Out of the meteor crater and over the Blue Danube (it wasn't blue, nor was it called the Danube this far upstream)

Harburg castle & Big Ted in the carpark

We contemplated going to a nearby quarry, to look at rock strata, but in the end decided that it was jolly cold, the notices would all be in German and perhaps life was too short!

We did however stop at the motorhome and caravan shop that had sensibly left it’s information on the electricity supply where we had parked up. Our aim? To buy a new drinking water container as our old one gave up the ghost two weeks ago. 

Quiet, peacful with a good view, whats not to like?

This was easily done and I even got the girl to fill it for us. She had to go and check with the boss, but this seemed to be ok, but she was gone a long time. She’d rinsed it through for us too. How very sweet. Shame I then had to listen to Brian moaning that he had one arm longer than the other as he’d had to carry 20kg back across the road to where we’d parked!

The castle was closed, but we could still walk in the grounds

The day was rapidly improving so by the time we finished our 20 minute drive to Harburg castle it was blue sky, though still cold. We’ll do the walk to the crater rim now then, via the castle which was officially closed though the gates were open and we weren’t alone in having a nose around. A good walk before going down to the town which was a non event except for the cake which was great. The park up was just a carpark, with no services, but it did have a great view, Ted was fully charged and we’d just filled with gas. A lovely remote, but cold night (location: 48°46'59.4"N 10°41'10.4"E).

On our cold but sunny walk to the crater viewpoint

On the high point of the crater wall

Another very short drive to Donauworth for another one night stay, the castle had been my choice and this was Brian’s as it was the confluence of the Wornitz and Donau rivers. The Donau is actually the Danube, very early on, which for some reason was exciting....! Arrived in town to find.... yep, roadworks, just to make a change. Our way was completely blocked so he’s turning round, I’m frantically pressing buttons on Doris, a yellow van appears, does his delivery, has to drive over half the pavement to turn round as we are in the way, B is getting stressed, but yellow van man waves and points and sets off in that direction. It wasn’t far and Doris had got it sorted, but when we came through traffic lights to find yellow van man pulled over, waiting, to take us the last 100m, to indicate and point out our entrance before carrying on on his way. I filled up, it was so unnecessary and so very kind.

Not a startling view, but nonetheless not bad. We are standing on one edge of the 25km diameter Reis meteor crater that hit the earth 15 million years ago. The near hill slightly right is something inside the crater but the other side is right out on the horizon. It was big and would have caused unimaginable devastation throughout Europe

Servicing Ted at Donauworth

We parked up next to a very hippie van that had a catflap in the door, that was it, I was fixated. I did eventually see one of the cats (I believe there were two) but it was busy and didn’t want to say hello (Stellplatz location: 48°42'52.7"N 10°46'44.2"E).

Into town to find the tourist information, locked. Blow, missed it by 5 minutes, but she’s in there, on the phone, waves, finishes, lets us in to give us a map and walking tour in English, before locking up again to finally have her lunch! Again, it’s little things like that that make you happy. I did my best to pay it forward, when we filled with water the following morning there was a handy brass fitting on the tap that hadn’t been there when we arrived. I knocked the door of the lone lady who had arrived after us and asked if she’d filled up, and if ‘this’ was hers? She was so grateful, it’s so easy to lose things like that and so inconvenient when you only find out next time you come to fill up!

The river in front is the Wornitz that joins the river flowing from the right and off under the bridge and is the River Danube, called the Donau in Germany. On this trip we've crossed two of the most well known rivers in Europe, The Rhine, which flows from south to north on the west side of Germany (forming the boundary between France and Germany at one point) and the Danube which flows from west to east through Germany, Austria and on through the border of Romania and Bulgaria and into the Black Sea. The source of the Danube (or Donau) is in the mountains in the west of Germany, not far from the Rhine, but the other side of a mountain range 

Main street in Donauworth, a pretty town

An hour and ten our next drive, long for us, to Landsberg am Lech. We missed the tourist information, early closing on Friday, as we’d arrived on site to find that our filled water tank had leaked back out of the permanently attached hose which sadly hadn’t been pointing out of the drain hole. Water had gone into the front storage locker where we have the skis, boots etc. A little water goes a long way so we had to empty everything into the fortunately empty carpark, dry the locker, and fill the shower with boot bags, ski bag and rucksack! Not ideal, but it could have been a lot worse (Stellplatz location: 48°03'21.1"N 10°52'20.5"E).

The town walls at Landsberg Am Lech

We managed to get a town map though, so walked the very pretty town. Back at Ted we watched a horsebox pull up just in front of us out of which came a small horse, that was ridden into town by a small girl wearing a cape! Thought no more about it, poured the beer, and heard a brass band. Shoes and coats on to go and investigate. A little parade, for Saint Martin, whose saints day had been last Sunday (hence Martini market in Dinkelsbuhl I’m guessing). The kindergarten had all made lanterns and were doing a little walk round the block with girl on horse and four piece band. We still don’t know what was going on but you have to go and look...

The beautiful Town Hall and market square in Landsberg. There are many little wooden stalls being set up all through the streets here ready for the Christmas market that we think opens next week. What a pity to have missed it as it looks like it will be fab. Hopefully we'll catch some as we go further south into the Alps

Wild pigs in the nature park at Landsberg

Today, cold and grey, but a walk to the nature park to see wild boar and deer, who apparently like conkers. Well they seemed keen on the bag full another couple had brought them! Not a bad tally, boar, deer, red and black squirrels, song birds and a woodpecker. Filled the rest of the morning before 12.00 with some of the town wall walk. At 12.00 we had an appointment with an all you can eat buffet at an Indian restaurant! It was yummy, though we can both now barely move!

Jackie got a stroke and he seemed to enjoy it

The babies were cute

This was the blackish squirrel I managed to photograph, I missed the perfect shot of the red squirrel posing in the undergrowth as I was too slow getting my camera out

The couple who turned up with bag fulls of conkers that the deer loved and came running over for

They gave Jackie one to feed to them

This was the woodpecker in a tree we saw, but its too zoomed in and has lost quality. I must remember to take out my proper camera on walks like this to get better photos!