easily; we are almost converted. An on-line search reveals the 'Volt Infinity Shimano' and an email is on its way to Paul Hewitt Cycles in Leyland! Could he source a pair of the ideal-looking 'STEPS' (Shimano Total Electric Power System) models after Christmas? No, he already has them in stock!

5th December: A long phone discussion with Paul Hewitt leads to an order for bikes and accessories. The deposit is paid; there is no going back – except to northern England to collect them. We plan the shortest and fastest return route from northern Greece, involving two overnight ferries each way.  

6th December: A 5-mile cycle ride to the international ferry terminal in Igoumenitsa, to book Minoan Lines 'camping all inclusive' on tonight's sailing at 11 pm to Ancona. The extremely helpful Konstantina quotes a very good price for an open return, costing little more than the single fare. The deal includes a 2-berth cabin, a place with electric hook-up for the motorhome and a 30% discount meals voucher. Back at the campsite, laundry drying in the sunshine, we also book a 5-day return on the P&O overnight ferry from Belgium to Hull and back. The Minoan Lines 'Cruise Europa' arrives late from Patras and finally sails out of Igoumenitsa at midnight. We are ready for our beds and a slow calm crossing.

OUTWARD JOURNEY: Northern Greece to Northern England in 5 Days

Ancona Port to Camper Club Mutina, Modena, Emilia Romagna, Italy – 157 miles

Open all year.  www.camperclubmutina.it   €16 inc elec, WC and hot showers. Free WiFi (in clubhouse, if open).  N 44.61361  E 10.94444
 
After the delicious set breakfast in the 'Cruise Europa' restaurant and a leisurely shower, we expect to land in Ancona around 1.30 pm (Italian time). At 12.30 pm passengers are informed that arrival will be at 5 pm; the 3.5 hours delay is due to leaving Greece one hour behind schedule! By way of compensation, a self-service 'Delay Meal' is served until 2 pm for €6 per person. We take the lightest option (fish & rice) with complimentary water, bread and salad. Other drinks and puddings cost extra. Reading for 3 hours, my current choice 'Distress Signals' by Catherine Ryan Howard is not the best diversion while at sea – a murder mystery on a cruise liner with many twists, showing how easy it is to kill someone and dispose of the body overboard.

By the time we disembark at Ancona it is dark for the anticipated afternoon drive to Modena. We follow the port traffic for 9 slow miles to join the motorway at Ancona Nord, then head northwest up A14, around Bologna, then A1 to the exit for Modena South (toll €16.50 and well worth it). Another 5 miles to the Sosta on the way into Modena, where we join a few Italian campers for the night. It's busier than it was in November, with a floodlit match in progress on the adjacent rugby pitch.    

Modena, Italy to Autohof (Truck Stop) Bremgarten near Bad Krozingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany (via Switzerland) – 347 miles

Open all year.  Autohof Bremgarten  Free parking and WC at truckstop. Fuel, shop, restaurant, snack bar, McDonalds (showers and laundry available). N 47.90779  E 7.59244

Away early on a fine misty Saturday morning for the long drive to and across Switzerland. After 10 miles we join the A1 at Modena North bound for Milan, then it's motorway all day, with few heavy trucks over the weekend. Signs warn of Nebbia (fog) between Reggio Nell'Amelia and Parma, after which the sun breaks through. Coffee break at 60 miles at the large services at Fiorenzuola.

At 100 miles there is a toll (€12.40) before joining the busy Milan Tangenziale westbound. A panorama of snowy peaks under a blue sky, a short Coda (traffic queue), then a toll of €2.80 on meeting the A9 at 124 miles, towards Como and Switzerland. Again there are regular signs insisting that winter tyres or snow chains are obligatory as far as Chiasso (the Swiss border). Hardly necessary today with a temperature of 14°C at noon! We'll try to get some in England for the return journey. A final Italian toll of €2.30.

At the Swiss border we buy the obligatory 12-month Vignette for vehicles up to 3.5 tons, covering all motorways and tunnels, valid throughout 2019, price CHF 40 or €40. It's best to pay by cash (Swiss Francs) or bank card, rather than Euros (since 1 Euro=1.12 CHF). And don't offer a €50 note, unless you want the change in Swiss Francs! Beware also Swiss fuel prices, as diesel is more expensive than petrol and costs around €2 a litre!

