Tuesday 26th August

Alarms rang at 5.00, and we were on our way to France. The trip through the channel tunnel was fast and uneventful.  Well except we saw the anticlockwise lane of the M25 bereft of any traffic. Few miles on we saw fire engines blocking the carriage way, and a couple of trucks hauling hay on the side. A fire in the straw, but didn’t notice any flames

We arrived at the chunnel, and were offered a trip 2 hours in advance of our scheduled trip. For some reason I did not accept and chose to snooze in the van for a little while. Way ahead of are scheduled boarding time, we went to catch our shuttle. Despite being pulled aside for an explosive test, we were through the French customs in record time.  No queuing at all.

Headed to the final queue, and found we were boarding straight away.  Yes, an earlier train, which appeared to be pretty empty.  Arrived in France 20 minutes ahead of schedule.  On the route did an interesting experiment, used my altimeter to see what the depth was.  The phone has a pressure altimeter. Interesting we went down to 210 meters below sea level, but at some point under the channel we rose to 200 above sea level.  I assume this is pressure caused by our speed through the tunnel, and oncoming trains crossing the channel.

We took our usual non-pay route to Le Bec-Hellouin where we had booked for a couple of nights. The weather was generally quite good, with only the odd little drop of rain. Wind en route had been strong. Not sure there can be any soil left on the fields.  The fields were being ploughed, and there were dust storms around the tractors, with the wind blowing away the soil.

Stopped at the usual small supermarket en route,  an Auchan at Bosroumois. After checking in, we found a nice pitch. Funny how we always camp in the same area, and indeed use the same pitches.

Wednesday 27th August

The day started lovely. Showers. Spoke to the Dutch neighbours who were on their way home. They told us their favourite book was The Salt Path. We had to disillusion them about its credibility, and how the authors had failed to pay back loans. Theywere shocked.

We walked down to the monastery. Stopped off at a café for a pre-elevenses beer. Then walked over to the monastery where R was looking for some suitable cards. She found none. The zoom call to the Sad Gits started at around 12. We proceeded with the call and walked around the garden and outside the monastery making a nuisance of ourselves.

After the call, back up to the campsite for lunch.  At around 3 I decided to go for a walk. So headed down to the village, onto the cycle track. I then took a path up the hill where R and I had been many years before. This was the track to Brionne. I didn’t want to walk to Brionne and hoped to take a track back down the hill. All these tracks appeared to be to be chained offwith forbidding and threatening notices. As a law-abiding Brit I was deterred and continued to walk on. When was I going to give up and turn around?  Eventually there was a left turn I could take, this turned into a metal road, past houses.  

I was still hoping for another open left, which I found. Eventually I was at where the cycle track crossed the road, the road back home. Could I find the cycle track.? No, it went under the road, and there was no way you could get to it.  So, I was forced to take the long walk home. BUT …. There was a sign about Le Bec-Hellouin and nature reserve. I took this route which went back to the cycle track.  As luck would have it this route eventually did join the track. Onwards and back to Le Bec-Hellouin, and then up the hill. Managed 11.0km in 1hr 52m  My legs are feeling it.

Back at the campsite, a bottle of beer and supper of chicken breast and salad.

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