Poland.....

Lynton

Lynton

awkward customer
Suspended / Banned
Messages
10,606
Name
Lynton (yes really!)
Edit My Images
No
anyone been?

I am seriously considering a bit of a road trip.... and driving there in late April for a few days......... have heard some of the cities are stunning, and I have a morbid fascination to visit Auschwitz....... the photography options there alone make the whole trip worthwhile........ I have a million and one ideas, of which I am sure a million and one have been done before........

Ironically, it works out a lot cheaper to drive than to fly........ and the idea of a roadtrip is appealing....... 130mph through Germany is most defintely appealing......

Prague is always an option on the return leg.. as well...

Just wondered if others have been / experiences/ things to do . avoid... etc....
 
I've not been to poland but have driven to and from italy more times than i care to remember, We found its best to set off early(around 3am, im in cheshire) drive down to dover for the 8am ferry and then power it through france/germany, this way you cover miles in less time.

I'd say go for it, but i'd make it a week there :)
 
If you're going ot drive through France, be aware there are some rather draconian new laws which seem to be designed to extract on the spot fines from foreigners.

You must have in the cabin of the car (not the boot), a high visibility jacket for each occupant, a spare set of bulbs and a breath alcohol tester!
 
Stratman said:
If you're going ot drive through France, be aware there are some rather draconian new laws which seem to be designed to extract on the spot fines from foreigners.

You must have in the cabin of the car (not the boot), a high visibility jacket for each occupant, a spare set of bulbs and a breath alcohol tester!
Click to expand...

Breath testers aren't required until July. Bulbs and reflective jackets was always the case from what I remember along with warning triangle and other bits.

more info on the aa site.. http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/touring_tips/france-monaco.pdf
 
Last edited:
yes read up on the need for hi-vis, fire extinguishers, triangles, bulb kits, breathalysers (jul 12)....need to drive with dipped beams and all the rest.

It appears the roads are good until the Polish border and then... well... it gets exciting........
 
Stratman said:
If you're going ot drive through France, be aware there are some rather draconian new laws which seem to be designed to extract on the spot fines from foreigners.

You must have in the cabin of the car (not the boot), a high visibility jacket for each occupant, a spare set of bulbs and a breath alcohol tester!
Click to expand...

But it is quiet OK to keep an AA man in't boot.:thumbs:
 
I have been thinking of travelling to Auschwitz by car for a few years now and from my research so far can tell you that it's 900 miles from Calais and you travel through France, Belgium, Holland, Germany & Poland.

The Camps can be found here:

Auschwitz Birkenau (Camp 1) 50.02835 North 19.20005 East
Auschwitz Birkenau (Camp 2) 50.03438 North 19.18114 East

Paul
 
Been many a time, in the motorhome.

The camps are.....well.......different and thought provoking to say the least.

The Tatra mountains are excellent.

The northern swamps are worth a visit.

The food and hospitality are second to none.

A wonderful country and a lovely people, go and enjoy.

Krakow is stunning, unless too many British ****/stag does are there.

Drop into Slovakia, Hungary and Romania if you can. All different, but good.
 
Are the roads in Poland covered in snow this time of year? ...just a thought. Young drivers are a very dangerous over their, no regard for safety...keep well clear of them....mind the pot holes, some are huge. ...or just don't drive at night. ..also not forgetting that others may not have any headlights anyway. :thumbs:
 
And be aware in any forest/wild areas they are obsessed with shooting things.
Can be a bit scary.
 
Lynton said:
130mph through Germany is most defintely appealing......
Click to expand...
I doubt if that is possible on the East/West autobahns of northern Germany. You need to go south for those roads ;)
 
2blue4u said:
I doubt if that is possible on the East/West autobahns of northern Germany. You need to go south for those roads ;)
Click to expand...

oh i don't know - there's quite a few unresticted bits en route.........
 
I'm not long back from Krakow. Visited Auschwitz & Birkenau. I'm glad I went to the camps although they were difficult to visit. I found the tour a little fast paced though, made it difficult to really absorb what happened there.

Krakow is a gorgeous city. The food is amazing there. We weren't too bothered by stag and hen do's but they were definitely there.
 
Other half rode there (via the Nurburgring) he loved it - 9 countries in 9 days. I believe he has ridden to Poland twice - I'll aak him when he come home from work.