Continuing on A2 we cross Lake Lugano, as blue as Lake Como, and take a break at 175 miles at Bellinzona South services. Then a gentle 35-mile climb to the St Gotthard Tunnel entrance (alt 1132 m/3,375 ft). This single-bore sub-alpine tunnel was the world's longest road tunnel (10.5 miles) when it opened in 1980, only superseded 20 years later by Norway's 15-mile Laerdal Tunnel (a splendid drive!) Work on a second tunnel at St Gotthard is scheduled to start in 2020, eventually providing a separate tunnel in each direction. That would certainly feel safer.

Emerging with relief into the German-speaking cantons of northern Swizerland, we descend to lunch at the next services at 235 miles. The view is breathtaking, the height 426 m/1,405 ft. Ever onwards along motorways, through more tunnels, past Luzern and Basel as night falls.

Entering Germany we continue north up A5 past Bad Bellingen in search of a suitable night stop. The Autohof (truck stop) by exit 65 for Müllheim is packed full. At the next exit, 64b for Bad Krozingen, the larger Autohof Bremgarten has space and we join two other motorhomes tucked among the lorries. The long day ends with a good meal in Rosi's Restaurant: pork schnitzel with mushroom sauce and pasta, coffee and cake (from the nearby Black Forest, naturally). A better option than McDonald's.

Bremgarten nr Bad Krozingen, Germany to Pompiers Camperstop, Arlon, Belgium – 216 miles

Open all year. Free parking with 4 electric hook-ups at the Fire Station.  N 49.68990  E 5.81929

A fill of diesel at the Autohof at €1.389/li costs less than Italian or German motorway services (and much less than Switzerland!) Then north up the toll-free A5 to exit 54, where we turn west to Kehl and cross the border over the mighty River Rhine.

Entering France at 58 miles, the weather turns wet and windy. It's 10°C as we negotiate the N4 through Strasbourg, a city in need of a heart-bypass. Joining the A4 at 65 miles, we head north into the Vosges North National Park, with a break in the well-named Aire des Quatre Vents up at 350 m/1,155 ft, where we once stopped in our own 'Four Winds' RV! We pay two French tolls: €8.80 at 129 miles and €7.30 at 140 miles, with some delay when the motorist in front loses his ticket to a gust of wind as he tries to feed the automat. We feel for him! Continuing north via Metz and Thionville, we cross into Luxembourg at 190 miles, leaving that tiny country 21 miles later. It's still very wet and squally.

Across the border lies the confusingly named Luxembourg Province of Wallonia in Belgium, our fourth country today. We soon take exit 32 into Arlon and follow the SatNav to the Fire Station (signed Pompiers), where 'Camperstop Europe' lists a site with 5 marked places and 4 free hook-ups, water and bins (but no dump). There are already 4 Belgian motorhomes in residence but only 2 hook-ups in use. The other 2 sockets are found to be dead! 

We're impressed by the kindness of strangers when our neighbour comes out in the rain, offering to share his connection via a 2-pin domestic adapter. We like living dangerously! This gentleman is Italian, lives in Belgium, speaks French and has a daughter working in London. Long live the EU! We promise to use the electric for lights and fridge only, not wishing to trip the supply of unknown amps.

Arlon is a historic military town, once capital of a Roman province, with a good museum and archaeological site. Sadly these must remain unvisited, as we have a ferry to catch tomorrow.

Arlon to P & O Ferry Terminal, Zeebrugge, Belgium – 210 miles

Overnight ferry departs Zeebrugge at 7 pm every day, arriving Hull at 8.30 am (local time).   www.poferries.com/eu/zeebrugge-hull/travelling-with-us/timetable   N 51.339341  E 3.186665

The wind and rain have thankfully dropped as we leave Arlon, regaining the A4 motorway after 4 miles at junction 31, bound for Namur and Brussels. The sky grows greyer, the drizzle more persistent, as we progress north. Rolling through the hills of the Ardennes above 400 m/1,320 ft, the once-golden autumn foliage has turned rusty brown.

The motorhome engine has developed a slow oil leak, causing Barry to ring our favourite garage (Dick Lane Motorhomes in Bradford), where foreman Kevin agrees to see us tomorrow. We can also stay the night if necessary. Phone calls to Paul Hewitt Cycles and to Mark at the little campsite in Leyland complete our immediate arrangements.

