I Found a Tiny German Village at the Top of a Brutal Climb

[00:00:00]Good morning all. I actually slept last night. It cooled down just enough for us to sleep into the 20s. So this morning he's just having some breakfast. I'm going to go for a little potter down here which is the big cycle path. But there's some interesting art installations just down the way which I've just seen when I was walking him.

[00:00:21]Um so yeah, I'm going to go for a little pot down there before it gets too hot and then I'm going to have to go out on the bike later I think. Um, just because I'm running out of things to drink, [laughter] but I keep putting ice cubes in his water to keep it nice and cool for him.

[00:00:38]This is the cycle route. It's amazing.

[00:00:40]Catherine went down to Aldi last night and said it was like really, really easy. Wow. He must be training for summer, mustn't he?

[00:00:50][snorts] So, this is the art installation. is basically says there's 23 concrete elements manufactured in the 1970s for the construction of Lake Croninburgg now from the foundation of Croninberg open air gallery. River Kyle was channeled through these elements like a tunnel and after the dam's completion there we saw the dam yesterday but yeah it was mental. The heavy concrete elements ended up on the siding at an old train station. Almost 50 years later this lost place became an open air gallery. The idea was conceived by the Croninberg painter Monica Brewer and the initiator of this street art.

[00:01:27]She designed 12 concrete elements.

[00:01:29]Additional paintings were created by the resident artist Jennifer Frink. Each of the 46 interior concrete walls has a design of 2x2 m. There were no specifications regarding the content [sighs and gasps] um to the loca. A thematic connection to the location can often be discovered. I'm going to go in and have a look in a minute. The art of this location is subject of change and transience. From time to time, the initiator can be found working with brushes or scissors. After all, nature is constantly a busy creator.

[00:02:01]So, I've not even had a cup of tea yet, but I wanted to come and see them cuz I saw them when I was walking with Doug.

[00:02:07]I'm being careful cuz there's loads of ants. Like, we might have to move because of them.

[00:02:14]But look, it's really cool, isn't it?

[00:02:16]So, you can actually walk inside.

[00:02:20]Oh, that one's pretty. And there's like they painted the tree and the tree on the wall. [snorts] I like the chameleons.

[00:02:31][laughter] Oh, and there's a frog. That's really good.

[00:02:38]That is a frog, isn't it?

[00:02:41]This is cool. And it's completely free.

[00:02:43]And it's just on the side of the cycle path.

[00:02:53]>> [snorts] >> So yeah, it was a lot cooler last night, so I did sleep quite well. That must be a depiction of the dam.

[00:03:00]And there's a little hair bing in the corner.

[00:03:04][snorts] So me and Douggee have had a full night's sleep. He's very tired still cuz he's not sleeping well in this heat.

[00:03:11]Hopefully. It seems to be the last day and we're supposed to get thunderstorms later. That one's really good. Look, cuz it goes all onto the floor. It's obviously faded cuz people walk on it.

[00:03:21]And then up onto the next one.

[00:03:28]Oh, I love the owl. That one's beautiful.

[00:03:36]That one's a little bit weird.

[00:03:38][laughter] This is a really cool place to visit.

[00:03:49]I'm [snorts] not sure if we're stopping.

[00:03:50]The ants are a bit of a pest and they're rather bitey.

[00:03:54]I don't know if it's supposed to be like that because of litter. Maybe. I'm not entirely sure.

[00:04:04]That must be Croninburg. It's supposed to be a really nice little place.

[00:04:08]If I've got the wherewithal, I might cycle in today if we're stopping. But my wheel bearing's making a massive noise now. So Steve's gonna have to get the wheel off and have a look at it.

[00:04:21]Happy make it. Happy makes you. Trust the life you be happy. Ah, the little king fisher.

[00:04:31]Oh, it's a phoenix. It's a tattoo that I want eventually when I've got some money.

[00:04:41]firefighters and [snorts] cyclists cuz obviously it's a big cycle path.

[00:04:50]That's just graffiti.

[00:04:52]Not really interested in that. It's not nice graffiti.

[00:04:59]I like street art.

