Saturday 11 August

Bullendorf to Hamburg

From the campsite at Bullendorf we followed the Elberadweg and rode along familiar cycle paths on the south western side of the river until we crossed to the north eastern bank via the ferry at Stockte. With the main river channel behind us we still had to cross a number of tributaries, the first was the Dove Elbe where an island divided the channel into two each with a lock chamber that we cycled across. The next on was a spectacular barrage with a central roadway that we cycled across.

Neither I nor Liz can remember where we stayed for two nights in Hamburg while waiting for the ferry home. We may well have stayed at a hotel not unlike the one pictured. It looks familiar and we could walk into the city centre quite quickly. If we had camped then it would have probably been at the KNAUS Camping Park by the side of a busy motorway interchange in the north of the city.

Sunday 12 August

I remember it rained quite heavily. We found a stone tower in a park that would have been interesting to look in but it was closed. We walked into the city and bought some street food before getting tickets for a boat trip round Hamburg’s canals that proved fascinating, it least we were under cover inside the tour boat. Later we were guided by The Rough Guide towards a superb restaurant specialisng in eels. We arrived in a cloudburst and were welcomed in to dry out and then served a delicious meal with wines to match each course.

Monday 13 August

The following day we loaded the car and drove to the ferry. While waiting to board, another passenger, seeing me in a bright yellow cycling jacket, thought I was a port employee and spoke to me in rapid German, but not speaking it fluently I was unable to help, much to both our amusement.

Had we not lost a day in Magdeburg it is possible that we might have got to Cuxhaven and back in time for the ferry. See the next page for what might have happened.