England, Manningtree 1,800 miles
Had a good crossing on the ferry. room included mini bar, bowl of fruit and chocolate. Well worth the extra cost. Arrived early morning without any maps for England and had difficulty buying one. Lots of hills after being in Holland and quite tiring. Cycled for 70 miles in search of a B&B and finally found one late evening. Following day continued for another 80 miles to Norfolk all on minor roads and the end of our journey. Caught a train to Cambridge and stayed at James' apartment for 11 days to catch up on some much needed sleep.

Noordwijkerhout
Camping here for a couple of nights as the ferries are booked up. James has managed to book us 1st class tickets for Thursday 29th so have been doing some sightseeing around the waterways in Holland. Have seen lots of windmills, water and fields of flowers. Cycled down the coast to the Hook of Holland stopping at a 'tea room'. Turned out to be an upmarket 'meditation place' which meant expensive and small. We were really hungry and recieved our coffee and apple cake on minature sized crockery. The plate was about 4" square and the forks 3" long! We couldn't stop laughing especially when Nigel commented about the drying facillities he expected in the loo for the price we were paying!

Leiden
Stayed overnight at this hotel. Our room is by the lamp post with the 3 sash windows, at 103 euros a night but worth it. It was a large room with a chandelier, period furniture and 2 3' beds in one frame and a large bathroom in victorian style. The building was once 6 prestigous 16th century canal houses. In 1830 one of them was inhabited by J R Thorbecke, the father of the Dutch constitution. The city is known for its oldest university in the country, it is twinned with Oxford, the birthplace of Rembrandt and its old city centre which is the second largest after Amsterdam.

Holland
Weather still uncomfortably hot and terrain in Germany unchanging after spectacular scenery in the Alps so decided to catch a train from Kahl am Main to Enschede, Holland. Cycling across Holland to Den Haag for ferry home. Stayed overnight in Neede, Otterlo, Utrecht and now in Leiden. Still hot, 25C at 6.30p.m. Just want to go home now for cooler weather!

Main near Wertheim
We have been cycling on the route R5 along the Main for a few days. Stopped at a house which sold cold drinks and snacks. The owner was interested in our tour and showed us his collection of Porche tractors, Austin Martin cars and other vintage motorcycles. Caught a passenger ferry across the Main to Mondfield and camped on a small plot in a boat yard overlooking the river, joined by 2 others on a recumbent.

Wurzburg
Over the last week we stayed for 2 nights at a hotel in Donauworth, the end of the Via Claudia Augustus cycle route, resting. First break since Dignes les Baines, 3 weeks ago. Legs are still tired. Weather is still hot, 36+ today. Have been following the Romantiquestrasse route 9, passing through Nordlingen, an old city with cobbled streets and churches. Camped at Dinkelsbuhl, another old walled city and Rothenburg. Found a cycle route which is newly tarmaced on an old railway track. A good find as is very flat and easy to cycle!

Germany - Cycle path surrounded by mountains on way to Rosshaupter
Had large buffet breakfast after leaving campsite and then stopped at a hotel in Bichlbach for lunch, still trying to catch up with food after yesterday's exhausting day. Quite drained and couldn't manage some hills we would normally cycle up, so pushed the bikes a bit today. Weather is still hot, campsites are full and decide on a B&B for a good rest and yet more food, a 3 course dinner, still hungry!

Biberwier
Camped last night at the foot of the ski lifts in the Austrian Tyrol, 3,250 feet high, after our worst day yet! We had crossed Fernpass, once the trading route of the Roman Army, and our 3rd pass, which will lead us out of the mountains to Fussen, Germany. The track climbed very steeply on loose gravel, rocks and uneven ground, narrowing at times. We pushed and manhandled our bikes to the top, without much food and in hot temperatures. We then had to walk the bikes down holding the brakes to control them. It took us all day and several days to recover!

Switzerland - Looking back to Austria
A long steep winding road down from Nauders, with views along the valley, to the Swiss border toll. We followed the river Inn north until we crossed back into Austria. Then the cycle path on small village roads in the direction of Pfunds, with great views of mountains all around us. The undulating road continued down through the valley, which is more interesting now. We decide to camp at Imst.

Austria, Nauders
Reached the first lake at lunchtime changing to the opposite side at the next lake as it was flatter. We were now very tired, pushing the bikes some of the time as the path was very steep and narrow. 4 hours, mostly uphill, and only 10 miles covered! Stopped for picnic in the shade by the lake before continuing over the border into Austria. We were now 4,900 feet high but a good downhill was to come. Stayed in a pension for a good night's rest.

Lake Resia - Italian, Lake Reschen - German
is an artificial lake near the Reschen Pass and 1 mile from the Austrian border. It has a capacity of 120 million cubic meters and is the largest lake in the province. It is fed by the Adige Rojenbach and Karlinbach and drained by the Adige. The creation of the dam started in April 1940 unifying two natural lakes (Reschensee and Mittersee) and submerging several villages. You can still see the top of the 14th-century church tower and in winter, when the lake freezes, the tower is reachable by foot.

View on way to Reschen Pass
We have been cycling further into the mountains following a river which takes us to Lake Resia and then over the Reschen Pass into Austria. There is more snow on the mountain tops and we must be a lot higher as they seem closer although it is still hot and sunny. We come away from the path a few times today through villages and apple orchards finding a campsite at Glurns with great views of the valley we go through tomorrow.

Cycle route to Borghetto on Via Claudia Augusta path
Stopped at a village for groceries and spoke with local women in the village square. We managed to communicate a little without Italian or English! Had a picnic lunch in the shade at Chizzola. Still very hot and humid with thunderstorms in the evenings.

Rivalta
Cycle path took us along the valley between the hills passing small villages on either side.
Found a Farmtourismo at Rivalta , a typical looking farmhouse from outside but highly modernised inside. Although it was a B&B the owner gesticulated that she would cook us some dinner which we ate in the shade of a covered barn in the courtyard. Pasta with homemade sauce, salad, bread and wine. A good stop!

Verona
Cycled into centre of city and walked around tourist area. Route takes us north joining the Via Claudia Augusta cycle path which stretches from Donauwörth on the Danube in Germany, across the Austrian Alps to Venice, via Augsburg, Füssen, Nauders, Bolzano and Trento. At Trento a branch of the route extends via Verona to Ostiglia on the River Po, 500 miles. It has been 36c for the past few days.

Peschiera, Lake Garda
36c at 10a.m. Stood at roadside for a soaking by water jets hosing crops. Undulating roads and more scenic now. Stopped at Solferino for lunch at shaded restaurant. Lake Garda is very picturesque. It has narrow streets with lots of restaurants but is also a high tourist area. Decided to find a campsite by the Lake but after visiting a few changed our minds and headed for some peace and quiet in a local hotel with air conditioning.

Bereguardo - Pontoon Bridge
This is one of the last examples of pontoon-bridge in Italy. Initially it was built as a temporary opera at the end of 1800. The boats were made of wood, and are now made of cement. The bridge goes up with the level of water and the barges float. Boards lift in places as you cycle across with large gaps! Found hotel last night, has been difficult finding hotels as we are not in a tourist area, but no food. So drank our bottle of wine with yoghurt, banana and chocolate bar!
Spent a lot of time cycling on white lines on the edge of the road today to avoid pot holes and traffic. Very busy, lots of lorries. Italy is at the start of a heatwave as is the rest of europe, 33c today. Passed lots of rice fields which added to the humidity and saw lots of water birds plus young stork. 282 miles in 5 hot days!