Up and over

We rolled away from Tuscany early and by 11 we were at the top of the St Gottard pass at 2106m. It was chilly. Then went up another - Oberalp?- pass halfway.

Amazing to see haymaking on near vertical slopes, the steepest bits being cut with a scythe. Less steep with a spike-wheeled cutter operated by a bloke on foot. The bit in foreground of photo has been cut and sprayed with slurry. Everywhere the smell of Gruyere and sturdy little grey-blue cows.

Queues southbound at customs and StG tunnel horrible but we were northbound. Long slog through SW Germany to a stopover near Karlsruhe. just under ten hours with stops.

Tomorrow a six hour hop to the overnight ferry at Ijmuiden for North Shields. Back to Embra for lunch Monday.