‘A group of some twenty-two BRA members and their guests set out just after nine a,m. on Saturday 9th Sept. on the motor vessel Thurgaufrom the quay in Schaffhausen to travel up stream to Stein am Rhein. This small medieval town is situated on the north bank of the Rhine, some sixteen kilometres up-sream, where the river leaves the lake of Constance. The journey is made against the strong upper Rhine current of some five knots and takes about two and a quarter hours.
Although it was not actually raining the skies were overcast and there was a distinct dampness in the air. Apart from the BRA party there were very few other passengers. Most of our party stayed in the comfort of the large restaurant cabin and took in the passing scene through the boat’s large windows. Some of the younger and hardier members of our group watched the passage of our vessel under to the old Diessenhofen wooden bridge from the upper deck. They wanted to be closer to the action.
The river was alive with many bird species from swans and herons to low flying martins and swallows clearly feeding on invisible insects hovering above the river’s surface. The late summer river in full flow was at its most beautiful.
We arrived at Stein am Rhein at eleven fifteen and after a quick look at the old town we retired to the Rheingerbe restaurant for lunch. The Rheingerbe has a good reputation for its food and did not dissappoint.
At two fifteen our English speaking guide, one ‚Babo’ a PhD chemist originally of Greek extraction, arrived to show us the town in more detail. By this time umbrellas were a requirement. We were shown the towns gates, the significant buildings, the wall paintings, the medieval rest-home for poor travellers, the town church of St. George, the monastery and the quay from which taxes were administered in the middle ages. A most interesting tour. The group went their separate ways at three-thirty with some returning by train or car while the remainder chose the rapid one hour return trip by boat.’
Robert Dean
