Yes we are still peddling along the Moselle and we could have finished today but hubby decided a night in the prettiest Moselle village before we complete the Moselle would be lovely. So here we are in Winningen 12 kms to Koblenz so we will definitely finish tomorrow. …I hope.

We had hardly left Cochem before the dreaded diversion sign came up. We had 3 options on the signpost, that had never happened before;option 1 catch a train for this section, option 2 go up very steeply to a high valley road, we’d just set off so didnt fancy going straight into a tough climb, option 3 cross the river on the next bridge, follow diversion signs then catch the ferry back. Option 3 seemed the way to go, and it was well signposted. So after 4kms we were at the small pedestrian ferry where a couple of cyclists told me they’d been waiting half an hour and had rung the bell several times.The signpost said the ferry only runs Fridays and weekends it was Wednesday, but surely it was running because of the diversion. Hubby checked in the drivers cab of the ferry on the other side via his camera noone was there. No ferry. Ahead was a dirt track through the woods signposted to Treise Karden where the german couple said there was another bridge.It had been raining most of the night so it was going to be a muddy ride.

The couple set off ahead of us but there narrow tyres meant the going was very hard for them. Tough road breezed through the track and my Thorn coped well, we’d been on worse but not had a muddy stream crossing before.Attractive woodlands so we quite enjoyed our unexpected diversion. We had to stop to take raincoats off but met up with the couple again at the end of the track who told us which direction to go very helpful.They had a map we didnt!The husband was really struggling as he had a knee problem he told me and could only manage flat tracks!!

We stopped for our morning tea so didnt meet up with them again.At the cafe was another middle aged couple the husband was wincing every time he moved and they looked shattered. I got chatting to them and they were doing a 5 day round trip down the Saar linking via Rhine to Moselle, 500kms in 5 days; madness.I don’t think they’d be doing any sightseeing on that schedule. I didn’t ask where the husband was in pain as his saddle didnt look very good…

Today I wanted a decent lunch yesterday I’d had soup as that was all the cafe had and the day before Id ordered scampi thinking of the nice calamari we get in Australia nooo I got the deep fried battered things.So we stopped at a very nice restaurant but no lunch special .We remembered  that german lunch specials are often a plate of pasta, discussion finished, and  I wanted  fish anyway.They threw in the daily soup cream of asparagus, in with lunch anyway and I had a yummy whole trout baked with almonds and a lovely salad and spuds, proper food.Hotel Traube , Lof excellent food and reasonable price just before Kattenes and overlooking river, well there is road aswell.

Quite a bit of cycling next to roads but you were also directed through small villages which were quite attractive.One section was right next to the steep vineyards with warnings to cyclists to look out for rockfalls, hopefully you’d hear it!!

Another feat of german engineering again with one of those really high motorway bridges across the gorge.This one was completed so operational.Yesterday we saw a new tunnel being built for the railway that should have been finished last year. It was started in 1916 then abandoned  and then kept prisoners of war working jn the tunnel in the 1940s.  Maybe its jinxed.

We arrived in Winningen famous for its winewitch and big wine festival.We followed a sign to a guest house at the top of a hill of course . Very nice guest house big room, garage for bikes, and even your own fridge.

We then did our walk around the village no supermarket alas but the bakers did sell milk and we had stocked up with supplies yesterday in Cochem.Some youngsters were practising their flutes in the church really good, yesterday we’d listened to a school concert on the way up to the castle.Plenty even at least 30 wine cellars in this village so you could easily enjoy a days wine tasting here, the hill afterwards could prove a challenge..

Gastezimmer Wendt 60 euros a night incl breakfast It seems brand new.

Raiffenstrasse 12

Winningen Mosel

Tel 026061688