# Summer 2016 - Germany



## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Hi


After some deliberation in the household, we have decided to travel across Germany to Poland and then the Czech Republic next summer. We will be leaving in early July and have nominally outline planned 35 nights away. The end destination will be Krakow and then back through Prague.


I have 'allowed' 3 nights for transit across Germany on the way out and another 4 nights in Berlin. Coming back from Prague I have allowed 2 nights at Colditz Castle; 2 nights transit across Germany and then 3 nights in Cologne.


These are only nominal at the moment and "allowed" sounds so formal. It isn't though:smile2:


The plan is that we will stay on campsites mixed perhaps with good Stelplatz for the transit nights; and campsites for the longer stays. I only want to drive a max of 2.5 hours per day if possible due to health issues with my wife. The longer stays are so we can visit the places mentioned which we can only usually do in 'short bursts' again due to health issues. My wife has MS so suffers badly from fatigue hence a visit to Berlin would not be 2 full days for example, but would have to be 4 half days...at a slow pace.


We have tended to travel S/N and vice versa in Germany and never across it but I am aware that loads of you good folks have.:smile2:


I am very open to any suggestions regarding routes; Stelplatz; campsites; places of interest en route etc. 


Thanks


Graham:smile2:


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## HurricaneSmith (Jul 13, 2007)

I visited Colditz this year on my way back from Poland.

I hope you have more luck than me finding local campsites/stellplatz in the area as I found the nearest places in 'BordAtlas' & 'CamperContact' to be permanently closed. Additionally, the town runs a display card system that means only locals can park anywhere near the Markt beneath the castle.

I parked in the Lidl Supermarket which is a mere stone's throw away, and stocked up on some food as a thank you to them.
Postal Address: Wassergasse 3 04680 Colditz, Germany. Co-ords: 51.129663, 12.803797

As you head east, you might consider visiting the hunting lodge of Schloss Moritzburg, about only 50 miles away. You can either park at 51.164744, 13.679219 (busier car park) or at 51.169908, 13.673769 (for a view across the lake.)


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Thanks John


I have allowed 2 nights so we can visit on the day in between. If its that bad we may just do it en route to somewhere though....


How far/long was the walk from the Lidl to the Castle John?


Graham:smile2:


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## HurricaneSmith (Jul 13, 2007)

If you put the co-ords I gave you into GoogleMaps you'll see it's about 350m and roughly 5 minutes walking.

Walking from Lidl, through Markt and up Schloßtreppe takes you to the entrance.

Other footpaths are available. 0


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## LaMB (Oct 20, 2011)

Although the distance between Lidl car park and the castle is quite short it is fairly steep. We stayed on a campsite a short way out of town http://www.campingplatz-colditz.de/ It was more than we wanted to pay but the manager was open to negotiation! That was in 2013 but the website has prices for 2015 so I imagine it is still open. We thought the Castle was well worth a visit.

Linda


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Thanks both:smile2:


Linda: when you say a little out of town, is it taxi-able? Ideally Id like to get Mrs GMJ as close as possible to the castle without her using up her energy reserves for the day:smile2: (she has MS :frown2. So if the walk is steep then staying outside and getting a cab in might be a good option


TIA


Graham:smile2:


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## Brock (Jun 14, 2005)

Graham, when you say, "after some deliberation" did you persuade, bribe or just tell Mrs GMJ where you were going?

I ask because my missus decline to go to Germany & Poland this year for what are valid reasons. Next year, she's agreed to go to Germany [no valid reason not to] but I'd like to push on into Poland. She's not the adventurous type and feels uncomfortable in foreign countries. I'd welcome any tips on charm to get her to Poland!


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## LaMB (Oct 20, 2011)

According to Google Earth the campsite is 2.5km from the castle so I would think a taxi wouldn't be a problem. A google search shows Taxi Jacob as the local taxi service although there might be others.

We really enjoyed our 3 week trip. We took 5 days to get to Berlin and stayed for 3 nights. We stopped at the Stellplatz Mitte which was basically an inner city wasteground parking area. It isn't the sort of place we would normally stay, but as we were out sightseeing most of the time it was very convenient and meant we could cycle everywhere. With hindsight I wish we had stopped another couple of nights. We then had 1 night at Potsdam Stellplatz which is close to the palace and the bridge where spies were traded. On the way to Berlin we stopped at the following Stellplatz Marina Runthe at Bergkamen, Steinhuder Meer at Mardorf, Celle and Magdeburg. Apart from the first day which was 5.5 hrs the rest were between 1.5 and 2.5 hours travelling time. One of our holiday highlights was the Bastei Mountains, but there was quite a bit of walking involved there. We didn't get into Poland but managed Prague for a couple of nights.

