Würzburg - Wipfeld 29 - 30 June

With the prospect of going through 7 locks, we started early, early, at 6.30 am, in a gentle rain. We had to fill up with diesel for the first time since Oberwinter, 15 th June. Today we were not so lucky with the locks. We first got stuck behind a barge, Heinz Hoffman, and later a barge Artemis. The barges travel slowly on this windy river so we did not get to our planned destination before 18.30. But, once again, we were surprised that the completely unknown to us ( and probably to most people) town Wipfeld turned out to be absolutely charming.

The 12 hours actually went quite quickly because we are always either preparing for the next lock, sitting in the lock developing very strong biceps, or grabbing some breakfast or lunch before the next lock.

One exiting thing I saw on the way was a bird (duiker in my language) caught an eel and the two of them were really battling it out. I did not see the end result but I wonder who ate who in the end.

Still in Würzburg

The sun came out on Sunday evening and we tok the chance to see the Residence and the beautiful gardens. The Residence was the place where the film, The Three Musketeers was filmed, according to one of the guys at the marina. But on a more serious note the Residence was built for the Fürstbischofs from 1790. A baroque building built be Johann Baltharzar Neumann.  Napoleon called it Europe biggest Pfarrhaus, rectory in English? Today listed as a UNESCO world heritage site.

Another view of the Residence.

The town of Wipfeld from the church on the hill. There is a vineyard below the church which according to an notice has vines from the 16 th century. Well, that is what we could understand. The German they speak here is very different from our " school German". 

We are in Bayern and everyone is more than happy to talk to us in the bayrish dialect. We don't understand much what they say but we are not alone. People from other parts of Germany cannot understand them either.

Die Markplatz in the centre of Wipfeld. The town had a bakery and a butcher, but no supermarket. It had quite a few weinguts where one can buy the local wine. From the notice boards in the town we read that there are wine festivals, walks through vineyards, a literary society amongst other things. There is a Greek restaurant right next the the marina and the sport club, where we ate a well deserved meal after our 12 hour trip.

Early morning walk in Wipfelt to Schloss Klingenberg.  Carl found this castle in the forest with a long history, amongst others, it was totally destroyed in the Bauernkrieg 1525. We have learnt all about the Bauernkrieg in Würzburg. Rebuilt 1543 and now privately owned.

Marina Wipfeld. In the tented clubhouse you helped yourself to beer and local wine at very reasonable prices. How about a 1 liter Franken , Sylvaner Trocken from the Lother Weingut in Wipfeld at 5 €. 

LB

The early morning bathroom run, marina Wipfeld.