From Estreito de Camara de Lobos along the Levada do Norte to the Cabo Girao

A very nice levada walk of about 3 hours. Starting point is the bus station above the church of Estreito. Back to Funchal from the bus station in Cruz da Caldaira.

Levada starting point in Estreito

view on Estreito

walking on the covered levada

winegrowing in pergola technique

Watch your steps!

bridge over the Ribeira da Caixa

Church of Garachico

view from the Caminho da Nogueira

motorway to Funchal

Cabo Girao: viewing platform over the steep coast 

view on Camara de Lobos 

Basilica of St. Ursula, Cologne

The church is named after Saint Ursula - here the legend: Saint Ursula was the daughter of an English king who wanted to visit the English settlers in France, probably Normandy. In her company were 11,000 virgins. The picture shows  the king saying fare well to them. In the following picture you see an altar with 11 female sculptures symbolizing the number of  11 times 1,000. Crossing the Canal to France, the ships got into a storm, lost their course and ended in the mouth of the river Rhine. Ursula appreciated this and navigated up the river to Cologne, where they were warmly welcomed. One night Ursula dreamt that she was obliged to go on a pilgrimage to the Pope in Rome.  Consequently,  she decided to do so and she sailed up the river Rhine to the Alps. They crossed the Alps and paid a visit to the Pope. He had the vision that she and her party would encounter difficulties and so he blessed them. Indeed, going  back to Cologne they were involved in a battle with the Huns and were captured. They refused to share their vicious way of life and preferred death instead. In one of the following photos you see a sculpture of Ursula holding a golden arrow in her hand. She was killed by a  shot with bow and arrow.

About 400 AD Clematius, a citizen of Cologne, rebuilt a chapel, which stood at the place where Ursula and her virgins had died. The Western part of the church was finished at 1135 , the tower in the 13th century (renewed in the 15th century in Romanesque style). In the Golden Chamber  (Southern transept) all walls and niches for relics are covered by human bones. They are ornamentally assembled to inscriptions and symbols. The most important piece in the Golden Chamber is the Aetherius-shrine. According the legend Aetherius was bridegroom of St. Ursula.

Ruhr-river bike trail

The bicycle trail along the Ruhr River from Winterberg to Muelheim has a total length of about 217 km. It is very pleasant and diversified. Along the trail there are wonderful towns with traditional  timber frame structures, inviting restaurants and attractive beer gardens. The bike path follows the river through the mountainous countryside of the "Hochsauerland". The first stretch runs mostly across quiet forest and farm roads or along lanes just built for cyclists.

In the popular winter sports resort of Winterberg we start our tour and cycle somewhat uphill to the source of the river Ruhr. From there we continue our ride to the restaurant "Ruhrquellenhuette".  Then we bike on to two of the most beautiful villages of Germany: Assinghausen and Olsberg.  From there we go to Meschede (so coverig a day distance of about 41 km). The next day at we head for the worth seeing county town Arnsberg (about 25 km) where we enjoy seeing the historic old town quarter. Afterwards we cycle  via Neheim to Wickede. From there we continue our trip via the "Zabel-Route" to Froendenberg (day distance 61 km). Here we reach the southern Ruhr-district, where the trail takes us along the river Ruhr through meadows and park areas, then it leads us to some lakes that have been constructed with dams and serve as water reservoirs: Lake Hengstey, Lake Harkort, Lake Kemnade and Lake Baldeney. Soon we reach the Westphalian hanseatic town of Schwerte with its well worth seeing old town quarter and its lovingly attended and preserved half timbered houses (about 19 km). From there we bike on along the barrier lakes to the beautiful city of Hattingen (day distance 65 km). The following day we do Heisingen, where we meet Lake Baldeney (ca. 22 km). And finally we cycle  to Muelheim (day distance about 50 km).

http://foldingbike-brompton.blogspot.de/2013/08/winterberg-where-ruhrtalweg-begins-and.html

Head of the Ruhr river at Winterberg

Blooming broom bushes

Not on Easter Island but in Sauerland

Glider airfield next to the bike trail

Arnsberg, Probsteikirche

Auferstehungskirche, Architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel 

Bell tower, landmark of Arnsberg

"Altes Backhaus" with nice beer garden

Moehne river ending in the Ruhr river

Hanseatic town of Schwerte

Barrage of  Lake Hengstey

Coot family on the water construction site

What am I: river rat, beaver or otter? (muskrat)

Bike ferry "Hardenstein"

Beer garden next to sluice of Herbede

Town house in Hattingen

Hattingen, Flatironbuilding

Hattingen, houses with slated facades

Decoration on a slated facade

Guardian angel on a front door of a town house

Hattingen, half-timber houses next to St. Georgskirche

Hattingen, Hotel "Westfaelischer Hof"

Hattingen, St. Georgs Kirche

Church tower not quite straight

Werden, Papermill sluice

Pit-head frame 

Lake Baldeney with Krupp Villa Huegel

Beer garden "Franky's Terrasse" at the Wasserbahnhof in Muelheim

Historic water tower at Muelheim, Ruhr

Water museum in the old water tower