Peaky Schnitzel Pizza Tour 2025

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

Background-  @Greenstreak-Andy D @Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman & I started our Euroblats in 2017 with our first trip to Le Mans for Andy's 50th. 

 

This was followed by a return visit for Dave and I's 50ths in 2018. In 2019, due to Speedchills (UK based company we'd used for trips to Le Mans), no longer offering the great package we'd used previously, we ventured further to the Alps!

 

 

We won't mention why we couldn't travel in 2020. In 2021 we had the Not Alps trip of Yorkshire. In 2022 we returned to the Alps with @Stu Faulkner in tow.  

 

 

In 2023 a further trip to the Alps took place and we ventured further into Italy with visits to Ferrari and Pagani. 

 

 

In 2024, the team changed with @Greenstreak-Andy D taking a year out to do the North Coast 500 with his daughter, @Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman needing funds for his company car and @Stu Faulkner unable to join due to work issues. New additions were @Si.Dalziel @Jim cunliffe & @Tim.Coles

 

 

So if you've been following carefully and doing the sums, this will be my 7th Euroblat and 5th trip to the Alps. 6th Europblat and 4th Alps trip for @Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman and 3rd trip to the Alps for @Stu Faulkner So we should know what we're doing by now.............Let's see if we did!

 

This will also be our longest trip at 14 days, due to there being only 1 date dictated by the train time table to and from Innsbruck.

 

We've tried different routes to get home-

 

2019- Alps to Stuttgart (Porsche Museum), to Nürburgring to Zeebrugge- 3 long hot autobahn days.

 

2022- Alps to UK via France, 3 long hot days on easy but boring roads

 

2023 -Verona to Düsseldorf by Train. Booked, then train company advised they can't load us in Verona(some excuse about H&S / Training) so we had to drive back to Innsbruck, spending 8 hours driving rather than 2!

 

2024- Insbruck to Düsseldorf by Train.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's our Googlemap for 2025, showing both the Austrian, Swiss and Italian waypoints. Improved for 2025 with colours and icons for passes, hotels, fuel etc. We then use this to program the TomTom accounts to be the same.

 

 

 

Day 1 - Tue 17th June - Home to Hull

 

 

 

@Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman @Stu Faulkner & I planned to meet at Tagg Lane Dairy to start our 2025 trip.

 

As we did last year, WSCC Members were invited to join us for any of our run to Hull. Though given our weekday departure date, we appreciate most folk will be at work. You can read up about as far as the Motorist here- Day 1

 

After we said good bye to @Robin Parker (Red Spider) - Yorkshire AO we continued our journey to Tesco in Hull to refuel before boarding the ferry

 

 

Bagpuss getting excited as we approach the ferry.

 

 

In we go................

 

 

We'd been put on the bottom deck with the trucks which meant a long climb to our cabins but we discovered in the morning, we'd be unloaded quickly and on our way.

 

The first beer of the trip.

 

 

 

Don't drink on ferries................that's all I'm saying...................

 

 

 

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

Day 2 - Wed 18th June - Rotterdam to Düsseldorf

 

 

 

After a 'dirty' ferry breakfast (boy did I need it! All the jumping around had made me hungry!) , we were soon on our way.

 

 

 

 

Already getting warm and it's only 9am!

 

We followed the motorway for about 30 mins to ensure we escaped the port area and then moved to non motorway road . We then headed for a BP station we've used before for fuel and lunch, just outside Arnhem

 

 

We've found a good way to stop Stu 'Misbehaving' -

 

 

We then continued through the Netherlands and across the invisible border into Germany.

 

We stopped at our usual spot for a leg stretch.

 

 

We then continued our trip into the Centre of Düsseldorf

 

 

We've found a great place to stop- https://remise.de/duesseldorf/short-facts/englisch

 

Full of great cars and a nice restaurant too

 

 

 

The waiter suggested prices start from EUR 800 per month to store your car here...........

 

 

 

 

 

First Pizza processed...............

 

 

Cars had a drink of the good stuff just before boarding the train.

 

 

 

Waiting to board the train.

 

 

 

Lots of nice metal to view, whist we wait to board.

 

Here's how long TomTom is suggest the journey would take by road, if we didn't take the train to Innsbruck.

 

 

 

As I have no roof, I have to completely empty the car and store in Dave's car.

 

We've been loaded onto the top deck of the train for the first time, as we didn't put 'Cabriolet' on the booking (Never had before).

They normally load us on the lower deck with the bikes.