[00:05:05]gets a bit more obscure the further along you go.

[00:05:16]There trees growing up through the middle of it is really cool. [panting] It's caring like a kids version.

[00:05:31]That's a bit weird, isn't it? They look like Mr. Blies.

[00:05:38]So, it's going to be up into the 30s today, but it was 37 yesterday. So, hopefully it'll feel a bit cooler and then we're due for thunderstorms later.

[00:05:48]That's a lot here, isn't there? I thought it would take me 5 minutes past two.

[00:06:00]Be careful of the ants. There's a blank wall there for someone. You can't really see in here because the tree, but yeah, that's what it said on that sign that she comes and trims all these down.

[00:06:19]Oh, look at that Chinese dragon. That's pretty. [sighs] That's really pretty.

[00:06:29]And a pretty goldfish. So, that's it for the art installation.

[00:06:34]So, this is all um to do with the massive dam. I'm not entirely sure if we're going to get there or not cuz yesterday there was thousands of people there, which was Saturday and it's obviously Sunday today, so it might not be possible. So, I'm going to go try and have some breakfast. I had two meals yesterday, which was an improvement on the last few days. Um and see how we get on for today. Okay, we're on the bike.

[00:07:01][music] I'm going to go into Croninburg and have a little look just while it's cool [music] enough to leave dog and then obviously around for the rest of the day to make sure he's okay. He's [music] very sleepy. I'm very sleepy still, but these hacks are amazing. So, we're thinking [music] about moving maybe a little bit later. Um going towards [music] Mosul.

[00:07:25]It's about an hour away. And Steve is going to have a look at my wheel. And then obviously we'll be in a [music] more populated area in order to um maybe get a [music] garage if necessary.

[00:07:42]This [music] is a great cycle.

[00:07:49]I'm obviously [music] quite slow compared to most people.

[00:07:54]So, it's only a six minute [music] cycle to the dam. I wanted to go and have a look. Well, it's early and not loads of [music] people. So, that's my kind of little plan for this morning.

[00:08:07]Oh, it's nice that wind on you. [music] So, yeah. Have a look. Ali is not open.

[00:08:12]Nothing's open in Germany on a Sunday.

[00:08:15]That was fun, [music] isn't it? I've got enough water to last me for today, I think.

[00:08:21]People are speeding along. I'm just kind of [music] having a little mossy looking at. See, look at the wind turbines. There's zero wind today, but later we are predicting thunderstorms.

[00:08:43]Don't know what that means.

[00:08:45]>> [music] [music] >> I've got my bike pump in my bag just [music] in case.

[00:08:59]Now paranoid. I check the tire. It's not gone down. So I think it's possibly just air pressure. It's the reason [music] it's gone down.

[00:09:09]Oh, look at this. This is cool.

[00:09:17]5 minutes away.

[00:09:27]Still going. [music] Only got 4 minutes and then we kind of double back on ourselves. Presumably [music] it's on the road, but I figured that's why I come out nice and early.

[00:09:36]There's no traffic and uh yeah, nice and cool.

[00:09:42]And then I can go back and get some breakfast cuz I'm pretty hungry. But sometimes it just works [music] out better to do it this way.

[00:09:50]This must be slightly cute.

[00:10:03]Yeah. My uh somebody advised [music] me that I was um doing wrong putting WD40 [music] on the chain cuz it's not a oil.

[00:10:14]Um I [music] didn't have any clue. I just figured it was better than now.

[00:10:20]It seems to be all right. I've always got Steph and Catherine. [music] They've got bikes who can come and rescue me and tell me. [music] But yeah, biking is a massive thing.

[00:10:30]There's always a side shop. [music] It's just a case of maybe having to find a mechanic. I'm a little bit worried about you can do a wheelbearing on the motor home. This was the occasion [music] box of that. So, it should be fairly simple. It's just a parts, isn't it?

[00:10:51]So, the [music] parking is just down here. And it was absolutely rammed yesterday. I'm [music] going to have a little go cuz I' got to go this way anyway.

[00:11:01]But yeah, this I'll show you where we drove down. And then the air is just down at [music] the bottom here.

