Soest is a walled town in the North Rhine Westphalia region of western Germany. The old centre is very attractive.

Despite all this architectural goodness, there are no concessions to tourism at all here. No souvenir shops, no tourist office, it’s just an ordinary provincial German town. We had assumed that our hotel must be one of the town’s oldest buildings, but then we came across the Monchshof.

This dates from 1232, which puts it right in the middle of the 6th and 7th Crusades.

We went for a wander around the town with Val’s family and the kids in the afternoon. It’s hot, about 31 degrees. Ice cream time.

Heidelberg tomorrow.