 

 

Time for bed on the 'Tenko express'-

 

Here's the likely route by train-

 

 

Ignore the time show above! The train does stop in several places to ensure we arrive at a sensible time, rather than 3-4am!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

Day 3 - Thu 19th June - Innsbruck to Pfunds

 

 

We awoke before the train had arrived in Innsbruck and prepared ourselves for our 'delux' train breakfast. With view's like this what's there to moan about!

 

 

 

Breakfast was soon consumed, but before we'd had our tea/coffee, an announcement was made "Due to Technical reasons, the train would be stopping for up to an hour'. I thought 'we're technical people'? We need to know what it is, surely not as bad a 'leaves on the line' in the UK.

 

 

The train was stopped in small station about 1 hour from our destination in Innsbruck, a tape was across the platform preventing access to the car transporter section of the train. My phone suddenly rang, a German no. was calling and it's my company phone and I work for a German company, so not unusual to see +49 numbers on my phone. I wasn't going anywhere so thought it best to answer. It was the train loading crew. "We were the Technical problem" and all 3 of us need to come to our cars!

 

I rustled up Stu and Dave and we approached the Train loading crew. It was only Stu they wanted. The train transporter section had been swapped round in Munich and our cars had been travelling backwards at circa 140mph! We suspect this is due to Innsbruck not being as big as the station in Düsseldorf and they can't easily turn the car transporter carriages round for unloading on the ramp.

 

Stu's door had come open.

 

 

The delay was due to the expectation of time required for the overhead line to be isolated before anyone would be allowed to visit Stu's car and make it safe for the remainder of the journey.

 

Eventually Stu was able to go up and removed both his doors and the contents of his car. 

 

We'd gone from being the 3 English gents with their amazing, interesting home made cars, to the being the 3 plonker's causing a delay to everyone's holiday. This also meant my car had travelled backwards at the same speed and my Aero screen wasn't designed for that! Hence I was worried what I'd discover on unloading.

 

I was relieved to discover no damage to my car and Stu was confident he could make good his doors, to continue our trip.

 

 

We were soon moving and this slight hiccup was a distant memory as the clear roads and great views arrived.

 

 

Our next stop was Sölden where we've visited the https://www.soelden.com/en/activities/excursion-destinations/007-elements museum in 2023 and 2024. Though it was just a lunch stop this year.

 

 

Parked in my reserved spot in the Mutli storey car park. Free for UK drivers as it doesn't recognise our number plates!

 

 

Our first pass sticker achieved within 1 hour of landing in Innsbruck! The Kuhtai Saddle Pass.

 

 

....and the Pizza processing continues......

 

A slight mix up on delivery to the table, so Stu and I cut ours in half to make hybrid pizza's!

 

 

About to tick off the Timmelsjoch Pass, you pay for this one, but it's worth it!

 

As we travelled, I received a message from my German work colleague Andreas. Who's been my guide for all our Alps trips as he's a veteran motorcyclist round the Alps given he lives circa 3 hours away. I'd not discussed this year's trip with him and I've not seen him as much as usual in Teams Meetings etc, due to his role changing. He's recommended many of the passes, roads to the passes and the hotels we've used. He was asking if we were staying in the same hotel as he was this week, as he was already there.

 

 

A great surprise as I've never been in the Alps with him. Live locations were shared in Whatapp.

 

 

 

 

All these passes is thirsty work for the cars!

 

 

Andreas was looking to be closer.  Who would get to the hotel first?

 

We're often waved at by bikers and so didn't take any particular notice as we passed the exit of a car park of a place we often stop with a sunken church in a reservoir (similar to derwent dam!), as a few bikes were waving. 

 

They followed us out and passed us. It was Andreas, not that I've ever seen his bike or his leathers before!

 

They headed to the Hotel and we headed for fuel from the nice duty free petrol station in Switzerland which means driving a great quiet twisty road for about 10 km in each direction, but we like to start the day with a full tank etc.

 

 

It rained rather hard for a few mins!

 

 

It was a pleasant end to a great warm day and soon dried up and we went straight to our VIP car park in the garden of the hotel.

 

We were soon told we could move the table tennis table!

 

We quickly moved our luggage to our rooms had a quick wash and joined Andreas and his 3 biker friends for dinner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

Day 4 - Fri 20th June - Stelvio & Maloja Pass

 

 

 

As in previous years we persuaded our Hotel host to allow us an early breakfast to enable us to leave early to Reach Stevlio before it gets too busy.

 

 

Cars nearly ready to escape the garden car park and the sun's out already.

