Varel to Emden and some down time till the ferry to Delfzijl runs on Wednesday!

Away from Varel just after 0800 on Sunday morning.  Overcast and chilly.

A straight forward ride out of town on a great bike path, smooth asphalt for nearly 15km then back roads, bits of single track, slab paths and dirt roads; about seven hours of riding, a few places where the bike didn't have a clue where to go but eventually arrived in Emden.

Figured I might go, you never know someone might be looking for one with a bike!!

Didn't spot the traffic lights photo bombing me!  Most of the mills are tourist attractions now, this one is an art gallery.  The upper part of the mill above the railing is thatched.  This one is near Riepe where I joined the Ems-Jade Kanal route for a few kilometres before coming into Emden.

Booked in at the Jugendherberge and am here till first thing Wednesday as the ferry over to Delfzjil only runs Wed, Fri, Sat.  I did the ride around the Dollart, a fair sized body of water, and fancied a different view plus I will still be two days ahead of my timing to get to Amsterdam.

A few buildings and places in Emden.  Neue Kirche.

The gateway through to the Stadtgarten.  The building houses the Ostfriesishes Landesmuseum (As far as I can work out: The East Fresian Area Museum).

Ratsdelft.  The SAR boat 1st left is the Seenotrettungkreuzer (Sea-going Rescue Cruiser) The George Breusing.

Museumsfeuerschiff (Light Ship, now a museum) Deutsche Bucht.

The Fishergirl of Emden.

The Street Sweeper still at it.

Breakfast as there was no catering staff at the hostel till the hoards moved in this afternoon!  A toasted salami and cheese baguette.

Back into town tomorrow to sus out the route to the ferry pickup point.
 

Four days to catch up on now I'm back on line!

After setting off from Bad Segeberg there were some good bits and some not so good!  A great bike path took me over 20km before some smaller roads and dirt trails caused me a few problems.  A complete lack of signage saying what was where!  Plenty of bike signs with arrows pointing this way and that but some place names would have been a big help.  However after 108km of pedalling I arrived at Gluckstadt Youth Hostel.

A quick shot out of my bedroom window at Gluckstadt Hostel.

A nice spot, right by the harbour.

Tim Kaarsemaker from Amsterdam was billeted in the same dormitory and was cycling to Copenhagen.  He had recently completed his degree as a high school art teacher and needed some "bike time" after three months of sweating over a computer!!

A calm crossing over the Elbe.

Followed by a quiet ride to Otterendorf.

The Elbe, a couple of shots from the Dyke.

A few street scenes in Otterendorf.

A bronze of the Town Crier and audience.

Strudel and a coffee.  Well you have to try these things out!!

Breakfast was served in the Ratskeller below the Town Hall.

A view from the dyke while leaving Otterendorf on my way to Cuxhaven.  That there is the North Sea.

Miles of this and hundreds of those woolly things!

Lunch at Cuxhaven Camping Platz; Currywurst Nicer than it looks!!

On the way to Bremerhaven, I think it's the daughter of the lady I met on my North Sea bike ride.

A hazy view over a camp site towards Bremerhaven and the Weser.

This huge container port was under construction last time I was through here.

I managed to get a room at the Youth Hostel in Bremerhaven and this morning it was a ride through the city to the ferry over the Weser to Blexen.

Some of the modern architecture by the harbour.

The Weser.

A twelve minute crossing.

The first few splats of rain got me right by a bus shelter!!  Unfortunately the next lot got me a couple of kilometres from Varel!

Am warm and dry now though and heading towards Emden tomorrow.

 

Not much of a push today, weather colder and not much sun. What's the world coming to!!

Reasonably early start, 0830 and off on some back roads, was soon onto roads with a bit more traffic but at a junction with the road I was after there right across the carriageway was a cycle path set back a few metres from the road and it ran the whole of the 35km to Bad Segeberg!  Not particularly interesting riding but better than traffic dodging.

 Geared up and just about ready to go.

And here we are in Bad Segeberg.  On the plinth one of the town's eminent citizens.  When I walked back up the street later in the afternoon the council workers had finished sorting out the water supply and it turned out that this guy was a water feature.  Water was gently bubbling out of his top hat and out of four spouts in the base of the plinth!  Any guesses as to what his job was??  I'll try and find out.

Just a few of the buildings that impressed me.

The Market Square.

An impressive doorway even for a bank.

That's the rest of it!

The pedestrianized bit.  Sand pit sponsored by local toy shop.  Most of the planters are council property but one or two are sponsored and maintained by florist shops.

Segebergsee.

I read that there was some work by a Native American.  There are five pillars and you have to get into the right spot to see how they all come together.  I wandered round and round them but for the life of me I couldn't quite make out what I was looking at but thought as I'd taken the trouble to see them I'd better take a photo,  It wasn't until I looked at the photo it started to make sense.  If I'd moved a bit further away and to the left it would probably have worked.  Anyway, I can see a face on the right with a feathered war bonnet flowing left..........or is it just me???

That's it for today, I've still got stuff to do. 

Sunday 7th, Route planning, a cross country thrash coming up heading towards Bremerhaven.

A short day today, I needed to find somewhere where I could get some washing done and spread out in the sun to dry, things were backing up as I'd been moving on most days recently.

On one of the latest maps I acquired I spotted a hostel symbol in a wee village (Klingberg) It's a couple of Km inland from Scharbeutz which is around 25km north of Lubeck.  So I'm not that far out of what was E Germany.

The B&B I chanced upon was great, I'd done 100 metres shy of 70km and decided that was enough.  I was picking my way north through the outskirts of Travemunde and cut through a short wooded trail, as I pulled out onto the street there was the sign "Zimmer Frei, B&B".  Brakes on; there was the lady of the house sat on her balcony enjoying the late afternoon sun.

Yes, there was a single room available.  Sorted!

Bags off-loaded, I was given a town map with recommended eateries marked on for me, so it was back on the bike for a short run down the road.  Beer in hand I was reading through the menu trying to decipher what was what, the few words of German that I knew could sort out Herring, schnitzel etc. but Labskaus?  The barman sort of explained that it was meat, potatoes and that he sort of stirred his hands around, ok, mince and tatties or a stew would be fine, I knew that it came with beetroot and pickled gherkins as well. 

It was while waiting to see what I was going to be eating when it struck me, Lobscouse, it must be the same sort of thing!  Anyway, see for yourself.

What I hadn't worked out was that it came with onions, pickled herring and a fried egg on top!  You can rest assured the plate was cleared and delicious it was too.

Back at the B&B a German couple had arrived also cycling.  I was intrigued by the lady's bike, it was a Cannondale E-bike and the battery was good for over 100km !!

Got one of myself taken as well.

From Travemunde the riding was through the Sunday crowds pottering along the promenade; I was heading north west towards Brodten, Timmendorfer Strand and Scharbeutz before turning inland.

Wicker windbreak chairs locked until you've paid your fee.

All very neat and tidy!  In Timmendorfer Strand.

 

Time to sort out all my stuff, I've got kit spread all over the room, I'll get most of it packed this evening ready for a sharp exit tomorrow.