September 1st Stage 34
Persenbeug to Durnstein 52 kms.
As we have to collect an important letter from the main post
office in Vienna on Monday morning there’s little point in hurrying. In
addition the weather is still rainy and chilly. So I thought it better to
conserve my strength for longer stages ahead and meander through the beautiful
Wachau wine growing country, especially that portion of the valley between
Spitz and Durnstein.
The low hills fall steeply to the river and between
Persenbeug and Spitz my appreciation of the scenery was marred after 5 or so
kilometres by the constant traffic on the unavoidable main road and by the
inevitable ugly flotsam of garages, car
salerooms, small supermarkets and other retail outlets which seem to get washed
up against some other remarkably beautiful buildings. On approaching Melk I was
faced with the grey ugly concrete of the power station and its barrage which
was topped by the splendour, seemingly glittering even in the dull morning
drizzle, of the gigantic abbey. Still, it didn’t do to look up at it for too long.
One false move and I would have been done for. It was a wise decision to visit
Melk Abbey yesterday. At Willendorf, hidden away up some stone steps on the
side of the railway embankment is the site of the excavation which in 1908
revealed the tiny fertility sculpture, now known as the Venus of Willendorf,
possibly the most important of all the Paleolithic objects found in Europe.
Katherine was very keen to visit the museum, but arrived minutes after they
closed for lunch. There was a polite notice at the site of the excavation
asking visitors to contribute two euros because it was so difficult to finance
such an esoteric museum. Had they, in fact, remained open over lunch they
would, to our certain knowledge, have taken entry fees from at least 8 bicycle
tourists and three others!
But the day dramatically improved in the afternoon. Firstly,
the short ride from Spitz to Durnstein was lovely. The secondary road curved
up, away and out of sight of the main road, and with the Danube below on the
right and the stepped vineyards, the so-called “staircase to heaven” on the
left, together with the old world charm of the vineyard villages of St Michael,
Wosendorf, Joching and Weissenkirchen to say nothing of the view of the
romantic ruins of Durnstein castle where Richard the Lionheart was held hostage
in 1192 it was tempting to ride more and more slowly. Durnstein, itself, was a
worthy destination. It is a thoroughly charming small town, lovingly preserved, friendly and very beautiful, and
if, perhaps, there are rather too many tourists during the day, in the evening
when it is almost deserted, it is idyllic. We had time in the afternoon to
visit the monastery, where from the intimate gallery of the abbey church we
witnessed a bride and groom exchanging their vows, and then to climb up to King
Richard’s castle, where I suspect that even if he was theoretically a hostage
he had a right old time, from where the views over the misty Danube were
impressive..
So, poor weather, and an indifferent morning led to a
perfect short ride in the afternoon to a wonderful destination. And as I write,
the most spectacular fireworks I have ever seen outside of a professional
display, are lighting the night sky, presumably the climax of the wedding we
had witnessed in the abbey earlier.
52 kms. Total from
Schaffhausen 809 kms. Total from Galway 2717 kms
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