Lahnstein, in the Rheinland Palatinate, is a town of some 18,000 people which sits at the confluence of the Rhein and Lahn rivers. Although we drove through the town many times during trips out to Boppard, Koblenz and Rheinbach (more about those places later), we didn’t get to wander the town itself. We’ll correct that some time in the future because this is an area we will most certainly return to.
We’d booked into Camping Wolfsmu:hle on the banks of the River Lahn for a couple of nights. The site is conveniently placed for visits to various small towns and villages along the Rhein and Moselle Rivers and, initially, we had it in mind to visit Boppard (on the Rhine) and Koblenz (at the confluence of the Rhine and the Moselle). However, we were so impressed with the site that within an hour or two of settling in we asked to stay an extra night with a view to also visiting Cochem (on the Moselle). Our pitch, the setting and the camp facilities were all first class but it was the welcome we received from the kindly site manager (Gerd) and the Dutch family managing the camp restaurant-bar that really made the place. Without any doubt, Camping Wolfsmuhle is worthy of inclusion in our list of ‘most excellent campsites’.
As it happened we managed to see Boppard (and a blog follows) but the planned visits to Koblenz and Cochem gave way to a lengthy and time consuming search for a ‘Schaukelstuhl’. I should explain that a few days beforehand, Vanya had seen a camping style rocking chair which she coveted. It was a Berger Soria Rocking Chair (a Berger Schaukelstuhl) and, having discovered the manufacturer and model, Vanya also identified a number of retail outlets within a 40 mile radius that should sell them. We wasted the best part of a day hunting this blessed chair down but none of the outlets we visited had any in stock (because they were on offer and had sold like hot cakes). In the end, I telephoned the Fritz Berger Retail Outlet in Rheinbach (which we would pass on our way further north) and they agreed to hold one for me until I arrived. Bless them.
We made it to Rheinbach and Vanya secured her rocking chair but we’ll have to return next year if we are to see Lahnstein, Koblenz and Cochem. Fingers crossed for next year.
