Saturday 22 June 2024 - Corvara (Europe Day 5)

A leisurely start saw us being waved off by Andrea and Thomas at around 9am after enjoying their wonderful hospitality for a couple of nights. Thank you so much.

A six hour drive plus stops got us 260 miles to Corvara in mostly sunny weather. I couldn't resist capturing a few scenes through the Polo's windscreen.

Our destination was Hotel Posta Zirm, where we have a spacious room for a week. Sue is concerned that it is so big, with so much storage, that we won't find everything we've brought with us when we leave!

The drizzle that had accompanied us from Brunico got heavier after we'd unloaded the car. Here's the view from our balcony towards the Sella Group of mountains.

Soon we were off to La Tambra, a short walk away, to join other Collett's clients for 'Office Hour', a chance to socialise, and plan for tomorrow.

Collett's has changed since we last used them. Walks are now self guided as opposed to accompanied, and guests in Corvara no longer enjoy communal meals together. In the past there were lots of staff based in Corvara (and elsewhere), whereas now it's just Ayelen, Elisan and Floris in Corvara. They do have the same philosophy though, and changes have been due to stuff outside their control, such as insurance and mountain guide issues, not to mention Brexit.

On return to Posta Zirm, we enjoyed a very good five course meal. I'm stuffed!

Here's my view of Sassongher from the hotel.

Sue went for a stroll and found some Columbines, and some nice views.

Mileage: 280 (Cum: 1018)
Garmin: 0

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Friday 21 June 2024 - Around Tuttlingen and Möhringen (Europe Day 4)

An impressive breakfast spread set us up for the day.

We had a relaxing morning waiting for the rain to subside. Then we set off on a 16km circuit to Möhringen and back.

The site of a new bridge across the Danube was soon passed.

The new bridge replaces one similar to that in the next picture. Apparently replacement was cheaper than repair.

Today's final picture was taken from that bridge, which provided shelter from the rain that fell during the last few minutes of the walk.

Various springs drain into the Danube. Its source is just a few miles upstream.

The banks of the Danube yielded Wild Privet, large Roman Snails, Hedge Woundwort, Hedgerow Cranesbill and more.

On reaching Möhringen, Brauhaus Krone, a closed café, kindly opened its doors to us as long as we sat outside on the warm afternoon. Not a problem!

Someone spotted an ancient artefact... "that's one for Alan" they chorused.

On leaving the café we crossed the river and headed into the woods, returning to Tuttlingen via a series of forest tracks.

Amongst the flowers we passed were Goutweed, Bird's-nest Orchids and Lesser Butterfly Orchids. Those are the ones I snapped - there were many more varieties in the meadows and the woodland.

Goutweed

Bird's-nest Orchid

Lesser Butterfly Orchid

Then we returned uneventfully to Andrea and Thomas's apartment for another pleasant evening, with happy memories of the days when they were neighbours in Timperley, and of a holiday in the Alps with them.

Mileage: 0 (Cum: 758)
Garmin: 16.0km, 276 metres ascent

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Thursday 20 June 2024 - Tuttlingen (Europe Day 3)

We left Reims at 8:45 for a six hour drive to Tuttlingen. Breakfast at 'Oh Tres Tres Bon' in St Dizier provided a nice break.

On reaching Tuttlingen, Andrea and Thomas provided a welcome brew and delicious apple cake, before we all enjoyed a 6 km stroll.

A train whizzed past.

We soon passed a crane and scissors sculpture. Storz, a local manufacturer of medical instruments is responsible for this. The city is a world leader in the manufacture of medical equipment, with many local specialist companies.

Most of the walk followed the Danube. Coots and damsel flies were busy in the weed filled river.

A walk through the town centre revealed some interesting architecture. 

But even the view from a city centre bridge has a rural aspect.

Mileage: 285 (Cum: 758)
Garmin: 6.2km, 59 metres ascent

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Wednesday 19 June 2024 - Reims (Europe Day 2)

An easy journey from Wokingham got us through the channel tunnel and on to Reims (I always think of it as Rheims for some reason) by 5:30 pm. We used the motorway in France - €26 for that privilege. 

It was a good 45 minute walk from our friendly Ibis hotel to the centre, where we passed a lone pianist en route and we admired the cathedral from our dinner table outside the Au Bureau Brasserie.

Other pictures were taken on the way back by a different route.

After watching swallows building their nests at Charlecote yesterday, it was a pleasure to watch swarms of swifts in the vicinity of Reims cathedral. Judging by the state of our car's windscreen there is plenty of food for the swifts here!

There's some splendid architecture in Reims, some of it very modern, but not photographed on this visit.

Mileage: 273 (Cum: 473)
Garmin: 9.0km, 78 metres ascent

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Tuesday 18 June 2024 - Charlecote Park (Europe Day 1)

Sue and I stopped of here on our way to Wokingham, where we spent a very pleasant evening with Jill and James. It's probably our last visit to them here, as they plan to move to Deepish Yorkshire.

Thanks again to J and J for accommodating us.

Charlecote brings back memories of Sue's family picnics there, before the deer were given pride of place and our games of cricket and rounders were banned.

Mileage: 200 (Cum: 200)
Garmin: 2.0km, 10 metres ascent

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Monday 17 June 2024 - A Visit to RHS Bridgewater Gardens

A quick visit to the gardens today. No significant commentary is needed. Click on any image for a slideshow of about 30 snaps. There's lots of colour in the gardens just now.

No mow June?

Rhubarb

And now it's over to mobile blogging for a few weeks...