Our First European Road Trip - Day 7

The Drive From Interlaken to Annecy

Day 7 dawned and the sun was shining on us. It had rained for most of the day before and intermittently during the night so our day shelter that we use for cooking, eating and keeping dry if necessary was wet. Fortunately things warmed up quite quickly and we were able to pack up quickly to get on the road by 8.30am.

Our journey to the next site was 160 miles through some stunning scenery. Briefly, the route took us from Interlaken to Bern, the capital of Switzerland. From here we continued south-west to Lausanne and then followed the edge of Lake Geneva and the Jura National Park for most of the way into Geneva. At Geneva we turned due south and continued over the Swiss border into France and down to Annecy. We took the journey slowly, stopped a couple of times for a break and arrived at our campsite early afternoon.

We had chosen to stay at the Solitaire du Lac Campsite just outside St Jorioz. St Jorioz is about 6 miles from the town of Annecy and is located on the lake shore. I had chosen this site after doing a lot of research on the internet. It was one of a very few sites that provided direct access to the lake for swimming and boat launching which was something we wanted. It also had direct access to the traffic-free cycle path that goes all of the way around the lake.

The Entrance to Solitaire du Lac

The site was full during our stay and initial impressions were that everything was a bit squashed in. Having said that, our pitch was more than adequate (the pitch was allocated to us with no option to choose one when we booked). It had good shade from mature trees and was clearly marked out. We also had an electric hook-up. The whole site is on level ground which makes pitching very simple.

Pitches arranged between trees for shade

The Reception also serves as a little shop which was open until 9pm each night and sold soft drinks, wine and beer, ice creams, sweets and, in the morning, bread and pastries. There was a supermarket about 5 minutes drive away too.

Takeaway food is also offered every evening by a lovely man who cooks homemade pizzas from a converted Citroen van. They were made to order and were very good.

Solitaire du Lac offered free WiFi in the vicinity of the Reception if required.

The pitches are located about 100m from the lake edge. The site owners have kept the area immediately adjacent to the lake as a grassy area for ball games, sun-bathing and so on. There was a small children's play area here but it looked as though it could do with some repair.

Play area with the lake just visible through the trees

Lake Annecy itself is beautiful. The campsite has a couple of 'beach' areas providing easy access to the water for swimming or boating. The lake bottom is sandy and it is shallow for quite a long way out, making it ideal for children.

The temperature was in the early 30's by the time we had pitched up so we went off for a dip - very nice it was too!

One of the 'beach' areas

We liked this site because of it's location (and pizzas!) but we did find it to be a bit cramped and we were not too keen on the toilet/shower arrangements which were completely uni-sex. Also, and it is a small point, the toilet cubicles did not have their own supply of toilet paper. Instead there were dispensers located at the entrances so you had to estimate the quantity of paper you required in advance! Towards the end of the day the dispensers often ran out and were not re-filled until the morning, meaning you also needed to take your own supply with you just in case. Maybe I am just being picky.

The toilet/shower block was large and also provided several clothes washing sinks, a covered area for washing dishes, a laundry room and disabled facilities. Adjacent to the block was a motorhome service point for water and taps for drinking water too.

Aerial view of the campsite

After a BBQ, some wine and a few rounds of Bananagrams we were ready to retire for the night with plans to head off into Annecy the next day.

Our First European Road Trip - Day 5

Day 5 - To the Top of Europe!

The entrance to the Ice Palace

OK, so this was the big one, this was the main reason I wanted to go back to Switzerland. The town of Interlaken is dominated by three mountains, the Eiger, the Monch and the Jungfrau. The Jungfrau is the highest of them all and it can be accessed by a funicular railway that passes through a 4 mile tunnel carved through the Monch and the north face of the Eiger.

There is no doubt about it, this is an expensive trip. This is the reason that we had to watch the weather forecast like hawks and get up at the crack of dawn on our chosen day to make the most of our day to justify the cost.