[00:11:08]People all [singing] along there already with umbrellas and everything.

[00:11:14][music] That's the sh I hate doing things like we go around.

[00:11:23][music] high this is now. That's how busy it is.

[00:11:44][music] Got some problem yesterday cuz I've got two people in my busy home. People come down a lot. Yeah. All along here there's [music] cars and parks.

[00:12:00]It must be going up here.

[00:12:07][music] Okay, this is the dam. So all along here you've got people with pedalos and [music] yeah, it was absolutely bonkers.

[00:12:19]It's beautiful though, isn't it? Look at it.

[00:12:22]Croninburg dam. This is have to get off at the bottom and take some pictures. I think [music] that sun is not too burning yet.

[00:12:34]So, we're all right for a little bit.

[00:12:37][music] It's currently half 9.

[00:12:47]Yeah, it's telling me that I need to go to somewhere else, but I saw this and this is where we saw all [music] the people. So, I thought I'd just come down here for a little look.

[00:13:00]Oh, wow. This is cool.

[00:13:07]Looks like you can [music] cycle down the bottom there as well.

[00:13:13]Oh, no, there's a gate. It's obviously [music and singing] private.

[00:13:19]>> [music] >> Okie dokie. So, we're going to go and have a little look at Croninburgg, which is in this direction. [music] But, I just wanted to come and show you the dam, which is there.

[00:13:31]That's beautiful, isn't it? It's no wonder people are [music] all here on the weekend on top cuz you can swim in all of this. And obviously, they've got like loads of pedos and umbrellas that you can hire, which is good.

[00:13:45]some other gear. So, I go down here and then go [music] left.

[00:13:53]My [music] right and left brain is kind of is currently working hard at the moment. I've only got it wrong once.

[00:14:03]I'm just He's happy he's living for a board with his dog. That's really cool.

[00:14:08]That's a cool way to [music] do it, isn't it?

[00:14:14]Yeah, it' be nice if these thunderstorms arrive [music] tonight cuz apparently the temperature is going down to like 15° which I've been much more comfortable sleeping and it means the van will cool down quicker.

[00:14:26]Well, then obviously I'm a little bit worried about my batteries cuz I'm only on about 50% and in this weather the [music] fridge is using at the moment more solar than I'm getting. So, [music] it's getting a bit of a problem. The problem is um when it's this hot, the solar panels [music] are not charging to the full capacity cuz they're just getting too hot and overheating. Well, I might have only got one sol. [music] Yeah, we drove down here yesterday.

[00:15:06]So, it looks like it's getting a little bit busy.

[00:15:13]Go out and go [music] left.

[00:15:25]This is cool place. I like [music] Disney's picture.

[00:15:39]Okay, [music] I'm probably climbing quite steeply.

[00:15:44]That's not [music] good guy to level three. So, must be actually up on the hill.

[00:15:53]Giving me [music and singing] legs at workout and burning. Get my bike.

[00:16:03][music] We're getting there. 6 minutes away.

[00:16:12][music] Okay.

[00:16:15]This is pretty, isn't it?

[00:16:21][laughter] Out of breath.

[00:16:25]At least [music] it's downhill on the way back.

[00:16:32][music] It's very hard to tell from the camera, but this is a steep hill.

[00:16:37][clears throat] Really [music] quick coming quick for this. I didn't realize it was so high up.

[00:16:48]We're only a few minutes away. So, we'll push through. Going to have a little look around and get back and get some practice.

[00:16:59]Okay, I think I made it. I'm at the top.

[00:17:04]Oh, this [music] is a pretty old place, isn't it? Got to go that way.

[00:17:09]Want to boo? [music] This could be a bit shaky.

[00:17:20]>> [music] >> Sorry. I'm shaking about running out there [music] a little bit, I think.

[00:17:39]I thought they sort of stuff.

[00:17:46]I change your eye by hand just cover [music] the whole feely.

[00:17:58]>> [music] >> I'm walking just because [music] shake around like god knows what [music] ride on there [music] Look at it everybody.

