En-route to the Netherlands

More or less our route per a satnav, not as per Google Maps.
The journey took a lot longer too! 

Nature continued with her 'show' overnight as well as showering the earth.  It was still raining when we got up this morning.  We should have appreciated it but packing up a soggy tent is not fun at all, and it was drizzling a bit too.  Fortunately most things had been packed into the car already, saving us a further 'wet' headache.  We will have to set up the tent when we get back to the Netherlands so that it can dry out otherwise it will smell and mildew will prosper.  Ditto the ground sheet.

Jungfernsprung

After checking out of the campsite we were soon on our way heading, in a zigzag route, back to the Netherlands.  We headed in a west northwesterly direction towards the Großglockner Pass, stopping now and then to take photographs.  The satnav kept on complaining about our route but we continued doggedly on.  It was only when we got closer to Großglockner Pass that we discovered why the satnav had been putting up such a fuss.  The road (Großglockner High Alpine Road) through the Pass was a toll road (which we didn't know) and we had set the satnav to avoid toll roads.  I hope the satnav forgave us...

Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse

We decided to pay the hefty toll fee of €35.50 and were determined to make the most of the 45km route.  Despite the poor weather conditions we were not disappointed.  Beautiful valleys, rivers and waterfalls, and clouds billowed up and down the mountainsides.  At a high viewpoint (also called Bikers Point) one would be able to see up to 30 mountain peaks on a clear day but we couldn't see much due to the rain.  There was still ice and snow on some of the peaks.  What we saw, as negotiated the hairpin bends, was breath-taking and I was overcome with emotion.  Here is the website where you can look at the views via webcam:  https://www.grossglockner.at/gg/en/webcam

It was quite late when we got through the pass but we were determined try and cross the border into Germany before looking for a place to stay overnight.  We eventually found a hotel near Ingolstad.  It was a new experience for me.  The reception wasn't manned and we could book a room and pay for it via a screen near the front entrance.  Once paid a room number and pin code (for the room door) was allocated to us.  Unfortunately there were no double rooms available so we ended up booking a family room.  The room is basic but comfortable and clean. There is a narrow staircase up to another floor which had 2 single beds whereas the main room downstairs had a double bed.

Time for some zzz.  Tomorrow we should arrive back in the Netherlands.

More Photos

Jungfernsprung

Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse