From Gudow to end 2016

Gudow is near the ICT but not on it.  We could have got on to it, but to do this we started on a main road, to Buchen, where there is more border "stuff" and somehow continued on it, rather than divert to the ICT - which also goes to Buchen.  The road was not busy, and was well graded.  The wind was light and some more rapid (note:- more, no suggestion of athleticism) cycling was quite welcome.  The border "stuff" is actually in Buchen Dorf, a village a bit before the town of Buchen, and is a museum in a former priest's house.  It was shut.  It is outwardly an interesting building

From near Buchen, there is a broad canal going from the Elbe river to Lubeck.  This is little used now.  It was on or close to the border, it may have been within East Germany, and this may account for it having been so little used, which could have continued.  But is has a wide very cyclable track by it and the ICT route goes along it, and we went along it.  By doing this, we did not go into Buchen.  Cycling by the canal was wonderful.  No significant wind.  Sun.  Good surface.  No motor traffic.  This lasted maybe 8 km, then the route turned into some woodland, emerged into a quiet village and on a quiet road ended up on the main road between Lauenberg and Boizenburg.We were now close to the Elbe, though not yet in sight of it, and thnis road runs parallel to the river.  The guide had something about the oldest sluice gates or lock gates in Europe, but we could not find them!  

All was not lost in terms of peace and quiet.  Although this road was busy, the cycle track was quite separated.  After a bit we had to go uphill, which was a bit of a strain after so much cycling on the level and I ended up pushing.  There were occasional glipmses of the Elbe.

The road took us to the outskirts of Boizenburg, and to the site of a former concentration camp for women. The museum was closed, but we both had an excellent bowl of solyanka in the next door pub.  

Then into Boizenburg, steeply downhill at first, which was fun, and into a town that is charming survival of a certuries-old place with, in the town centre, hardly any new building.  We now made a mistake; we did not visit the tile musuem, which looks good on its description, and we carried on. We got to the edges of the Elbe.  This bit of the river was the border, ands there had been installations, fences etc to deny access to the river bank, on the north bank; we were on the north bank.  Now these have gone, except for a watch tower.

The river is nowadays lined by extensive dykes, many built or enlarged after floods in the 21st century.  Our route now went along the top of one of these, going upstream on a good concrete track on the dyke.  Eventually, we got to where a ferry crosses to the town of Bleckede.  We now crossed from former East to West Germany.  Somehow, comparing Boizenburg with Bleckede, one could see this.  Here is picture of the river from the ferry.

In Bleckede, we went to the castle, which is now a museum and arrived a bit before closing time.  Saw an aquarium of river fish, some of them huge.  Did not see a beaver in an enclosure (we looked!), and went up to tower for a wide view of the river and the surroundings. Finally  bit of time in a very good environmental exhibition.  Then to a supermarket, not Lidl and doing much better wine, and on in search of a campsite a few km on.  The campsite, at a place called Alt Garge, was a large well organised one with modern facilities.  Met an interesting couple, on bikes on the way to Berlin with young children.  They had a few hints on how to manage travel with bikes on German railways.  

The next day was our last one on the ICT this year.  It was over quite a short distance, to Hitzacker for a train to Luneburg.  We started off on a glorious down hill (following a trying uphill the previous evening) to get back to the ICT.  Then along by an old railway and on to a stretch near the river through delightful woods and not on a motor road. Soon after, in the village of Neu Darchau, to a ferry to cross to north side of the river.  Just before the ferry was quite a posh cafe with excellent cakes ot go with your coffee.  Then over on the ferry, and once more along the dykes, sometime on the top, sometimes not but always on excellent tarmac or concrete cycle tracks.  There was another border watch tower

The land was quite open

The wind was quite strong and behind us.  It was some of the best cycling in the whole trip!  

We came to another ferry, this time to Hitzacker, which we saw across the river

I am afraid I did not tke photos in the town, which is qjuite pretty place.  We had lunch in the form of excellent fish soup in a riverside cafe which we have decided will be the start point for continuing next year - hopefully!

Then to the station.  Train to Luneburg, cycle to a pre-booked hotel, which turned out to be linked to a small sports complex resulting is us getting a free sauna.

The next day, trains.  Because we were mainly on local trains (see previous blog) , it was 6 trains to get to Hook of Holland, where were a day early for our boat, on account of the previous problems with train booking with bikes.  We had decided not to change the ferry reservation to this earlier day, and had an extra day in the Hook area, which was rewarding and eased our return to normal life. Thye have speed bumps there, just like our district in London.