At 100 miles we join the ever-busy 4-lane Brussels Ring, E40, anticlockwise. Over 10 miles of congestion, with dozens of exits into the heart of the EU, driving past the airport. Away at last, northwest for Gent, and then the exit for the dual carriageway past Brugge/Bruges to Zeebrugge.

We board the 'Pride of Bruges' at 3.30 pm, settle into the 2-bunk outside cabin with a welcome hot shower, and book a restaurant table. When the vessel sets sail, leaving Belgium promptly at 7 pm, we are served an excellent meal from the Christmas Menu: turkey fillets with tasty stuffing, pigs in blankets, sprouts, crispy spinach, mashed potatoes, cranberry jelly and red wine gravy. Coffee in the bar and a smooth crossing complete the first leg of our express journey.

IN NORTHERN ENGLAND

P & O Ferry Terminal, Hull to Dick Lane Motorhomes, Bradford, West Yorkshire – 72 miles

Open all year, specialist motorhome sales and servicing.  Dick Lane Motorhomes   Free overnight parking for customers, with electricity and WiFi, by arrangement.  N 53.79457 W 1.70831

Replete with the generous buffet breakfast, we arrive in Hull on time at 8.30 am. On leaving the port, traffic is held up at an open bridge over the River Hull before we reach the A63 out of Barry's native city. We need a fill of diesel before joining M62 westwards, driving into heavy mist across the River Ouse. After turning off for Bradford on the short M606, we are soon parked in the familiar yard on Dick Lane (the address, not the name of owner Stephen Buckley!)

By lunchtime Kevin has inspected the oil leak, ordered the necessary part from Ford (due tomorrow 'early doors') and installed us on the rear paddock with electricity and internet. Apparently we were lucky to make it across the motorways of Europe before the oil ran out! It's a good chance to rest, listen to the radio and watch British TV. We also order a set of snow chains for the motorhome from Polar Automotive, to be delivered to Paul Hewitt's shop in Leyland. That, along with a can of de-icer, should guarantee us a snow-free return to Greece! 

We catch up with politics, as yesterday's parliamentary vote was cancelled when Theresa May realised she would be defeated. In the evening BBC shows a repeat of Part 3 of 'A Very English Scandal', with Hugh Grant excelling in the role of Jeremy Thorpe. It is followed by a special Panorama programme made at the time but never shown, following the Not Guilty verdict. All very interesting. Perhaps we can find Parts 1 & 2 via BBC i-Player.

Bradford to Oakfield Fishery & Caravan Park, Farington, Leyland, Lancashire – 60 miles

Open all year. Camping & Caravanning Club CS at Oakfield Fishery. £12 inc elec, WC and hot shower. No WiFi.  N 53.716501  W 2.706724

The courier duly arrived at Dick Lane with the part at about 11 am. With the motorhome in the workshop, we wrapped against the Yorkshire winter chill for a 15-minute walk to the nearest shopping centre to browse B&Q, buy a couple of DVDs at Morrisons and dine on fish & chips in their café. There are compensations to being in England! Back at Dick Lane, the motorhome is ready, the leaking oil pipe replaced, along with the oil and filter. Quick and excellent service!

Back to the busy M62 westbound, past Huddersfield to Manchester, and M61 north towards Preston. Gritting is underway, with a threat of snow. The SatNav guides us to the little site near Leyland that we discovered last summer. A few hard-standing pitches have been created next to two popular fishing lakes, under the friendly eye of Mark, the resident custodian. We arrive at about 5 pm, welcomed by Mark bearing 6 free range eggs for us. 

I'm happy to review the site for ukcampsite.co.uk:

“An excellent little site near Leyland, with easy access to the M6. Very convenient for Todds motorhome dealers or Campbell Caravan dealers nearby. The facilities are simple (2 toilets, 1 hot shower, 1 cold water wash-up sink) but they are cleaned daily and 

there are plenty of water taps and electric hookups. 

Mark, the on-site warden, is indeed a gem! So helpful and friendly, with the bonus of a gift of 6 eggs on arrival. 

The two large ponds stocked for fishing have ducks, moorhens and a resident grey heron - lovely to watch, if not for the fish!

It is open all year, the price very reasonable, we'll be back!”

A Busy Time at and around Leyland

The next couple of days focus around Leyland, regularly visiting Morrisons store, a convenient short walk from Paul Hewitt Cycles. In addition to free parking and a fill of diesel, good old Morrison provides tasty lunches in the café and fills the motorhome's cupboards with essential supplies and seasonal goodies. 

