Weekend trip: Hiking in the Mosel region!
Photographer Silke (@silsadventure and @kleinegelukjesfotografie) went on a weekend trip with her boyfriend Thijs this fall to the charming Mosel region. It was a wonderful trip with, of course, beautiful photos! In this blog, Silke speaks and describes the route and experiences of their first weekend with the camper.
READY FOR OUR FIRST TRIP!
Of course we start with picking up the campervan, exciting! It is our first time traveling with a van. Fortunately, Toon (camper coach at Vanomobil) explains everything very clearly. After an hour of explanation we are ready for it! Extra reassurance: the motorhome expert remains available for questions, even during the trip.
We quickly stop at the supermarket for our lunch and head towards Malmédy. Just before sunrise we arrive at Rocher de Falize. Unfortunately, there is not much sun to see, but the view is no less beautiful, highly recommended! You can park 100 meters from the viewpoint, so even if, like us, you have little time, this is a nice stop.
In the meantime it is starting to get dark, so we drive further towards our first campsite. Camping Du Moulin is a small, cozy campsite, where we can park our van right on the river. We make the bed in the van and enjoy an aperitif, a delicious spaghetti and Netflix. A successful first half day!
A WALK WITH BEAUTIFUL AUTUMN COLORS
After a comfortable night we enjoy a slow morning in the van. The coffee and granola taste great, because even though it is gray outside, it is super cozy inside our van. After that we prepare ourselves for a walk through the Warche valley. We already did this walk once in the summer, but wanted to do it again now that the autumn colors make everything so beautiful. There's no rain during the entire walk, except for one rain big "splash". Fortunately, during that we can just take shelter in a small cafe near the Robertville dam. Well timed! After the walk we enjoy a hot chocolate at our van by the river.
The hot shower at the campsite is nice. We take advantage of the luxury and choose to eat in the campsite restaurant. We deserved that today!
FROM A FAIRY-TALE CASTLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FOREST TO THE SECOND LONGEST SUSPENSION BRIDGE IN EUROPE
We get up early, because we want to have breakfast in an idyllic location today. After a pit stop at the bakery, we arrive at our breakfast spot. Pastries, coffee and a beautiful view, what more could a person need? We enjoy it to the fullest.
After breakfast we drive towards Germany, today we road trip through the Moselle Valley. Our first stop is Burg Eltz, a fairytale castle in the middle of the forest. From the parking lot you can take a short walk of 2.5 kilometers, past the castle and its various viewpoints. Because it is low season, the castle itself is closed, but there are hardly any other people there. So we can enjoy the surroundings in peace.
Then we drive via Cochem to the Geierlay suspension bridge. The second longest suspension bridge in Europe has been on my bucket list for a while. We can also enjoy the most beautiful views along the way, we are even treated to a rainbow. The drive alone here is simply beautiful! We park the van in the parking lot and start the 2.5 kilometers to the suspension bridge.
It has been gray all day, but once at the bridge we are treated to a beautiful sunset. Unfortunately, we are not alone, which I think is a shame. But luckily we can solve that! The suspension bridge parking lot has a section for campers, with electricity and heated toilets. We didn't hesitate for long and decided to sleep in the parking lot. By the time we get back to our van, night has already fallen. We cook a quick pesto pasta and watch some Netflix before going back to bed.
AN EARLY MORNING... BUT WITH A BEAUTIFUL RESULT
The next day I get up early, hoping that I can have the suspension bridge all to myself. Thijs prefers to sleep a little longer, so I go out on my own in the dark. After a walk of 2.5 kilometers I arrive at the bridge as it slowly becomes light. And yes! I have the bridge all to myself. What a fantastic experience. The feeling when you stand alone in complete silence on that huge suspension bridge is indescribable. And it is of course a huge plus that I can now take pictures of the bridge in peace and quiet while no one else is on it! I only meet the first other people when I am almost back in the village. What a wonderful morning!
When I get back to the bus, Thijs has already made coffee and a delicious granola bowl, and we enjoy breakfast together before we head out again. Our first stop today is the viewpoint at Bremm, where the Moselle makes a U-turn. Then we drive to a local restaurant to order - how could it be otherwise - a delicious schnitzel.
Unfortunately, it is already time to start the return journey. We drive on to Leuven, where we spend our last night with Thijs' sister, so that the next morning we can get the van ready for it's next adventures!
Our batteries are fully charged, and our first experience with the camper was fantastic! We secretly dream of having our own van. Thank you Vanomobil!
Thank you Silke for this report, as well as the beautiful photos! Be sure to check out her full portfolio at @silsadventure or @kleinegelukjesfotografie.
