E11: Dessau – Wörlitz – Griebo

Monday, July 23: Hot and sunny, with some wind every now and then, a couple of clouds in the afternoon, but perfectly clear in the evening

Hiking: 30.0 km

René’s

Didn’t feel I needed to get up too early, but by around 8:00 I was up and about, had my breakfast, took off to the supermarket for today’s soft drinks and lunch (forecast was for well over 30°), made up the lunch here and was ready to go just before 9:30. No train to catch this morning, but went through the station anyway as an alternative, through the center of town and out down the track from yesterday. Eventually found a blue and white marker and a little after that the official looking signs, whereby it must be commented that for most of today’s route the E11 and the Luther Path were companions yet again. Let’s see how long this is good for.

Decided to rely as heavily as possible on the signs today, but had my diary there just in case. Just before the Luisium the markers ceased, and I failed to identify the one cafe I past, so on it was through this very special landscape they have here, part castles and gardens, part wildly romantic pastures set in cultured forests. Many a dead tree beckoned to be photographed. Finally a signpost showed up, putting all of today’s tracks onto one sign, including the Elbe Cycle Path, so that in case I was lost again, I would have to follow that. Plenty of cyclists around as well.

Today being very hot, I decided to hydrate with about 500 mL per hour. First stop was opposite Waldersee, just before entering the Luisium. After refinding the markers I was a bit surprised to see the beer garden “Leinerberg Forsthaus” which even had rooms, and their half-liter of wheat beer was a temptation for €2, but I continued on to the Dessau Gate for a further drink. Now there was a stretch with a distant view of the river, followed by a section in the open up to, under and along the dyke to Vockerode, where I stopped at the old ferry house for my two bread rolls. Then it was further along the dyke for a bit, then just before Wörlitz the track came off the dyke and went as far as the outskirts of Wörlitz itself. Maybe a visit at a later time. Anyway time was getting on a bit, and I finished the pure H₂O at this point. It didn’t seem like I could make it to Griebo in the next two hours, but I measured my speed along the old cobblestone road towards Coswig (around 5.8 km/h) to kill a bit of time. I was a bit surprised when I came to the end of the road, as there was no bridge but a ferry, and there was a healthy looking restaurant/hotel, also with rooms available. I spent a couple of minutes chatting with a family of river kayakers who were making their way down the Elbe, then the ferry came across and they got ready to move forward and I took the ferry over.

Only a small variation on the other side in Griebo itself, otherwise the path was marked well and sufficiently often enough. I started on the last bottle of lemonade just out of Coswig, and was in Griebo with a good 45 minutes to spare. Now to find the station! I knew it was a little way out of town, but was beginning to doubt its existence at all, when a sign for a level crossing on a side street turned up. I immediately crossed the road and made my way to the railroad tracks and the station was barely 100 m further down the tracks. Spent a good twenty minutes making notes for tonight’s activities in the shade on the wrong platform, then went across in good time for the train.

Interactive Map

Inside had to search a bit for the ticket vending machine, bought a ticket and enjoyed the aircon for a quarter of an hour. Outside at the station, prebought some stuff for tomorrow (although some more stuff will have to be bought just before leaving), went back to René’s, had a shower, burst the blister on the left big toe for the third day in a row, and set off for some fried rice. The closest place I had invisaged had takeaways only, but for €5.5 there was a soup and chicken fried rice. I wanted to sit down in peace and quiet to eat, so I chose the Chinese place on Market Square for Peking Soup, but then Chicken with Fried Noodles instead of rice because I misordered. Anyway there the bill came to exactly one euro more, plus a softdrink for €1.5.