The two Volt Shimano bikes prepared by Paul look great, with all the bells (no whistles!), mirrors, bottle cage, Marathon Plus Tour tyres etc that we had specified. Just one question – are the bikes too high and/or the handlebars too wide to fit in the motorhome garage? A trip to B&Q at Bamber Bridge, to replace the three wide plastic crates kept in said garage with narrower ones, solves the problem; Mark, at the campsite, is the lucky recipient of a pair of more-than-slightly-used large crates!

For more information click Volt Shimano Bicycles in MagBazPictures and Volt Infinity Shimano STEPS Electric Bikes on this website.

After a hasty 50-mile round trip to Blackpool, leaving our trusty touring cycles in the lockup garage we keep there, we return to collect the new bikes. To our great relief they fit snugly, separated by a large piece of cardboard supplied by Paul while his wife Melanie makes celebratory coffee all round. Back at the campsite, Barry does a great job of fixing them and the new crates firmly in place with hooks and ratchet straps for travelling. We even have a set of snow chains for the return journey to Greece.

Before leaving we call at nearby Todds Motorhomes for a couple of items in the accessory shop. The salesman remembers us well, as we again admire and resist the temptation of the new Roller Team models that would be our choice if replacing the Carado.

Farington, Leyland to P & O Ferry Terminal, Hull –131 miles

Overnight ferry departs Hull at 6.30 pm every day, arriving Zeebrugge in Belgium at 8.45 am (local time).  www.poferries.com/eu/hull-zeebrugge  N 53.741880  W 0.279198  

The high winds and heavy rain of Margaret's native West Lancashire subside as we take the familiar motorways past Manchester and over the Pennines on 'Britain's highest motorway', the M62. After 47 miles we slip off at exit 24 for a brief visit to our solicitor in Huddersfield, then continue to a lunch break at Ferrybridge services and on towards Hull.

Slipping off the A63 into Willerby, we pause at the huge shopping park (Lidl, Aldi, Waitrose, Iceland, B&M Bargains, charity shops, cafes …) before calling on Barry's sister-in-law, Sheila, to exchange news and warm greetings over tea and cake.

And so back to King George Dock to check in on the 'Pride of Bruges'. As the ferry sails through the lock at 6.30 pm, we are already in the restaurant for another Christmas dinner! The helpful Philippino waiter remembers us and tells something of his life, comparing his life living permanently on the ship with ours in a motorhome. We enjoy our third calm December crossing, wondering if our luck will hold for the Adriatic (it does!)

RETURN JOURNEY: England to Igoumenitsa, Greece in 8 Days

P & O Ferry Terminal, Zeebrugge to Pompiers Camperstop, Arlon, Belgium – 192 miles

Open all year. Free parking with 4 electric hook-ups at the Fire Station.  N 49.68990  E 5.81929

After an early buffet breakfast on the ferry we dock in Zeebrugge at 9 am (local time) and are soon away on E403 into a light drizzle, past Brugge/Bruges and Gent, to join the Brussels ring road clockwise after 70 miles. All 4 lanes are as congested as ever, stop-start for 10 slow miles.

Continuing southeast on A4 past Namur, we take exit 31 for Arlon and return to the Camperstop at the fire station. There are only 2 Belgian motorhomes in residence today and we even get our own live hook-up. It's too cold and wet for a walk to explore Arlon's Roman history, so we recharge our batteries (literal and metaphorical) and sort out the lockers.

With the new bikes safely collected and an open-date ticket for the Minoan ferry from Ancona, we can take more time over the return journey and decide to book the campsite at Strasbourg from tomorrow, in order to visit the Christmas Market. The site's high-season price shows what a good discount the ACSI Card gave when we stayed last November!

In the evening we watch a newly bought DVD 'The Leisure Seekers' that looks promising, with Donald Sutherland, Helen Mirren, a picture of an RV and the tag 'A journey they'll never forget'. It was a truly awful waste of their talent!

Arlon, Belgium to Camping (la Montagne Verte) de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, Alsace, France – 157 miles

Open all year.  www.camping-strasbourg.com  High season price €36.80 inc tax, elec and showers. Free WiFi throughout.  N 48.57525  E 7.71730

Still very wet and windy as we return 4 miles to the E25. A further 5 miles into  Luxembourg, where we refuel at Capellen (diesel €1/li), the first of two service stations before entering France at 30 miles.

