25-Apr-2004 -- My wife and I were invited by my eldest son and his family to join the yearly Eastern trip of his canoe society to Luxembourg. As this was a nice opportunity to spent some days with granddaughter Lenke (4) and grandson Yvo (1½) we accepted gladly and found our way from near Amsterdam, the Netherlands to Kautenbach, Luxembourg.

Camping Nic. Brandenburger, (49.954°N 6.03°E), happened to be close to the one and only CP (50°N 6°E) of Luxembourg. In straight line only 5.5 km. We intended to hike from the camping to the CP by tracking as close as possible the meandering river Clerve stream up to Enscherange. Due to an injury of my knee this plan had to be cancelled and finally we went by car instead.

The CP can be reached by car easily. Driving road CR326 from Wilwerwiltz to Enscherange (see blue dotted line in picture #6) turn sharp right to Pintsch, after 350 m turn left into a dirt road and follow this road for 700 m until you see the CP just beside the road. Do not attempt the road starting in Enscherange, this one is very steep and covered with clay.

As visitor #3 reported there is something growing at the CP, although there is not much progress in the past two months. Photograph #1 shows at the CP a circular pavement of small cobblestones, with the cardinal directions marked. In the centre four threaded iron bars are fixed in the concrete base. Eight mountings are situated around the circle, waiting for a construction. And a bench is under construction too; the legs can be seen in photograph #3. The displays in picture #6, photographed with the receiver in the centre of the circle proof this construction is at the WGS84 position of 50°N 6°E. (Other landmarks found in Germany were referenced to ED50, see 51°N 6°E and 52°N 7°E).

The family performed a temporal statue as a suggestion. Photograph #7 shows Wendy (NW sector), Inge (SE sector), Roeland (SW sector) and Henk (that's me in the NE sector) expressing the alliance of mankind with the Latitude / Longitude co-ordinate system. The grandchildren Lenke and Yvo had their midday nap in the van.

The weather, bright sunlight, impressive clouds, cold wind and some degrees of frost early in the morning produced interesting light conditions. Photographs #2, #3, #4 and #5 are the standard NESW pictures, each picture is taken over the marked line of the pavement. The village in the centre of photograph #4 is Wilwerwiltz. At about 6 km to the West you find the village of Wiltz, well known in the world of Scouting for its international camping site.

Photograph #8 shows the canoe society at work and in the insert Yvo as an early-starter. Photograph #9 shows a sunny camping site with the tents, caravans and transports of the members of the canoe club. The arrow points to my tent. And YES it was cold at night with free ice cubes in the morning. The river runs just in front of the sanitary block in the background corner.

An impression of springtime and clean air is collected in picture #10. Wild anemones flowering in white and yellow (indicating there is chalk in the soil) and Old Man's beard (Usnea hirta) lichen which is a good indicator for unpolluted air.