07 May 2019

Cruising the Rhine

My cruise took me from Eltville north west on the Rhine to Boppard - a return trip of 120kms taking 9 hours.  While there were many stops on the way, our boat with a capacity of 600 was never more than 10% filled.  Most of the time there were about 10 of us...so it was a quiet trip with plenty of time to absorb the scenery and reflect!



Frank, my Dad, always said that Anton had chosen his land on the Macleay because it remained him of his homeland.  Many years ago, I'd cruised a short distance around the Loreley Rock (red starred) but no further east.  I couldn't see the similarly then but I now do!  The terrain from east of Bergin (green starred) is flatter and meandering.  
Aldavilla on The Macleay
Shoreline at Eltville
Eltville to Oestrich-Winkel - grapevines lining the shore

It's 9km between Eltville and Osetrich-Winkel.  Margaretha Gersbach (nee Songen) birth was registered in Osetrick-Winkel as were many of her and Anton's family.  Maybe the families lived on land between the two town?  

Beautiful towns, churches, castle ruins and grapevines were the order of the day...Rüdesheim, Bingen (where Hildegard lived and worked), Bacherach, Oberwesel and Boppard are all down for a later visit!

Boppard - my return point
Loreley - not the most picturesque part of the journey but best known perhaps
And one shot to prove that it's not all coffee and pastries before many of the scenery along the way...



Near Rüdesheim 

Trechtingshausen
Lorch - 542km from?
Oberwesel

Kaub
 

Sankt Goarshausen

Kamp-Bornhofen
Sankt Gar an der Loreley 
Thought to was a small chapel until I noticed the train line...