Our journey began by bus from our campsite. This was the only part of the trip that was entirely free! We caught an early bus into Interlaken where we caught the first train from Interlaken Ost and journeyed to Lauterbrunnen. The journey was very pretty as we climbed up through the Lauterbrunnen Valley with mountains on both sides to a height of 2,686 ft. From Lauterbrunnen we boarded another train that took us up to Kleine Scheidegg, at 6,770ft. The train passes through the attractive village of Wengen before reaching its' destination. At Kleine Scheidegg we swapped trains again for the incredible ride up inside the mountains to the top of the Jungfrau. Despite the exorbitant price of the tickets there is no guarantee of a seat on the train. When we went it was very busy and we had to stand for the final 45 minute ride in fairly cramped conditions. In recognition of our suffering, the Swiss ticket collector gave us a voucher for a free cup of tea!!

The final train ride takes about 45 minutes, passing through the Monch and the Eiger. It stops twice inside the Eiger for passengers to get off and take photographs from vast viewing windows that are set inside the north face of the Eiger. The views over the glacier are breathtaking. The station inside the Eiger was completed in 1903 but it wasn't until 1938 that the North face of the Eiger was finally conquered.

The train finally arrives at the Jungfraujoch Station at a height of 11,333ft. There is a complete underground complex here with restaurants, an ice palace, a museum tour with information about the creation of the railway and an outside ski, toboggan and zip-wire area. There is also an opportunity to visit the highest Lindt chocolate shop in the world if you feel so inclined! Once you are at the top you can go out onto the snow-covered plateau for wonderful views over the mountains.

The only thing left to do after all of this is to take the lift to the Sphinx (11,723ft) for the highest panoramic view of the surrounding lakes and mountains. This really is the top of Europe. If you are bothered by heights you will struggle with this bit but the rest of the trip is fine. My husband decided to sit this part out! I gave it a go and I was fine for the most part. The only section I had to concede defeat on was the walkway that goes around the outside of the Sphinx. It is made of open mesh grating bolted to the sheer rock face and it moves as you walk around it! I made it half way round before my legs stopped working!

The Sphinx viewing tower just visible

Note the walkway of terror on the right hand side of the picture!

The children loved the outside 'play area' where, for a small additional cost, they could toboggan, ski and go on the highest zip-wire in Europe. My daughter opted for the zip-wire and my son kept his feet firmly on the ground with a bit of tobogganing. We sat in the sunshine and watched!

We all enjoyed the ice palace - everything apart from the handrails (which are there to stop you breaking your neck as you walk around) is carved from ice and it is all very beautiful.

The total journey time for the return trip, allowing time to visit all there is to see and do at the top, is around 6-7 hours. It is a long and tiring day but one that you will never forget.

All of the guide books tell you to take warm clothing, sun cream, hat, scarf and gloves. Having said that the teenage boy spent the day in shorts and a t-shirt and complained of being too hot! To that list I would add camera (obviously) and binoculars if you own any. I would also add painkillers - the altitude may not agree with you (it didn't agree with me and I spent the rest of the evening with a splitting headache). You may also want to take some food and drink with you for a picnic in the snow.

Our First European Road Trip - Day 3 & 4

Day 3 & 4 - Pottering Around Manor Farm Camping

We spent the next two days familiarising ourselves with the campsite, stocking up on some food for the week to come, swimming in the lake, reading, messing around with the inflatable canoe and generally relaxing.

The first thing to say about Switzerland is that it is expensive! We knew this and were prepared for it but it still took us by surprise just how expensive everything was. A pizza in the on-site restaurant (and it was a very nice pizza) was around £18.00! A bottle of wine that might be £5.00 at home will cost you about £10.00. Don't let that put you off visiting this beautiful country but do go prepared for it. I took quite a lot of (non-perishable) food with me and for the first few nights we ate very simply but cheaply (and it gave me an excuse to do an M&S shop before we left!)

During our stay we did treat ourselves to a meal at the Landhaus Restaurant on the campsite. The restaurant is typically Swiss in appearance but the food was predominantly Italian. We just had pizzas and they were very good. In warm weather there is a lovely terrace to sit on and look out over the lake too.

When we arrived at the campsite we were told that the weather in the previous fortnight had been glorious - very high temperatures and not a hint of rain. With a wry smile the nice man in reception told us that was all about to change! The weather we experienced for the 7 days we were there was, we were told, much more typical of this mountainous region - warm sunny mornings followed by thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening. The advice we were given was to get up early and visit the sights in the morning - this went down well with the teenagers as you might imagine!

As part of the tourist tax that you pay when you stay in Switzerland (this is incorporated into your campsite or hotel price) you receive a free travel pass for the immediate area. For us, this meant that travel by bus or boat into Interlaken, the nearest town, was completely free. Before we left home we had read that most Swiss people use public transport and leave their cars at home because the transport system is so well integrated and this was our experience too. Unlike in the UK, the bus, boat, train, cable car and funicular railway timetables are coordinated to make your journey quicker and easier. We didn't need to move the van from our pitch during our stay which was great.

Manor Farm Camping provided us with everything we wanted for our first two days in Switzerland. We all enjoyed the crazy golf (especially as we had never seen a 37 hole version before) and we spent a lot of time either swimming in the lake or paddling around in our kayak. We had decided against trying to transport our sit-on-top kayaks so we took the inflatable Sevylor kayak instead to save space and weight. The Sevylor is only intended for two people but most of the time one of us straddled the back of the kayak while the fourth person was towed behind! Needless to say, progress was slow! This was the first time we had used the inflatable although we had blown it up at home to make sure we didn't look like idiots on the site. The kayak inflates very quickly and easily with a hand pump and is really very easy to paddle.

It was a shame we had rain on most days and I was very glad that we had a selection of campervan games to play. Our favourites are Grab a Pig (a ridiculously silly game that is even funnier if the adult players have been drinking!), Bananagrams (like Scrabble but without the tedium of waiting for someone else to go) and card games (we never go anywhere without a pack of cards).

Our favourite rainy day campervan games

After two days of relaxation we felt ready to see some sights. The one I had been looking forward to most (and the main reason we had chosen Switzerland as a destination in the first place) was the climb, by mountain railway to the top of the Jungfrau mountain, via a 4 mile tunnel through the north face of the Eiger, by mountain railway...........

Our First European Road Trip - Day 2

DAY 2 - Reims, France to Interlaken, Switzerland

The sun shone for us, a hot shower and breakfast set us up nicely for another day of driving, and we were ready to drive from the fairly flat countryside of this part of France into the alpine landscape of the Bernese Oberland.

We had roughly 380 miles to do but our reward was to be a lakeside pitch in the shadow of the Eiger, the Monch and the Jungfrau mountains at Manor Farm Camping in Interlaken.

I stayed at this site as a seven-year-old (which was quite a long time ago!) so it was partly for sentimental reasons that I booked it this time. I remember thinking Switzerland was the most beautiful place I had ever seen (to be fair I didn't get out much as a seven year old) and I wanted my kids to experience it too.

We had a pretty good journey through the flat, Champagne producing areas of France, across the border into Switzerland. We had pre-purchased a Swiss vignette for 40 Swiss Francs (they don't have the Euro in Switzerland) which allowed us to drive straight through the border without stopping. The vignette is required for driving on all class 1 & 2 roads throughout Switzerland. It is valid for 1 year and has to be displayed on the windscreen of your vehicle. We were glad we had bought one in advance because all of the vehicles without one were directed into a very long queue to buy one!

We arrived at Manor Farm Camping around 4pm and were welcomed, in perfect English, by a very helpful member of the reception team who provided us with a lot of information and also 4 free passes for local public transport, by bus or boat, into Interlaken.

Manor Farm Camping is located on the shores of Lake Thunersee. One half of the campsite in on the lake side of the road that runs all around the lake. The other half of the site is located away from the lake but access can be gained to all of the facilities and the lake shore via an underpass, making it safe for children.

