‘M off - Eifel, Luxembourg and Belgium

[Micky]

This is what a ride report should be like ... great photographs with maybe a few word of explanation. After all a photograph is worth a thousand words

You lead Wappers .... we’ll follow

The feckin' times I’ve ridden round that feckin roundabout in feckin Adenau and not stopped and got off my feckin ‘bike to take a feckin’ photograph of that feckin’ racing car

Well done ol’ bean

 

[Wapping]

You know, as well as I, that that was not the case

It was a joke….

 

[Wapping]

Thank you, Micky.

It’s funny how, stopping to take pictures, eats into the time taken to ride from A, to B to C. The number of times I had to turn around, having thought, that looks vaguely interesting, also ate into the time.

I like to see something interesting or just different. I guess a good example would be the shrine thing. I had parked originally in a very nondescript car park, used by walkers, to eat my roll. I noticed the shrine maybe 50 yards away and could see the door was open. Thinking “They must have built that for some reason” I sauntered over and found the bench, thoughtfully provided. The shrine was in the right direction for me to leave, so I wandered back to my bike and rode it to park just outside. A quick Google of the saint’s name and the nearest town, lead me to a German website, which Google translated for me. Five minutes, a bit of local history, all whilst chomping on a roll. Had it of rained (it peed down as I left) I could have sat inside; I doubt if the saint would have minded too much.



The pictures I took using nothing more than an iPhone. The great thing about it is that it automatically records the location, time and date, These display on a map, which is useful when, maybe years later, I want to find something. I also use it to snap a picture, to give me a little reminder for my little black book.




PS One thing about the big heavy bike, is that you do need to be reasonably careful where you park. By the shrine, I made sure that the gravel was reasonably solid and that, as I needed to cross onto the other carriageway when I left, I’d be able to ride forwards, whilst keeping my head turned for traffic coming up my blindside. You very quickly learn not to just ride in and park, with no great thought as to how to get out again.

 

[Mzokk]

Really enjoying this trip report and pictures. Never been to most of that part of the world.

 

[grantmac]

Love the Eifel and surrounding area. We go there about 4 times a year.
I feel another trip coming on later in September. Maybe a long weekend..
Will put up some routes for a long weekend if anyone is interested. Remember I ride down from The Hague but others might want to go through the tunnel. Advantage with the ferry to Hook of Holland you travel overnight so no time lost. Ride from The Hague is 1 hour 45 mins to Roermond then on the smaller roads down to the Eifel. Our overnight is either in the village of Koerperich just over the border from Vianden or in Mettendorf. Hotels around EURO 60 for a single room.
My idea - Friday midday leaving Rotterdam arrival Eifel around 1800
Saturday tour round the Eifel
Sunday back to the Hague.
Can also do 2 days in the Eifel just like Richard and I did last year.

 

[drimcong]

tour the Eifel/Ardennes at the WE,
the twisty roads can be very busy with riders, (speed, excess engine/pipe noise ) therefore some spots in the area have a great conflict potential between residents and visitors.
(poured oil on the roads etc.)
if you can do it, look out for the busy stretches and avoid these at the WE.

 

[grantmac]

Been going for 20 years and never heard of that. Maybe in the Belgian Ardennes where they don't like anyone.......
WE in summer can be a bit busier with riders but no commercial traffic.....

 

[Wapping]

I was out all day over the entire weekend and saw very little traffic of any sort.

 

[Wapping]

Day eight continued….

First job of the day….



After yesterday’s pretty duff route, today’s was near enough perfect.

I have been trying for a long time to find the ‘Best way’ to go from Chimay to roughly Trois Ponts. I think I have now found it!

As I wanted to try to get my BMW Connected app to work, I had not intended to stop to take pictures or press wild flowers. Having though (with great help from UKGSer) got it to work, I did stop from time to time, just to snap a picture.

