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Greece is the word
  • Andy Powell
  • Sara Hunt
  • Andy Powell
  • Sara Hunt

Greece is the word

Our second European van trip. 11 weeks to Greece and back, taking in 17 countries. Read more
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  • Greece is the word
    1

    Thermal Camping

    June 7, 2025 in Hungary ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Busy day today...

    We were up early in order to get to the nearby Salina Turda salt mine, a somewhat weird experience but recommended by our campsite hosts. The salt mine itself was quite impressive, mainly covering two very large underground caverns about 100m deep. However, someone had the bright idea of filling these caverns with a mix of table tennis tables, pool tables, a ferris wheel ( not working today unfortunately), rowing boats, and various activities for children. Very odd.

    We tried the rowing boats (I mean, how often do you get the chance to row around a salt mine?) and then left.

    Then on to the Crișului Repede Gorge where we did a walk and had lunch. By this time it was very hot (about 33 or 34 degrees) and the second half of the walk was in full sunshine along an abandoned railway line.

    Then across the border into Hungary (our 12th country on this trip) and on to Thermal Camping in Debrecen, where we get free access to the spa next door as part of the camp site fee.

    This afternoon, that seemed like a really bad deal because the spa was very busy and full of teenagers being teenagers. But when the spa shut at 7pm, it turned out that we still has access, so we pretty much had the swimming pool and various smaller hot pools (full of very dark coloured, but presumably very healthy, water) to ourselves. Result.    Read more

  • Greece is the word

    Tisza White House

    June 8, 2025 in Hungary ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    We are at Tisza White House, a lovely little campsite close to Lake Tisza, a man-made lake near to the Hortobágyi National Park.

    We spent most of the day cycling around Debrecen, the city that we were in last night, once we had managed to find somewhere to leave the van. Our first couple of attempts failed, the first because we couldn't get the parking meter to work and the second because the location didn't feel like a safe place to leave the van unattended.

    Finally, we are back in a country with decent cycling infrastructure and we can use the bikes again.

    Debrecen was pleasant and had some impressive buildings but it didn't feel like there was much going on tbh.

    It has been very hot again today but after swimming at the campsite the wind got up and the evening has been much cooler with a little rain.    Read more

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    Csopak

    June 9, 2025 in Hungary ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    We are in Csopak ("Cs" is pronounced "Ch" in Hungarian), near Lake Balaton south-west of Budapest, staying with friends, Nic and Ildiko, at Ildiko's aunt's house. Nic is a very old friend - we met in Birmingham back in... well, a long time ago! Ildiko grew up in Hungary and so has a lot of local knowledge about this area.

    It was a very tight squeeze to get the van into the front garden of the house but hopefully we'll be able to get out again! We hadn't really thought about the logistics of staying at a private house rather than on a campsite. Fingers crossed.

    This morning we left the van in the campsite carpark and cycled about 40k around Lake Tisza. Nearly all of the route was on a cycle path, part of which was described as having won an award for "best cycle route of 2021". Not sure what it was up against - it was a nice enough path but we felt that other bits of the route were actually much nicer.

    At one point we went down to the edge of the lake to try and get a coffee. Sara was wearing an orange top which immediately got covered in hundreds of little black flies. It was horrible! So we quickly cycled on to the nearest town and had coffee and cake there instead.

    When we got back to the campsite, we put the bikes back on the van and then had a three hour drive to here. The roads were very busy, especially as we neared Budapest, with people going home after the long weekend.

    Then out for a swim and a nice meal this evening.    Read more

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    Around Balaton

    June 10, 2025 in Hungary ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Lovely breakfast on the terrace of the house we are at.

    We waited for Nic and Ildiko to complete their scheduled work meetings and our clothes wash cycle to complete and then drove to the start of a walk around the Aranyház gejzírkúp, including climbing the Őrtorony-kilátó, a viewing platform that allows people to see over the surrounding trees.

    After that we went for another swim in the lake (at a different beach today), including seeing water snakes while we swam.

    Then out for a meal this evening and a stroll along the promenade to get an ice-cream.

    All in all a lovely day.    Read more

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    Kemping Moongarden

    June 11, 2025 in Slovakia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    We are in Slovakia tonight but right on the border with Hungary so our route has been a bit in and out of two countries and that may well continue tomorrow.