 

 

Always great to see it from far, nice light traffic as usual on these great roads.

 

We had a great run up.

 

 

Another pass sticker earned.

 

We then headed down the other side of Stevlio into Bormio and toward a pass we've not driven before recommended by Harry Metcalfe (of Harry's garage fame), the Maloja pass, in Switzerland.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's always great to see routes like this ahead on the Satnav!

 

We couldn't make a circular route, so had to drive the pass again in the reverse direction. Such a hardship 😉

 

 

Here's the cars back at the hotel still in glorious sunshine.

 

A UK colleague who snow boards often in Austria had recommended a local speciality called a Tiroler Gröstl. So the night before I'd asked our host if the kitchen would be able to make 3 for us. It was very nice. Recipe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

Day 5 - Sat 21st June - Kaunertaler Gletscher (Private Toll Road) & Alpine Coaster + Furkajoch & Alberg Passes

 

 

 

Given I drive a light weight car, I need to ensure I stay light too!

 

Hence whilst the rest of the team practised their Olympic standard snoring, I crept out of the hotel early and went for a trot.

 

 

 

Just like most things in the Alps, it involves altitude! The hotel is somewhere near the arrow in the valley below.

 

 

After a shower and breakfast we were soon ready to roll again.

 

 

More great views and great roads.

 

 

The toll booth at the start of the private toll road. It only goes to a Ski Resort via a beautiful nature park. https://www.kaunertaler-gletscher.at/

 

 

 

Parked up at the top.

 

 

 

Equally great views on the way back down. 

 

 

We've normally had issues on this road with the output of these other 'road user's but I'm not going to fight with one head on either!

 

 

 

Disappointingly @Stu Faulkner had purposely not brought his pikachu Onsie thisyear!

 

 

Another of my work colleagues based in Germany was actually born near our next destination and we'd arranged to meet up during our trip. Here's Klaus before he got a ride in my car.

 

 

Cars drinking more of the good stuff!

 

 

Klaus enjoyed his run.

 

Further to a recommendation from @Brad Stone we then travelled downhill without petrol power on the Alpine Coast nr. Imst.

 

Alpine Coaster

 

 

Here's Stu and Dave about to launch.

 

 

Here's me about to go!

 

 

 

A great way to travel down hill, but even less padding than my JK Fibreglass seats and I regretting having a tender back as a result of the Alpine coaster over the next days when driving.

 

 

Thirsty cars again.

 

 

Skies is looking moody!

 

My German work colleague and Alps Tour guide about to ride in Bagpuss. It's his last opportunity and we're about to get very wet!

 

 

 

I'm impressed my Toyo R888R's leave tracks behind on very wet tarmac! (shot with the rear lens on my Insta 360).

 

 

He's heading south tomorrow to Lake Garda for the next part of his hols.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

Day 6 - Sun 22nd June - Umbrail, Stelvio (again), Gavia & Timmelsjoch (in the reverse direction) -

passes. 

 

 

 

Given the heavy rain as I arrived back at the hotel, it was too late to put the cover over my car. I'd hoped it would dry out over night. I was wrong!

 

 

The sun was already out and we were soon moving and smiling again!

 

 

More great views.

 

 

....and more fuel............

 

We then drove up the Umbrail pass. We normally drive down it from the top of Stelvio and then back up again. However this year we were heading to the Gavia pass and drove up the Umbrail pass and down half of the Stelvio pass again to get to Bormio before we had to the Gavia Pass. We'd been warned by  @Murraymint who'd toured the Alps just before our trip that it was rather narrow..............

 

 

The road down from the top of Stelvio towards Bormio.

 

The start of the Gavia Pass.

 

 

Phil was right, full of bikes and very narrow.

 

 

 

When cars meet on this mainly single track road, rather than wait for them to find a way though, the bikes swarm in and make it's even trickier!

 

 

 

Further on, when then end up stuck in a jam on a hair pin bend. Dave got moved by some ladies to being next to me, to free up some space behind but then puts him in a crazy position and for cars coming up, they're bound to wonder why on earth is he there!

 

This took circa 15 mins to clear!

 

 

 

....More fuel...........

 

 

Given the slow progress along the Gavia pass, it made no sense to drive it in reverse to get back to our hotel, so we drive the great Timmelsjoch pass in the opposite direction that we drove on our first day in the Alps.

 

 

 

The end of another great day a 456km ( 283miles) covered.

 

 

My shorts soaked from the day before, haven't ran off, whilst we were out today.

 

 

..........back on the Pizza processing..............

