Scottish Winter road trip and beyond to Europe! (Title edit Feb 24)

[mcdonaldneal.]

If you are near Geneva I highly recommend going across the border to Annecy in France. Really nice village and in the old town feels a bit like a little Venice with streams instead of streets and nice cafes and restaurants along the streams and walkways.


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Thanks, good tip but we are heading up to Luzern and then East. Annecy is beautiful though!

 

[Webbah_in_Switzerland]

Thanks, good tip but we are heading up to Luzern and then East. Annecy is beautiful though!

I live in Luzern. If you are looking for tips around here let me know!

If you want a nice almost free spot to camp up I highly suggest Eigenthal. 5 Chf for 24 hours and free from 8PM to 8AM. It's about 20 minutes from Luzern and in the mountains. You can park up right next to a mountain stream and enjoy a nice sleep and wake up to a gorgeous view of the back of Pilatus mountain. Free firewood and a nice firepit and table on the shore of the stream in the forest to boot! Public toilet is available with a water tap if you need to refill the van.

They have a nice "wanderweg" that is both paved or a trail along the stream (choose which side) up the mountain and then you'll find a nice local swiss restaurant that can't be reached by car/van. If you have kids you can take the local farmers Swiss horse and buggy taxi like service there. It's only about a 2km walk and isn't challenging.

Alternatively if you want to be a bit closer to Luzern and park for free lakefront on a lovely and isolated part of the lake head over to Lopperstrasse after Hergiswil. You can park up and stay in any of the areas on the side of the road without issue. It's a very quiet road along the lake with a gorgeous view and no houses, businesses or buildings. I spend quite a few nights there myself as it's a great place to wing foil or SUP when it's summer!

Enjoy!

 

[mcdonaldneal.]

I live in Luzern. If you are looking for tips around here let me know!

If you want a nice almost free spot to camp up I highly suggest Eigenthal. 5 Chf for 24 hours and free from 8PM to 8AM. It's about 20 minutes from Luzern and in the mountains. You can park up right next to a mountain stream and enjoy a nice sleep and wake up to a gorgeous view of the back of Pilatus mountain. Free firewood and a nice firepit and table on the shore of the stream in the forest to boot! Public toilet is available with a water tap if you need to refill the van.

They have a nice "wanderweg" that is both paved or a trail along the stream (choose which side) up the mountain and then you'll find a nice local swiss restaurant that can't be reached by car/van. If you have kids you can take the local farmers Swiss horse and buggy taxi like service there. It's only about a 2km walk and isn't challenging.

Alternatively if you want to be a bit closer to Luzern and park for free lakefront on a lovely and isolated part of the lake head over to Lopperstrasse after Hergiswil. You can park up and stay in any of the areas on the side of the road without issue. It's a very quiet road along the lake with a gorgeous view and no houses, businesses or buildings. I spend quite a few nights there myself as it's a great place to wing foil or SUP when it's summer!

Enjoy!

Wow! Fantastic tips, we will definitely follow those up! Thanks.

 

[mcdonaldneal.]

I had the thermometer out of the window overnight and it was -3deg. Cosy in bed and the inside temp was about 12deg. Heater on 3 overnight.
Pics: you can just see us in the station car park, which went from empty to full between 7:30 and 8:00. The pop top cover was icy but I found space to fold it on the river bank-cold work on the hands though!
We are now driving towards Interlaken, beautiful!

 

[bvddobb]

The pop top cover was icy but I found space to fold it on the river bank-cold work on the hands though!

When our cover or silver screen are really wet or icy (or even frozen stiff...) and cold we no longer bother folding them neatly and putting them into the hatch. Too much hassle. We push them wet and all in one of those big blue IKEA shoppers and throw that in the back. They come out in the evening anyway...

 

[mcdonaldneal.]

When our cover or silver screen are really wet or icy (or even frozen stiff...) and cold we no longer bother folding them neatly and putting them into the hatch. Too much hassle. We push them wet and all in one of those big blue IKEA shoppers and throw that in the back. They come out in the evening anyway...

That’s pretty much what I’ve done, although I like to see out of the back window so I have folded them up. Good call!

 

[mcdonaldneal.]

Wow! What a day, really feel like we’re seeing Switzerland now! Our plans changed several times during the day including cancelled gondolas, rerouting and swithering over a train trip to Kleine Sheidegg…
On the end, we had a brief wander and a coffee in Interlaken and then drove to Lauterbrunnen (gondola closed for brake testing!) drove to the gondola up to Mürren and had a stunning walk along the cliff top with the most amazing views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. Absolutely incredible.
Then a drive in the dark to follow the recommendation of Webbah (almost) and have stopped at the harbour in Hergiswil.

 

[Webbah_in_Switzerland]

Wow! What a day, really feel like we’re seeing Switzerland now! Our plans changed several times during the day including cancelled gondolas, rerouting and swithering over a train trip to Kleine Sheidegg…
On the end, we had a brief wander and a coffee in Interlaken and then drove to Lauterbrunnen (gondola closed for brake testing!) drove to the gondola up to Mürren and had a stunning walk along the cliff top with the most amazing views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. Absolutely incredible.
Then a drive in the dark to follow the recommendation of Webbah (almost) and have stopped at the harbour in Hergiswil.