    We left Nic and Ildiko after breakfast this morning. They were packing up to leave as well so it made sense to get our of their way early.

    We took the longer route to this campsite offered by Google Maps and that made for a completely unscheduled lunch stop at Esztergom, which turned out to have an interesting castle and basilica both of which we visited. To climb the Basilica of Esztergom meant climbing 400 steps but gave amazing views over both Hungary and Slovakia and the Danube.

    On the way to Esztergom we stopped for coffee and realised that we had about 3000 Hungarian Florint to spend before we left the country. We popped into the nearest shop and ended up buying plastic tulips to put in the front of the van. Lovely (I think)!    Read more

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    Hollókő

    June 12, 2025 in Hungary ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    We cycled back across the border to the village of Hollókő in Hungary today.

    This village had been suggested to us as a place to visit a few days ago but it was too far out of our way so we took the chance of visiting it today. It was constructed in the 13th century and is now a well-preserved ethnographic village of the Palóc people, with traditional wooden architecture and layout of buildings, farms, and orchards. The village is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    The ride was about 40k in total, which would have been ok but a lot of it was on fairly fast roads which Sara didn't enjoy that much. Luckily, we had taken our helmets. To make matters worse, the road surface was very bumpy which made for an uncomfortable ride.

    Once we got to the village, there were various houses to look in - lace-making, leather work, woodwork, pottery, etc., even an exhibition of dolls for some reason. But it was very quiet and not everything was open which was a shame.

    However, we did manage to get a good lunch of soup/goulash in a bread roll with beer, so our efforts weren't completely wasted!    Read more

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    Camping Belá Nižné Kamence

    June 13, 2025 in Slovakia ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

    Not much to say about today really. We got up, had breakfast (boiled eggs!), packed up and then drove north towards Poland and Czechia.

    We stopped for coffee at the Blue Stone Castle, where they also did very nice cakes, and then had lunch at a lake near Horný Koniec.

    After lunch we headed for Sunny Rocks Camping, which looked really nice on paper but which seemed to be very noisy when we turned up, so we turned straight round and headed here instead.

    This also had the potential to be noisy but hopefully won't be. It is a Friday though so...    Read more

  • Greece is the word

    Around Terchová

    June 14, 2025 in Slovakia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    As the Clash almost said, "should we stay or should we go". That was the question facing us when we woke up this morning. We decided to stay, largely on the basis that if we moved on today, a Saturday, then we weren't sure how busy other campsites would be.

    We chose a hike from Komoot starting a little way up the road and cycled to the start. Unfortunately, about a mile into the walk we were greeted by a stop sign - the path was closed (annoyingly until tomorrow). So we made a quick adjustment to the route and ended up with quite a nice walk taking in a viewpoint, a high viewing tower, and the town of Terchová (where we bought a picnic lunch from the supermarket).

    Much of this area is a nature reserve (hence the path closure) and is home to golden eagles. We kept our eyes open and saw a couple of big birds, but we are pretty sure they weren't eagles unfortunately.

    Once we got back to camp, we relaxed for the rest of the afternoon - it was very hot again. Then out for a pizza this evening.    Read more

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    Camping 99 Beskid

    June 15, 2025 in Poland ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    We are at Camping 99 Beskid on the outskirts of Bielsko-Biała in Poland, our 14th country on this trip.

    On the way here we stopped at Nová Bystrica (a beautiful village in northern Slovakia) for coffee and then for a bike ride at the nearby lake (actually a reservoir). The plan was to cycle all the way round the lake but the surface was very rough tarmac - completely broken up - so we only made slow progress and turned around after about 8k. I think that the whole circuit would have taken us over 3 hours. Everyone else we saw was on mountain bikes.

    Some lovely views though... and we also saw a potential golden eagle!

    We are both very sad to be leaving Slovakia, which is a beautiful country, with a bit of a Swiss feel to it.    Read more

  • Greece is the word
    2The view from the cable car on the way down

    Around Szyndzielnia

    June 16, 2025 in Poland ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    The plan today was to get the cable car up into the hills, do a walk and get some beautiful views over Bielsko-Biała and the surrounding area.

