LONG distance coach travel is a new one to me, but my wife Jackie and I need not have worried.

We were travelling from our pick-up point in Bury to Attersee in the Austrian Lakes on a 12 day holiday with Alfa Travel of Euxton, Chorley.

Ahead of us lay a three-day journey across Europe, via Dover and a 90-minute evening ferry crossing to France.

Thankfully the channel was calm. We passed through Flanders en route to our first hotel at Menin.

First World War cemeteries at the roadside and in the fields reminded us of what a turbulent place this had been after the turn of the century. After an overnight stay in Menin, we passed through Luxembourg and over the border into Germany.

Our second night's stop was at the fascinating mediaeval town of Kehl-Kork, near Strasbourg on the edge of the Black Forest.

Next day we motored across Germany and stopped at Freudenstadt, a town in Baden Wurtemberg known for having the largest market square in Germany. The Evangelical Lutheran Church, with its green tower roofs, dates back to the beginning of the 17th century.

Back on the coach, the roads climbed, twisted and fell as we passed through Chiemsee into Austria.

We arrived at the Georgshof Hotel, Unterach am Attersee in time for tea. The Austrian chalet style, family run hotel with terraces is in a commanding position overlooking the town of Unterach on the south west shores of Lake Attersee.

Our twin bedded en suite room had an astounding 180 degree view of Lake Attersee with the Hoehlengebirge mountains in the background.

Next day we set off for a full day excursion into Salzburg, birthplace of Mozart and, home of The Sound of Music.

Our guide Alexander Steinhart took us straight to the Mirabell Gardens and the Mirabell Palace built by Archbishop Wolf Dietrich in 1606 for his mistress Salome Alt, the daughter of a Jewish merchant.

We then crossed the Salzach river and Alexander took us into the old town, to the house where Mozart was born and to the marvellous Salzburg cathedral.

We also visited St. Peter's Abbey, the fortress and the residence, the most opulent building in town and former home of the Archbishop.

Next morning saw us visit the spa town of Bad Ischl and then go on to visit Hallstatt, one of the most exquisite villages in Austria. Situated in the heart of the Salzkammergut, Bad Ischl rose to fame in the 1800s when the Emperor Franz Joseph I, at his summer residence, the Kaiservilla, declared war on Serbia, which in turn started the First World War. At Halstatt we took the cable car up the 1,640 ft mountain for a spectacular view of Hallstatt nestling on the shores of Hallstatter See against a backdrop of the Dachsteiner Massif.

The following day we went for a ride round Lake Attersee to have a look at the towns and scenery and then went on to Mondsee.

A small road train collected us from the coach park and dropped us outside the cathedral of Mondsee which dominates the small town. Founded in 748 A.D. on the ruins of a Roman settlement, it influenced the culture of the region for more than 1,000 years until it was dissolved in 1792. The wedding scene for The Sound of Music was filmed here.

On day eight we went to St Wolfgang on the shores of Lake Wolfgang. Here is the famous Weisses Rössl (White Horse Inn) owned by the same family since 1712, and the Schafberg Mountain Steam Train.

This historical cog railway took us on a 45-minute journey to the top of Schafberg Mountain. On the summit we enjoyed a spectacular 360 degree panoramic view of the Salzkammergut with all its lakes and mountains. I can recommend the Germknodel served at the summit café.

This strange dumpling served with poppy seeds, icing sugar, melted butter and a filling of stewed plums is just about one of the best things you will taste.

Our last day at Attersee was free time and Jackie and I decided to return to Salzburg for one more walk around the beautiful city.

We strolled into the old town, explored the cathedral and walked up to the castle.

Halfway up the cobbled street which leads to the castle is a restaurant called The Brewery where we sat in the beer garden overlooking Salzburg and decided to try the most famous Salzburg pudding, a Salzburger Nockerl. This lighter than air Austrian Souffle is made with eggs, cream, sugar, meringue and tastes divine!

A different route would take us on our homeward journey. This time we passed Munich and Stuttgart to reach the Rhine, and after another overnight stay, drove through Holland and Belgium to Dunkirk, where we spent one more night before crossing the channel.

In England we said goodbye to our new friends, many of whom were already talking about their next coach trip!