Dodging the downpours: Sunday 3 June

We allow ourselves a lie in this morning (until 7 o'clock!). Well, it is Sunday and we have a short day ahead of us. We head off at a leisurely pace and are soon overtaken by an octogenarian. He slows down to compliment me on the size of my panniers (at least I think that's what he said!) Unfortunately the weather changes and we are soon taking shelter again and putting on waterproofs and long leggings. It looks pretty set in and we set off in the rain. Morale is at a low ebb: I am looking forward to a day of rest reading my book, Simon is wondering which hot place we could get a flight to. After our coffee stop in Gunzberg, another colourful town filled with baroque and renaissance treasures, the skies start to clear and we feel more cheerful. The route leads us on unsurfaced tracks through woodlands smelling of wild garlic and with the rain dripping off the leaves we feel pretty much at home. We cross the Danube at least four times today and eventually arrive in Ulm, another attractive mediaeval town surrounded by a Roman Wall. We find a room in the 13th century Hotel Schiefes Haus which means Crooked House, and it certainly is! Our room is in the eaves and is incredibly long and thin: a bit like sleeping in a tent on a slope. It is full of character however and is certainly memorable. The outside is a delight and is on the list of "must see" tourist attractions so at least we can tick this one off quickly. We watch some live coverage of the Queen's Jubilee Pageant on German TV and are rather selfishly relieved to see that the weather in London is even worse than it is here. British morale seemed high however! After a snooze we eat delicious fresh trout from the Blau river accompanied by local housewine served in half pint tankards! (Dillingen to Ulm - 37 miles)