    However, unfortunately it was grey and overcast when we woke up and the weather gradually got worse. By the time we had walked up the peaks of Szyndzielnia and Klimczok and then on to the Schronisko Górskie hostel and cafe it had started raining and absolutely no views were to be had. To make matters worse, the place was overrun with school children on a day trip.

    More positively, the trees in the mist/clouds were very atmospheric.

    It has rained all afternoon since we got back so this evening we went to the resturant at the nearest hotel. Sounds a big dodgy but was actually a very nice meal and very cheap - about £60 for three courses and a bottle of wine for the two of us including dry ice with our desserts. Bargain!    Read more

  • Greece is the word

    Camp66 Camping

    June 17, 2025 in Poland ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    We got away early this morning because we knew we had a longish drive of about 4 hours. The first couple of hours were on very busy motorways around Katowice, so quite dull to drive, and included a stop for coffee that produced a new low for coffee this trip.

    To break up the journey we decided to go into Wroclaw (pronounced "vrot swaaf") to see the famed (apparently) Wrocławski Rynek (Market Square). The square was very nice but we both thought it would be improved by having less tourist tat - the same market stalls that you see at every single Christmas market anywhere in the world. We climbed up to the Wieża Kościoła observation deck while we were there.

    Then on to here, a beautiful campsite on the border with Czechia with views towards the Giant Mountains. Giant by name but not really by nature! The second half of the drive was much more enjoyable than the first, although getting out of Wroclaw had a couple off stressful moments.

    Campsites in Poland are getting busy in the run up to this weekend, which is some sort of religious festival, so after a walk tomorrow we are going to head to Czechia and Germany for a bit where we hope they will be less busy.    Read more

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    Camping De Regenboog

    June 18, 2025 in Czech Republic ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    This morning we climbed Sněžka, which at 1603m is the highest peak in the Czech Republic. I say climbed but the reality is that we got a chairlift up most of it and climbed the last 2.5k. It was steep though. Also, we parked the van in slightly the wrong place so had to walk an extra 1k uphill before we even got to the chairlift!

    It was very crowded, like the top of Snowdon on a bad day - there is also a gondola up from the Czech side so lots of people can get there without too much walking - but the views were pretty good. As we have found pretty much everywhere this week, there were also lots of school parties on the route.

    We had pierogi for lunch in the cafe at the top of the chairlift.

    Then on to here. A very nice route which Google decided should include a brief turn into Germany. When we crossed the border we were stopped and had to show our passports, which for some reason caused a little mirth from the two border guards. No idea why! They asked us where we were going and we said the Czech Republic and they looked a bit bemused and pointed back the way we had come. We had already been into the Czech Republic and then back into Poland by this stage. We said no, and showed them the Google route - they seemed happy enough.

    This campsite is massive, so we have plenty of space. It also took a card payment (we have no Czech currency and turning up to a new campsite without the ability to pay in cash is always a bit nerve-wracking), has a decent bar and some nice views. So we definitely aren't complaining.    Read more

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    Around Šluknov

    June 19, 2025 in Czech Republic ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    What a lovely day.

    We have basically spent the whole day relaxing,... washing clothes this morning and then doing a cycle ride to Rožany followed by a short circular walk.

    On the way back, we spent 20 minutes sitting in Šluknov town square waiting to find out what a large queue of people holding baskets were waiting for... turns out it was for a mobile veg van!

    The afternoon was spent sitting in the sunshine watching red kites and buzzards flying around above our heads.

    When we got back to the campsite we found out that the bar wasn't open this evening so we had to rethink our dinner plans. I cycled back to the nearest supermarket and ended up impersonating a cow to check that I was buying beef mince! Spag bol for tea!!    Read more

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    Themencamping

    June 20, 2025 in Germany ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    This morning, we packed up and drove to Dresden for a tour of the VW Transparent Factory where they manufacture part of the ID range of electric vehicles. A bit of a weird choice of things to do but it was reasonably interesting to see what a modern car production line looks like. Hint: very clean and quiet but without as much use of robots as I was expecting.

    Then a brief walk around Dresden, most of which has had to be rebuilt from the ground up following our bombing of it during the second world war.

