2012/2 France - South to the Garonne

After a relaxing day of R & R in Hastings, (Maureen is wonderful, it is like having a Mum again, she looks after us and sets us on our way), we set off along the coast to Dover. Thought we had hours to spare, but got distracted with a phone call from Nick in NZ, telling us he had just been offered a job as a Resource Management Planner in Oamaru, a small town in the South Island.  We are delighted and talked for too long and nearly missed the ferry. Yet another smooth crossing and back to La Belle France. We love it.

Calais has become a home away from home. We know how to get things done here, so we had a very productive few hours. Gas bottles, haircuts, internet access, shopping at Serge Blanco, Zara and Mango, stocked up the wine cellar and so on. Discovered the Cite Europe centre (Thanks Frans and Cynthia), which made life even easier. The French really know how to look after motorhomers, they recognise the economic benefits, so provide easy, free overnight parking in the hope that you will spend some money, which of course you do.  So far they have always been within a 10 minute walk to fetch the day’s bread before breakfast.

The weather has been much kinder to us. Have been basking in the sunshine – put shorts on yesterday and unearthed the sunblock, (note that was the last time for shorts for two weeks). Still freezing at night though. We headed west – with a stopover at Forges les Eaux in Normandy– discovered the cycleway there on the old railway – got distracted and stayed another day. Our backsides are still in recovery mode. Made a 90 degree turn and slowly started making our way south towards the Dordogne. Kept up our cathedral visits with a trip to Chartres and coq au vin in the square. Amazing windows but much of it under restoration and couldn’t be seen.

Discovered the Brenne National park, quite by chance – spent a night in an Aire by a little lake  (etang en Francais). Found that the area was full of them (etangs that is) – literally thousands. Stayed on and did a couple of walks – lots of birds – heard loads of cuckoos (David happy as they are now rare in the UK) and watched a red squirrel leaping from tree to tree.

Technology has been the bane of our existence on this trip. We have invested in a TV for Stan, something we thought we would never do and now wish we never had. We are onto our 3rd aerial – an omni-directional thing up on the roof. Thought we had it sussed, but it is a sort of  “now you can see me, now you can’t” situation. Some days it works perfectly, others it won’t tune into anything. Wastes hours of our time and several cheap options instead of the real thing! Next problem is the internet. Discovered we could get a French dongle for internet access – actually they call it a cle, meaning key which is a much better word. Whoever came up with dongle? This has also driven us crazy, but we really think we have it operational now!! Famous last words.

Moving south but a bad  day on the 15th May (birthday for Tom and Katie and talked to them on Skype) after a T junction in the middle of nowhere, two police motorbikes stopped me,  “You slowed down, you looked to the left and you looked to the right, BUT Monsieur you did not stop – instant fine 90 Euro, and had I had a French licence, 4 points deducted and 12 points you lose the licence.  

South into the Dordogne, and a stop at Souillac with a walk along the fast flowing Dordogne river(swollen by the recent rain) then a 40km cycle ride on another of the “Voie Verte’ cycle tracks along an old railway almost to Sarlat; good surface, almost flat and often raised up above the surrounding countryside, sheltered by trees (good if it had been hot – it wasn't).

We decided as this is our 3rd or fourth visit to the Dordogne region it was time to educate ourselves a bit more on the prehistoric stuff it is so famous for. Not a great interest of ours, but nevertheless a visit to Les Eyzies starting with the museum, then on a cycle tour, visiting various important sites. All very interesting, but I think we enjoyed looking in all the farmyards and charming little cottages more. Moved on to Lot starting with a 4 hour uphill, down dale walk round Rocamadour. As in our mountain walks a couple of years ago, the wild flowers were wonderful. Such a variety of fantastic flowers that we would struggle to grow in our gardens at home. The end of the walk took us right through the town and the Stations of the Cross, which some really dedicated pilgrims climb up on their knees. We have always avoided Rocamadour as being too touristy, and indeed it is, but still interesting. The walk was great. We meandered around the area a bit, with a nostalgic coffee in Figeac, a drive down the beautiful Cele Valley – to be recommended, a bike ride and walk to St Cirq Lapopie and a completion of our prehistoric education with a visit to La Grotte de Pech Merle – amazing 25000 year old cave  drawings.

We have done quite a few walks now – the rambling sort through villages, farmyards and countryside. On our first walk  we set off on the blue walk at Brenne. We were really impressed that there were blue stickers on every power pole and we followed them conscientiously until the map simply didn’t make sense anymore. We are now a lot wiser and don’t follow the blue, live wire sign, but stick to the standard French walking signs, which are sometimes a bit hard to find. We also now realise that almost everywhere you walk in this part of France there are GR (Grande Routes –long walks involving many days, with red and whites markers)  and many of the paths will eventually lead you on the Pilgrim Route to Santiago de Compostella, as there are lots of alternative routes. For us there are PR  (pedestrian routes with yellow markers and from 2 to 4 or 5 hours each in a loop).

Cycle rides have ben good too, especially along  the Lot river, one on the Chemin de Halage (tow path) sometimes cut into the rock (including a modern sculpture).  Another ride  along one bank and back on the other side.

We are now staying in a delightful little aire on the banks of the Garonne Canal that we visited with Nick last year. People fishing, walking, cycling, rowing, red squirrels racing up and down trees and even a couple of little goats wandered in from the farm on the side of the canal – lots of “Bon appetit” as we eat our dinner – could only be in France. We have left the Dordogne River and then the Lot River and now moving onto the Garonne. Plenty of riding here along the towpath in this wide valley before moving south towards the Pyrenees. Let’s hope the good weather keeps going. We have gone from winter to summer in about a week. Temperatures of 10 degrees to now in the high 20’s. We are not complaining.

