Thursday 9 August 2012

Thur. 9 Aug. Roudnice nad Lad Labem to Litomerice.


We were a bit slow leaving Roudnice nad Labem so it was almost 9:00am by the time we left the N end of the bridge over the Labe to follow cycle route 2. We thought with such a low number, 2, all navigation problems would be at an end. We were wrong!

All was well for the first few km. a one lane road through farmland to Cerneves. However in Cerneves we saw cycle route 2 signs indicating a right turn whereas our Viewranger maps with GPS suggested we carry straight on, which we did, as it was a much quieter road. We were following the exact cycle route 2  on our map but there were no more track markers and the road gradually became quieter. Then the seal finished. Then the ruts in the dirt track became fainter and overgrown with weeds. The nettles grew to chest height and the track disappeared at the edge of a ploughed field. We were in a small wood near the river bank for a while. We had gone so far on the track we didn't want to turn back. We did eventually pick up the remains of the track again and finished up,  back with cycle route 2 in Lounky. Route 2 has obviously been re-routed. 

We found a little shop with a woman who appeared not to really want to sell anything.  We wanted orange juice but all she had was orange concentrate and bottled water.I did eventually get something called Grep in a beer bottle which was very refreshing. Shiel shared the bottle as we thought we couldn't finish two bottles.

One of the advantages of our deviation was that we flushed out two small deer from the undergrowth.

Our last stop of the day was at Kresice where we had a beer and an orange in a pub and then crossed the road to some park seats where we aired and then powdered our feet. We've already finished our first tub of Neat Feet.

There then followed a short bit of  hairy road walking before the route returned to the N bank of the Labe. On approaching Litomerice we were next to the railway line, a less than electrifying experience so as soon as feasible we crossed the line and took a short cut up to our hotel. At first it was a bit worrying as what started as a sealed road was soon blocked by bollards to become a double grass track. Then it became a single path running above allotments. We anxiously awaited the appearance of nettles but it was not to be. Everything turned out OK this time and the short cut turned out to be an excellent path to our hotel. Appropriately our hotel is named The Labe. We are on the 10th floor with good views but no wi-fi. (Pronounced here wee-fee.)

We are having two more days in Litomerice so we can visit Terezin and Shiel can see a bit more of the Olympics on TV. Today we saw a horse with four white feet take it's rider to Olympic gold.

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