Good luck with your planning, hope it all works out for you.

Linda


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

We parked on a Stellplatze in a sports centre about 7 miles from Colditz, free. I have forgot the name, this was in 2011, not sure if its still open, there was a Penny Markt supermarket right next to it.


Then drove to Colditz on the morning and parked near the castle, again free.


Its a good day is Colditz, the ingenuity of the prisoners was great, wonderful.


Paul.


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Brock said:


> Graham, when you say, "after some deliberation" did you persuade, bribe or just tell Mrs GMJ where you were going?
> 
> I ask because my missus decline to go to Germany & Poland this year for what are valid reasons. Next year, she's agreed to go to Germany [no valid reason not to] but I'd like to push on into Poland. She's not the adventurous type and feels uncomfortable in foreign countries. I'd welcome any tips on charm to get her to Poland!


Firstly: thanks Linda and Paul...your input is a great help and will facilitate my research. It gives me a starting point :smile2:

Brock

To be fair Mrs GMJ is open to offers (so to speak). We discussed option 1 as well which was up through Denmark to Sweden...and I think we may well do that in 2017 (or at least it will be Option 1 again:smile2.

This trip was my personal first choice and we spoke about:

- The cost: I envisage Poland and the CR being MUCH cheaper than Scandinavia.
- The need to visit Auschwitz. I have been before but whilst my wife 'doesn't' want to go she knows she should.
- Poland and the CR sound a little more adventurous and daring given that we, like most, can remember when they were behind the Iron Curtain.
- Favourable reviews on here and other sites about the ease of travelling and friendliness of folk.
- No ferries involved (Mrs GMJ does not like them at alluke:

Not wishing to sound devious but I always present 2 options equitably and then drop hints over a short period about which is my preferred choice >. I also send her links to favourable reviews or blogs (if I can find any) which paint the trip in a good light.:smile2:

I do a great deal of research for our trips and thankfully cover most/all bases so Sarah is comfortable knowing that I would have researched any potential issues/dangers/problems etc. I also attempt to provide 2-3 options for each night of the trip (campsites/aires) etc so she can look at all of them and then have input into the final decision before we book.

I'm not sure any of this will help you but good luck. I guess I am lucky as Sarah doesn't mind new stuff so much.

Cheers

Graham:smile2:


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## Brock (Jun 14, 2005)

Thanks Graham.

We had Denmark on our list with the aim of doing Germany, Poland and Denmark. Then we met a Dane and her husband who suggested going straight to Sweden and missing out Denmark. 

Rather strange we have similar ideas to the GMJs! The difference is it seems you actually implement them.

Happy travels. I'm off to do some research to put her mind at rest.


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

I am happy to share anything I unearth. Drop me a PM and we can communicate and share if you want...


What time of year are you thinking of? We will be leaving Blighty early July. As I teach in a 6th form college it is fortunate that we finish a week or two before the masses so can get away earlier. We are nominally looking at a 35 night trip (we did 30 nights this summer and it flew by!)


There is a great CC site 10 mins from the tunnel which we used on the way out this summer and we have another site 30 miles up the road for the last night when we get back in the country (Black Horse Farm). We tend to do this so that it breaks up what can be a long day travelling (it takes us at lest 3hrs to get to the tunnel from home).


The outline plan is: Kent-tunnel-Dunkirk-Antwerp-transit through Germany- Berlin- transit through Poland - Auscwitz/Krakow - transit through the CR - Prague - Colditz - transit Germany - Cologne - Arnhem - Ghent - tunnel- Kent


Very much early stages on planning hence the numerous thread starts on MHF:grin2:


Graham:smile2:


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## MrWez (Sep 25, 2011)

We visited the Berlin area this year, we stayed at Campingpark Sanssouci near Potsdam, cracking site next to a lake.

The site runs a shuttlebus up to the nearest Tram/S-Bahn station (Pirschiede), you can catch the tram into Potsdam for the palace at Sanssouci or go to the central station for trains into Berlin, you can buy tickets at the camping reception. Recommended.

http://www.camping-potsdam.de/?lang=en

Mr Wez


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

LaMB said:


> ...We didn't get into Poland but managed Prague for a couple of nights.


Hi Linda

Could possible advise where you stayed when in Prague and what you thought of it?

ta

Graham:smile2:


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## LaMB (Oct 20, 2011)

Hi Graham

We went on the spur of the moment, forward planning not being one of our strengths  One of our Aire books had limited cover of the Czech Republic and we probably went for the most economical option knowing us.

That happened to be Troja Camping Herzog. It isn't somewhere I would recommend to anyone unless they wanted to be in cycling distance of Prague or close to the Zoo and river. It is a street of large houses where almost everyone has turned their back garden into an Aire. We were greeted by the "Camp Commandant" who checked which language we spoke and shoved an A4 laminated sheet of rules in our faces and insisted we both read them thoroughly then each signed to say we understood. You had to get her permission to fill with water and she only allowed 1 fill per stay. Not a problem for us, but the six youngsters in the MH next to us weren't impressed when they tried to fill a second time! There were only 2 or 3 vans there when we stayed but she officially took many more. About the only good thing was that we had free wifi from the next door neighbour. There was also a shower and toilet available which no doubt had subsidiary rules stuck on the wall inside, but we didn't dare use it as she was a very scary lady. I think she had previously been one of the people sitting on the hotel landing watching everyone's movements back in the communist era.

As for Prague - we enjoyed our visit although it was extremely busy. The main tourist areas were packed with groups on guided walking tours, and every other "shop" is an unofficial bureau de change, most decidedly dodgy looking. We didn't use public transport but there seemed to be frequent trams available. We would like to go back to the Czech Republic and would probably revisit Prague but out of the main holiday season and not over the weekend. 

Linda


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Thanks Linda


I'll certainly bear this in mind:smile2:


Graham:smile2:


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Any more suggestions for transit across Germany folks?


I have catered for 3 nights to get across to Berlin from Antwerp so any nice Stelplatz/site/places of interest en route that you could recommend would be much appreciated.


ta


Graham:smile2:


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## Boff (May 10, 2005)

Hi!



GMJ said:


> I have catered for 3 nights to get across to Berlin from Antwerp so any nice Stelplatz/site/places of interest en route that you could recommend would be much appreciated.


You definitely should stop over at Hamelin (_Hameln_ in German), which is about half-way. Very nice town with many timber-framed houses, known from the legend of the Pied Piper. It offers both stellplatz and camp site, so the choice is yours.

Best Regards,
Gerhard


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Thanks Gerhard


Have you stayed at either?


Cheers


Graham:smile2:


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Angela's open invitation to 800,000 potential out of work and desparate immigrants has put me off Germany.
I see Hungary as a better destination.


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

LaMB said:


> We then had 1 night at Potsdam Stellplatz which is close to the palace and the bridge where spies were traded. On the way to Berlin we stopped at the following Stellplatz Marina Runthe at Bergkamen, Steinhuder Meer at Mardorf, Celle and Magdeburg.


Hi Linda

If its not too much trouble could you give me your thoughts on the Stellplatz at Bergkamen, Mardorf and Magdeburg?

ta

Graham:smile2:


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## LaMB (Oct 20, 2011)

Hi Graham

Sorry for delay in replying, we've just got back from a couple of weeks away. Are you going to Lincoln Show? If so can discuss more fully and show you photos.

Linda


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

LaMB said:


> Hi Graham
> 
> Sorry for delay in replying, we've just got back from a couple of weeks away. Are you going to Lincoln Show? If so can discuss more fully and show you photos.
> 
> Linda


That's OK Linda:smile2:

No..its a bit too far for us for a weekend unfortunately.

No rush: pop me a PM if you want or by all means post on here for future ref

ta

Graham:smile2:


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

GMJ said:


> Hi Linda
> 
> If its not too much trouble could you give me your thoughts on the Stellplatz at Bergkamen...?
> 
> ...


Hi Linda if you are around...

...or anyone else who has stayed at this Stellplatz...could you advise what it is like?

I notice from my Camperstop book that there are 2 at Bergkamen: one at the Marina and anther smaller one elsewhere.

ta

Graham:smile2:


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