He found the ride exhilarating and the camps hugely distressing. Says he will never go back.
 
I spent a month out therer a couple of years after the wall came down, for a gliding competition.

Lovely countryside and scenery and lovely people too.

Mind you the it was very cheap. Stayed in a castle one night with a huge room and real fireplace £7 per night.

I went over to the Hook of Holland and drove through there and Germany to get to the border.
 
Lynton said:
oh i don't know - there's quite a few unresticted bits en route.........
Click to expand...


I remember a black forest run on through Austria, fast rolling hills, late evening in the dark, pouring with rain (as is usual for that bit) it was hard to see anything in the spray but nonetheless 90 seemed too slow for the trucks in the inside lane, and 100 no where near enough for all the PROPER sports cars in the fast lane. :eek: ...I spent the entire journey apologising ...scary stuff! ;)
 
Last edited:
I'm in Bielsko-Biała at the moment. Weather is certainly getting warmer. Was -30ish a couple of weeks back when I arrived. Then a foot of snow. It's raining a little now, but above zero anyway.

Not much snow left here, apart from on the local mountains. I've been here four weeks and haven't made it to Krakow or Auschwitz. I'm going to hire a car next time I'm here though.

Great country. Great people (in my experience).
 
I've been to Olstyn in the north east of Poland twice, Bratislava in Slovakia twice and into the Tatra mountains once. Loved it. Really nice.
 
OK at the moment the cunning plan is a Tuesday am a fairly earlyish (8am) ferry out of Dover to Calais or Dunkirk gets in 11am local time (give or take)

Then stop overnight somewhere near Hanover before driving the rest of the Journey and staying probably in Auschwitz Weds and Thurs night. (Thinking ausch on one day, and maybe Krakow the other day)

Would be looking to get a ferry back on the Monday afternoon which would probably involve an overnighter somewhere in Gemany on the Sunday night, which gives Friday day to Sunday am in Poland - or elsewhere.

Obviously northern Poland is out.... and I cannot find an awful lot of tourist info for Poland on the interweb, so any other suggestions would be good. It would seem than other than the camps at Auschwitz, there isn't much to the place.....

Regarding the camps - can you just turn up and get admission, or is it like Robben Island where you have to prebook weeks in advance? (I'd be a bit miffed after 1050 miles and "sorry Sir, we are full."
 
I think it's possible to turn up at Auschwitz. The entry to the museum is free but i'm sure cars/ bikes etc pay for parking. It will be reasonably quiet mid-week. I went on a Saturday, it was quite busy and as we were on a tour we were literally dragged through the place. I'd like to go back and look round myself slowly. Don't be surprised if you don't take many photos in the camp, it's quite overwhelming.

There's an abandoned camp somewhere near Krakow. I didn't look into it due to knowing that I wouldn't have time. I'm not sure if i'm allowed to link to someones work on flickr so if you go on there and search for Liban Quarry to Krak's Mound view.

I've heard the Salt Mine is a good visit but the group I was with made a unanimous decision to spend a full day on Krakow in order to get the most of the city.
 
Julie1979 said:
I think it's possible to turn up at Auschwitz. The entry to the museum is free but i'm sure cars/ bikes etc pay for parking. It will be reasonably quiet mid-week. I went on a Saturday, it was quite busy and as we were on a tour we were literally dragged through the place. I'd like to go back and look round myself slowly. Don't be surprised if you don't take many photos in the camp, it's quite overwhelming.

There's an abandoned camp somewhere near Krakow. I didn't look into it due to knowing that I wouldn't have time. I'm not sure if i'm allowed to link to someones work on flickr so if you go on there and search for Liban Quarry to Krak's Mound view.

I've heard the Salt Mine is a good visit but the group I was with made a unanimous decision to spend a full day on Krakow in order to get the most of the city.
Click to expand...


Thanks Julie. I'll look it up! :thumbs:
 
Prague is really lovely, I enjoyed my 3 day stay at the Hotel Pod Vezi right by Charles Bridge and easy walking distance to most parts.
Some of my images http://www.pbase.com/dav4184/prague

Dave
 
Oh says if you pm me an email address he will email you the write up of his trip. (he loves an excuse to talk travelling)

He says there isn't a stay in Austwich (SP) but Krakow is probably spectacular at nights for photos.

He also says he can't see you wanting to spend a long time there - he found it harrowing, the tour also included Birkenhaus.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top