Category Archive

Limay to Vernon, France Limay to Vernon, France

Although a grey hazy day, the Seine River heading west just beautiful. This year’s journey on the whole, really has been about the scenery. Appearance of white cliffs reminding the traveller of the White Cliffs of Dover was a pleasant surprise. Passing the township of Gargenville, high in the cliffs rectangular black holes were reminders […]

Cergy to Limay, France Cergy to Limay, France

Completing the motor upon the beautiful Oise, Gratis passed the row of boat yards and barges, then turned right onto the Seine. You’re probably saying about now, ‘Hang on, you are meant to be heading toward Paris, not away.’ Yes we will be, but with a few days up our sleeve, we made the decision […]

Etang le Cergy, France Etang le Cergy, France

A bridge crossing away from the ancient township of Cergy is the Etang le Cergy. A combination of walking/cycling paths, it has practically everything for a relaxing weekend or holiday. Picnic areas with BBQs, a massive lake, woods, climbing adventure, ski – ing: it was all there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcenwteRHp4 Watching the training dogs for water rescue […]

Chateau Chantilly, France Chateau Chantilly, France

With mostly no bike lanes and many busy roads, what an interesting bike ride it was to Chantilly. Encircled by water on one side, and high wall on the other, the Chantilly Chateau landscape was most picturesque (quite expensive to enter, Bob and I made the decision to enjoy from the outside, as Versaille near Paris […]

Pont l ‘Eveque to Creil, France Pont l ‘Eveque to Creil, France

With inclement weather upon us, a couple of days past saw Bob and I make the decision to continue onward. With that decision made, we entered the Oise river and motored to first Compiegne, then Creil. From Creil, weather permitting, it would be possible to undertake the 10km or so bike ride to Chateau Chantilly. […]

Arques Plaisance to Beuvry, France Arques Plaisance to Beuvry, France

Recent rains had commenced the process of flushing away the green algae and the gates at the lock were overflowing. It was a pleasant 30km or so motor along a waterway lined with a mix of forestation, farms, animals, and an occasional industrial site. Constructed in 1885, the boat lift was the work of British […]

Bike ride to Zottegem and the Provincial Archaeological Museum, Velzeke:Belgium Bike ride to Zottegem and the Provincial Archaeological Museum, Velzeke:Belgium

Another beautiful bike ride through Belgian farming country led us from Geraardsbergen to first the township of Zottegem, then on to the museum in Velzeke. There was just one word to describe this museum: sensational!!!! Covering a time period from 300,000BC to the present, the past was brought to life via a variety of mediums. […]

Dendermonde to Ath by train Dendermonde to Ath by train

This morning Bob and I caught the train to Ath in order to check out the viability of continuing first along the Dender then the Blaton – Ath canal: the section of canal we were concerned about was that between Geraardsbergen and Ath. Up until today, however, no two pieces of information were the same, […]

Natural Science Museum, Brussels Natural Science Museum, Brussels

Another museum well worth visiting, as we were led through time from the Big Bang. Well set out, with more than enough to keep all ages intrigued. there were paths and seats, 3D displays, slideshows, and short films. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV_SURkWQZw&feature=youtu.be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29W-CU_zCcc&feature=youtu.be   Water and land, it was all there. Most impressive was the section on the dinosaurs. […]

Brussels, Belgium Brussels, Belgium

Grote Markt(Grand Place), Royal Palace, Museum of the Black Sisters and Basilica. Having been advised it was far too dangerous to ride our bikes within the city centre , Bob and I chose to make use of the rail network: apparently, drivers have a bit of what we call road rage when it comes to cyclists […]

Klein Willebroek to Brussels, Belgium Klein Willebroek to Brussels, Belgium

Upon the relatively straight Zeekanaal Brussel Schelde, one lock, several lifting bridges and plenty of others beneath which we easily passed led us along a mostly industrial section of waterway, interspersed by a town here and there, or an occasional field. The twenty kilometres easily travelled, Gratis arrived at the Brussels Royal Yacht Club. Thirty metres […]

Space and Time Museum, Lier: Belgium Space and Time Museum, Lier: Belgium

After wending our way through the streets to the market square, where a major clean up was taking place after celebrations that incorporated the town’s giants, our first stop was the 14th century Zimmer Tower and its Wonderclock at the time and space museum. The son of a watchmaker and born in Lier in 1888, […]

Antwerp Churches, Belguim Antwerp Churches, Belguim

All museums are closed on Mondays, so today was church day: Cathedral of Our Lady, St James, St Charles Barromeo and St Pauls. It was a study in art for us, as each contained paintings by Rubens and other famous Belgian artists. Descent of Man 1611 – 1614 Resurrection of Christ  1611 – 1612 In addition, […]

Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands to Antwerp, Belgium Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands to Antwerp, Belgium

This day saw us re – entering Belgium, via the Schelde – Rijn Canal. One easy lock, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slUTOMf5Sro&feature=youtu.be One of the reasons why a boat must be secured. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r43zKDSKF_s&feature=youtu.be and a lifting bridge or two made for an easy 40km or so motor. Large ships were towed in by tug. The building at the bridge […]

Dorverden to Bremen, Mittel and Unter Weser, Germany Dorverden to Bremen, Mittel and Unter Weser, Germany

Another easy day. At one stage, the air became a mass of black as two massive flocks of black birds took flight. It appeared as though they were searching for thermals. Without success, the hoard unexpectedly dove into the trees. It was quite a sight! The river banks became the drink and play area for a […]

Munster to Gartenstadt, Mittelland Kanal

Well, in cold wet conditions we travelled 30 kilometres or so along the Dortmund – Ems to the 108km mark, where a right turn took us onto the Mittelland Kanal. Another 30 saw us arrive at the night’s stop: peaceful calm countryside still raining, of course. The Mittelland Kanal was a miniature highway, as a continual flow of […]

Metz, France to Schengen, Luxembourg Metz, France to Schengen, Luxembourg

A long day that saw us arrive on the outskirts of the small country town of Schengen, the town where numerous European countries met to write up the Schengen Agreement. One important aspect for the traveller is the time allowed in each country that signed on and became a member of the Schengen agreement. If […]

Pont a Mousson to Metz, France Pont a Mousson to Metz, France

A distance of thirty kilometres travelled on this morning found us in Metz, a town with 3,500 years of history. Each invasion that took place saw alterations of one kind or another, and sadly much of the visual history had vanished into the annals of time. Metz, the Township Commencing life as a small Celtic […]

Epinal to Charmes Epinal to Charmes

Entering the locks continually caused issues as the fenders rose upon connecting with, then proceeding to run along the walls. This in turn meant the hull was no longer protected and Gratis new paintwork was damaged. Today we experimented with the fenders by lowering them until they sat horizontally upon the water rather than vertically […]

Pont des Forges to Epinal Pont des Forges to Epinal

An early start – as starts went, that was when locks didn’t open until 9am – on a grey drizzly day, yet not that cool: a change pleasant change to the heat of the sun beating down. The numbering system recommencing at ‘one’, the downward journey upon the Golbey Stair case – 15 locks one […]