A coffee stop. I didn’t stop but wanted the picture, so I’d know where it was:



A sculpture. I had always assumed it was some sort of war memorial, but it seems that it’s some celebration of hunting:



The chip shop at the same roundabout, useful as there is a 24/7 fuel station there, too:



The roads ain’t bad. This one connects with a very small, somewhat broken, road through a forest, which connects Belgium to France. I’ll be back in Belgium (just) when I am in Chimay:



Eventually, unlike Hitler’s army in 1944, I got to the wide river Meuse:





And to the very good municipal campsite in Chimay:




Let the games begin!

 

[Deleted account 240831001]

Yesterday wasn’t great weather from lunchtime onwards in Monschau but today it’s been sunny near enough all day.

I like the Eifel but Monschau has changed significantly in the 7 years since we last stayed here and from previously being a quiet little town it’s now very busy with e-bikes propped against every available tree of lamppost and every cafe full of pensioners who have been out on said e-bikes. Our hotel had a group of about a dozen here last night and it appears that they pick up the bikes somewhere (I’ve no idea where) on the Belgian border and then cycle a set route each day with a big long wheel base high roof van bringing bags for them and the bikes get locked in the van overnight.

There are also numerous hire companies charging between €35 and €50 per day (plus add ons) to enable cyclists to pick up a bike then visit Monschau without the hassle of parking or cycling up out of the valley to the flat areas surrounding the town.

 

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

It was a joke….

Some fell on stony ground Comrade.

 

[grantmac]

Yesterday wasn’t great weather from lunchtime onwards in Monschau but today it’s been sunny near enough all day.

I like the Eifel but Monschau has changed significantly in the 7 years since we last stayed here and from previously being a quiet little town it’s now very busy with e-bikes propped against every available tree of lamppost and every cafe full of pensioners who have been out on said e-bikes. Our hotel had a group of about a dozen here last night and it appears that they pick up the bikes somewhere (I’ve no idea where) on the Belgian border and then cycle a set route each day with a big long wheel base high roof van bringing bags for them and the bikes get locked in the van overnight.

There are also numerous hire companies charging between €35 and €50 per day (plus add ons) to enable cyclists to pick up a bike then visit Monschau without the hassle of parking or cycling up out of the valley to the flat areas surrounding the town.

Monschau is to be avoided in my experience. We ride around the outside and avoid it at all costs. Over crowded as well......

 

[Deleted account 240831001]

Monschau is to be avoided in my experience. We ride around the outside and avoid it at all costs. Over crowded as well......

It used to be a much more pleasant place but even the bar and restaurant staff say it’s changed for the worse.

We’re eating in a restaurant we last used 7 years ago and my wife has been showing the owners photos from back then and they’ve said exactly the same as I have which is that the whole dynamics of the town are different now.

 

[snelly]

Day eight continued….

First job of the day….

View attachment 337442

After yesterday’s pretty duff route, today’s was near enough perfect.

I have been trying for a long time to find the ‘Best way’ to go from Chimay to roughly Trois Ponts. I think I have now found it!

As I wanted to try to get my BMW Connected app to work, I had not intended to stop to take pictures or press wild flowers. Having though (with great help from UKGSer) got it to work, I did stop from time to time, just to snap a picture.

A coffee stop. I didn’t stop but wanted the picture, so I’d know where it was:

View attachment 337341

A sculpture. I had always assumed it was some sort of war memorial, but it seems that it’s some celebration of hunting:

View attachment 337342

The chip shop at the same roundabout, useful as there is a 24/7 fuel station there, too:

View attachment 337344

The roads ain’t bad. This one connects with a very small, somewhat broken, road through a forest, which connects Belgium to France. I’ll be back in Belgium (just) when I am in Chimay:

View attachment 337347

Eventually, unlike Hitler’s army in 1944, I got to the wide river Meuse:

View attachment 337348

View attachment 337349

And to the very good municipal campsite in Chimay:

View attachment 337350


Let the games begin!

Only a short stroll under the pine tree to your right to the bogs; keep an ear out for the ice cream man in his van;

 

[Wapping]

Day nine….

The bike is parked and (hopefully) won’t be moving until Monday.

I have been to Chimay, more times than I care to remember but have never stayed here nor even ever been to the town centre. Now is as good a time as any to remedy that.

