We took off for a tour of the Frankia factory and doc’d the journey using Polarsteps app.
Ypres, Ieper 2018
Left campsite on the Monday and decided as weather not good to make a run for Belgium and Ypres, weather supposed to improve and lots of cycling etc…
Managed to find a garage that did LPG and diesel so followed directions, arrived no LPG, filled up with diesel, it was a bit out of the way.
Journey easy again rain at the beginning but brightening as we left Antwerp, used R1 this time no toll!!
Walked into town
Combi light beers,
Beef bourginon, potatoes and carrots.
Tuesday
Big cycle ride, frontlines
Early dinner burger and stew with chips and beer.
Walked to last post and combi mix beer
Camping Vogelenzang, 2018
Left Bruges, after emptying cassette then driving to coaching waste water spot, after emptying that paid 50euro for 2 nights, got paid ticket and approached exit. Had seen a lot of vans stuck at this point having to get assistance to get out, but all very easy in the end.
Our destination was about a 3 hours drive away via Antwerp, Rotterdam etc..
It rained which is good for a day of travel, again easy journey apart from Antwerp to go round it you can use R1 or R2, we used R2 which has a toll tunnel in it 19e !!!!
Got stuck off road in a tulip field, towed out by farmer friendly.
Incorrect pitch numbers
Walked into the village
Beef Bourgnon
Next day, cycled tour for tulip fields and beach,
Keukenhof gardens, Beach bar in Zandvoort.
Meal in the campsite restaurant.
Lots of rain overnight, bike rack light on in the morning.
Left at 10:30, heading towards Ypres.
Bruges 2018
Decided to pop over the channel for a little tour of places bookmarked over the last few weeks. The plan was to goto Bruges and then maybe Amsterdam.
Booked the tunnel in Tuesday, for travel on the Thursday 11:40 slot gave us time to get to Bruges and then get settled. Jacqui had a book club and I had mower pickup and some minor work issues, so Thursday was easiest, decided to co e back in the following Wednesday as we have the MHF Maypole meet the following weekend.
Journey to tunnel was very easy although a bit tedious, will interesting when a one way ticket is our option and may choose return by another means.
There was minor delay loading but we were underway about 15 minutes late, as we left train pulled over at services and turned gas on. Set off to Bruges.
Again journey was easy roads relatively clear, till Bruges it self. Road surface quality also changes in Belgium they seem to favour concrete slabs for a lot of the roads as opposed to tarmac, very noisy, bit like M6 Birmingham.
Found the kamper stop, glorified car park between a ring road, boat moorings and bus/coach park. Get a ticket on entry and then drive through and park up, picked a corner spot door opening on hedge and boat moorings other side.
Electric provided but only 6amp, each socket is numbered so plugged into 16 which was empty but no power, initially thought it was only certain time but basically socket 16 did not work, so used a spare socket, this seems a common thing.
Power sorted we decided to walk into Bruges, it is less than 10 minutes, very easy lots of people about. Mainly tourists, seems a popular place. We had a good wander around a beer, Stew and beer, half man brewery had Beers and Flemish Stew and Chips, very good.
Next day decided to do some culture so Churches Sint Salvatore, fantastic stained glass and Museum Historium tour life in Bruges, interesting but the VR tour waste of money and a free Beer in the Duuvelorium bar. Sunny in the pm so got bikes out and had a trip round the canals.
Chilli and tacos in the van and started Gotham.
Decided to move on the next day to the tulip fields and Dutch coast South of Amsterdam, if rubbish then could head for the city.