Now in Lorraine, we drive south across the Ligne Maginot, the line of fortifications named after the French Minister of War, built in the 1930s to deter German invasion. It didn't work, as they forgot to fortify Belgium. In Thionville we cross the Moselle, then exit onto A4 at 50 miles, turning east over the Canal of the Iron Mines and across the Moselle again.

The first toll (€7.30) is at 81 miles, before the St Avold exit. Crossing into Alsace, Dept of the Lower Rhine, we turn south along the valley of the Sarre, close enough to the border to pick up German radio with good music on the Kultur Program. The rain eases but we're buffeted by gusts of wind; hard to believe we had such a calm crossing on the North Sea. A sign for the Parc Naturel Regional des Vosges du Nord depicts a boar, a deer and a tree. The trees are bare and the animals have taken shelter!

Another toll (€8.80) at 138 miles then on towards Strasbourg, capital of Alsace, past a huge military cemetery with French and German graves. This historic city by the Rhine, the German border, is appropriately the official seat of the European Parliament and Court of Human Rights. From A35 exit 4 for Montagne Verte we follow the SatNav for the final 3 miles to a sharp right turn down a short narrow lane, signed to the Camping. In succession, we cross a cycle path (look out!), bridge the River L'Ill (a tributary of the Rhine), then squeeze under a 3.6 m high railway bridge (the ONLY access). 

It is still pouring with rain and the campsite is very wet. We refuse the allocated boggy pitch and spend 20 minutes finding a marginally better one – all are muddy, some sloping. And this for a site charging €36.80 (£36.50), almost double the ACSI Card price paid in early November. At least the facilities are heated and it's good to catch up with laundry and hot showers. Free chocolates at Reception too!

At Camping Strasbourg and the Christmas Market

Next day, still too wet for cycling, we take a short walk to the local suburb, along the Maurice Garin foot/cycle path (named after the winner of the first Tour de France in 1903 – and stripped of the title in 1904 for cheating!) The path runs through woods and past allotments, then skirts a large overgrown Jewish cemetery. This appears desperately neglected and vandalised, the leaning and broken headstones, the inscriptions are in both French and Hebrew, with no post-war dates. The torn noticeboard states that in 1802 the land was bought by the Jewish community to make a graveyard. It is a suitably sombre grey day, with a rookery in the overhead trees completing the picture. On past a children's playground to the Route des Romains, where there is a bank and a Lidl, well stocked with Christmas treats and French pâtisserie.

Heavy rain continues the following day, when we take the tram into the city centre for the Marché de Noël. Strasbourg 'Capital of Christmas' holds France's largest and oldest Christmas Market (from 23 November to 30 December 2018, every day except Christmas Day!) focused on the 3 main squares and thousands of visitors. This year, following the horrific attack on 11 December that left 5 dead, 11 wounded and the gunman killed 2 days later, the market was closed down, reopening on 15 December with heavy security in place.

It's a 10-minute walk from the campsite to the Montagne Verte station for tram B or F, running every few minutes. The ticket is obtained and validated at an automat on the platform, the best deal being a '24h trio' at €6.90, valid for up to 3 adults to rove for 24 hrs. With a tight security cordon around the Christmas Market area, the tram doesn't halt at the three tram stops on the central island, so we stay on to Place de la République and walk back, through a checkpoint with 2 city guards watched by 2 armed police.

Over 300 wooden stalls, miles of fairy lights and an occasional roundabout spill beyond the three squares, each crowned with a majestic decorated tree. The atmosphere is somewhat dampened by the weather and no doubt the recent tragedy, but we join the crowds searching out a sausage and a hot drink. The Vin Chaud is sweet, warming and costs less than coffee, once we understand that €1 is refundable on returning the mug! Making our way from the cathedral we pass tributes of flowers and candles at the site of the massacre. In the main square, Place Kléber, there is a temporary memorial with many messages echoing the sentiments from Charlie Hebdo: Nous sommes tous Strasbourg. It overshadows the skating rink, where the band plays on. At Faubourg National we take a tram which whisks us back 3 stops to Montagne Verte. It has been a surreal experience.