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

Day 7 - Mon 23rd June - Time to move to the Dolomites - via Passo Costalunga, Sella  & Gardena 

 

 

 

Car loaded up, sun's up and we're ready to leave our VIP garden carpark.

 

 

 

Stu kindly sharing his 'emergency' flap jacks with us.

 

 

More pass stickers earned.

 

 

.......more high octane fuel...............

 

 

Not unusual to get interest in our cars where ever we are. He's a lady taking a pic of her husband sat in my car. He works for a company making forged pistons.

 

 

The Dolomites are distinctly different looking than the Alps.

 

 

 

....more high octane fuel.................

 

 

Our first beer in our Hotel in the Dolomites.

 

 

'Terrible' view from our room.

 

 

My shorts still need drying out

 

 

Another Schnitzel processed..........

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

Day 8 - Tue 24th June -  Tre Cime di Lavaredo  & Passo Gardena again.

 

 

 

Another early morning trot round to explore our new location.

 

 

More great views and light traffic ahead.

 

 

We visited Tre Cime di Lavaredo in 2024 and went to revisit, however it's no longer possible to drive to the top without prebooked tickets. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tre_Cime_di_Lavaredo

 

Hence we turned round as we didn't know and hadn't prebooked.

 

 

As we'd failed to reach our intended destination, we stopped here for a brief leg stretch. Here's a couple of German cyclists talking to Stu about our cars.

 

 

Another nice location for a cold drink and a leg stretch.

 

 

 

It's never a problem to drive through tunnels, just for the soundtrack!

 

 

Back at our hotel

 

 

Vital replenishment fluids going in after another great, but warm day.

 

 

 

....more pizza processing..............

 

 

 

 

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

Day 9 - Wed 25th June -  Passo Fedaia & a road recommended by Mattia one of our Italian WSCC Members @mTT97

 

 

 

 

Ready to roll.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...More fuel........

 

 

301kms (181 miles) covered today 

 

The hotel's having a BBQ in the garden tonight, so we'll join in (no Pizza or Schnitzel tonight then!).

 

 

The Hotel owners sons, also work there.

 

 

 

Did I over do the salad? 

 

 

 

 

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

Day 10 - Thu 26th June -  Man Vs. Machine, more passes (Gardena - again) and cloud dodging.

 

 

The cars, looking ready to go on another blue sky day

 

 

 

As the hotel provided free use of bikes (Stu had used them on previous days to visit the shops), Stu kindly decided to join me on my early morning run. It was nice to have some company!

 

 

Cars ready to roll.

 

 

We'd not picked up any fuel on the way back to the hotel last night, so a quick refuel at the start of the day.

 

 

 

 

Note the traffic (red/amber lines) on TomTom.

 

 

An Italian Traffic Officer, stopped us to tell us he liked the sound of our cars or something similar 😉

 

 

 

@Stu Faulkner proudly showing off his Fridge Magnet, bought at the top of the Passo Gardena 

 

 

 

 

 

Time to head for the hotel, the Forecast was storms, so we'd stayed fairly close to the hotel.

 

We still covered 182kms (113 miles) by 1pm.

 

 

Is it too early for 'vital replenishment ' fluid?

 

 

Cars covered up

 

 

 

We'd decided at breakfast not to eat in the hotel tonight (you need to order dinner from the daily menu at breakfast) and had booked a table at a Pizzeria 20 mins walk/swim away. Not the best decision, perhaps............

 

 

We set off with brollies and coats but got there without getting wet and continued our mission to process Pizza!

 

 

A dry walk back and the cars hadn't floated away!

 

 

We'd made plans to meet our Italian WSCC Member Mattia on our way to Galleria Passo San Boldo in the morning(I drove it in 2024). He advised his brother was joining him and bring a drone. I thought only fair to set him a task! Wikipedia link

 

I sent him the above pic and asked for the drone to be static and to take a shot of my car in 3 different places to enable me to photoshop it to look like 3 of my cars on the pass etc.

 

Lets see if he can do it.........

 

 

 

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

Day 11 - Fri 27th June -  Passo Giau, Galleria Passo San Boldo and meet Mattia.

 

 

 

 

Let's head for the bright blue bits!

 

 

Ready to roll.

 

 

Forecast is favorable!

 

 

We'd been updating the WSCC FB Social group with our travels and Simon had said he was in Cortina. So we suggested saying hello as we drove to meet Mattia @mTT97 He'd suggested a location in Cortina and we were aiming to meet at 9:30am. He wasn't in his Westfield but was on holiday with his family in the area.

