Thursday 5th November – Heiligenstadt, Germany

I had spotted a stellplatz in Heiligenstadt that looked interesting. The Bord Atlas and Park4Night both mentioned that it was new and had very good facilities. It was also on route to Bamberg where we were hoping to visit.
We had a relaxed start and continued our journey along the Wiesent valley and, as the road was very quiet, we could take our time. The autumn browns, reds and vibrant yellows painted the scenery and we stopped a number of times to admire the views. A large layby gave us an opportunity for a coffee stop and a walk. A small wooden pedestrian bridge allowed me to cross the river to a railway line. This is a small preserved steam railway that has now closed for the season. A rail vehicle was parked on the line ready to maintain the track during the closed season. On my walk back, a man got in and drove it off down the line.
Eventually, the landscape started to open out a little and we left the valley heading to Heiligenstadt. Although not as spectacular as the Wiesent Valley, Heiligenstadt is pretty with a small river running through it and wooded hills on either side. It even has its own castle, Schloss Greifenstein, that sits above the town.
The stellplatz is on the edge of the town next to a swimming lake and is very pleasant. Six generous pitches are provided with electricity available if required. There is no charge for overnight stays but dumping, water and electricity are chargeable. There is a public toilet block on the site and even a shower chargeable at €1 for 5 minutes. It is all very new and in excellent condition.
We chose a pitch and then walked the very short distance into the town. Jane spotted that there was a sign saying that parking was not allowed in the market square tomorrow. That made us wonder what was happening as it wasn’t their market day. I spotted a poster in a nearby house that told us that there was a ‘Rathaussturm’ in the square tomorrow, starting at the strange time of 18:11. Translating the poster, we discovered that the ‘Holy City Snails’ invited us to a carnival parade, a performance by dance groups, music and refreshments. It all sounded intriguing and gave us a problem – should we stay for three nights to see the Rathaussturm?
Photos: This house is built into the cliff and the small building on the right is a mill, probably a saw mill – behind me is a traffic sign warning of falling rocks, which could well be a problem for the house owners; Another rock formation at Tuchersfeld; The rail maintenance vehicle; The swimming lake by the stellplatz in Heiligenstadt; The unusual interior of St. Vitus and St. Michael (built 1168 as a fortified church) with its double balcony; And its painted ceiling; The maypole in the market square was erected by the local fire brigade and, if you look very carefully, you will see two fireman’s boots nailed onto the pole.