When in Rome. Well, the Black Forest, actually...

Head down to the southwest of Germany and you'll come across approx 160km length of inhabited woodland - The Black Forest.

Said to have been the inspiration for the Brother Grimm fairytales, this region of Germany really is a sight to behold with its little villages, castles and stunning views.

As well as soaking up the history, culture and views there was something else during my latest trip I was after (well, two things actually but I didn't have enough room for a cuckoo clock!).

In the middle of the Black Forest lies the town of Triberg. Famous for its waterfalls and world's largest cuckoo clock, the town is home to Cafe Schäfer and, importantly, the original Black Forest Gateau recipe.

Created by Josef Keller in 1915 and tweaked in the years after, the recipe was handed to his then apprentice, August Schäfer and in turn to his son, Claus.

Claus Schäfer is the current head pastry chef at Cafe Schäfer and produces the famous cake as per the original recipe - cherries, whipped cream, dark chocolate cake, cherry liquor and chocolate shavings.

The cake in itself is delicious, fruity, chocolatey and gives a healthy kick of cherry liquor. The cafe is also a delight with friendly staff, plenty of treats to choose from and a relaxing atmosphere (surprisingly quiet, too!).

Handmade from fresh ingredients the Black Forest cake is famous in Germany and worldwide so if you're around the Black Forest then heading over to Schäfers' and grabbing a slice is a must!

The Windmills of Kinderdijk

Rightly or wrongly whenever I think of Holland I think of clogs, tulips and windmills.

A great area to stretch your legs, and to take in the sights, is the village of Kinderdijk and it's impressive windmills.

At around a 30 minute drive east of Rotterdam, Kinderdijk is home of around 18 windmills - the largest concentration in the Netherlands and a designated UNESCO site.

Dating back to between 1738 and 1740 the windmills were used to prevent the polders (low land) flooding by pumping the water into reservoirs. The polders are now pumped by machine - one of which is located next to the main car park.

The windmills themselves are impressive pieces of architecture and provide a dramatic backdrop as you walk along the canals.

There site has a gift shop and tourist information point selling canal boat tours and providing information on the mills (you can also purchase a ticket and take a historical tour around one of mills).

With loads of views and wildlife the windmills are a great sight to behold and they pull in crowds from around the world. If you make it there keep an eye out for the man on his hotdog bicycle!

The Ferry or Le Shuttle?

That was the question I asked myself when deciding which route to take to mainland Europe this week.

Travelling to Rotterdam from the port of Hull (Ferry) or to France from Folkestone's Le Shuttle produced pretty similar costs (about £140 with travel and the cost of the tickets taken into account - based on 2 pax). The only real difference between the two being the speed - approx 30mins in the tunnel to Calais or a 12 hour ferry to Rotterdam, but that's the only difference... right?

With the lure of covering distance by travelling over night (thus saving precious driving hours and arriving in Rotterdam early AM) I chose the ferry.

Now having travelled on numerous Greek ferries I was pretty sure of the set-up. Book online, drive to the port, collect the ferry ticket, queue for an hour, drive aboard, queue with another 150 well travelled customers then find a quiet place to get some shut eye...

P&O's The Pride of Hull is different. Within a matter of minutes, of having driven to the ferry terminal gates, I've handed over my booking printout, received the key for my (included!) cabin and boarding pass, directed to the ferry, had my boarding pass checked and driven aboard. Fast.

The rooms are very basic but clean (if you opt for the included room with your ticket) with fold down beds, a shower and toilet room and a little desk.

Out of the room you have free reign to head to the cinema to watch a recent film, head to one of the themed bars, watch the live entertain or gamble your savings away. As expected there are also plenty of food options, too.

Failing that you can retreat to your cabin and organise your shopping trip or plan the next leg of your journey.

If you're in hurry to get to France then Le Shuttle's seamless speedy service, with duty free options, is for you. If, however, you have some time on you're hands and fancy travelling in basic luxury with an included cabin and entertainment on hand then P&O's Pride of Hull is a must.