Geraldine's Travels in Germany
The Big One - Pendle Forest to Black Forest
In 1995, after six years on the allotments, we set off to cycle to Wolf's home in the Black Forest, Germany. Wolf was blind, but refused to ride a tandem, giving as his reason that he 'did not want to place his life in the hands of a raving lunatic' - ie me! Don't ask me how he did it, or any of the other remarkable things he did. His spirit and courage were amazing.
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1997 - Lake Como
In 1997 we took off again. Wolf loved Italy, and as a teenager had often motored down to the Italian Lakes with friends. He wanted to share his memories with me. By this time we had heard about Bolero Bus from Ron Sant, an old cycling friend. From pickup at Leeds City Station, we were able to be dropped off at Como.
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1998 - Narbonne
The following year, we went to France. We again took the Bolero Bus, dropping off in Narbonne and setting out to cycle towards Carcassonne, where a well-meaning family member had booked us a gîte in a little village called Lastours. It was horribly haunted, and we had to leave next morning, going on the road and camping in the tent Wolf had luckily insisted on bringing.
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2000 - Normandy
Quite a short trip, by our standards (we usually took three weeks) and early in the year, we went with Yorkshire Bikeliner to a small holiday complex in Normandy. The lanes were idyllic, covered in white cowparsley and pink comfrey, the apple orchards full of blossom, and the farmers' barns stacked with the previous season's cider - mmmm!
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Neukirch, 2001 - Part 1
Our experiences in Germany in 1995 had not encouraged us to return, but I said to Wolf that it was a pity we never saw the Black Forest proper. Looking on the internet we found what was to become our spiritual home - Neukirch (near Furtwangen), where we were to return many times to the lovely smiles and warm welcome of Erika and Max Romberg.
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Neukirch 2001 - Part 2
Erika and Max took us to so many places, and we took so many pictures, that I have had to split this slideshow into two parts. Also, if you go here, you will find that I have further split the whole show into seven separate parts. You might find this easier viewing if you don't have much time. |
Travels alone from 2006 onwards . .
2006 - Killarney
Wolf 'lifted off the planet' on 3 Feb 2006 in Killarney. I had visited him there the previous December, and it was on my departure that he met the marvellous community of the Methodist Church - people who welcomed both him and me with open hearts and minds and made his funeral the most memorable ever. If you have to die - and we all must, do it in Killarney.
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2007 - Neukirch with Diana
A truly memorable holiday where I was able to introduce Diana to all the delights of the Black Forest - Titisee, Triberg Waterfall, Bodensee (Lake Constance) and my much-loved Vogtsbauernhof - an open air museum of Black Forest houses from all different periods of history, rescued from destruction and rebuilt in one village.
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2010 - Black Forest - Ringsheim
In 2010 I made another trip with Bolero (now European Bike Express, and with a curtailed itinerary). I dropped off at Nancy and made my way first to Ringsheim, Wolf's old home, (picture) to visit remembered scenes from 1995.
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2010 - Black Forest - Neukirch
after a week in Ringsheim, I made my way via the Black Forest Railway to the top of the world - Triberg, from where I cycled over to Neukirch. Something Wolf and I always wanted to do, but were warned against - now I know why! But I gained tremendous kudos with the local population
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2010 - Black Forest - 100yr Parade
While staying with Irma and Erika in Neukirch, we went to a 100yr Festival of Village Bands - each band paraded behind their banner, in costume unique to their own village - I simply had to snap them all; I have made this a separate slideshow so as not to bore those of you whom it would not interest.
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coming soon - 2011 - my journey down the Rhine
In 2011, to celebrate 70 years on this planet, I decided to ride the Rhine cycle path.Pictures of it showed wide, spacious paths on which I pictured myself cycling in comfort. Knowing the German passion with order, I imagined there would be copious signs pointing me to gasthofs, camping sites and hotels. I am afraid I was sadly disillusioned, and found it anything but easy. Luckily I had decided to ask the Angels for help whenever I needed it, and they came up trumps every time! And I met this intriguing Marktsackpfeif player!
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