Welcome to our blog about our road trip through Europe, to visit some of the alpine mountain passes! See below for daily updates on what we’ve seen and done.

  • My favourite photos

  • Day Sixteen Gallery – Sunday 2nd November, Bruges to home

  • Miles and kilometers

    Day sixteen – Bruges to home Distance today – 589 km / 366 miles Journey time – 7h 10m Total trip distance – 4,391 km / 2,729 miles Total journey time – 2d 18h 20m A simple drive home today, taking the quickest route from Bruges to the Channel Tunnel, then onward to home. Nothing…

  • Accommodation Review – Castelsuites, Bruges

    A beautiful hotel which would have been perfect, had it not been for the buffoons who accused us of having not paid for the room before arrival – which I had done 6 months ago when booking it. They were fixated on money over everything else, and fail with the most woeful customer service I’ve…

  • Day Fifteen Gallery – Saturday 1st November, Ghent to Bruges

  • Waffles and bridges

    Day fifteen – Ghent to Bruges Distance today – 46 km Journey time – 0h 40m Total trip distance – 3,802 km Total journey time – 2d 11h 10m A short hop from Ghent to Bruges today, before the long drive home. We woke to heavy rain in Ghent, but nevertheless decided a run would…

  • Accommodation Review – Pillows, Ghent

    A very nice hotel, let down a little bit by the aloofness of (some of) the staff. Otherwise a very comfortable stay in a great location. 8/10 When we arrived in the dark it was quite hard to find this hotel, and once found we were advised to move our car as it might be…

  • Day Fourteen Gallery – Friday 31st October, Ghent

  • Ghosts and frites

    Our second rest day, so no driving – the car remained in the underground car park all day. We weren’t eating in this hotel for breakfast as the choice in Ghent was likely to be extensive, so we wandered into town looking for something suitable on the way to a day of sightseeing. We’ve learned…

  • Day Thirteen Gallery – Thursday 30th October, Wurzburg to Ghent

  • 15 to 12

    Day thirteen – Wurzburg to Ghent Distance today – 610 km Journey time – 7h 55m Total trip distance – 3,756 km Total journey time – 2d 10h 30m This was to be a very long drive. More than 600km and likely to be more than 6 hours….which turned out to be nearly 8 hours…

  • Accommodation Review – Schlosshotel Steinburg, Wurzburg

    A very fancy, up market hotel perched on the hill above Wurzburg amongst the vineyards. An old castle with add-ons of various ages, it was obviously trying to be a destination hotel given the quality of the restaurant, and mostly succeeded. 8/10. The hotel itself was very nice, with sympathetic new building and decoration amongst…

  • Day Twelve Gallery – Wednesday 29th October, Stuttgart to Wurzburg

  • Brazil and Lewis

    Day twelve – Stuttgart to Wurzburg Distance today – 166 km Journey time – 2h 30m Total trip distance – 3,146 km Total journey time – 2d 02h 35m A short hop from Stuttgart of only 2 hours to the next hotel meant we had some time to investigate what Stuttgart could offer before lunch.…

  • Accommodation Review – Rioca, Stuttgart

    A simple travellers hotel, we saw families and people on business in this Brazilian-themed stop. Very friendly and helpful staff, and comfortable. View from the room was rather industrial! 6/10 A relatively standard hotel, the breakfast included Brazilian treats which were excellent, and the room had a small kitchen (which we didn’t use) and hanging…

  • Day Eleven Gallery – Tuesday 28th October, Konstanz to Stuttgart

  • 210 and 911

    Day eleven – Konstanz to Stuttgart Distance today – 199 km Journey time – 2h 45m Total trip distance – 2,980 km Total journey time – 2d 00h 05m The plan for day eleven was hatched on April 1st at 8:10am. I was online at 8am when tickets for the Porsche museum for the 3…

  • Accommodation Review – Riva, Konstanz

    This is very easy. Best hotel we’ve stayed in since Scarlet in Cornwall. 10/10. This hotel literally did everything right and nothing wrong. The hotel and facilities were beautiful and exactly what we like. The food was exceptional. Will definitely be back.

  • Day Ten Gallery – Monday 27th October, Konstanz

  • Rain and dumplings

    Our first rest day – no driving, no statistics! After deciding to postpone our run due to heavy rain, we leisurely attended breakfast for the first time at the Riva. What an incredible spread! The highlights were the tiny Le Creuset pots with sauté potatoes and fried egg without white inside, the real honeycomb loaded…

  • Day Nine Gallery – Sunday 26th October, Seefeld to Konstanz

  • Borders and snow

    Day nine – Seefeld to Konstanz Distance today – 291 km Journey time – 5h 15m Total trip distance – 2,781 km Total journey time – 1d 21h 20m The plan for the day included numerous border crossings, and 4 countries – starting in Austria we’d transit the Hahntennjoch pass, into Switzerland, then briefly into…

  • Accommodation Review – Krumers Alpin, Seefeld-in-Tirol

    In contrast to most other stops, some of which were half the cost, this hotel was very disappointing. Rubbish welcome on arrival, dinner was tailored to the buffet we didn’t want (though we had good food from a very limited a la carte menu), and the aroma of cigarette smoke isn’t our thing (maybe Austria…

  • Day Eight Gallery – Saturday 25th October, Pontresina to Seefeld

  • Castles and glaciers

    Day eight – Pontresina to Seefeld Distance today – 270 km Journey time – 4h 55m Total trip distance – 2,490 km Total journey time – 1d 16h 05m Today would take us to the farthest point of our road trip, an Austrian ski resort called Seefeld-in-Tirol. We decided to start the day with some…

