Vineyards and forests, Bavarian

The last week has been absolutely glorious, both in terms of weather and terrain, although it has been a bit hilly.  We're trying to stick to the cycle paths using Google Maps mostly, but every now and again we lose our internet connection completely which, when you're in the middle of a forest with 5 tracks to choose from and no sign of life, it's a bit tricky.  So we are now using a combination of Google Maps and Maps Me.  Maps Me works offline, and, shows the paths more clearly.

We are reliably informed that the tall wooden structures we have been seeing (look distinctly like umpire chairs) in the fields here in Bavaria are Hunting Hides.  We were a bit worried they may be escape routes from bears, but, it looks like the last bear in Bavaria was Bruno in 2006, who "didn't behave himself" so they shot him.

Yesterday we came across the most beautiful chapel, in the middle of the forest, it even had a bell.  Offcuts of wood from the forest had been used to create a parquet-like floor, it was exquisite.

We have passed through a wonderful wine region, with terraces so precipitous they would make a goat baulk.  Generally, the order of the day here is farming.  Lots of corn and potatoes, plus cattle.  It's busy at the moment with giant farm machinery coming at us from every direction, driven by people (I've only seen men) who look about 14.  But they are VERY courteous and always give way to us, or, let us out.

Meandering through beautiful countryside always makes me sing and recently I've noticed I've been suffering from 'ear worms'.  Recent ones include:  Rhinestone Cowboy (Glenn Campbell RIP), that one hasn't gone away very quickly at all.  Wombles of Wimbledon Common, after spotting a large gentlemen with a white beard and dungarees.  Thank You by Alanis Morissette, after a youtube evening in the tent and Alloway Grove by Paolo Nutini, just because it's him.

Today we stayed put in Dinkelsberg, a very attractive Medieval Town on the way to Regesberg.  We rode into town this morning and had a look around this pretty town.  Video called Nina after, what can only be described as a very mediocre lunch, and then cycled back to the shady campsite.

We have had a real mixed bag of campsites.  The cheapest (Holland, and in our opinion, the best) 11E, the most expensive (Germany) 26E.  Usually, the more facilities a site has the more expensive it is, although that doesn't seem to have been the case recently.  We are currently at a large site, on a lake, with everything except a pool and we are paying 17E.

Wildlife update: Pine Martens, Red Squirrels (loads), Buzzards, Beaver Rats, Woodpeckers, Bats, Deer, Horses disguised as Zebra (I kid you not) and an assortment of flying creatures, some of them rather large, which, when they hit you in the face at 52kph leave a swollen, red welt.

I know it's stating the obvious but Germany is a very large country and we seem to have been here forever, but we are nudging ever closer to Austria.  Happy Bank Holiday weekend to you all in the UK, officially the end of the summer as I recall.

Laters