The beach & lake at Manor Farm Camping

The site has a very well run shop that remains open until 9pm every night. The toilet and shower facilities were superb and cleaned regularly and there is also a lovely restaurant, the Landhaus, specialising in Italian food, on-site. Their pizzas were to die for! There is also a lovely 37 hole (!) crazy golf on site.

Like a lot of continental campsites, the pitches can be a little on the small side and also fairly higgledy-piggledy. Having said that, our pitch was more than generous and we were very pleased with our choice. Booking some way in advance does mean that you have a choice of pitches. I did it all by email and was sent a map of the site and a list of available pitches. We chose one very close to the lake shore with a small inlet behind the pitch, allowing for easy launching of our inflatable canoe.

Our pitch and our own private canoe launch!

The situation on the lake is what really makes this campsite special in this area. The lake bed is gravel and the water was perfect for swimming. Many campers spent their whole holiday pottering about in or on the water. Quite a few campers had bought some very impressive looking inflatable dinghies with outboard motors with them to play with too.

So, we pitched-up, changed for swimming and went straight in to the water to cool down after our long drive.

Lake Thunersee

Cooling off after a long and very hot drive!

Later, as the sun went down, we opened a bottle of wine and sat on the lake shore before heading back to the van for supper and our first night in it on foreign soil, dreaming of adventures to come!

Masons Farm Campsite in North Yorkshire

A Post-GCSE Road Trip

I actually thought long and hard about whether to bother writing this review (and according to the man I married I rarely think like that about anything!) because there have been so many reviews about this particular site that yet another one might become a little tedious. However, since it was one of the nicest sites we have ever stayed on in a truly beautiful part of the country, I decided to go for it.

My son finished his GCSE's this summer and was rewarded with 10 weeks off school! As my daughter was still in school for 4 of these weeks, my son and I decided to take a little road trip up north, accompanied by the fat brown spaniel.

Masons Farm Campsite is situated in Appletreewick in the Yorkshire Dales. The nearest town of any significance is Grassington if you are struggling to find it on the map. It is also very close to the little village of Rylstone, where the original 'Calender Girls' stripped off for their famous alternative Women's Institute calender.

I had been aware of the campsite for quite some time because it has been so thoroughly reviewed by other well-published camping writers and on many camping websites. Thanks to all of these reviews, we knew we were in for a treat. What we weren't prepared for was just how much of a treat it would be.

Due to its' popularity you do have to book well in advance during the main season. I had left it rather late because I was watching the weather forecast and, as a result, was only able to book for two of the four nights we wanted. My forecast-watching did pay off though because we had glorious weather while we were there in late June.

The site is easy to find, my sat-nav took us straight there. It is located in the tiny hamlet of Appletreewick on the banks of the river Wharfe. The camping field is completely flat and surrounded by dry-stone walling. There are electric hook-ups available to those that want them. It is a simple site but this does not mean basic. The toilet and shower facilities are housed in a converted outbuilding and are warm, clean and more than adequate. You are even entertained throughout your ablutions by piped in birdsong (it took teenage boy the whole two days we were there to work out that it wasn't real birdsong - doesn't bode well for the GCSE results!!) The campsite Reception is housed in a converted Airstream caravan which is also home to a surprisingly well-stocked little shop.

 Masons Farm allow the use of firepits BUT, and it is a big but, you are not allowed to take your own! Apparently the Yorkshire Dales National Park authorities will only permit the use of firepits of a certain design so this means hiring one from the campsite. I only mention this so that you don't make the mistake I did and take up valuable packing space with an enormous firepit that you won't be allowed to use when you get there!

The site has branched out into the glamping business and they have a small number of yurts, a couple of vintage campervans and an Airstream caravan for hire. Sadly, but perhaps understandably, these units have been given the prime spots alongside the river. A minor detail though and not one to spoil your stay here.

A short walk away from the site are two very nice looking Yorkshire pubs that both serve food, the Craven Arms and The New Inn.  We didn't eat at either on this visit because we were too busy playing with our huge firepit that I was determined to get value for money from. Both pubs looked very inviting though and it is good to have another option if you don't want to cook or the weather turns and you fancy a roaring log fire and someone else's culinary efforts.

