GK Tours 2025. Thursday 26th June
Santa Guistina to Vipiteno, Italy and Kochel See, Germany
Friday morning I took Meg for a lovely off lead walk around the lake paths. Such a beautiful, peaceful place 
.
Leaving this lovely site onto our next destination, making our way towards Austria.
The scenery has definitely changed. We have been driving through vast vineyards and apple orchards growing in the valley, flanked by beautiful, tall, rugged peaks.
We noticed along our route signs for the Brenner Pass and something called the Brenner Base Tunnel. Googling we found that this is the construction of a huge tunnel connecting Austria and Italy to alleviate the already busy existing railway and road network. A massive undertaking and not ready until at least 2032.
We stopped for the day in a town called Vipiteno. There was not a lot of choice around this area sadly, so Vipiteno it was. We were actually parked in the carpark of Eurospar. It seems vans and motorhomes are welcomed as most will spend money in the shop or in the town.
We did both. Stocked up on essentials and then went for a walk to the centre, about 10 minutes away.
Vipiteno is one of Italy’s most beautiful villages. It only has one main street and it is indeed very pretty. The main pedestrianised road overseen in the middle by a lovely clock tower. The buildings are all unique in decor with many different window and door frames.
Unbeknown to us we had stumbled across a reunion of the Italian Alpine Army Regiment in the square. Music was scheduled for later in the evening and there was to be a parade tomorrow.
We sat and had a drink amongst current and retired soldiers all wearing their distinctive Alpine Capello (hats with a large feather in it) before walking back to the van.
Once the shop had shut the traffic died down to a warm, pleasant evening.
This morning, Saturday, we decided to travel straight through Austria, to be honest we couldn’t find a decent stop for our route.
Gareth had purchased the vignette online for 3.5t vehicles, as that is our class, but were pulled over before the Brenner Pass border crossing. We initially thought it was just a random passport or van check, but were told by a very smiley guard that, having driven over a weighbridge (that we weren’t aware of) it turns out we were weighing more than 3.5t. 
, thank goodness he didn’t mention the vignette, as it’s a lot more expensive for vehicles over 3.5t as we found out to our cost last time we came to Austria in the big old van.
Under instruction, we had to drive around a diversion and back onto the main road, joining the correct lane.
There may just be another fine waiting for us at home to add to the speeding one we think we’ve incurred. C’est la vie!
Anyway, we finally made it to our chosen destination, another lake in Germany called Kochelsee just south of Munich.
Gareth has had a swim in the lake with Meg, I’ve paddled cos its a bit sinky underneath further out and I do not like that
We’ve hidden under the shade and people watched, and now we are back at the van, dinner done, sitting in the cool of the evening waiting for the water to heat up a little for washing up and showers.
Hope your Saturday evening is much more exciting 
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