Břasy CZ to Karstein CZ

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Břasy CZ to Karstein CZ

Motorhome Journey Břasy CZ to Karstein CZ

Another warm and sunny day and a lazy morning researching public transport to Prague. Several young people come to the water column to fill their bottles with water, some girls do not speak English but understand the hand gesture of ‘to pay’. Mr C. speaks to a young man who has been learning English for 2 years and he explains about the buses into Prague, his ability to speak English is very impressive.

After lunch we service Hymer, emptying the tanks but no need to fill with more water. We leave Ultramarinka and the small town of Břasy around 1.15pm on the same road we came in, R233 turning east on R234 towards Radčem where we turn north on R2342 through Plískov to Zbiroh. Here we drive up the hill and park at the Chateau. In its time it has been spectacular but the main part now has been turned into a luxury hotel. We enquire about a tour (there are only guided tours… in Czechan no doubt) so we decline. We explore the gardens most of which we suspect have been sold off. What is there is very nice, we enjoy the visit and get on our way.

Google attempts to take us through the main entrance of two stone pillars about 2m apart (Hymer is 2.35m) so we will not fit! Another 3-point turn and out through the tradesman’s entrance, past the police headquarters (with old police cars full of bullet holes…) and back on R236 to the cross country R605 through Zebrák and Zdice to Beroun. Here we turn east on R115 and following the river (Berounka) through Řevnice to Dobřichovice and the campsite next to the River Berounka. It looks idyllic, a wide river, with long weir, children swimming in the river in the warm 24c sunshine. We follow the camping road signs and Mr Google’s direction (both) but we arrive at the incorrect entrance. Mr C. parks up at the side of the road and we walk to the bridge and find the correct road to the campsite (on the other side of the railway).

We cross the bridge at Dobřichovice over the river and then have to wait at a busy level crossing as two trains pass over the road. We turn immediately right at the bed in the road and along the side of the railway to the bridge taking our road under the railway. Whoops there is a height restriction of 2.4m (Hymer is 2.9m high). Yet another 3-point or probably 5-point turn as we head back to the bridge and level crossing. A young man stops me, speaking good English explains that we must turn right immediately after the railway and before the bridge to access the campsite. We retrace our steps to the road bend (to turn left towards the bridge) and then immediately right after the level crossing. First we wait a l-o-n-g time at the road as the traffic is constant, we finally turn left into the traffic as the barrier starts to descend signalling a train (or two) coming. Finally the barrier lifts and then a very steep and awkward turn downhill towards the river and the campsite.

We finally make it, the bar and restaurant are packed but there are good spaces to stop next to the river. We have another l-o-n-g wait for the manager, as we are waiting the mainline trains rattle through just behind the campsite (may be 8 – 10m away) the large double-deckers and freight trains bring a certain amount of vibration too. We see many children dressed as witches and with face paint (as we might for Halloween) and I see musicians setting up amplifier equipment under the awning in the bar… Noisy amplified music, trains running all night… we think not, it looks like some local celebration and knowing how noisy and late these rural/cultural events can be we decide not to stay. We make another 3-point turn and beat a slow retreat along the single track road having to stop several times, back up and go again and then the dreaded right turn into the traffic at the top of that impossibly steep hill (Mr C. timing it carefully so as not to have to perform a hill-start) and back over the river bridge.

Back on R115 to Lety, we take the right road fork and R116 towards Rovina and along the river to Karlštejn, where we do not cross the river but carry on towards the mountain road. About 1 km along here is our destination Autokemp Karlštejn, a lovely, well kept long oval of grass parking spaces by the river. There are plenty of spaces and while there are lots of families and children it is relatively quiet, peaceful and very rural. Just what we want, so we park up next to the river as the sun is dropping low. It is getting late, we open Alsace Pinot Blanc and start to relax, watching a hot air balloon drifting along high above the river. We also note several roaring bonfires across the river with what looks like the witches on the top.

Mr Google tells us:

On 30th April the Czechs celebrate Čarodĕjnice or the burning of the winter witches. They gather in the evening to build a bonfire and burn a prepare effigy of a witch that, tradition says has kept winter around for so long. The tradition says that the power of the witches weaken as the weather gets warmer or, getting rid of the witch gets rid of the cold weather. The fire is lit when darkness falls, when the fire is roaring the effigy is heaved onto the bonfire. In the darkness of the evening around the bonfire everyone eats roast sausages on sticks and there is drinking of a lot of beer! They join in a sing-song accompanied by guitars (sting instruments) and celebrate the coming of spring

That explains all the costumes and face paints! Stirfry chicken for tea and then more-or-less straight to bed as exhaustion takes over, what a stressful day

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Keywords Motorhome camper campervan Hymer drive trip trek tour France Germany Czechia