This section of the river Wharfe is lovely and relatively shallow, making it great fun for kids to play in safely. There is a little island they can wade out to too. It really is like something from an Enid Blyton story.

We walked from the campsite, along the river, into nearby Burnsall. This is a short walk that mainly follows the river with the occasional short deviation through some fields with livestock. Here you will find a lovely riverside pub, the Red Lion, a couple of tea rooms and a little shop. The walk continues into Grassington but we were distracted by the cheesy chips and home-pressed orange juice at the pub and stayed longer than we planned, meaning we only had time to waddle back to the campsite.

 As you approach the village the footpath widens out beside the river to a very large grassy picnic area. There are toilets and a wide shingle 'beach'. Children were playing in the river in inflatable dinghies and fishing with nets. On a nice day it would be a lovely place to spend time.

We really enjoyed our short stay in this part of Yorkshire and we will definitely return in the near future because there is so much to see and do here.

Cloud Farm Camping on Exmoor

I have gone slightly further afield from The Cotswolds for this review but as it is one of our favourite, simple, sites I am going to allow it!

Cloud Farm campsite occupies a riverside setting alongside Badgworthy Water in the Doone Valley on Exmoor. The site is on the Devon/Somerset border in a truly magical setting. There is a public footpath on the other side of the river to the site that climbs up the valley and onto the moor making walks from the site very easy.

Bookings are not taken (unless you are a very large group) so turn up early to try and secure a riverside pitch as this is a very popular site. They take tents, campervans, motor homes and caravans. If you have an enormous American-style RV I would think it would be a good idea to phone first (mind you, I wouldn't want to take anything that big around some of the lanes in this area of the country anyway!).

While you sit around the campfire (not just permitted but positively encouraged) the kids will spend hours in the river, spotting fish, skimming stones and  swimming in the deeper pools. The site is situated in a valley, the sides of which are flecked with gold and green and the beautiful purple of Exmoor heather. When we stayed I woke early each morning to take the rotund brown spaniel on a wonderful walk. We followed the river all the way along the valley, past the stone monument dedicated to Lorna Doone author RD Blackmore, through some woodland and on to the ruins of a medieval village on the moor. If you are lucky (and not hampered by the antics of the previously mentioned dog) you may well see both kingfishers and otters. There are many varied walks directly from the campsite but this one was my favourite. Ask in the shop for information on others.

A little further upstream from the site are some lovely deep pools that are wonderful to swim in if you don't mind the cold. Most people didn't seem to bother to leave the site so we had them to ourselves when we went. Pack up a picnic and a flask of something hot and you will feel as though you have stepped into the pages of an Enid Blyton story!

The site essentially consists of a narrow grass field running alongside the river, as well as a couple of other fields set on higher ground. Most areas are fairly level. I think it is fair to say that the facilities are basic. There are 4 water taps, mostly located around the  buildings that make up the facilities blocks, shop and café. The washing-up room has 4 sinks as well as a washing machine and dryer. At the time of visiting there were 10 showers and 9 loos, with a further 2 of each in the pipeline. The showers are powered by a generator and so are only accessible in the mornings and evenings. We found them to be adequate for a weekend but I don't think I would stay longer until the showers are upgraded. Campers can charge phones in the onsite café, which serves hot drinks, cream teas and has breakfast, lunch and dinner menus if you fancy a break from the washing-up. The shop sells a variety of food and camping accessories but it is on the expensive side.

There are many wonderful places to visit within a short drive of Cloud Farm, both deeper into Exmoor and along the North Somerset/Devon coast, but we found that our children were reluctant to leave the site, enjoying instead the simple pleasures of paddling, swimming, water fights and den-building before an evening around the campfire toasting marshmallows, drinking hot chocolate and telling ghost stories.

