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Our Motorhome and Bicycle Journey in the Summer and Autumn of 2019
Barry and Margaret Williamson
Updated and Completed October 2019
This is a summary of our journey from England to Greece by motorhome and bicycle in the Summer and
Autumn of 2019. We drove over 7,700 miles (12,320 km) and cycled 2,900 miles
(4,600 km) travelling out via Bulgaria, Turkey, Eastern Europe, the Baltic
Republics, Scandinavia, Germany, Czechia, Austria and Italy for a final
ferry over the Adriatic and so into Greece at the port of Igoumenitsa.
 | 1. The Port of Hull where overnight P&O ferries leave for Belgium and the Netherlands
2. The Meeting Point of Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece
3. The Wolf's Lair where Hitler lived for over 800 days during World War Two
4. The Easternmost Point of the Mainland European Union (Cyprus is much further East)
5. The Northernmost Point of Finland and of the European Union
6. Jokkmokk (The Sami Capital in Swedish Lapland) 3 miles inside the Arctic Circle
7. Hammerdal halfway along Sweden's 1,015-mile-long Inlandsvagen (Inland Road)
8. Ferry from Trelleborg (Sweden) to Rostock (Germany)
9. Venice using Camping Fusina less than a mile from the ANEK ferry terminal
10. Camping-on-Board the overnight ferry (26 hours) from Venice to Igoumenitsa
11. Igoumenitsa the Greek port near the border with Albania |
Sailing from Hull to Rotterdam on the P&O overnight ferry, we initially travelled south and east through the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia, aiming for and reaching Bulgaria. We had some great cycling from our base on Sakar Hills Camping: seven local rides and an eight-day, seven-hotel ride in the borderlands of Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey, reaching high into the Rhodope Mountains.
Thereafter we motorhomed north through Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland and so into the Baltic Republics, enjoying local bike rides from wherever we camped. The two-hour Tallink ferry took us from Estonia's capital city to Helsinki and the long journey north up the eastern side of Finland, paralleling the border with Russia. A highlight (for the third time) was cycling 25 miles on gravel forest roads to the Easternmost Point of the European Union mainland. Continuing, we reached the Northernmost Point of Finland and the EU in Nuorgam at the Norwegian border before turning south and west through Norway and so into Sweden.
We motorhomed the length of Sweden from its northernmost to southernmost point (1,440 miles or 2300 km), mainly on the Inlandsvagen (E45), re-crossing the Arctic Circle near Jokkmokk in Swedish Lapland. The TT Line ferry took 6 hours to cross from Trelleborg to Rostock and so into the East Germany we have seen develop over several visits made since the first in 1990 (as the Wall came down).
Past Magdeburg, Leipzig and Dresden, we reached the Czech Republic (now known as Czechia for short), still following the Elbe river. Continuing the theme of riding the cycle paths which parallel all of mainland Europe's great rivers, in Austria we cycled along the Danube and then along the Tauern Valley, reaching deep into the Alps. Continuing south into northern Italy, we met the Adriatic and followed its edge until we came to Venice and its ferry port of Fusina. The final leg of this journey introduced us to the life and feelings of a sardine as we 'camped on board' for a night on the ANEK ferry to Greece: we had to walk sideways to move around the deck!
To parallel this summary of the journey, there are a number of photographs on our MagBazPictures website. Margaret's ACSI-published reviews of 40 of the 57 campsites we have used (the ones below that have an asterisk) are on this Website.
