W
NW
N
N
NE
W
the Degree Confluence Project
E
SW
S
S
SE
E

Luxembourg

0.5 km (0.3 miles) E of Wilwerwiltz-Enscherange, Diekirch, Luxembourg
Approx. altitude: 392 m (1286 ft)
([?] maps: Google MapQuest OpenStreetMap ConfluenceNavigator)
Antipode: 50°S 174°W

Accuracy: 5 m (16 ft)
Quality: good

Click on any of the images for the full-sized picture.

#2: All zeroes #3: The view north from the CP #4: The view west from the CP #5: The view south from the CP #6: The view east from the CP #7: The interesting sign, explaining the latitude/longitude system

  { Main | Search | Countries | Information | Member Page | Random }

  50°N 6°E (visit #21)  

#1: The CP with the monument

(visited by Jeroen Haringman)

20-Aug-2011 -- After having visited 50N05E five days ago, on our way home from Luxembourg city, 50N6E was next. It is probably one of the most often visited CPs in Western Europe (21 times, including our visit, in 11 years) as it is centrally located, it can be easily reached and it is on public property. It's also a beautiful spot with a great view, and some one has put up a few interesting monuments.

After our visit of the city of Luxembourg, our trip home would pass within a few kilometres of 50N06E, so the opportunity was too good to pass up. When we woke up and checked out of the hotel, the day began with a nasty surprise: our car had a flat tyre. Of course, modern cars seldom have a 'real' spare tyre but just a small, narrow tyre, only suitable for driving a short distance at slow speeds to the nearest garage. I couldn't see myself driving the 400 km home on it, let alone drive to the CP over a steep, unpaved road.

Fortunately, the hotel staff were very helpful and they pointed us to a garage on the other side of the city. There, four mechanics attacked our car, and within half an hour we were on our way again. It was rather like watching a Formula One pit stop. Our experience with the friendliness and the level of service of the Luxembourg people has been very positive.

After this unexpected adventure we were finally on our way to the CP. From the city of Luxembourg it's a drive of an hour and a bit to the CP. We took it easy, so we took a little longer than that, enjoying the Luxembourg countryside. About halfway the A7 motorway stops and continues as a secondary road. Although I don't particularly like driving long distances (or driving at all) it was quite a relaxing drive through the eastern Ardennes.

At the town of Hosingen we turned westward, and continued over secondary roads through sleepy rural villages. Just in the village of Enscherange we turned right and uphill. After having passed a few houses – and a few surprised people maybe wondering what a car with Dutch registration plates was doing there – the paved road ended and we turned into the unpaved road. As at least one previous visitor mentioned that he left his car at the bottom of the hill because he thought his car wouldn't make it up the steep unpaved road, I was just a little bit worried. We were driving a Fiat Panda, which is a great little car but it is not known for its terrain capabilities.

In the end, I needn't have worried. Any somewhat experienced driver in any normal car should be able to make it up the hill in dry conditions. Only if you drive a Tesla Roadster, if you just got your driver's license yesterday or if the ground is very wet I'd advise against trying it. Our brave little Panda made it up the steep gravel road without problems. The front wheels slipped a bit over the loose stones, but by keeping a steady speed in first gear we arrived at the top in a few minutes, approaching the CP from the south west.

At the top of the hill is some vegetation, a cell phone transmitter mast (which can be seen from quite far away, a handy pointer) and, of course, the CP. Between 2004 and 2006 some one erected a few items around the CP. There's a cobblestone circle on the ground with a metal rod, topped by a metal ball, in the middle of the circle, indicating the position of the CP. Surrounding the circle are eight wooden poles, indicating the cardinal directions. Judging by both the photos from the previous visitors and my own measurements, the monument is positioned very accurately. My Garmin Geko 201 GPS had an accuracy of 2 metres that day, and it zeroed in about 50 centimetres north east of the metal rod. My Android mobile phone, with its newer GPS chip set, zeroed in in nearly exactly the same location. In photos of earlier visits – even the most recent one in April 2010 – the shrubs around the circle looked quite small and bare, but they've grown to quite a nice dense set of bushes.

A few metres to the east of the cobblestone circle there is a nice metal sun dial on a brick pedestal, and next to it is large sign in both German and French explaining how the latitude/longitude system works, how the sun dial works and even the Degree Confluence Project is mentioned. It's really good to see that some one, probably the local municipality, went through the trouble to make this point a special place.

There is also a bench, from which the view over the valley can be admired, which we did as we had splendid weather. Despite having been visited quite a few times already this remains an interesting and nice CP to visit. After having spent about 20 minutes at the CP, we made the descent down the hill back to the world of paved roads, and we continued our journey northward to the Netherlands. After an uneventful drive of a little over four hours we arrived home and concluded a very nice holiday. Not only did we have a relaxing and interesting holiday, but we visited two CPs as well.

It was fun, interesting, and it made me think about visiting other CPs in the future. I can highly recommend visiting this CP.


 All pictures
#1: The CP with the monument
#2: All zeroes
#3: The view north from the CP
#4: The view west from the CP
#5: The view south from the CP
#6: The view east from the CP
#7: The interesting sign, explaining the latitude/longitude system
ALL: All pictures on one page