Len & Sam, Not Just a Van

Len & Sam, Not Just a Van We’re Len and Sam, taking a year out to travel Europe in our self built campervan,
chasing coastlines, mountains
and the quieter roads in between. A bit daft.

A lot obsessed with views. Follow the adventure as we share our journey.

09/08/2026

And just like that, it’s the ferry back to the UK… but look what’s in front of us… an Amphicar 😍, what do they know what we don’t 👀😳👀

Day 81, still in Germany 🇩🇪Our slow crawl towards the Dutch border continues… although, at this rate, we might get there...
07/08/2026

Day 81, still in Germany 🇩🇪

Our slow crawl towards the Dutch border continues… although, at this rate, we might get there sometime next year. 😂

Today’s stop was Tecklenburg, just 10 miles down the road from last night’s stay in Hagen, and what a little gem it turned out to be.

We honestly weren’t expecting much, but Tecklenburg completely surprised us. A beautiful old town packed with timber-framed buildings, castle ruins, winding little streets and enough tales of witches to keep things interesting. 🧙‍♀️

And, of course, plenty of cafés and bars to satisfy the ever-important Currywurst cravings. 🌭🍺

It’s also conveniently close to the E30 and not far from the Netherlands, making it a great little stop if you’re heading that way.

Our overnight spot was tucked away in a leafy car park, just a 10-minute stroll into the Old Town. €6 well spent! 😀

📍 ///admiral.cooking.tomorrow

Days 77 to 80, Germany 🇩🇪As our journey slowly winds towards the Dutch border, we’ve been taking the scenic route throug...
06/08/2026

Days 77 to 80, Germany 🇩🇪

As our journey slowly winds towards the Dutch border, we’ve been taking the scenic route through Germany’s quiet back roads, discovering charming little towns and villages that are so easy to drive straight past.

One of the highlights was a Stellplatz set right in the middle of a cherry orchard. We can only imagine how incredible it must be in spring when the trees are in full blossom.

This is definitely a part of Germany we’ll be returning to. If you’re travelling to or from Scandinavia, it’s the perfect place to slow down, leave the motorways behind, and enjoy a more peaceful side of the country.

📍 ///craftily.sleeper.vacations

Revisiting Osnabrück after 13 years… whoever’s doing the graffiti now owes the originals an apology 😀
05/08/2026

Revisiting Osnabrück after 13 years… whoever’s doing the graffiti now owes the originals an apology 😀

Days 75 & 76, another blast from the past 🇩🇪Every now and then, this trip throws up a proper “well, this takes us back”...
03/08/2026

Days 75 & 76, another blast from the past 🇩🇪

Every now and then, this trip throws up a proper “well, this takes us back” moment.

Today was one of those days.

We returned to Detmold, a town we actually called home back in the early 1990s. That’s right… we’ve been coming back to Germany for so long that we’re now revisiting places from our previous lives! 😂

We parked up at a shiny new Stelplatz, just a 10-minute wander into the centre, and spent some time rediscovering a town we remembered from all those years ago.

Detmold probably isn’t on the usual tourist hit list, but maybe that’s part of its charm. Beautiful old buildings, a proper German town atmosphere and, just outside the centre, the rather impressive Hermannsdenkmal monument. You can even climb it for some fantastic views across the countryside.

Of course, there’s always the question… are we seeing Detmold through rose-tinted glasses because of our memories?

Quite possibly.

But whether it’s nostalgia or not, we still love the place. ❤️

And apparently, after 30-odd years, we still know our way around! 😂🇩🇪

Ssshhh… I told Sam this was the Statue of Liberty 🤣
01/08/2026

Ssshhh… I told Sam this was the Statue of Liberty 🤣

31/07/2026

Days 71 to 74, Deep into Germany 🇩🇪

A few days ago we returned to a town that holds a rather special place in our hearts… Rinteln ❤️

We first visited here way back in the early 1990s, but somehow, despite all those visits, we’d never actually taken the time to properly explore the stunning old town. About time, then! 😄

It also happened to be the hottest few days we’d experienced since setting off, and luckily our Stellplatz was just a short stroll from the local outdoor swimming complex.

So obviously, we had to go and cool off… although we weren’t quite expecting to be flung around a lazy river whirlpool like we were in a huge washing machine! 😂

We ended up spending three nights here, and at just €10 for 24hrs parking, it was an absolute bargain.

Rinteln, you’ve still got it. ❤️

We’ll definitely be back one day… hopefully with slightly less risk of being sucked into a swimming pool vortex! 😂

Days 66 to 70: An unexpected bonus! 😎We were looking for somewhere we could properly slow down for a few days. Get the c...
26/07/2026

Days 66 to 70: An unexpected bonus! 😎

We were looking for somewhere we could properly slow down for a few days. Get the chairs out, enjoy the sunshine, crack open a drink and, for once, not worry too much about where we needed to be tomorrow.

We were back in an area we knew reasonably well, so we headed for Steinhuder Meer, the largest lake in north-west Germany.

What we didn’t know was that a major sporting event was happening that weekend, complete with live music and entertainment… well, that worked out nicely! 😂

We settled into a fully serviced Stelplatz, just a 10-minute walk from the village of Steinhude. Think Windermere, but flatter, less crowded and with considerably fewer hills to remind you that you’re not getting any younger! 🤣

Two weeks left until we head back to the UK. Plenty of time to revisit a few old favourites, find some new places… and probably get distracted along the way. 🚐💨

Days 64 & 65, Germany 🇩🇪A short hop to Stade, an old German town with a cracking little automated Stellplatz, just a 10-...
23/07/2026

Days 64 & 65, Germany 🇩🇪

A short hop to Stade, an old German town with a cracking little automated Stellplatz, just a 10-minute stroll from the cobbled streets, canals and gorgeous timber-framed buildings. Basically, everything you want from a German town… apart from a giant schnitzel landing in your lap. 😋

The next day, we carried on our leisurely meander through the German back roads, stopping for lunch in Worpswede. A quick wander around the village to admire the sculptures, then back in the van and off to our next Stellplatz.

This time, we parked just a few minutes’ walk from the old town of Verden (Aller), hidden amongst the old buildings is a John Lennon monument for any Lennon or Beatles fans. Another pleasant enough spot with electricity, plus fresh water and waste disposal if needed.

And tomorrow?

Absolutely no idea! 😂

That’s the beauty of van life… we’ll make it up as we go along. 🚐💨

Dodging Hamburg 🚐⛴️Heading south towards Holland, from Flensburg, we decided to avoid Hamburg and take the Glückstadt to...
21/07/2026

Dodging Hamburg 🚐⛴️

Heading south towards Holland, from Flensburg, we decided to avoid Hamburg and take the Glückstadt to Wischhafen ferry instead.

We had about a 40-minute wait for the ferry, but it was a nice day and we weren’t in any rush, so no complaints.

Once on board, it was a short crossing over the Elbe, watching the big ships go past, and then we were back on the road heading south.

The cost was around £24 for the van and two of us, which we thought was pretty reasonable, payment was taken once on the ferry, no reservations possible, they go every 20 minutes, running early morning to late evening.

A much more relaxing way to avoid Hamburg traffic! 😀

Sam said the ferry port map looks a bit like a thingy 😀🖤🐍

Ferry is where the orange squiggle is.

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