    Our original plan was to spend a night in a hotel in Dresden but we couldn't find anywhere we were happy to leave the van overnight so we gave up on that plan.

    This campsite is very busy - it's a Friday night! It's next to a nice lake and there is a lot going on but I suspect we will move on tomorrow.    Read more

  • Greece is the word
    Listen to the frogs!

    Campingplatz Prettin

    June 21, 2025 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    When we woke up this morning we weren't sure whether to leave or stay at last night's campsite. I wanted to stay. Sara wanted to leave.

    We left!

    It was the right decision.

    We are now at Campingplatz Prettin which is very peaceful. We have had a great afternoon cycle ride across the Elbe (by ferry) and back (by another ferry) and an evening meal at the campsite resturant listening to the frogs and watching the swans. herons and kites from our viewpoint overlooking the lake. It was so hot when we sat down to eat but has gradually cooled to a perfect evening temperature.

    PS I don't know what kind of trees are on this campsite but they are covered in yellow flowers and the flowers are covered in bees so every tree is humming!

    PPS Very loud dance music coming from far away all night :-(    Read more

  • Greece is the word
    Trying to cool down

    Campinplatz Am Krähenberg

    June 22, 2025 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    The weather is changing here. It has been really hot all day today but we are expecting rain tonight which, tbh, will be a welcome change, assuming it also gets a bit cooler.

    We are at Campinplatz Am Krähenberg in Wolfshagen and we came here via the Bauhaus Museum in Dessau which was pretty interesting, not least because it showed how much influence that art and design movement still has on places like IKEA. After going to the museum we cycled along the Elbe a little way and had a very hot lunch under a tree.

    For most of today, and yesterday for that matter, we have been driving across the flat plains of lower Saxony but we have finally reached some hills.    Read more

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    Eurocamp Lienen

    June 23, 2025 in Germany ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    We are at Eurocamp Lienen, between Osnabrück and Münster in Germany. Heading for Arnhem in the Netherlands tomorrow.

    Not much else to report. We came here via Hameln (of piper, rats and children fame) but the weather wasn't great and the museum was shut (it's Monday) so it was a bit dull tbh.

    The most exciting thing that has happened today was when four or five fire engines turned up at the campsite this evening. Just a training exercise as it turned out. But while they were here they got out pretty much every bit of kit they had with them - hoses, ladders, etc. - which kept us campers amused for a couple of hours!    Read more

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    Aan Veluwe campsite

    June 24, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Not much going on today hence the lack of photos. Packed up after breakfast and set off for the Netherlands.

    Stopped on the way for a quick visit to the barbers for Andy. Due to a lack of shared language, the barber was from Iraq, it’s a bit brutal (which was Andy’s fault, not his).

    Went for a very nice cycle ride once we had settled in - brilliant cycle tracks here - you even get your own set of lights at roundabouts!

    Nice campsite. It’s a bit unusual because every pitch comes with its own toilet and shower block. We are booked in here for 2 nights as we are visiting the Airborne at the Bridge Museum tomorrow.    Read more

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    Around Arnhem

    June 25, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    We went to the Airborne Museum in Arnhem today - actually two museums, one at the bridge (as in A Bridge Too Far) and one at Hartenstein in Oosterbeck (which was the allied HQ during the battle of Arnhem and is the site of the main museum exhibits).

    We had bought tickets online for the latter but initially cycled about 10k to the former due to Andy's confusion about what tickets had been bought. A bit frustrating but not a major problem because it was good to see the bridge close up.

    The main museum at Hartenstein was pretty good and included a decent audio guide in English and a reconstruction/simulation of what the battle was like, including sitting in a glider for the initial airdrop.

    After lunch, we went for a walk in the Veluwe woods (which are right next to the campsite and were also the location for part of the battle).

    It's been pretty hot again today so after the walk we relaxed for a few hours and Andy whittled a duck shaped backscratcher for Sara (see photos) out of a branch we picked up on the walk!!

    We toyed with the idea of eating out this evening but after cycling to various resturants ended up in the local supermarket buying nibbles and stuff, which did the job.    Read more

  • Greece is the word

    Camping It Krúswetter

    June 26, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ 🌧 20 °C

    We are at Camping It Krúswetter in the Friesland area of the Netherlands. The drive up took a couple of hours and we stopped for coffee and a supermarket as usual.

