andy2000

Leaving on Wednesday 8th from Dover, 8am using Norfolk Line Ferry.

Expected route. skirting around following places:
Day 1 - Dunkirk - Gent - Brussels - Luxembourg - Perl (Hotel Sonnenhof)
Day 2 - Perl- Saarbruken - Pirmasens - Pforzheum - Stuttgart - Ulm (Hotel Maritim)
Day 3 - Ulm - Kempten (if conditions permit) - Insbruuk - Brenner Pass - Trento

Already signed up:
UK to Ulm (days 1 and 2).
1. Andy2000
2. dinibird
3. Johnsie
4. zen375dragon
5. Vicsport
6. Guiness002
7. Ricgreen

plus Ulm to Trento - Day 3
Rendevous in parking lot of Maritim hotel 9:00 - 9:15.

8. super_2000
9. McHeizer
10. Cosimino
11. leftfootbraking
12. cmm ?
13. twentyfour ?


Hotel info
Hotel Sonnenhof, Perl
Free parking, you can book on www.booking.com and double room is around 70 euros.

Maritim Hotel, Ulm
City centre, Ulm. Parking is 13 euros a day, you can book on www.expedia.co.uk and a double is 99 euros.


Likely to be a one way adventure as we're all planning different route home. At least 2 of us heading the other way back via Northern Italy into southern France.

Happy for anyone else to join us....

dinibird

Hi Andy, Maryam

I've decided that we are going to go on the Euro trip after all. I guessed I would regret it more if I didn't do it rather than not do it and always wonder...

So, put us down as team members for this 'eastern' way down.

Dinibird (and Mr Dinibird)

andy2000

Thanks Dinibirds
Lets hope we can get some more into the group. Seems a lot of people are leaving it till Thursday.!

I've been looking at routes and some possible stopping points - will let you know more over the weekend. Do you have any preferences on route ? Anywhere you are longing to see ?
One route that looks promising is to head through Belgium, down to Metz, Stuttgart, and then link up with the E45 around Innsbruck. The E45 seems the most promissing way through the Alps.

dinibird

Hi Andy

Will have a chat with hubby tonight and see if he's got any ideas of 'must sees', but I think that basic route sounds ok. I wanted to go through Belgium, maybe Lux, Germany then Austria and into Italia.

I think we might get more takers if we change the title of this thread (or maybe just the sub heading). "German way down" perhaps?

I've just bought a Tom Tom with EU maps so once things are a bit more sorted we can synchronise sat navs so to speak!

Also, which ferry booking were you looking to make? I want to get that sorted asap to save costs.

Dinibird.

andy2000

Lux sounds great, I spent a weekend there a few years ago and loved it. No reason we cant include it on the route.

Norfolk Lines seem to have departures every two hours, I was thinking of the 8:00am which will get us there 2 hours later (i.e. 11:00 French time). Its not the cheapest but taking the 10:00 would mean we dont get on our way until after 1pm. Can you handle an early start ? if so I want to book in the next day or so too.

No idea how to change the title of the thread. I'll see if I can work it out.

dinibird

Hi Andy

Crickey, that's only about

andy2000

OK. just booked 8:00 ferry. no going back now. As you say, if anyone else wants to join the group then they can take the chances but I would imagine they would have no problem get a space if booked fairly soon. worst case is we could wait the other side of the channel or at the first stop over for them to catch up.

Did you see my PM on Luxembourg as first stop ? I think once we have a route planned I'll confirm it in a new thread so its clear to others.

Re E45. I agree, lets play it by ear. I am always the optimst so am expecting sun all the way (well it wouldnt be right without the roof down all the way would it...). If we need to go for the French way in then that can be decided nearer the time.

No really feels like its getting close. roll on April...

A

dennohue

Hi Dini,

You shouldn't have to worry about the E45 as it comes due South from Germany through Munchen. It's the German contingent who are worried.

Having said that, even in April, if you are high enough you can encounter a problem with snow.

However, on the continent they live with this problem and are very efficient at dealing with it on the major roads.

LTB

I have just got back from Austria today and even though there was some very heavy snowfall, the roads always remained cleared and open.

I wasn't near the E45, but was in the SW corner of Austria in Nauders which is a small village on the Austrian/Swiss/Italian border. If they can keep the linking mountain roads open then I am positive that they can keep the Brenner Pass (E45) open too.

andy2000

Hey folks. Dont forget this one.!! we are hoping to have more than just 2 cars with us.....

Depart Norfolk Lines 8:00am Wednesday morning (yes, I know its early but we wanted to get a few miles in on day 1, especially as with the clocks an hour ahead we wont really get going from Dunkirk until just before midday.

Plan to break journey into 3 chunks with a halfway stop for an hour or so each day so it should be reasonably leisurely with some opportunity to see a bit of Europe on the way and not just the motorways. No hotels booked yet but will be looking at possibles this weekend.

Expected route Dunkirk, Belgium (maybe Luxembourg if we can squeeze it in), Germany, Austria and into Italy on E45 (Brenner Pass).

Arrive in Italy late afternoon Friday.

If anyone has a long drive in UK first you would be more than welcome to stop Tuesday night at our place (have 2 spare rooms available plus a sofa). We are near Guidlford, Surrey which is a couple of hours from Dover.

Andy & Maryam (and Mr & Mrs Dinibird)