Back in the west

We reluctantly left Rugen  last Friday - it may well prove to be the highlight of the trip, beautiful scenery, perfect weather, quiet campsite with its own little beach, what more could you want?  We have since made a short tour of several picture

sque towns - all of them formerly belonging to the Hanseatic league - a mediaeval trading association/cartel, so very wealthy. Kings Lynn was once a member too. We spent another night at Stralsund, which improved no end once we weren't expecting anything interesting and knew how to avoid the major building works.  A beer, followed by fish and chips overlooking the harbour, all in warm evening sunshine gave us quite a rosy glow.
Next up was Wismar, really beautiful with street upon street of restored and painted gabled houses.  Then Schwerin, with its amazing castle on the lake but otherwise a bit drab and, you've guessed it, major relaying of the tram system. But we later found one of our best 'stellplatz' for the night, a quiet little 10 pitch site overlooking the lake, just outside the town.  Finally we spent a day in Luneberg, again very pretty. To get there we had to cross the river Elbe, which is still running very high and with lots of flooding in the fields.
Now we are in the middle of nowhere on the Luneberg Heath - at a village called Muden/Ortze. We have had two days cycling - its a bit like a bigger and slightly more natural looking Thetford Forest.  Yesterday en route we found a small museum about the Berlin Airlift, at the former RAF base at Fassberg.  Today we saw some special Luneberg sheep - only sheep, but we were quite pleased to see them as there aren't that many. Also lots of red squirrels about - why are they so much more attractive than the grey sort?
And the weather? The temperature has dropped by about 12 degrees (so it is cold for the end of June!) but it is still OK with some sun.  Tomorrow we are moving on to Celle, only about 30 miles away, then some longer driving days to get to St Omer on Monday.

At Stralsund

Schwerin castle

Site with a lake view