Freedombird travels through Europe in Spring 2026 (Part 2)

travelling through Western Europe

Recent Posts

Tuesday 19th May 2026 – a walk into Interlaken….

May 22, 2026
A bit wet overnight and showery into the morning but by the time we were ready to set off out, the rain seemed to have passed on by.

Starting off along the lake side and through the nature reserve….

we then turned inland following the river Aare for a good mile or so through open farmland and then the outskirts, until the weir marked our arrival in Interlaken…..

Interlaken appears to be an upmarket sprawling town with every designer outlet you could think of, dominated by two stations at either end both a hub of activity mostly feeding the tourist industry with lots of little branchlines into the mountains. Lots of open spaces and small well tended gardens add interest to the mostly modern shops and hotels, mixed in with the old….

In the very centre is a huge open field where a constant stream of paragliders come in to land after gliding down through the valley from Harder Klum the 1300m mountain sitting behind Interlaken. Here we had a break and watched the continuous perfectly executed landings with the Jungfrau (4158m one of the highest peaks in Switzerland and claiming the highest railway station in Europe at 3354m) as the spectacular backdrop….

An absolute beauty of a mountain….

Having had our fill, we set off on the same route for our return to site, arriving almost simultaneously with a few drops of rain. A little later as it had dried up again we popped down to the Lakeside for a last little walk and to enjoy the aftermath of the setting sun….

Today’s stats:
- Miles walked – 9
- Cookies for the way back – £7.00
- O/N – £28.00
Monday 18th May 2026 – driving through Switzerland to Interlaken….

May 21, 2026
A little cloudy today but mostly dry for our drive from Vaduz to Interlaken in Switzerland. With the constant back drop of snow capped mountains we made our way, mostly through valleys, so not quite as dramatic as earlier drives but a good bit quicker. We had hoped to take a few stops at the various lakes along the way but it would have meant detours into unknown villages and so we opted to stay on the main road – though we did catch glimpses of Walensee from one of the rest areas on our route…

By mid afternoon we were settled on our Campsite, just outside Interlaken on Lake Thunersee and enjoying an afternoon stroll along the lake….

The east end of Lake Thunersee is a nature reserve with a lovely gravel walkway hugging the shore before heading inland a bit along River Aare….

At the end of the nature reserve we about turned and followed an off shoot of the path out to a viewing point at the end of the lake….

Here we enjoyed a lovely bit of solitude in the sun with just the sounds of birdsong and lapping water and marvelled at the unique shade of blue and clarity of these Alpine waterways before heading back to site along the way we came….

Today’s stats:
- Miles driven – 133
- Miles walked – 5
- Country No – 8
- Groceries – £52.74
- O/N – £29.82
Sunday 17th May 2026 – a day in Vaduz, Liechtenstein….

May 20, 2026
A lovely sunny day as we leave Austria behind and dip our toes into Liechtenstein for a night. My overriding impression was the lushness of this small country completely enveloped by the Alps. The road bobbed in and out of Switzerland with little fanfare just the two countries emblems – the border actually running down the middle of the Rhine as it snakes it’s way down from Germany.

We easily found our park up – a rather scenic train station car park bordered by the small captital of Liechtenstein, Vaduz and the Rhine….

We headed straight into Vaduz and enjoyed a wander around the pristine town, an interesting mix of new and old architecture but all immaculately presented….

The stunning church with it’s cool interior…

The main pedestrianised square and an obligatory Lindt Chocolate shop and yes we did….

High above us the Princely home and castle – home to the Liechtenstein Royal Family, is perched on the hillside overlooking the Capital….

It didn’t take very long, exploring the capital in full so instead of returning to the van we wandered along the footpath / cycle path which shadows this stretch of the Rhine….

Stunning and incredibly peaceful an absolute joy to walk, especially on the lower path which is cycle free and Tilly could happily potter off the lead. We ventured across the footbridge, marked with the national borders and wandered along the Swiss side for awhile before returning for a very peaceful and free night courtesy of the kindness of the country of Liechtenstein….

Today’s stats:
- Miles driven – 76
- Miles walked – 6
- Countries – 3
- O/N – free
Saturday 16th May 2026 – a lovely walk up the Rosengarten Trail from Imst….

May 19, 2026
A bit damp overnight and into the morning as we gathered ourselves together to move on a little further through the Alps. This time though the journey was mostly Autobahn and along the valley floor and by the time we had arrived at our campsite for the night in Imst the sun had joined us.

Not to waste the sun we set straight off, through the village to the start of the Rosengarten Trail (not sure why it is called this as we didn’t see any roses) as recommended by the campsite owner….

Well I would say that the word trail is a little bit on the soft side for what actually followed as we instantly started to climb up some rough hewn steps and a long various hanging plank walkways, following the course of Schinderbach Waterfall….

It was a pretty strenuous climb and though she never complains or visibly seems to tire, poor little Tilly’s legs must have felt it – I know mine did….