[00:18:30]I'm just going to have a little [music] walk to the B which is up there and I'm turning [music] ahead my way back.

[00:18:41]So stunning. [music] What a beautiful little place.

[00:18:47][music] I think the others are up just having breakfast.

[00:18:57]Oh, look at this house here. It's pink.

[00:19:01]How cute [music] is Germany? Can't believe I've never been.

[00:19:06]Apparently, I'm arriving.

[00:19:16]Oh, look at this.

[00:19:19]Wow.

[00:19:22]So the village itself [music] dates back to 1277.

[00:19:26]It's a medieval village well preserved half timbered houses and castle ruins [music] that survived centuries of shifting through political borders.

[00:19:36]Just trying to read that including Spanish, [music] French and German rule.

[00:19:40]Today it functions as a romantic arts and hiking destination.

[00:19:45]In the middle ages from the 13th to 16th century. [music] It was first documented in 1277. It was a fortified hill castle and surrounding settlement were built by the lords of in [music] the 16th and 19th centuries.

[00:19:58]It was ruled by the council of Luxembourg for centuries. The village eventually came under French control [music] in 1795.

[00:20:06]Following the confiscation of the estate by the French, the castle was auctioned off in 1809 and subsequently used by the locals as a quarry. During World War II, the [music] surrounding area suffered damage and the village became covert treat for the Nazi leaders who invested heavily in the region to store looted art. [music] It's now named the Golden Village. The medieval town center was preserved as cultural [music] heritage site housing art galleries and held for visitors. This is interesting.

[00:20:37]So, it's a partly [music] restored sandstone cross stands 3 m high and dates from the 18th [music] century. For generations, it has been one of the station's traditional Catholic processions. Here in today [music] is decorated with a carpet of flowers at the feast of Corpus Christi.

[00:20:54]The sacrament niche was [music] a shell motif and the ring's angel's head and large spirals on the side of the typical [music] elements of the Baroque period and they symbolize this flies everywhere. They [music] symbolize the path of faith as a pilgrimage under the divine protection. The relief of the grapes refers [music] to the sacraments of your Christ, the last supper and thus enduring presence of Christ. So this is it.

[00:21:24]And you can [music] see the grapes in the middle.

[00:21:27]That's beautiful, isn't it? Okie dokie.

[00:21:29][music] Let's head down this scary hill.

[00:21:39]Yeah. [music and singing] tire is a little bit short of there. I think I think it's just the heat that's making it dissipate, but it's not it's not waving [music] from side to side on a break. So, we should be all right getting down here. But, I'm going to concentrate turn the camera off because it's a little bit steep. Okie dokie. We're back on the road.

[00:22:03]My gears [music] down a little bit.

[00:22:07]4 minutes away [music] from home. Yeah, Corona bug is beautiful. I'm sorry I'm not doing like much history [music] at the moment, but until I can leave Dub for any significant period of time, I'm just basically um scooting [music] out whilst the camp, whilst he's being looked after or whilst it's cool enough.

[00:22:26]Oh, listen to that wind. It's nice riding the bike and [music] uh and that's what I'm doing. Just the priority of my dog is first before videos, unfortunately. [music] But I'm still videoing cuz I still need to earn money.

[00:22:51]Now [music] Steve found this park, but fortunately, and I hadn't saved it.

[00:22:54]Fortunately, I found it [music] cuz I knew he said it was on parked for night. But yeah, that was a mistake, wasn't it? Otherwise, I'd be ringing him going, "How do I get back?" [music] He'd be well at the hood.

[00:23:11]So, I came from [music] that way from the dam, but my thing is taking me this way. So, we'll maybe go a different route back.

[00:23:18]See where it takes us.

[00:23:20]Oh, it's taking us up the road, I think.

[00:23:22][music] Right. So, a high gear so I can get up this hill.

[00:23:30][music] Oh, houses are beautiful, aren't they?

[00:23:34]Look at that. like a mini castle.

[00:23:40][music] It's actually nice riding [music] the bike at the moment.

[00:23:50]Like I said, it's going to be significantly cooler [music] today.