| No |
Nearest Town |
Country |
Trip |
Total |
Very Brief Comments |
|
|
|
Distance |
Distance |
|
| | | | (miles) | (miles) | |
|
Hull |
England |
|
|
The P&O Ferry 'Pride of Hull' took us overnight to Rotterdam |
| 1* |
Girod |
Germany |
247 |
247 |
Camp Eisenbachtal: In the Rhineland 4 miles off the A3 Autobahn |
| 2 |
Kapfelberg |
Germany |
253 |
500 | Camp Kapfelberg: Nearr Kelheim on the Danube - great cycling |
| 3* |
Maribor |
Slovenia |
296 |
796 |
Camp Center Kekec: Cycling by the River Drava |
| 4 |
Belgrade |
Serbia |
309 |
1,105 | Camp Dunav: By the Danube near Zemun, northwest of Belgrade |
| 5 |
Lake Batak |
Bulgaria |
351 |
1,456 |
Camp Batak with Chris: 3,700 ft up in Bulgaria's Rhodope Mountains |
| 6 |
Biser |
Bulgaria |
132 |
1,588 |
Camp Sakar Hillls with Matt: 15 days cycling in Bulgaria, Greece & Turkey |
| 7 |
Stara Zagora |
Bulgaria |
83 |
1,671 |
At the Ford Garage: waiting to have a new engine battery fitted |
| 8 |
Dragizevo |
Bulgaria |
88 |
1,759 | Camp Veliko Tarnovo: Dining with old friends Nick and Nicky |
| 9* |
Carta |
Romania |
293 |
2,052 |
Camp Oude Wilg: Cycling and meeting old friends Manette & Tudor |
| 10* |
Gilau |
Romania |
145 |
2,197 |
Camp Eldorado: On Highway One near Cluj-Napoca |
| 11* |
Hajduboszormeny |
Hungary |
145 |
2,342 |
Thermal Camp Castrum: Off M35 past Debrecen with bathing complex |
| 12* |
Tokaj |
Hungary |
74 |
2,416 |
Camp Tiszavirag: Wine town at the confluence of Tisza & Bodrog rivers |
| 13* |
Tylawa |
Poland |
120 |
2,536 | Camp Drymark: In the hills 5 miles north of Slovak border - good cycling |
| 14* |
Okuninka |
Poland |
224 |
2,760 |
Camp Astur: On the lake between Wlodawa and Sobibor Death Camp |
| 15* |
Bialowieza |
Poland |
177 |
2,937 |
Camp U-Michala: In primeval forest near Bison reserve & Belarus border |
| 16* |
Elk |
Poland |
125 |
3,062 |
Camperstop Mosir: By the lake on edge of historic town in Masuria |
| 17* |
Mragowo |
Poland |
116 |
3,178 |
Camp Lorsby: A big mistake! Very sloping hillside with difficult access. |
| 18* |
Suwalki |
Poland |
109 |
3,287 |
OSiR-Eurocamp: One of the very best in a pleasant border town. |
| 19* |
Pajiesmeniai |
Lithuania |
173 |
3,460 |
Camp Pajiesmeniai: In a village in a Dutch/Lithuanian couple's garden. |
| 20 |
Palmse |
Estonia |
287 |
3,747 |
Camping at the Kohvikann restaurant in the Lahemaa National Park. |
| 21* |
Porvoo |
Finland |
93 |
3,840 |
Sun Camping Porvoo: On the south coast in Finland's oldest town. |
| 22* |
Lappeenranta |
Finland |
111 |
3,951 |
Camping Huhtiniemi: On the edge of Finland's largest lake. |
| 23* |
Joensuu |
Finland |
148 |
4,099 |
Joensuu Caravans: Great camperstop at the marina and cafe. |
| 24 | Hattuvaara | Finland | 69 | 4,168 | Parking at the Fighters House: Cycle ride 40 km to EU's easternmost point | | 25* | Nurmes | Finland | 127 | 4,295 | Camp Hyvarila: In the grounds of hotel and hostel - great buffet food. | | 26* | Kuusamon Portti | Finland | 214 | 4,509 | Lakeside Camping at hotel and hostel 10 miles from Kuusamo. | | 27 | Luusua | Finland | 113 | 4,622 | Camp Matkatupa: On the Arctic Circle in great cycling area. | | 28 | Vuostimo | Finland | 39 | 4,661 | Camp Kuukiuru: Small Russian-owned