 

 

 

As we got closer, we realised it was looking unlikely we'd meet. Simon advised he'd got stuck in traffic and we couldn't wait as we've got a long day ahead and had made plans to meet Mattia at 10am.

 

 

I was running two Whatsapp live locations and well as guiding Dave and Stu! Here's Mattia location. We'd agree to Meet at the start of Passo Giau at 10:00am.

 

 

 

 

 

We met Mattia as planned with his brother Samuele (he's got a 5L Mustang- which is only good for making noise and doing donuts- Mattia's words not mine 😉 - he was told he couldn't bring it!).

 

Mattia led us along Passo Giau.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The great action shots above were all taken by Samuele, many thanks! The brother of @mTT97

 

 

 

Mattia suggested this as a good location for some pics- https://maps.app.goo.gl/FV9vuifrmmMM4Jzm6

 

 

 

Here's Mattia with a L& D Tour 2025 hat courtesy of @marcusb as well as a WSCC Torch.

 

 

 

Some great drone shots from Samuele too.

 

 

 

 

All four cars having a drink of the good stuff.

 

 

 

Mattia took us to a nice restaurant.

 

 

Angry Pasta (Pasta Arabiata).

 

 

 

 

 

Sadly Samuele couldn't get his drone to function at Galleria Passo San Boldo- We suspect the area locks out drone, as is done near airports etc. So he filmed as best his could with his phone.

 

 

As can be seen it's not the fastest of passes and there are traffic lights to control movement due to the very narrow tunnels.

 

 

 

 

We made a quick visit to Mattia's house for some nice cold water before we headed back to our hotel.

 

 

Just as we were about to leave, his mum arrived. I asked her which car she liked best, expecting a lady to say the pink one and she's pointing at here own Fiesta. Lesson learned. 🤦‍♂️

 

 

As we were passing Cortina on our way back, I thought we'd have a second attempt to meet up with Simon. However he was up a mountain somewhere and the traffic on Cortina was horrendous! A cycle race was planned to start at 11pm and hence the traffic was all the riders/spectators etc arriving in advance.

 

 

...the cars needed a drink and sadly it's the start of the journey home tomorrow so we're best starting off full.

 

 

Another great 329km (204 miles) done.

 

More stickers too!

 

 

A nod to @Jim cunliffe & @Tim.Coles back at our favorite Pizzeria.

 

 

more Schnitzel about to be processed............

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

Day 12 - Sat 28th June -  Time to head home- though a few more passes first.......Passo Stalle, Grossglockner Pass and Gerlos Pass 

 

 

 

We awoke to another glorious view- Blue skies and not a cloud in sight!

 

 

cars packed and loaded for the trip home. Ready to roll.

 

On our 2024 visit to the Dolomites, @Si.Dalziel noticed we'd always travelled south from the hotel we stayed in (not the same one as this year) and he suggested we go north on our way home. We did and we found some nice roads/passes to drive. So this year I planned to take the same route.

 

 

I saw the countdown timer on the traffic light and thought 37 secs isn't long to wait. Then I woke up and realised it was minutes!

 

The light is green for our direction only 15 mins every hour. Clearly @Jim cunliffe had two Coffees at breakfast last year, meaning we arrived whilst the light was luckily green. So we turned round and stopped by a lake we'd seen a few mins earlier.

 

 

 

@Stu Faulkner allegedly likes 'dropping logs off' in the woods, but this time he wants to climb on them!

 

 

We were soon joined by some riders who'd probably had the same idea.

 

 

We got through the traffic lights eventually and were soon back on Austrian roads.

 

 

 

Another fill up and we meet two German drivers (Lotus and a VX220). They're also heading to the Grossglocker Pass and ask if they can follow us. Why not!

 

However we lost them before we got to the start of the pass and never saw them again!

 

 

 

The toll booth on the Grossglockner Pass- Wiki Link

 

 

Not the cheapest at EUR 135 for the 3 of us!

 

 

Rather foggy in places, perhaps another 30 mins later and it would have burnt off. However last year we only just got up the pass before it shut for a cycle race and we didn't want that to happen ( @Stu Faulkner had checked for Austrian and Italian Cycle events prior to us leaving the UK- but whenever we saw more than a couple of riders together we blamed Stu 😉 ).

 

 

 

We found a 'Nissan GTR / Skyline Meet' at the top. I'm sure their engines were not enjoying the thin air.