As we neared the top, spectacular mountain views could be glimpsed down the gorge and over the trees….

Still we pressed on, no choice really as I think it would be a much trickier hike back down the way we had come….

Beyond this first hill there is the opportunity to continue upwards to the small village perched high above Imst but we have had enough and chose to return to the site via the steep but much less perilous footpath away from the gorge.

A challenging but beautiful walk and the views well worth it….

Back on site (Camping Acktiv Imst) the views are non too shabby either….

This is our last day of our incredible journey through Austria and I realise that we have hardly scratched the surface – but I believe it is always good to leave something worth returning for.

Todays stats:
- Miles driven – 82
- Miles walked – 6 (vertical!)
- Fuel – £80.63
- AdBlue – £14.02
- O/N – £19.63
Friday 15th May 2026 – driving across to Mayrhofer….

May 18, 2026
Still damp again this morning as we prepared to head off a bit further north and west to Mayrhofen. The main part of our journey was a series of mountain passes, firstly taking us over and through the Felbertauern Pass and Tunnel (Toll) where we again drove up into the magical snowy landscape and the accompanying drizzle turned into light snow at the highest points…

A stretch of valley road from Mittesall to the pretty village of Wald im Pinzgau with it’s tidy church and typical Austrian spire…

At this junction the sat nav had designs on us creeping up another mountain pass as a bit of a short cut however it quickly became apparent that it was not at all suitable for us as the road quickly reduced to single track and there was a sign prohibiting vehicles over 2.5t. We parked opposite the church and as the sat nav wasn’t being overly helpful I went and fortunately found some one with sufficient english to point me in the right direction, which did still involve crossing a high pass but at least it was suitable.

Off and up we went, passing Krimml Waterfall, Austria’s highest on the way….

Onwards and upwards (another toll) as we drove over Gerlos Pass and up into the snow again….

The last bit of the journey was event free and on the Autobahn and so we soon arrived in the village of Mayrhofer where it kindly stopped raining and allowed us to get our for a little wander….

Not the most interesting of villages, very geared up for either the winter snow or the summer hiking / cycling with a few bars and restaurants for when you are taking some down time from active outdoor pursuits, but pleasant enough for a nice walk.

We had originally thought to stay a couple of nights but having wandered around we have decided to move on again tomorrow – not least of all because it was a very expensive (for me) site. Even though listed as an ACSI site which should cost 27 euros for the night they insisted that they could only charge on this system for 2 people, making it a hefty 37 euros after environment tax of 4.50 and 2 lots of tourist tax at 3.6 euros – not impressed.

Today’s stats:
- Miles driven – 84
- Miles walked – 6
- Tolls – £23.05
- O/N – £32.04
Thursday 14th May 2026 – a wet and soggy day in Lienz….

May 17, 2026
We were so lucky with the weather yesterday as it was so much better and clearer than forecast – today however it is running true to form with the rain setting in during the night and staying with us most of the day. Sure enough the Grossglockner road is closed today.

By mid afternoon it was still a little damp but we needed to get out for a bit and set off northwards out of town to enjoy the greenery and spring flowers….

Shortly we began to catch glimpses of Schloss Bruck and followed the footpath to get a closer look….

We were able to get up to the front door, unfortunately nobody home, though it does open to the public in the summer months and had a little nosey….

The rain started to come down again, not heavily, but enough to scupper any plans of going any further – on the way back we marvelled at the low whispy clouds hugging the mountains behind the site….

Thoughts of the day:
- Whilst walking I was just thinking about the difference in the properties in France and Italy where shabby chic with the emphasis on shabby exterior wise is so different to the perfectly smooth, precisely painted decorated and very angular properties in Austria….
- The weather in Austria looks a little unsettled for the next few days which could potentially cause us issues on higher ground so we are going to start to make our way across to Switzerland and try our luck there.
Today’s stats:
- Miles walked – 5
- O/N – £26.11
Wenesday 13th May 2026 – driving the Grossglockner High Alpine Road Part 2…

May 16, 2026
Making the most of this wonderful afternoon up here high in the sky we work our way up and over the Hochter Pass – the highest point of this road being 2504m taking the opportunity to pull in just after the road tunnel at the top and capture the stunning scene in front of us and looking down on the road that we have climbed to get here….

Here the snow is banked up at the side of the road where the snow ploughs have kept the road clear and where they have started to pass through and clear fallen or collapsing snow banks – I have set myself a time limit of 5pm to start to make the return trip to ensure that I don’t get caught up in any freeze and I think the park closes around 6 anyway – since 4pm there has been an increase in the arrival of sports cars (the price goes down slightly at 4pm) and we played tag for awhile with these to soft top metallic Golfs….

A little further on, it wouldn’t be a proper road trip without at least one ‘Room with a View’….