site by the River Kemijarvi. | | 29* | Sodankyla | Finland | 45 | 4,706 | Camp Nilimella: In the town with world's northernmost Lidl. | | 30* | Kaamanen | Finland | 141 | 4,847 | Camp Jokitorma: Overpriced riverside site behind a youth hostel. | | 31 | Nuorgam | Finland | 91 | 4,938 | Camp Nuorgam: Northernmost site in Finland and the EU; €35 for 1 night! | | 32* | Kautokeino | Norway | 184 | 5,122 | Camp Arctic Motel: In small Sami town in northern Norway. | | 33* | Kiruna | Sweden | 199 | 5,321 | Camp Ripan: Large expensive site in the industrial (iron ore) town. | | 34* | Gallivare | Sweden | 81 | 5,402 | Camp Gallivare: Along the river in a copper-mining town - free laundry! | | 35* | Jokkmokk | Sweden | 72 | 5,474 | Camp Arctic: Huge soulless holiday park near Swedish Sami Capital. | | 36* | Slagnas | Sweden | 127 | 5,601 | Camp Slagnas: Charming riverside site just off E45, Swiss managed. | | 37* | Sorsele | Sweden | 20 | 5,621 | Camp Sorsele: Riverside site with good facilities, WiFI & nearby shops | | 38* | Vilhelmina | Sweden | 86 | 5,707 | Camp Kolgardens: Lakeside with best facilities at start of Wilderness Road | | 39 | Saxnas | Sweden | 57 | 5,764 | Camp: Marsfjall: Simple site at Mountain Lodge on Wilderness Road
| | 40* | Hoting | Sweden | 106 | 5,870 | Camp Hoting: Friendly site on E45 opposite motor museum
| | 41 | Hammerdal | Sweden | 52 | 5,922 | Camp Route 45: English-owned and managed between forest and town
| | 42* | Orsa | Sweden | 231 | 6,153 | Camp Orsa: A vast holiday park with rigid rules and muddy pitches | | 43 | Stollet | Sweden | 83 | 6,236 | Camp Klaralven: On the River at the junction of E45 and Road 62 | | 44 | Trollhattan | Sweden | 180 | 6,416 | Camp Stenroset: Off E45 near the staircase of locks on the Gota River | | 45* | Varberg | Sweden | 97 | 6,513 | Camp Apelviken: By the sea and on National Cycle Route 1) | | 46* | Trelleborg | Sweden | 149 | 6,662 | Camp Trelleborg Strand: By the Baltic Sea & National Cycle Route 3 | | 47 | Neukloster | Germany | 41 | 6,703 | Camp Neukloster See: Splendid living example of the former DDR! | | 48* | Flessenow | Germany | 17 | 6,720 | See-Camping: In a remote corner at the top of Lake Schwerin | | 49 | Rampe | Germany | 7 | 6,727 | Stellplatz No 5: Simple camperstop near Schwerin, the State Capital | 50* | Plotzky | Germany | 166 | 6,893 | Camp Ferienpark: Holiday park near Magdeburg and the Elbe Cycle Route | | 51* | Děčín | Czechia | 186 | 7,079 | Kemp Děčín: City Centre site, a new country but still following the Elbe | | 52 | Tabor | Czechia | 139 | 7,218 | Hotel Knizeci Rybnik: A room with a lake view off motorway E55 | | 53 | Ottensheim | Austria | 102 | 7,320 | Stellplatz Hofmuehle: Near Linz and the Danube cycle path | | 54* | | Austria | 138 | 7,458 | Camp Sun Terrace: On the superb Tauern Valley cycle path | | 55* | Venice | Italy | 250 | 7,708 | Camp Fusina: Good pizza & views, only two miles from ferry terminal | | 56 | ANEK Ferry | At Sea | 2 | 7,710 | Camping on Board: Sailing over 500 miles down the Adriatic | | 57 | Igoumenitsa | Greece | 5 | 7,715 | Camp Drepanos: Greatly improved site on a wooded peninsula | | ? |
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