[00:24:01]>> [music] >> Now [music] it's climbing again. [music] I can see the cycle is running just along the side.

[00:24:24]No, I think [music] I should have done the road.

[00:24:29]>> [music] >> motorcycle.

[00:24:35]Let's try it. Nice and shady. [music] I don't [music] know if Google Maps is wrong cuz this looks like the cycle path.

[00:25:13]Maybe [music] it's a car.

[00:25:16]I don't know. Seem to be climbing quite a steep and I don't think I did on the way out.

[00:25:23]I have to turn Should have gone [music] down the way I know.

[00:25:33]Yeah, this isn't where I am.

[00:25:38]Let's turn around. Suz getting lost in Germany. Just what I need.

[00:25:45][music] All right, I'm turn around. Come on, hit that road where I was supposed to go in the first place. This looks like cars come up here though, doesn't [music] it?

[00:25:58]The way the grass is growing in the middle.

[00:26:01]Don't fancy coming encountering a car to go.

[00:26:08][music] Got to keep moving in weather like this cuz there's so many bugs and they might try to land on me and eat me.

[00:26:17]I sat on the step last night and leaning [music] forward wearing my [singing] jar, my doubles on the floor and my towel just so that I cooled down enough to go to bed. And um I [music] think it was a flying ant bit messed [music] to go in firstly.

[00:26:44]Oopsy.

[00:26:54]Now this is I'm above it.

[00:27:00]So the bridge runs over here.

[00:27:11][music] It's very hilly around here.

[00:27:20]I'm getting [music] hungry now, though.

[00:27:21]So, let's get back. We're only a minute away, so I'm not too far. Got pancakes for breakfast. [music] Yeah, I've had to throw a lot of stuff out of the cupboard. Um, just because it's been [music] so hot on the side of the van, I've been worried about the food, but never mind.

[00:27:45]That must be a little fine.

[00:27:49]There's a minute up here. I'm obviously cycling [music] the road that we came down on in the vans to get to [music] this little car park that we're in.

[00:28:01]Yesterday was a bit of a blur to be honest cuz it was so hot. We couldn't park at two places and then it was a bit like Steve [music] had found it but I didn't know where they were going. So, I was having to stay on his floor to keep with them.

[00:28:16]Yeah. [music] So, the psychopath is running up to the side of me there.

[00:28:21]Anyway, we're nearly [music] at the van.

[00:28:22]I'll pick you up when I'm making breakfast. Just for all the heaters out there. There he is. He's been lay on the floor where it's cooler. He's absolutely fine. The the fan's been on for him. Um, so the van's relatively cool at the moment cuz the sun's not high in the sky. So, yeah. And I've only been out for about half an hour and keep putting ice cubes in his bowls and he quite likes it. You like your icy water? Is it nice? He's had his better. He's had a little walk. He's absolutely fine. I think the others must have gone out.

[00:28:54]I put ice cubes in there before I left and all. So, time for breakfast. I fancy some pancakes. So, that's what I'm going to have. Yeah, I know. I joke that this weather's been good for my healthy eating, but it's not healthy. When it's so hot and you're sweating so much, um, you do really need to replace the salts and electrolytes in your body, the glucose. Um, and not eating is not good for that and make you really, really poorly. So, I think that might be another part of why I got quite ill.

[00:29:21]Maybe it's why I got that migraine.

[00:29:23]Maybe me electrolytes are depleted. I've been bit on my eyelid. Look right there.

[00:29:28]Little boogers. Um, [sighs and gasps] so yeah, making sure he's hydrated and eating and happy. That's just my priority at the moment. Get through the next day. And hopefully the temperatures will start to dip and um I can start to enjoy this summer European adventure once my wheel bearing's sorted. Or if it is the wheel bearing, I think it is. I just have to Steve's going to take the wheel off today and have a look. Put my mind at rest and uh then we are going to have to go somewhere more populated. I think Boo's got a bit of a problem with his leg. Um, so they need a vet. I need a garage. So yeah, we are in the middle of a national park at the moment. So there's a distinct lack of both.

[00:30:06][laughter] But it's beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous.