  • Accommodation Review – Sunstar Pontresina, Pontresina

    Our favourite hotel on the trip so far, and actually one of our favourite hotels full stop. It’s exactly what we want from a hotel in every way (apart from one…see below). 9.5/10 This hotel had it all – extremely modern, beautifully decorated, and the staff wanted you to treat it like it was your…

  • Day Seven Gallery – Friday 24th October, Pontresina

  • Larch and rail

    Day seven – Pontresina Distance today – 218 km Journey time – 5h 10m Total trip distance – 2,220 km Total journey time – 1d 11h 10m We went to bed having looked at the passes for day seven, to prepare ourselves for more closures given the snowfall the evening before. It didn’t look great.…

  • Day Six Gallery – Thursday 23rd October, Vitznau to Pontresina

  • Rain and winter

    Day six – Vitznau to Pontresina Distance today – 286 km Journey time – 5h 05m Total trip distance – 2,002 km Total journey time – 1d 06h 00m After the best shower so far, and breakfast that didn’t need to be weighed, a route replan was necessary. Travelling into the mountains at this time…

  • Accommodation Review – Neuro Campus Hotel DAS MORGEN, Vitznau

    A modern hotel, with slightly confusing half floors meaning depending on which lift you took, stairs were always required!! Food paid for by weight. Not your weight. The weight of the food. 8/10 Obviously a hotel which catered for business and leisure, but extremely nice nevertheless. The room was spacious, the shower the best yet,…

  • Day Five Gallery – Wednesday 22nd October, Saint Louis to Vitznau

  • Bugatti and Bugatti

    Day five – Saint Louis to Vitznau Distance today – 221 km Journey time – 3h 15m Total trip distance – 1,716 km Total journey time – 1d 00h 55m Whilst staying just inside France, we planned to visit the Musée National de l’Automobile in Mulhouse, a collection of more than 500 cars, 2,823 of…

  • Accommodation Review – Hôtel & Spa La Villa K, Saint Louis

    Very nice hotel, with inability to heat water resulting in tepid showers and free breakfast! 6/10. Everything was going so well until we had showers, and the water wasn’t anywhere near warm enough. Otherwise comfortable, quiet, and good continental breakfast with fruity bread that Jo liked a lot. Breakfast was meant to be €30 but…

  • Day Four Gallery – Tuesday 21st October, Rastatt to Saint Louis

  • Borders and cloud

    Day four – Rastatt to Saint Louis Distance today – 318 km Journey time – 7h 45m Total trip distance – 1,495 km Total journey time – 21h 40m Today was to be the first ‘proper’ big driving day, as we headed through the Black Forest from Rastatt in Germany, along the winding forest roads,…

  • Accommodation Review – Hotel Schuetzen, Rastatt

    This hotel brings a new meaning to self-service, as you check-in via a Ring doorbell!! Great location, overlooking a river, very comfortable and spacious room, excellent breakfast. 8/10. We needed a hotel near Baden-Baden, the start of the Black Forest route, but sadly all hotels in that town were full due to a conference. Finding…

  • Day Three Gallery – Monday 20th October, Reims to Rastatt

  • Flan and jeroboam

    Day three – Reims to Rastatt Distance today – 401 km Journey time – 4h 55m Total trip distance – 1,177 km Total journey time – 13h 55m Another day, another breakfast. This time the hotel’s continental breakfast, with just the kind of thing we were after, in their tiny dining room overlooking a small…

  • Accommodation Review – Hotel Azur, Reims

    A small, quiet hotel in the centre of Reims, just a short walk from the cathedral and central shopping area. Big highlight was the comfy bed, even if the room was on the small side. 7/10. Very well situated in Reims, this hotel was an ideal overnight stop for us. On a very quiet narrow…

  • Day Two Gallery – Sunday 19th October, Folkestone to Reims

  • Tunnel and duck

    Day two – Folkestone to Reims Distance today – 305 km Journey time – 3h 20m Total trip distance – 776 km Total journey time – 9h 00m We woke in the Relish a bit tired as the bed wasn’t quite as good as it first seemed. Never mind, time for a shower. Or time…

  • Accommodation Review – The Relish, Folkestone

    A very nice B&B in Folkestone, with welcome cake and a private car parking space…albeit it was a short walk to park once luggage was unloaded. Rated this accommodation 7/10. A typical B&B, but with an upmarket twist, the room was nicely decorated and lots of nice touches like the welcome cake, the view of…

  • Day One Gallery – Saturday 18th October, London to Folkestone

  • Bears and relish

    Day one – London to Folkestone Distance today – 78 miles Journey time – 1h 45m Total trip distance – 294 miles Total journey time – 5h 50m The plan for today was to visit the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025 exhibition at the Natural History Museum. We’ve not been to the museum for…

  • Day Zero Gallery – Friday 17th October, Home to London

  • On the road

    Day zero – Home to London Distance today – 216 miles Journey time – 3h 55m Total trip distance – 216 miles Total journey time – 3h 55m The day finally arrived. The best thing about packing the car was that I got to do it myself, and had most of the day to do…

  • Planning the trip

    The starting point for this trip was the basic premise that we wanted to drive to the mountain passes in and around the Swiss Alps. Seemed like a simple goal. A bit of research later and the route began to take shape – channel tunnel, across France by the quickest route, top of the Black…