2012/1 Round and About London and out West.

Well here we are in Bath at the end of April as we write the first phase of our journey 2012.  What to talk about in Britain if it isn’t the weather.  On April the 6th a drought and a hose pipe was announced, on the 7th it started to rain and apart from a couple of days in Hastings it hasn't stopped since for more than half a day at a time. The rain, with low temperatures and a wind makes that raw wet cold so typical of England.  We arrived with Malaysian Airways but were disappointed by the lack of Malaysian meals, although departing at midnight and arriving late afternoon is ideal for jet lag.

First problem was Stan sunk in the Maureen’s ‘drought stricken’ lawn while turning round, others like the water taps and the heater (again) were solved, Maureen having already organised the insurance and WOF etc.   

The start of our trip 2012 was to visit family and friends mostly around London. We parked in a street in Wandsworth to see Joanna’s niece Laura, Tane and little Bella-Rose. Also went to the musical - Jersey Boys in Soho, rode on the Regents Canal, had a view of David’s University College (the first sight since 1958), the British Museum to see lots of old stuff; and speaking of old stuff also saw Kylie Minogue on her comeback trail doing a photo shoot in Soho trying to look half her age in hot pants and bikie jacket, 40 something going on 20. We saw David’s nieces and nephew in Tunbridge Wells and Essex, cousin in Banbury, godson near Cambridge and then old house mates from (1960) in Horsham.  Ever on to see expats from Lesotho (1988) in Wycombe and Cairo (1990) near Bedford. Then something different, chez friends who stayed with us during the Rugby World Cup on a Narrow Boat in Leicester. Always great meals and local sights plus plenty of reminiscing with suitable wine and or beer in the local pub etc.  All this was conceived as a once round London but it turned out to be a twice round London.

However in spite of the rain the English countryside came to life turning green in the two weeks and daffodils everywhere  plus tulips in gardens and the blossoms incredible (a great year for them in seems).  We were impressed by the villages where our friends and residents take a great part in village activities and even make sure there is a local store and pub by buying it and running it themselves.

Our sightseeing continued with two days in the Cotswolds walking from Bourton on the Water to the Slaughters, across muddy fields and then overnighting in a muddy field.

Now at Bath staying in a smart camping ground (24 pounds a night compared with 4 pounds in the field).  However very well located with a park and ride at the gate, and a pub 5 minutes away next to the river and canal, another 15 minutes the other way also on the canal plus plug in TV – the first time our new TV has actually worked as any thing except a DVD.  Bath was a revelation, such a distinguished centre and with a choir practising in the Abbey, afternoon tea in the Pump Room followed by a rushed walk round the town as the next day (today) was correctly forecast with gale force winds and heavy rain.  However we managed a walk to the pub and this afternoon -  there has been a few gaps in the rain.

Next moves depend on the weather, Cheddar Gorge if we can walk, Bristol for the Clifton Bridge and perhaps some Puffins in Pembrokeshire. Now for a drink at the ‘other’ pub.

Joanna has had a bit of a thing about puffins for years. She has teatowels, bags, a pegbag and even some puffin socks from Alaska, but wanted to see the real thing. David does not share the passion and was pretty hard to convince that a puffin tour would be a good idea. That is until we discovered Skomer Island and its puffin colony in Pembrokeshire, right on the tip of south-west Wales. David’s ears pricked up when he realised that this is the area of the famed Pembrokeshire Coastal Path.

Made the long trek along the M4, through the pouring rain (just for something different.) As we arrived at Martin’s Haven the sun came out – brilliant. It stayed that way for the next day and a half that we spent in this beautiful spot.  Overnighted in the car park, probably not allowed, and lawn mowers arrived at 5am! Divine retribution.

What a brilliant day. Blue skies, calm seas, great walking and huge numbers of a variety of birds – the most important being the manx shearwaters and puffins, both burrowing birds. The shearwaters only come out at night, but the puffins are very obliging and go about their business all around you – in and out of their burrows, taking off landing, building nests etc. So close you can almost touch them. They seem completely unperturbed by humans gawking and clicking away on cameras. They are so engaging and I could have watched for hours. Did in fact.

The plan was to do some of the coastal walk over the next couple of days, but the weather gods intervened again and we resorted to visiting a few coastal villages and towns, togged up in all our wet weather gear, then on to The Valleys. The old Welsh mining valleys which we had read so much about. We were given all sorts of advice, but never really found the essence of it, besides a night in a pub car park to compensate. Saw some beautiful countryside though – every now and then through the pouring rain!

Back to Bristol for a quick view of the SS Great Britain, (impressive) then onto the Cheddar Gorge in Somerset, where the cheese supposedly originated. Found a lovely campsite that didn’t seem to be based on a million rules, like so many British campsites are. Us ignorant colonials are always getting into trouble for breaking rules we didn’t know about. They were friendly and helpful and set us off on a couple of interesting and rigorous walks around the Mendip Heights and down into the gorges – and up again of course so sore muscles the next day.

A bit of culture with Wells and Salisbury Cathedrals – (Pillars of the Earth has done wonders for our knowledge of cathedrals) and Stonehenge. The on to visit friends, Frans and Cynthia Sandberg in Somerset – fellow NZ motorhomers, whom we met at Oberammergau two years ago. It was great to catch up and compare adventures.

Now back in Hastings, van all ready to cross to France tomorrow. Let’s hope for better weather across the channel. April in the UK has been the wettest since records began and the coldest in 23 years.