Some while (years) ago, the town got rid of what I think was an old single track railway and converted it to a cycle path / walkway. By luck it runs from near enough the municipal campsite to the Casino restaurant, which I know well. Lucky, as I needed to go that way to the supermarket.



The same town have planted mixed pear trees along its length, which is a nice touch:





The hedge trimmers were out, making a neat job of things:



Past what I take to be some sort of art installation:



To the square / roundabout with the Casino restaurant and the road out of town towards Corvin and the Ardennes:



To the supermarket, for at least one essential:

 

[Wapping]

Essentials (which included two bananas and a packet of mints) bought, I sauntered back into town:



There was some sort of amateur painters’ club, all painting different aspects of the town square:







I didn’t know it then, but I’d be meeting them all later.

The town square and its large church is not unattractive:





The churches in this part of Belgium certainly have a ‘style’ about them:



As usual, Google has some vaguely interesting information as to what I’m gawping at:

Built on the Chimay Square, in the time of cathedrals, the collegiate church is certainly one of the most remarkable religious buildings in Hainaut Province. This limestone church has a 13th century Laonnois Gothic choir, a 15th century late Hainaut Gothic aisle extended by two chapels — Gothic to the north and Baroque to the south — and a Baroque tower from the first half of the 18th century. The choir is the oldest part of the church. Dated by archaeologists as being from the 13th century, along with a few remains of the Mediaeval wall, the oldest Chimay monument. Open visit (presentation sheet available at the entrance to the collegiate church) or with a comprehensive guide from the Chimay Tourist Office.

One of the last shops in town is an optician’s, who had a generous sale on. I needed to replace the RayBan sunglasses lost on my return from Le Mans, so it was a good opportunity to do just that:

 

[Wapping]

The essentials dealt with, I turned around again and sauntered back to the Casino, for its usual half decent lunch:



The restaurant was (as it usually is) busy. What though I hadn’t realised was that the painting club were having their lunch and ‘exhibition’ too:



The fellow with the blue T-shirt was the chap I had snapped earlier. His painting of the church (one up from the right) really was very good. I wish now I had asked if I could buy it, as it would have made a good souvenir to go with the snap I took.

By the time I was back, the campsite section for bikermates was filling:





It often amuses me that people ask “Tell me the best tent….”. You only need to go to one event like this, to see that everyone has their favourite. I really do not think there are two the same.

 

[Tinytim]

The essentials dealt with, I turned around again and sauntered back to the Casino, for its usual half decent lunch:

View attachment 337568

The restaurant was (as it usually is) busy. What though I hadn’t realised was that the painting club were having their lunch and ‘exhibition’ too:

View attachment 337569

The fellow with the blue T-shirt was the chap I had snapped earlier. His painting of the church (one up from the right) really was very good. I wish now I had asked if I could buy it, as it would have made a good souvenir to go with the snap I took.

By the time I was back, the campsite section for bikermates was filling:

View attachment 337570

View attachment 337571

It often amuses me that people ask “Tell me the best tent….”. You only need to go to one event like this, to see that everyone has their favourite. I really do not think there are two the same.

A lovely relaxing day thank you.

 

[snelly]

The essentials dealt with, I turned around again and sauntered back to the Casino, for its usual half decent lunch:

View attachment 337568

The restaurant was (as it usually is) busy. What though I hadn’t realised was that the painting club were having their lunch and ‘exhibition’ too:

View attachment 337569

The fellow with the blue T-shirt was the chap I had snapped earlier. His painting of the church (one up from the right) really was very good. I wish now I had asked if I could buy it, as it would have made a good souvenir to go with the snap I took.

By the time I was back, the campsite section for bikermates was filling:

View attachment 337570

View attachment 337571

It often amuses me that people ask “Tell me the best tent….”. You only need to go to one event like this, to see that everyone has their favourite. I really do not think there are two the same.

The 2 Gsxr's is my mate and his lad; same pitch we've been having for bloody years;

 

[Wapping]

The 2 Gsxr's is my mate and his lad; same pitch we've been having for bloody years;

From Cornwall. His dad still doesn’t know the way