Strasbourg, France to Camping International Lido, Lucerne, Switzerland – 152 miles (alt 445 m/1,470 ft)

Open all year.  www.camping-international.ch  46.60 CHF (or €45) inc taxes, elec, showers and free bus pass. WiFi 5 CHF (or €5) for 24 hrs.  N 47.0500  E 8.33833

Leaving Strasbourg, we cross the Rhine into Germany on N4 after 4 miles, then take the B28 dual carriageway to join A5 south to Weil at the Swiss border. The weather is milder with a back-wind and no hint of snow. We take a detour into Neuenberg-am-Rhein (exit 65) to shop, finding the car park at Lidl full (Christmas Eve!) but with space at the nearby Penny Market. After refuelling at the Autohof by the junction we continue down A5, with a lunch break at Bad Bellingen services at 78 miles.

Today is the 200th anniversary of Stille Nacht (Silent Night), written in Austria for guitar accompaniment (the church organ was damaged by mice!) The French station on the cab radio plays the different versions of the carol in a variety of languages, for hours on end!

Into Switzerland, for which we already have a Vignette, with a glimpse of the Rhine at Basel where traffic is lighter than usual. On via A2 and A3 to Lucerne (or Luzern), where we have decided to spend Christmas. From exit 26 for Luzern Mitte we follow the SatNav and signs for Küssnacht and Lido for 5 miles to the campsite. The route crosses the Seebrücke bridge, with a fine view of the 14thC Kapellbrücke wooden footbridge, then skirts the north shore of the extensive Lake Lucerne. We turn right at traffic lights by the Transport Museum along Lido Strasse, past the baths, to the campsite entrance on the left.  

The site is almost empty (no surprise, given the price of £41) but it is level and dry, with heated facilities and a friendly warden. He points out that we get a free bus pass (every 10 mins from the Transport Museum) into the city centre where WiFi is free – but not here!

A Christmas Bike Ride

A peaceful day at Lucerne starts with grapefruit, porage and Radio 4. Our customary Christmas morning cycle ride is a bit different (and a lot shorter) this year, as we wrap up to try out the new Volt Shimano bikes, adjusting saddle heights and getting to grips with the controls. It's much too cold to ride far, just around the campsite and along Lido Strasse, testing the automatic gear change, disk brakes, front and rear lights, and of course the different levels of assistance: Off-Eco-Normal-High. We are unanimous – they are brilliant, down to the built-in locks and kickstands. We can't wait to take to the challenging hills of the Greek Peloponnese.

Back indoors we thaw out over tea and mince pies, then make a festive dinner including sprouts carried from Leyland and a home-made Xmas pudding! Our evening entertainment is the DVD 'Darkest Hour' with an excellent portrayal of Churchill by Gary Oldman.

Lucerne, Switzerland to Area Sosta Settebello, Rimini, Emilia Romagna, Italy – 359 miles

Open all year.  www.riminiparking.it  €13 inc elec. No WiFi.  N 44.06068  E 12.57572

On a fine frosty Boxing Day we are away early, through the quiet city and onto the A2 bound for the St Gotthard Tunnel before 9 am. The SatNav keeps insisting 'A2 closed – recalculating' until we turn her off, since there is no alternative and no apparent problem! There is some snow on the verges and pastures above 950 m/3,135 ft, though less than on previous December journeys.

Entering the Tunnel at 1103 m/3,640 ft, we emerge after 11 claustrophobic miles into bright sunshine at Airolo. With no trucks out today, the going is good, with a break at the services at 56 miles. As we descend gradually through the Italian-speaking Canton of Ticino, crossing the Ticino River at its capital Bellinzona, the light and warmth of the sun south of the Alps beckons.

At 119 miles we cross into Italy down at 235 m/775 ft, leaving the mountains behind. After a toll of €2.30 at 125 miles, a chill mist welcomes us to the flat plains of Lombardy. Joining the Milan Tangenziale Ring Road 16 miles later, another toll barrier (cost €1.80) causes a massive hold-up, made worse by the closure of an exit - the one we need! Instead we must drive clockwise in heavy traffic around Italy's second city, adding many miles and incurring another toll of €2.30 before taking A52, to join the A1 at Melegnano. This diversion will be crazy tomorrow when the trucks take to the roads!

It's very cold and misty as we break for lunch on Lodi services at 172 miles, then drive on and on, past Modena and round the Bologna Ring, thankfully much quieter than Milano. By 3.30 pm a wintry sun has broken through and we're on A14 pointing to Ancona. Signs above the motorway continue to insist that winter tyres or snow chains are compulsory but this time we are equipped, not that there are any checkpoints.

