Date: 13-14th June 2022
Travelled: 200 kms from York to Hull/ Rotterdam to Arnhem,
Visited: Kasteel de Haar, near Utrecht
Stayed: Arnhem Marina, โฌ9 for 24 hours, N51.97340, E05.91570ย
Budget: 20 days @ โฌ110 per day
So our last morning here in the CMC site in York has arrived. Pam has enjoyed her 30 minute showers twice a day for the last 4 days, but itโs back to 30 seconds and out you get. I really feel our stay here has helped my recovery. The pain and discomfort are virtually gone.
We say goodbye to our neighbours and make for road. First task of the day is to fill our tanks with LPG and diesel, that done we find a Tesco and fill the fridge and larder up with what we know will be hard to find in Europe such as cardinal cheddar cheese, decent cracker biscuits, Wiltshire ham and english pork sausages and a few other odds and ends. A bit of pre-planning is good as pickled herrings are only exciting for the first couple of days.
In brief the passage is as smooth as can be, just how Pam likes it. We have a pizza and a round of drinks ยฃ20 which we thought reasonable. Went to the theatre and watch a group performing for an hour, they were pretty good as well. We return to our room at a reasonable time and watch E1 of S2 of The Great, starring Elle Fanning who continues to be delicious.
We wake to the sound of breakfast being served in the dinning room, but we settle for some fruit in our room waiting for the call that the vehicle deck is open. By 9am we have our passports stamped and we hit the freeway system around Rotterdam on the wrong side of the road. Pam is controlled and considerate as she screams to me to keep to the right and danger round-about ahead, Dr Smith.
We eventually stop at a service centre carpark just off the A12, I make a coffee followed by some bacon, mushrooms and tomato on toast and we let the adrenalin subside. We set the GPS for Kasteel de Haar near Utrecht and get our first adventure in the Netherlands happening.
Arriving at Kasteel De Haar we find a spot in the carpark (โฌ6) and walk to the castle gates picture above. You can check out the link above, but our guide book describes De Haar as the largest and most imposing in the country. We pay the โฌ18pp entry fee and go in to decide for ourselves. In brief the castle dates back to 1391, it was inherited by Etienne van Zuylen van Nyevelt van de Haar in 1892 who with his extremely wealthy wife set out to rebuild it in the most opulent style. Iโll let the photos talk.
Having walked the gardens and waterways surrounding the castle the beauty, style and flamboyance continues. The castle rooms are furnished as though the owners had just walked out the door.
We have seen a few castles and stately homes on our travels and the Kasteel De Haar is up there with the best. The gardens are a wonderful to explore as well.
The castle done we return to the Hymer and set the GPS for a motorhome parking place in Arnhem. We stayed here once before about 5 years ago, itโs cheap, has a view and itโs reasonably close to tomorrowโs adventures. It also takes less than an hour and it has been a long day.
We spend the rest of the day resting, blogging and catching up on some emailsโฆand watching the barges go by.
Michael + Pam
