Trip of the Month – German Castle Tour

Now that the hangover of the festive season is behind us, this time of year always fills me with excitement and optimism as we start looking ahead and planning diaries.

We have customers booking up their summer trips, others looking to buy a motorhome, dreaming of far flung adventures and simply loving the idea that they can tailor make their home on wheels to fit their personal style!  Here at GlamperRV HQ we are busy planning the conversions of our new vehicles which are due in shortly – so many decisions to make – what colour exterior, leather or cloth upholstery, fabrics for soft furnishings, positioning of Nespresso machine!

It is also time of year that we begin to think of trips we can do to share with you and with plenty of feedback from customers travelling all over the UK and Continental Europe there is no shortage for content!  I was recently inspired by a couple of customers talking me through their plans for travelling south via Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany and then an Instagram image popped up of a German castle and that nailed it – a castle tour of Germany where you will travel through breath-taking landscapes viewing some of the most stunning castles in Europe, straight out of the fairy tales!

As ever there is just too much for one blog but I hope this gives you a gem of an idea which knowing our customers you will take, adapt to your personal taste and have one incredible experience.

Firstly let us get over the elephant in the room and that is travelling to the continent post 29^th March.  Personally I don’t think there will be a problem (I have just booked Eurotunnel for our own adventure early April) however if you are delayed I couldn’t think of a better way to travel as with all your amenities on tap you will just relax and savour the moment.  It always hits home why travelling with your bed on your back is the way forward when I see photos on the television of passengers delayed at airports, sleeping on the floor!

So heading east from Calais the historic town of Ypres is only 100km so would make for a great first night stopover.  The town which was the site of much action in WW1 is very impressive, geared up for visitors with plenty of museums and a moving memorial ceremony ‘the last post’ held nightly at 8pm.  We had a customer recommend Camping Jeugdstadion, a short walk from the Menin Gate with good facilities for your first night on the road.

Depending on the timescale you are working to you (this trip deserves a good couple of weeks) you may wish to opt for a stopover in Luxembourg or decide it is a driving day and motor on through to the Black Forest and the start of your castle tour.

First on the list is Karlsruhe, capital of Baden and home to the stunning Karlsruhe Palace.  Travelling south from here you will soon stumble upon Rastatt Palace, laid out after the model of the Chateau of Versailles and a stones through from Baden Baden, the fashionable spa resort known as the ‘Summer Capital of Europe’ during the 19th century.

From Baden Baden explore the Black Forest high road which runs over 60 km from Baden-Baden south east to Freudenstadt. It is one of the most beautiful tourist routes of the Black Forest with magnificent views of the Black Forest valleys, the Rhine Valley and Alsace and the Voges Mountains along the entire route. There are also a large number of tourist highlights, such as Lake Mummelsee, the Lothar Path and the newly opened wilderness path on the Bühlerhöhe.

From Freudenstadt continue to travel south east and head to Hohenzollern Castle, located near Hechingen at the edge of the Swabian Jura. It is the ancestral seat of the Hohenzollern family and formerly seat to counts, kings and emperors, a truly classic hilltop fortress.

When planning your overnight stops in Germany there are a wide range of options such is the popularity of campervanning.  Traditional campsites are in abundance however Germany also utilises a stellplätze system – dedicated parking areas which are used extensively by German motorhome owners in preference to campsites and can be found in most towns and cities across the country, plus numerous other locations including villages, lakesides or high up in the mountains.  A useful guide to have is the annual Bord Atlas, which provides maps and details of every stellplätz and can really help plan your trip.

For campsites we have directed customers to Eurocampings, founded by campsite specialist ACSI they have made their guides available online – https://www.eurocampings.co.uk/germany/ and prove a valuable resource.  Once you have your route planned it is well worth doing your research to find the locations that suit your needs.

Heading further south east and into the heart of Bavaria, you will be spoilt for choice with its many fairy tale castles built by King Ludwig of Bavaria.  Obsessed with myths and stories he built the castles of Linderhof, Herrenchiemsee and the famous Neuschwanstein, the inspiration for Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle and all are worth a visit.  There is plenty in this region to fill a few weeks but do also leave time to visit Lake Constance, Zurich and the Alsace region of France as you head home.

I hope you agree that this makes for a fantastic road trip and inspires you to start planning your own GlamperRV adventure.

Happy planning!

Lucy