At the Rimini South exit at 357 miles we pay a final toll of €24.20 and follow the SatNav for 2 miles into the city with its large car/bus/motorhome park. This guarded parking is very well placed, a short walk along a foot/cycle path into the historic centre or to the sea front. It's quite busy with about 25 campers in situ but the 24-hour custodian soon organises a place with electric hook-up and gives us a map and a smile. The other Sostas in Rimini are seasonal and less central.

After the longest day's drive on our express return journey, we open a tin of soup and are soon asleep!

Rimini to Ferry Terminal, Ancona, Marche Region – 66 miles

Minoan Lines overnight ferry 'Cruise Olympia': Italy-Greece (Ancona to Igoumenitsa & Patras)  www.minoan.gr/en/routes/italy  N 43.612384  E 13.499809

Next morning is dry but bitterly cold. I phone the Minoan desk in Igoumenitsa to confirm today's 4.30 pm ferry from Ancona, with the helpful Christina. (I've learnt not to try ringing Ancona, previously paying £9 to listen to excruciating music before giving up). 

Then we stroll through the park into the Centro Storico of Rimini, entering the historic walled city through the Arco Augusto arch. The centre is a splendid mixture of Roman and medieval architecture, with a huge new museum that blends in well. There is just time for a warming cappuccino in one of many bars before driving 3 miles back to A14. At 12.30 pm the sun breaks through on our way to the Ancona North exit at 56 miles (toll €6.40).

Click: magbazpictures.com/rimini

And so once again we drive 9 miles down to the port, badly in need of a motorway link. Following the Porto signs, the Ticket Office is signed off to the left at the last roundabout, a mile before the port. With no number plate recognition here, ferry passengers must go to check in personally before entering the port. There is plenty of space to park by the ticket office where I join the Minoan Lines queue, clutching passports, tickets and booking reference. The 'Cruise Olympia' ferry is scheduled to sail at 4.30 pm and we are told to go straight round to Gate 13. The vessel actually leaves at 6.10 pm, though with no trucks the loading is much quicker than last time.

Click: magbazpictures.com/minoan-ferry-italy-greece

We put our clocks on an hour (ship's time = Greek time), find our 2-bed cabin and enjoy a restaurant meal of chicken fillets with carrots, choice of sauces, and rice or chips. The service is very professional: when I manage to knock my glass of water onto the floor the waiter fetches a dustpan and brush, saying 'Don't worry, we have plenty of glasses'. Coffee and a chocolate dessert rounds it off nicely.

Our fourth overnight ferry crossing on this return journey is again calm; we've certainly been lucky on the winter seas.

ARRIVAL IN GREECE: Back Where We Belong

Igoumenitsa Port to Camping Drepanos, Igoumenitsa, Epirus (via Lidl) – 9 miles

Open all year.  www.drepano.gr   €15 (ACSI Card) inc elec and showers. Free WiFi throughout. N 39.51028  E 20.22111
  
The restaurant waiter remembers me at breakfast and I'm very careful with the glass of juice! Thanks to the 'Camping all inclusive' 30% discount on meals, the set price of €9 is reduced €6.30 each, for which we are served fresh orange juice, boiled eggs, cheese, rolls, croissants, butter, jam, honey, peaches with Greek yogurt, and constant refills of coffee. It's very quiet, as most Italians and Greeks start the day with coffee and a smoke out on deck!

Replete, we arrive (late) in Igoumenitsa port at 11 am and drive straight to Lidl (5 miles) to stock up on cat biscuits and other essentials before returning to the campsite on the peninsula to the north of the town.

Click: magbazpictures.com/igoumenitsa

There are no other campers and we settle on our usual pitch, tucked between the deserted statics facing the beach with a great view of ferries calling en route to Patras or to Italy, as well as smaller vessels serving Corfu. 

The resident cats soon gather gratefully round. There are at least four black ones (all called Sooty), as well as a pure grey (Smoky), a ginger tom and a tabby, though only one of her two black & white kittens has survived. It's good to be back and we settle down to an evening of local TV, which shows the thought-provoking Ken Loach film 'I Daniel Blake' (with Greek subtitles).

Click: magbazpictures.com/cats-in-igoumenitsa

Tomorrow we will take a test ride on the new bikes into town. It's going to be an interesting New Year of re-energised cycling. 

(to be continued)