‘DRUMS ON THE DANUBE’
11 – 15 AUGUST
In 1704, during the War of the Spanish Succession,
John Churchill, first Duke of Marlborough, led the
Anglo-Dutch army half across Europe to combine with
the Imperial army of Prince Eugène, with a view
to defeating the armies of the “Sun King”, Louis XIV.
The march itself is one of the epic events of all
military history, culminating in the dramatic assault
on the Schellenberg hill at Donauwörth
and the
stunning victory at Blindheim
on 13th August 1704. In “Marlborough, his life and Times”Sir
Winston
Churchill declared that “the Battle of
Blenheim...changed the political axis of the World”. .
Our first full day begins by visiting the village of Mundelsheim, where Marlborough met Eugène
for the
first time on 10th June. We then go to Gross Heppach, where they conferred with the Markgraf
Louis of
Baden a few days later. We cross the River Wörnitz where Marlborough did, at Ebermergen,
and follow
the assault on the Schellenberg.
We then base ourselves for three nights on the Park Hotel at Donauwörth,
situated close to the old earthwork fort, built on the
Schellenberg by Gustavus Adolphus during the Thirty
Years War, and reworked to be the centre piece of the
French defensive position. Next day we visit the
great battlefield of Blenheim and the museum at
Höchstädt. On our last full day we drive to the
fascinating town of Nördlingen,
where some 6,000 casualties were cared for following the battles. We also
take the opportunity of visiting two interesting
battlefields of the Thirty Years War.
11 AUGUST: Fly to Stuttgart. Transfer to suitable
hotel in the city. Introductory talk.
12 AUGUST: Drive to Mundelsheim,
then to Gross Heppach. Lunch break. Then drive to
Donauwörth via Elchingen, Amerdingen and Ebermergen. Check
in to the Park Hotel, Donauwörth.
Short walk on the Schellenberg.
13 AUGUST: Drive to Blindheim
for detailed inspection of the battlefield. Then to Höchstädt
for
lunch break. Visit the museum in the afternoon.
14 AUGUST: Drive to Nördlingen,
pausing on the Allbuch hill to view the battlefield
of 5th
September 1634. In the afternoon, drive to Alerheim, scene of the battle of 3rdAugust 1645.
15 AUGUST: Drive to Stuttgart for return flight.
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT:
£125.00
DEPOSIT PER PERSON:
£100.00
AIR TRAVEL INCLUDED
GUIDE: MIKE HANNON