Benelux...and a bit of Germany in June

HGS

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This years trip to the Euro side was 7 of us
Mix of bikes
2 x R1300GS's
1 x Ducati Multi V4S
2 x KTM's, 1x 1390 supoerduke R and 1x 1290 SAS
Kawasaki Z1000SX
and a Honda NT1100 DTC

Brunch at the cafe at J&S Accesories, Northwich
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I can't do the 'on the fly' reports as some do, and very well I might add

After France last year, we are definitely preferring renting a house and taking trips out
Decided to locate to Butgenbach in Belgium. Central for some cracking roads

Lovely house with really nice owners. They lived next door and were very helpful

https://www.booking.com/hotel/be/am...rom_list=&chal_t=1783440740160&force_referer=

House cost us £156 each for the 7 nights
Parking outside the door
Butgenbach is a lovely town set close to both the Eifel area in Germany and the Ardennes area
Carrefour and Aldi supermarket within minutes walking, also bakers and butchers (no candlestick maker though)

We went Hull Rotterdam, 2 x 4 berth cabins with food package each way - Cost £239.67 each

Belgium gets a bit of a bad press on here, but it is fantastic the further east you go
But...the further east into Belgium seems to have an effect on the car drivers - They become really shite at junctions

We landed at the start of the heatwave in the last week of June
For the week temperatures were mid 30's and up to 40 degs one day. Bit draining but we were sure to rehydrate every evening
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Buffet food on the boat was OK (Not sure what Doc had last week)
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Followed this with fish and peas....then
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EES at Rotterdam is a bit of process depending on how quick you get off the boat
3 of us got off early and were through quite fast, the other 4 were at the back of the queue and took a lot longer

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Everyone was printed and photographed

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crossing NL and the west of Belgium was a mix of A roads and motorway, bit boring, bit flat but the last half hour to the house showed there were prospects

Ferry to house - 172 miles

Ferry to House.jpg

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No butter needed....Jakob was on patrol

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Again, our retired Royal Navy chef insisted on doing all the cooking for spiced rum.....sold

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I've not that many photos of the days out they consisted of stopping for ice cream or a drink
Will continue with what sub standard pics I have.......
 
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Friday and Saturday were taken up travelling
Rehydrating
and food shopping

Sunday

Feeling a bit worn out, we decided on a short trip out to Monschau and a loop around the Eifel - 83 miles
Fooking hot

Around Eifel Park.jpg

We knew what we wanted - Apple Strudel and ice cream
Café Am Roten Haus in Monschau is somewhere we have been a few times

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Beautiful little place

Anyway, suitably refreshed, we went on the bend fest loop

Stopped at Rursee for some cold drinks

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BBQ time

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TBC.....
 
Monday....getting hotter

We are looking at which are the shortest planned routes

A trip to Adenau and back - 100 miles

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Nice roads

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Found a lovely cafe / restaurant. Looked really run down at the road side, but go around the back and it was a suprise

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Quality ice cream

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Tea - Aldi chicken sausages.....very nice they were

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That's about it for Monday

TBC......
 
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Tuesday

Hotter still

Bit of trip around the Ardennes - 120 miles
Some military stuff
Troi Points and Tanks.jpg

Truck stop bar - best coffee I have had in months, was wired after

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Stopped for ice cream here

https://maps.app.goo.gl/MsGpskSStz4Z6GBK8

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The area took a beating in WW2

A really lovely little town

Further on at Houffalize, about 10 miles east

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This panther ended up in the river as the bridge collapsed and was abandoned upside down in the river
Advancing US forces set it on fire
It has since been polished up and put on display in the town
There are quite few items just dotted around...tanks, big guns etc

https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/140/Panther-Tank-Houffalize.htm

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But as we are discovering, they do lovely ice cream

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Further along at Houffalize there is another restored Panther.....buggers are everywhere

Tea

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Do some more later
 
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Wednesday

Still hot, no breeze

Bit of a loop south and east - 108 miles

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Lovely roads, no photos we stopped for drinks somewhere

Tea

Splashed out on steaks

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TBC.....
 
Thursday

Plan was to go to Bastogne then take a rural loop back on the no10 road in Luxembourg
It was closed, we were hot, so we just blasted back to the house after a drink and a quick walk around Bastogne
Came baxck via Gouvy and Vielsalm - nice roads

110 miles

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This is what we didn't do and I was really looking forward to it route 10 Vianden to Dasburg

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Tea - Steak & Chicken sausage

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little bit more to come
 
Friday and leaving

We set off intending to go via Tilburg to visit the Louis mega store

One of the party had it in his sat nav but completely fucked it up and once we realised we had passed it, no had the heart to go back
It was a constant 39 degs across NL

A good few stops for refreshements

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Bit cooler at Europort with a slight breeze

Through EEs at Rotterdam very quickly, quick passport check like the old days and boom!

The pride of whichever it was is air conditioned, never been so glad to get on that boat

Uneventful crossing

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I did pig out at the evening buffet

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Fish chips and curry.....very nice it was

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I had passed the meatballs a few times, so bugger it, get some....and a chicken breast

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Couldn't manage a pudding

We'd had 3 pints before the food, so one more and 4 of us decided time for bed

I woke up after midnight and took a walk...to the public toilets, as I may have over eaten
Took a walk around the back of the ship
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Off fairly quickly at Hull Saturday morning
Dash for home with a coffee stop at Hartshead Moor services

One of the guys was making for Heysham as he had another boat to catch for the Isle of Man

It's going to be the southern half of the WAW, as we did the northern half and NIreland in 2024

Get me waterproofs ready.......
 
Great pics and write up, thanks………but wtf is it with English breakfasts these days, including a hash brown?! It’s a bloody outrage!
 


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