[00:30:08]I think it's Ephel National Park. I'm not sure if I'm pronouncing near this these things right. Um I think Croninberg pronounced right, but that's gorgeous little place. There's a tiny little car park up there if you're going in a small vehicle. Um but you won't get a van up there. Um, I won't like to [clears throat] drive my van up that windy road that I've just rode the bike up. Not one bit. There we go. Smoked salmon and cheese on American style pancakes. Yum, yum. With my little cheesy salmony companion, aren't you? We just had some cheese. You a good boy.

[00:30:39]See, he's quite cool at the moment.

[00:30:41]We're doing all right so far today. Um, and there we go. He's panting now just cuz he's been running around trying to get my salmon. Yeah. So, I wasn't worried about him last night. We both had a really good night's sleep. So, that was good. Um, I feel a little bit better this morning. A little bit less like I've been hit by a bus, but I can understand why sleep deprivation is a form of torture. The last couple of days I felt like I've been walking around in as a zombie basically. [laughter] I'm okay though. I'm surviving. So, that's all I feel like I've been doing for the past week is surviving this heatwave. And let me tell you that this was I've always loved living in a van.

[00:31:20]Even like when I first moved in one with my husband, loved it. When we got our first old one going away, I loved it.

[00:31:27]But this has made me question whether this is a future thing for me because you can't escape the heat. It's just oppressive in a van. Um it's obviously got nowhere to go. When the sun's overhead, you've got to have the skylight shut because it just beams the heat straight in. Um, [gasps] so yeah, it is one of them things I'm sort of like if the planet continues to get hotter, which it looks like it's going to do. Basically, global warming is a thing despite people thinking it isn't. Our planet's warming up and it's getting warmer. [sighs and gasps] So, is it a longevity thing for me? Um, I really don't know. It's made me question it a little bit. this. Um, I have to say, especially with him, I've been so worried about him over the past week, he's been such a good boy. And I've just, you know, I've had to soak him and put him on cold towels and just try and keep him as cool as possible, but he's been hard, let me tell you. And people saying, "Oh, you could have just gone on the campsite and stopped still." I could have, but we just would have had the same amount of heat. Um, even if I'd gone somewhere perfect, I don't think we'll be in near anywhere perfect with a lake for the dogs cuz a lot of them swimming lakes don't allow dogs in. Um, he he doesn't really like it. He'll go in if it's very shallow for a paddle.

[00:32:45]But even at Lockmore Lake, which went out dead gradually, he barely ever went in the water. Daisy did, but Doug didn't. So, yeah, it's just one of them things. He's just one of them dogs, unfortunately. He doesn't like doing a lot, don't you?

[00:32:58]He likes eating and sleeping.

[00:33:01]So, and sniffing.

[00:33:03]So, yeah, it has made me question my lifestyle choice a little bit for the first time in about four years. So, yeah, it's a bit of a it puts you on a little bit of a I don't know.

[00:33:14][gasps and laughter] I feel a little bit wobbly about it really. Um cuz it scared me a bit.

[00:33:19]That's that's 30 37 38 I think was the hottest temperature but it actually um it was more like the feels like was about 41 42 which is oppressive and impossible when there's no breeze um even if you're out the van and then the van takes so long to cool down you can't sleep at night. So, it's just um for those of you that think this lifestyle is, you know, unicorns and rainbows and beautiful dams and gorgeous lakes, it's it is, but you've also got the other side of it. We've been constantly trying to find water because we've been using so much water to soak the dogs. Um, now I'm fairly low on drinking water. I've got two bottles left. Obviously, I'm with Stephen and Catherine, some right, but I forgot that over here shops are open on a Sunday.

[00:34:07][laughter] So yeah, there's all that to take into consideration if you are thinking about going fulltime in a van. On that note, I'm going to sit and eat my breakfast and spend the rest of the day trying to keep us cool. If the thunderstorms happen, I will pick the camera up and show you what it's like like I did at the other place cuz it was really cool.

[00:34:26]Um, but other than that, I'll thank you all so so much for watching and I'll see you tomorrow. See you later.