By now we are three quarters of the way along this spectacular drive and it is now 5pm, I make the executive decision to turn around and start to make our way back because if we get caught at closing time at the far end the alternative route home is a massive detour….

Having found a nice wide parking area to turn in, we take a last wander and marvel at the sheer beauty of this snowy landscape and how amazing it is to be admiring all the 3000m + from such close quarters. One of my bucket list items is seeing a frozen waterfall now I know that this is not the trip for such a sight but I was still pretty impressed with these icicles clinging onto the rock face….

Of course there were a few more stops on the way down and just look at that road ahead….

What an amazing experience and day, I’m not sure what Tilly makes of the views or even appreciates them at all but she had plenty of opportunity to walk, have a little play in the snow and of course sniff out a couple of Marmots so a good day all round.

Today’s stats:
- Miles driven – 85
- Miles walked – 5
- Entrance ticket – £40.46
- O/N – £26.11
Wednesday 13th May 2026 – driving the Grossglockner High Alpine Road Part 1….

May 15, 2026

As a fine sunny day dawned we suffered a little indecision, I am quite keen to drive the Grossglockner High Alpine Road but after a long driving day yesterday had planned an easy day just wandering locally, however the weather forecast for the next few days is not good with snow likely on the higher ground which will inevitably mean that the Grossglocken road will be closed – so let’s go for it….

We drove the 20 or so miles from Lienz up to Heiligenblut and paid our entrance fee to drive the High Alpine Road to Grossglockner – starting with amazing views down the lush green valley before heading above the snow line…

The driving was challenging with multiple switchbacks constantly either climbing or dipping back down into the valleys but the road itself was good and plenty wide enough for two way traffic so not too daunting and fortunately plenty of lay-bys to pull off and really enjoy the views…

As we crept up higher and higher – reaching 2500m above sea level on several occasions – that is 2 and a half times the height of Snowdon! And still the 3000m + peaks soared above us. It certainly got colder, hovering around 1 or 2 degrees and the views more stunning as the snow deepened, with glimpses of frozen lakes….

At the top of Kaiser Franz Josefs Hohe (2369m) with views across to Grossglockner Peak only just visible – Austria’s highest mountain at 3798m and down onto the mostly frozen Sandersee.

Here we also spotted, well to be fair Tilly sniffed our their presence though she couldn’t see them, a couple of Marmots going about their business – I last saw these in the wild up in the mountains in Canada…

This section of the road ends here and we made our way back down to the main roadway and then continued our trip heading further north and higher still….

To be continued tomorrow….
Tuesday 12th May 2026 – leaving Italy behind and moving on to Austria….

May 14, 2026
Pretty wet overnight though drying up nicely for a final walk down to the beach as we bid a farewell to the stunning Italian coastline and head up into the Dolomite Mountains and eventually into Austria….

Whilst driving through the Italian Dolomites we pause for a while at the stunning Lago di Croce….

Take several quick photo stops at Via Valgrande, Cascata de Pissandalo and on the Passo Monte Croce….

A little further along the Passo Monte Croce we stop to get out and stretch our legs at the Sesto Ski resort (all closed for the season) and enjoy stepping into the snow (in very appropriate footwear) for the first time in a while….

From here it was downwards all the way into Lienz in Austria to our campsite for the next few nights – Camping Falken with 360 degree mountain views….

As it is such a beautiful (if a good few degrees cooler than we have become accustomed – 12 degrees as opposed to 20+) afternoon we take a slow wander down into Lienz for a mooch around….

In the short distance that we have travelled through Austria, we have spotted a few of these tall wooden poles with Christmas trees on the top in the villages – as far as I can google they are an advent feature symbolising Light and Life and decorated and lit up for Christmas – a little odd….

An absolutely stunning drive, interesting with lots of switchbacks and serious climbs and descents but so worth it.

Today’s stats:
- Miles driven – 146
- Miles walked – 5
- Country No – 5
- Fuel – £67.88
- Groceries – £45.18
- O/N – £26.11
Monday 11th May 2026 – and on to Murano and Burano (Venice Part 2)….

May 13, 2026
We continue our visit to Venice with a trip to the Island of Murano – famous for Murano Glass and yes pretty much every shop was selling glassworks of some kind. Tp be honest a lot of it was touristy tat and easy to ignore but there were some outstanding pieces at a fairly outstanding price too….

Murano was like a smaller and much quieter version of Venice, without the gondolas and magnificent buildings but to my mind prettier and more authentic….

And we enjoyed a lovely stroll around the main and back streets until the weather took a nose dive and we decided to seek respite on a water taxi taking us to another island – Burano….

Still raining quite heavily when we arrived so we took shelter until the worst had passed over before wandering around the brightly painted streets and pretty canals….

What an absolute delight – I wonder who decides what colour the houses are painted?

A lovely way to round of our day in Venice and begin to make the longish journey back to site.

Today’s stats:
- Miles walked – 9
- Trip – £29.45
- O/N – £15.38