 

 

 

 

Another sticker earned

 

We then travelled down the other side of the pass and headed to our next stop for a leg stretch and a break. Our train wasn't until the evening so we'd got plenty of time.

 

 

Water world (no, not the naff Kevin Costner film).

 

 

We'd passed this last year and it looked impressive from the road (as above) but looked too busy, too touristy to stop in our Westies. However Dave did some pre trip research and it looked do-able. Dave had even sensibly brought his walking boots along just for this. I'd got my running trainers.

 

The Krimml water fall is the highest water fall in Austria and the 2nd Highest in Europe. Wiki Link

 

 

We parked in a payable, barrier controlled car park. I left my luggage in the car, If someone wants my stinky trip washing and running kit their very welcome to it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can you see our cars?

 

@Stu Faulkner took this selfie with his 'Fisher Price' Phone!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sadly our last pass of the trip, the Gerlos Pass. Very light traffic.

 

 

Cars drinking the good stuff again.

 

We then headed to a Restaurant just outside Innsbruck that we've used for the last 2 trips. Sadly it was closed for the weekend (yes, just like the Oil Can Cafe- we should have rang ahead and booked!).

 

 

 

Cars were treated to another top up of V-Power Racing and we bought snacks in lieu of the evening meal we weren't going to get. We've not exactly starved whilst away 😉

 

 

 

Back at the Innsbruck Rail Terminal- not exactly a surprise to see the same Dino we loaded with in Duesseldorf. The trains are sadly  so infrequent post covid.

 

I'd emailed and rang UEX (the train company) after Stu's outbound roof incident to advise all 3 cars were cabriolets, so hopefully we'll be correctly boarded on the lower deck.

 

 

 

and we were!

 

 

You'll note, Stu's not risking further damage and has put his doors and luggage in Dave's car, along with my luggage.

 

 

 

 

 

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

Day 13 - Sun 29th June -  Düsseldorf to Euro port Rotterdam

 

 

 

After an uneventful night and uninterrupted journey, we safely drove off the train in Düsseldorf, though as you'll note in the pic above, the cars in front get off quicker than us, as we've got to move all our stuff out of Dave's car before he can get in!

 

 

Sunday morning traffic in Düsseldorf, isn't difficult!

 

 

Given we'd not had a proper evening meal and a light breakfast on the train. We stopped for the first 'Fast Food' of the trip. Which ironically wasn't very fast, but was fresh (same slow service as last year).

 

 

We were soon across Germany and back into the Netherlands. As we've got our TomTom's on avoid motorways, we were taken along some crazy roads.

 

Above shows the cycle lanes either side of the road are huge, the centre lines gone and cars are forced against each other!

 

 

Even in more rural areas!

 

 

More of the good stuff.

 

 

As we did in 2024, again as the Ferry doesn't sail until the evening. We've stopped off at a museum to kill some time-link

 

 

 

Luckily they'd got a 'Wheels and Wings' event on- so there were cars as well and military items to view.

 

 

Given our earlier restaurant disasters on this trip with closures. I'd rang ahead and booked into here. Our 3rd or 4th visit. Great food and attentive staff. De Beren It's only about 20 mins from the Ferry.

 

 

Another 320kms (198 miles) covered. We'd normally refuel in Europe ready for the journey home, however it's not cheaper than the UK currently so we didn't!

 

 

Into the ship we go. Luckily we've been put on the lower deck again, which should make for an easier/quicker unloading in Hull.

 

 

A quick wash and we're soon in the bar to celebrate the end of another great Euro blat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

Day 14 - Mon 30th June -  Hull to home - via the Peaks

 

 

 

 

I really needed this 'durty' breakfast for some reason....... Perhaps it was something I'd drank 🤦‍♂️

 

 

Nearly ready to roll.

 

 

There's always interesting vehicles travelling with us.

 

 

...and we're rolling....

 

 

The same Tesco in Hull we fuelled at on our way out.

 

 

We've driven some great, roads but it's nice to be reminded we do have some good roads in the UK too. Especially in the Peaks.

 

 

Another nice tradition, the 'Queen of cakes' @Julie Hall - WSCC AO Representative   and Glen, met us in Bakewell for a drink and catch up.

 

 

We had a good natter and then all set off on our ways. Though @Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) and I convoyed a little further.

 

 

Bagpuss safely, home. Time to unload and clean!

 

 

 

@Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) about to do similar.

 

 

My shorts will live to serve again.

 

 

Car washed and back in the toybox.

 

 

 

 

[Greenstreak-Andy D]

Brilliant write up. Another epic trip. Looking forward to next year!

Andy