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Sounds like you had a great day despite the setbacks! We have quite a bit of fog here as you’ve likely noticed. Rather rare. I assume you mean the parking near the Glasi? Careful as they start to charge there as of 8AM I believe. I’m very close to you in fact as I’m parked up in Stansstad for the night as I have an early Zoom call for work and had to escape the newborn at home.


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[mcdonaldneal.]

Sounds like you had a great day despite the setbacks! We have quite a bit of fog here as you’ve likely noticed. Rather rare. I assume you mean the parking near the Glasi? Careful as they start to charge there as of 8AM I believe. I’m very close to you in fact as I’m parked up in Stansstad for the night as I have an early Zoom call for work and had to escape the newborn at home.


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Yes, at the Glasi. We have the parking app, so we will pay (or leave!) before 8am. Very foggy indeed, sleep well!

 

[Webbah_in_Switzerland]

Yes, at the Glasi. We have the parking app, so we will pay (or leave!) before 8am. Very foggy indeed, sleep well!

It’s a bit of a shame you didn’t drive about 5 minutes longer. Lopperstrasse is quite a night but the secret spot I’m at tonight is even better. It’s free during winter too. I’d even recommend coming by here in the morning as there is one of the most beautiful walking paths along the lake with a cliff on one side.

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[mcdonaldneal.]

I have restored an early 1959s Agfa Isolette III camera that belonged to my Grandad (Whose father emigrated from French Switzerland). Lubricated and serviced the lens and rangefinder, and cleaned the shutter mechanism. It takes 120 film and the lens is a good one so I have been taking some pictures on this trip. Very cool to take pictures in the village his grandparents lived in! It’s very involving, using a light meter app on my phone but everything else manual. I’ll be excited to develop the pictures when we get home, but here are a couple of pics of the camera in action (in East Lothian)

 

[mcdonaldneal.]

It’s a bit of a shame you didn’t drive about 5 minutes longer. Lopperstrasse is quite a night but the secret spot I’m at tonight is even better. It’s free during winter too. I’d even recommend coming by here in the morning as there is one of the most beautiful walking paths along the lake with a cliff on one side.

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I can’t work out how to message you Webbah but we’re parked next to you!!

 

[Webbah_in_Switzerland]

I can’t work out how to message you Webbah but we’re parked next to you!!

Ahhh! Give me 2 minutes to get dressed and I’ll step out!


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[Perfectos]

Ahhh! Give me 2 minutes to get dressed and I’ll step out!


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Team Photo ?

 

[mcdonaldneal.]

Team Photo ?

I presume you mean the two buses?!
Webbah has a magnificent camper conversion and it was great to meet the source of our tips and advice! Cheers!

 

[Webbah_in_Switzerland]

I presume you mean the two buses?!
Webbah has a magnificent camper conversion and it was great to meet the source of our tips and advice! Cheers!

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Was a pleasure to meet both of you and the cat! Have a safe journey onward to Croatia!


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[mcdonaldneal.]

After our ‘atmospheric’ night near Luzern and a similarly foggy walk in the old town we basically headed East past more dramatic lakes and then up and up into the mountains again. More spectacular scenery and some very long mountain passes, although the roads are good and wide. Easy driving on the way up (but the brakes take a hammering on the way down!)
Medo nonplussed as ever.

 

[mcdonaldneal.]

#and when the snow falls we’re found in St Moritz
With the others of the jet set
And we sip our Napoleon brandy
But we never get our lips wet (no we don’t)#

Apologies to Peter Sarstedt but thanks to him for the tip! St Moritz was an unexpected delight. Everyone skating, skiing or walking on the frozen lake and a beautiful old part of town. Plenty of evidence of ostentatious wealth to be seen, particularly the chauffeur driven Rolls Royces at the train station. Absolutely fascinating!

 

[mcdonaldneal.]

Some more pictures of St Moritz…

 

[mcdonaldneal.]

Car park camping doesn’t seem to be encouraged in this region but we had a couple of false starts finding campsites on Park4night (closed when it said they were open). Luckily we just looked them up rather than drove! Anyway, we tried the campsite just outside of St Moritz just as it was closing and got a space (it’s pretty busy though!)
So, we’re insulated up, plugged in, topped up with water and have cobbled together a dinner of paneer, chickpea curry and sweetcorn. Actually delicious!
-6deg forecast tonight, but who cares?!

 

[chockswahay]

I’m curious, can I ask what tyres you have and are you using chains?

 

[mcdonaldneal.]

I’m curious, can I ask what tyres you have and are you using chains?

Michelin Cross Climate 2 All season. Very good indeed on snow and ice and I can’t be doing with changing them twice a year! I have chains in the boot but the roads are totally clear here. Doesn’t look like any recent snow.

 

[chockswahay]

Michelin Cross Climate 2 All season. Very good indeed on snow and ice and I can’t be doing with changing them twice a year! I have chains in the boot but the roads are totally clear here. Doesn’t look like any recent snow.

You probably know why I asked Fantastic! thank you

 

[mcdonaldneal.]

You probably know why I asked Fantastic! thank you

I do now!
I will check tread and wear once we get home. We have 235s on and they’ll probably have about 3000 miles by then (or more!)
I will post on the Michelin CC2 thread then.

 

[mcdonaldneal.]

Cabin (next to the canvas) and outside temp this morning. Heater on 3 overnight.