Tuesday 3 October 2017

Möhnesee & Medebach

Leaving Potts behind with an eye to calling on our way back through we move south eastwards to the Mohnesee


We spend the next three nights here as tranquil as you can get in a dense woodland area with several other vans


After some convincing rainfall the sun comes out and we are able to bike around the full perimeter of the Mohnesee


Morning coffee taken by the lake





All Brit Boys of a certain age will know this film backwards so in preparation for the ride today I watched it last night


Some of our very brave men of 617 Squadron on the night of 16/17 May 1943 saw this sight albeit in moonlight as they made their final approach carrying the 'Upkeep' or Bouncing Bomb as it was called 


Very similar to our own dams of the same (ish) age set in the Peak District


By my reckoning they flew at me in line with that marker and released their packages delivered from Blighty

So many men died that night of a very high flying calibre to try and shorten the war. Surely one of the most 'fantastically conceived ideas' of the campaign but I'm left with that hollow feeling thinking about the loss of life on both sides
Some very interesting reading on the event can be had at Dambusters.org.uk

It was strange walking along the dam with Nina in the sun that day surrounded by the German public of all ages enjoying the Sunday sunshine
Reason being, and the first time in a very long time, I felt proud to be British!




Two thirds down the ride we felt the need....


And later of course...


We move location and land at Medebach


TLC required?
The adjacent garage was working hard on one such restoration


So after a wander around town to check out both the shops (Nina) and a publicised 'closed for the day' Brauhaus (Pete), we discover the Bauhaus has just opened, hurrah!

These three beauties were shot at the Pizzeria over the road shortly afterwards


My salad/kebab pizza which for the record was 'Erste Classe'


In a bid to walk off the calories next day we break out the trekking sticks and head for the hills..
Here's one of many 'Anthills'



Lunchtime in them thar hills..



So if you're not a 'Fungus Fancier' its time to look away...









Yes, actually a mushroom, or is it a toadstool?


Note to Ed....
Buy an Observer Book of Fungi when back in the UK
I'd love to pick and cook them but don't want bellyache (or worse)....










No comments:

Post a Comment