It can only be a matter of time before the BBC do a re-make of Lorna Doone and the whole area is swarming with tourists (just as Broadchurch has done for West Bay in Dorset and Poldark for Cornwall) so I would urge you to visit now and enjoy the stunning scenery without the crowds.

Tresseck Campsite & the village of Hoarwithy - a beautiful spot on the banks of the river Wye

I thought I would write a little piece about a beautiful campsite we stayed in on a gloriously hot weekend in 2014. Before I ramble on I should say that this is a very basic site with limited facilities so, if this is your thing, read on. If you prefer more order, marked pitches, underfloor heating in pristine toilet blocks and so on, this site will not be for you.

Tresseck Campsite is located in the heart of the tiny village of Hoarwithy in Herefordshire, just a few miles north of the lovely market town of Ross on Wye. The site itself is located on an old river meadow and has plenty of flat, open space to spread out in.

 The facilities include cold running water and portaloos - that's it! There are no showers, washing up facilities or site shop, but the joy of this site lies in it's location right on the banks of one of the most beautiful rivers in England with direct access to launch canoes.

The river Wye is the only river in England, to the best of my knowledge anyway, that anyone can paddle on without needing any form of permit - that's got to be a good enough reason to give it a go and exercise a centuries old right of navigation.

Tresseck campsite is only licensed to accept tents. Dogs are allowed and, more importantly, so are campfires! The owners even come round in the early evening with bags of logs for sale (not unreasonably, they don't want you chopping down the native hedgerows). The other thing that appeals to us about this site is the proximity of a very nice pub, The New Harp Inn that is found at the site entrance. Booking is advisable, the food is good and it is only a short stagger back to your tent afterwards!

When we stayed we arrived late Friday afternoon and spent a wonderful evening sitting on the banks of the Wye, cooking our dinner over an open fire (marinated butterflied leg of lamb for anyone who is interested). We drank copious amounts of wine and slept soundly with the noise of the river lulling us off to sleep. The following day, after a hearty fat-belly breakfast, we loaded our canoes with a picnic lunch before heading off at a leisurely pace for Ross on Wye.

We had an unexpectedly exciting journey that involved rescuing a young girl who had gone swimming with friends and had been swept away by the strong current and was, when we came across her, clinging to reeds on the opposite bank with no obvious way of getting back! Having successfully paddled her back to her friends we continued towards Ross on Wye.

Shortly after a very lazy lunch at a lovely little spot with an area of beach for skimming stones, we encountered our second drama - a very large lamb that had fallen in to the river and was trying valiantly to get back to a very agitated mother. The bank was too steep at this point and the lamb was clearly tiring fast. After a futile attempt to describe our location to the West Mercia police control room, we decided we had no choice but to get the lamb out on our own. An hour later and we were still trying! Eventually we did manage to get our dog lead around it's neck and haul it up the bank - it doesn't sound too difficult but it weighed a bloody ton and struggled violently throughout! I am pleased to say that mother and baby were reunited and we were rather chuffed with ourselves. That night, we treated ourselves to dinner in the village pub!

On the Sunday, we visited the rather unusual church in the village. Hoarwithy church was originally a chapel built in 1840. It was, by all accounts, a rather ugly building. When William Poole was appointed vicar of the parish in 1854 he decided that he wanted to “beautify the chapel”. Before his appointment he had travelled extensively in Italy and had got rather carried away with all things Italian. He was obviously a man of considerable charm and influence because he managed to persuade his parishioners to pay for the church to be titivated. The result was the impressive Italianate Romanesque and Byzantine building that you can see today. A gem in rural Herefordshire with fine views from the top churchyard of the church and countryside. Inside there are wooden carved choir stall figures, marble columns and altar with lapis lazuli with the central cross made of tiger-eye, and a fine window at the apex of the cluster of windows on the west wall. Over the altar there is a wonderful mosaic of Christ in Glory. It really is a bizarre thing to find in a tiny village in rural Herefordshire!

I plan to ramble on some more about the river Wye in future posts because I love it but, for now, I hope that this post might have influenced you to visit this beautiful area of the country sometime soon.