Möhnestausee and a Sunday BBQ

Saturday and I had a few different things to do in the morning, like buying a bike, I have decided I need a bit more exercise and biking is a good way of getting it, my aim is to bike to and from work during the week, this will be very pleasant as it is 90% through countryside and I shall be able to vary my route to take in some of my favourite spots along the way.

We also needed some spray for Linda’s balcony plants so needed a garden centre, we have about 6 to choose from in the town.

Next was to media markt the electronic giant in Germany, I have my Navigon in as she has lost her voice (not a bad thing, but I have been flashed for speeding about 3 times this year and she gives me a warning, women where are they when you need them???)but it isn’t fixed yet, but more about that later!

I hadn’t told Linda, but I had planned a little surprise as it was such a nice day, I had planned a trip to The Möhnesee. I hadn’t been there for quite a few years, it is a really beautiful setting, lying just South of Soast (they have a nice Christmas Market here for those of interest) in the Möhne valley, This was of course the scene of one of the famous (or infamous depending on which side one sits) Dam Buster raids in which 622 Squadron with Guy Gibson as its Squadron Leader, breached the Dam using Barns Wallace’s famous bouncing bomb.

We drove to the Dam (Staumauer) and parked up in the large car park just below the dam wall (is that wise??)

 It wasn’t really all that busy considering it was a Saturday, nice weather, the start of the school holidays and also the Schutzenfest in Delecke (the little town right on the lake a favorit motorbikers meeting place ).

We took some photographs and walked along the top of the dam,

stopping to take a few photographs, couples in love come here to attach padlocks to the grills on the old flack watch towers that have been put there to stop those that are no longer in love from throwing themselves over the dam wall.

A view of the lake from a watch tower opening with no grill, from this side you won't drop to your death but drop into cold lake water so may catch your death of cold.

There is a lake sightseeing steamer (well it would have been in days gone by, it is now a diesel), that plies its trade up and down the lake and you can get on and off at various stops.

Right in front of the dam are marker buoys and if the lads of 622 sqadron had heeded the warning a lot of people in the Ruhr wouldn’t have got wet feet. (the wording on the buoy roughly translated is "stop - passing this point is prohibited")

It did start to rain , but it was short lived, I then suggested to Linda that we go for a spot of Lunch, but first I wanted to check out the dam wall from below and have a look at the turbine from close up.

I had earlier been chatting on line with a friend (Carol) both she and her husband where stationed in Germany with the Royal Signals for many years and Bill her Husband was a keen sailor and he sailed at the British Yatch Club at the Möhnesee. She said that Bill reckoned the best Jägerschnitzel anywhere in the world was to be had at “The Shack”, I decided to find this shack, we passed the position of where BYC had been it is now the Möhnesee Yatch Club Eg.V (a private club Eingetragener Verein). So we followed the shore road, and we came across a nice restaurant called the Leuchtturm now why ever there isn't a lighthouse in sight???? But never mind we decided to pop in and low and behold would you believe it? they had Jägerschnitzel on the menu (well, in all reality it wasn’t all that low and beholding as 90% of all restaurants in Germany will have Jäger or otherwise named  Schnitzel on their menus)

Linda being an adventuress type of Belfast lass that she is went to the fish and chips (well Backfish and wedges).

But it was very tasty and not at all expensive €20,- for the pair of us including drinks (only sparkling mineral water as I was driving).

We then crossed the lake via a bridge that takes you to the Southern shore road and followed this, it is a nice drive, as it passes through cool wooded areas and sleepy lakeside villages. There is a large YHA (Jugendherberge) situated right on the lakeside for those wishing to have a water/walking holiday. 

We then turned back towards Soast and home, there is a nice straight Bundes Strasse that heads towards Bechum, straight as a die and then it happened, and it is all her fault, if she hadn’t lost her voice she would have warned me!!!! FLASH!!! Yes that will be another €30,- speeding fine!

We got back to Rheda-Wiedenbrück, popped into a Supermarket to get a few bits as we had bought ready marinated meat for the BBQ that Linda fancied (I did as well), but we were still full from lunch so the BBQ is delayed until Sunday lunch and we had the remains of the Jerked Chicken and Bulgar wheat from last night’s supper along with a bottle of pink plonk.

Sunday was a lazy day (well it was for some) though I was up and out into the Schloßpark to see the wild life before 08:00.

The watermills on the Ems at Schloß Rheda

The Mills from the bridge

A flottila of young ducklings

Just crossing the road on their way for a dip in the carp ponds

One of the girls posing for a close up

just coming to see who is taking the photographs

The water roses on the carp ponds

The Schloß still asleep in the morning sun

A young tit just learning to fly

A head of pinks

And soft reds

A confetti of rose petals

The mighty copper beech, that has seen at least a hundred springs and hope a couple more

Then to the bakers to get some fresh bread rolls, before heading for home to do poached eggs.

Lunch was BBQ’d meat done in the smoker and a nice warm potato salad from Linda (she had by this time arisen)

We had Cevapcici, marinated lamb leg chops and dry rubbed paprika belly pork.

Next onto the grill and then on went some smoking wood chips on top of the charcoals

Down went the lid and up came the smoke, a full head of steam

And out came some juicy lamb steaks and spicy cevapcici

Together with the warm potato salad and the crispy belly pork made a nice BBQ

So that was the Mohnesee, the Schloß Park, ducks, a BBQ and still waiting on the €30,- fine