    We went out for a cycle ride when we got here but it has been very very windy today so half the ride was easy and half was terrible.

    Btw, while we were in Arnhem we noticed lots of pairs of cyclist riding side-by-side, arm-in-arm. That's nice we thought, how romantic. Then we realised that the reason couples were doing it was because one of them had an e-bike and there other didn't. So, one of them was pulling the other along. You couldn't do this on a road - it would be too dangerous - but it works well on a wide cycle path like they have here. And the reason we saw it so much in Arnhem was because that area was quite hilly, so hard work for those without an e-bike. We tried it for a short period on the ride today and it worked ok but probably takes a bit more practice!

    It was raining quite hard when we packed up this morning, so lots of our stuff was wet, but we have now managed to get everything dry in the wind.

    We are heading further north tomorrow and then hopefully out to Schiermonnikoog, one of the Frisian Islands, the day after.    Read more

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    Camping Lauwersoog, Siblu

    June 27, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    We got up this morning and went to the port of Harlingen, on the north coast, for coffee and a look around. Harlingen is an old port with lots of interesting buildings and a very cool mix of tall ships, fishing boats, good resturants and shops.

    We would have spent more time there but over coffee we realised that although we had booked tickets for the ferry crossing to Schiermonnikoog (an island off the north coast) tomorrow we hadn't booked the nearest campsite and when we looked online it seemed to be fully booked this weekend.

    We phoned them a couple of times but couldn't get a response. The next nearest site meant a 40 minute bike ride just to get to the ferry terminal, so we were beginning to panic.

    In the end we decided to drive to the campsite straight away to see if we could get a space. About 20 minutes before we got here, we got thru by phone and they confirmed that they did have space. Phew!

    Next problem... travel sickness tablets for the crossing! Turns out we only had one left. So we got on our bikes after lunch and cycled for about 30 minutes (into a headwind) to what Google maps claimed was a pharmacy. It was a GP surgery. Hmmm. They didn't sell seasickness tablets. Luckily, the supermarket in the same town did. Phew!!

    We did see our first real windmill, we have only seen little ones so far, and the cycle back was a lot easier and took us along a section of the sea wall which gave us a views of where we are going tomorrow.    Read more

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    Around Schiermonnikoog

    June 28, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ 🌬 21 °C

    We took the ferry from Lauwersoog to Schiermonnikoog today. We had to be there by 9am, so an early start.

    Not the most interesting of islands but we had a good cycle ride and a great fish and chip lunch - the guy who served us was very keen to know how his fish and chips compared to the "real" thing in England. About the same tbh. We had kibbeling, which is bite-sized chunks of fish in batter, and the batter was very good.

    We went to the beach after lunch but the wind was very strong again today and the sand on the island is very fine so it was like sitting in a mini sand blaster. We have up pretty quickly. The sea looked uninviting and a long way away so swimming was out of the question.    Read more

  • Greece is the word

    Camping Zonneland

    June 29, 2025 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Up and away this morning, heading south but with no firm plan.

    We had coffee in Dokkum, which looks a bit like a mini Amsterdam. Then on past field after field of cows (Friesians) and horses.

    We took the A7 across the mouth of the bay north of Amsterdam (an interesting bit of road) where we stopped for a quick lunch, then headed south to the coast around Noordwijk.

    We didn't like the campsite we found there - too crowded - so we decided to keep going on the basis we have to get the miles done at some point.

    We are now at Camping Zonneland, which is a bit tired to say the least, essentially camping in a woods. But it has obviously been very hot here today and the site has a swimming pool and we are only here for one night so not too bad.    Read more

  • Greece is the word

    Camping Melming

    June 30, 2025 in Belgium ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

    Travelled west and crossed the border into Belgium today (our 17th, and final, country this trip). Had a coffee and a nice walk through a forest in the grounds of Kasteel Ravenhof. We had a quick picnic lunch by the water somewhere(!) and then drove here - a small, busy campsite on the outskirts of Bruges, which we will visit tomorrow.Read more

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