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Via @ 70

luglio - ottobre 2023
  • Stuart Kilpatrick
Walking from Canterbury to Rome Leggi altro
  • Stuart Kilpatrick

Elenco dei paesi

  • Città del Vaticano Città del Vaticano
  • Italia Italia
  • Svizzera Svizzera
  • Francia Francia
  • Inghilterra Inghilterra
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Escursionismo, Viaggio da solo
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  • Stuart KilpatrickViaggiatoreVia @ 70

    Chalindrey 16 miles

    11 agosto 2023, Francia ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Woken by my fellow guests arriving at 1.30am. They then knocked on my door to ask if they could use the shower. Couldn’t really refuse although I really wanted them to go to bed asap. In the morning my sociability got the better of me as I stayed in bed until after they left. I’ve never needed much of an excuse to stay in bed of course.

    Big decision to make on the walking. The route took 16 miles to wander round a lake or I could take a road which got there in 6. It was a beautiful day and I had no excuse for the shortcut so I hoofed round the lake. Mostly in shade but still hot. Used the Tilley hat for only the second time. I suspect I look more of a prat than usual but too bad.

    Apparently all French cemeteries must have a drinking water tap. Don’t ask me why. Dead bodies don’t drink much I would have thought. But damned useful for the pilgrims. Especially on days like today when I couldn’t get enough water down me. (Sitting outside in 25C while writing this and drinking yet another litre of water. Don’t think I have had a pee all day - but you might not have wanted to know that. )

    In a chambre d’hote tonight again. As luck would have it on the hottest night so far I am in this wee room in the eaves with only a tiny window (see photo). Going to be sweaty one I think.

    I was told there was a fast food place nearby so I went out to look for it. Came upon a bar. Now I don’t think I have had a drink for at least a couple of weeks but the heat did make it seem quite appealing. Half of Leffe went down very well. Got instructions to the local chippie. Just like student days, following the pub with a chippie. Only managed half of it. Just don’t seem to have much of an appetite these days.

    Can’t see that lasting when I get home!    Leggi altro

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  • Stuart KilpatrickViaggiatoreVia @ 70

    Champlitte 15 miles

    12 agosto 2023, Francia ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Well all I can say about last night is thank goodness I am only 5 ft 7 as I banged my head often enough even with that rather modest height. Just the strangest room I have ever slept in.

    While “enjoying” the usual rubbish breakfast it occurred to me that the pilgrim diet has virtually no fruit and vegetables at all and it is quite difficult to improve it. Nothing is available at breakfast unless you count orange juice. Lunch doesn’t usually happen at all except for a Snickers bar and dinner seldom has any veg options at all.

    So I made a mental note to try harder to source f & v whenever possible. Luckily today I passed a supermarket on the way out of town this morning and purchased a couple of bananas and a massive Pink Lady apple for lunch. Start as I mean to continue.

    Walking was fairly uneventful except for a thunderstorm for the last half hour. No point in getting the waterproofs out as I would be washing out my clothes as soon as I arrived anyway and it wasn’t cold.

    Managed to book a pilgrim’s place for tonight at the last minute. Quite relieved as I have avoided wild camping so far and I was in no hurry to start. This place is a bit grim - the shower has been blocked since the last occupant had a shower but it is only 20€ and so far I seem to be the only occupant. Just one bedroom with 2 sets of bunk beds crammed in.

    No restaurant but there is a supermarket in walkable distance. Went for gazpacho and a sort of “prawn on a bed of cold mixed veg” thing with a lemon meringue pie to follow. For those interested in such things a litre of gazpacho is quite a lot. And I have some things for breakfast/lunch tomorrow. Doing my best with the f & v stuff.    Leggi altro

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  • Stuart KilpatrickViaggiatoreVia @ 70

    Dampierre-sur-Salon 12 miles

    13 agosto 2023, Francia ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Bit dizzy when I got up this morning. Not nearly as bad as before but disconcerting nevertheless. Had a distinctly diy breakfast of banana, pain au chocolat and some leftover Orangina from last night. With a lemon meringue pie also left over from last night. When I did finally get going about 10.30am I packed my bag and went to leave only to discover I hadn’t put any lenses in and my glasses were well down the bag. Interesting that the effort of putting down the bag and unpacking was more than I was prepared for. So the day was spent in a bit of a blur. When walking you only really need to see where you are putting your feet, everything else is just nice to have.

    Nice short day of only 12 miles. Bit hot though. Quite clammy. Even though I had brought lunch I couldn’t be bothered stopping for it. Arrived at the next place by 2.30pm. A chambre d’hote with all mod-cons. Somewhere to wash my clothes, somewhere outside to dry them, even air conditioning in the bedroom. And a 3 course meal provided. Just great.    Leggi altro

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  • Stuart KilpatrickViaggiatoreVia @ 70

    Busey-les-Gy 18 miles

    14 agosto 2023, Francia ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    There is something about watching lightening flashing nearby while having breakfast that encourages a degree of tardiness in a pilgrim. I have never been described as a fast mover first thing in the morning but I took that to new heights this morning. It was only once I was convinced that the small thunderstorm had indeed passed us by that I ventured forth.

    All went well for about an hour before the tell-tale rumble re-appeared and a few heavy drops started. Panic stations to get the waterproof cover on the rucksack before it got really wet. It’s too warm to worry about getting wet myself but I wouldn’t want my bag contents to get soaked. Passport, testimonial, credit cards etc as well as sleeping bag and so on are best to be kept dry. But despite threatening nothing really came of it although it did try again once or twice in the morning before it settled down to just blue sky and heat.

    Was having a lovely blether with Anne when I passed what turned out to be the only open shop/bar/cafe in the whole day. Didn’t want to stop and interrupt the chat. Not getting food wasn’t the issue as I had a banana and apple that I have been carrying a while that needed eaten but I missed getting liquid as it turned out there were no water possibilities today either. And it was a hot one.

    My host last night had suggested a shortcut for today that brought the distance down from 22 miles on the official route to a more pleasant 18 miles. Would have been rude to ignore local info so I went for it. It made for a lot of road walking on what turned out to be a busier road than I would have liked but I was grateful on arrival that I didn’t have another 4 miles to walk especially as tomorrow is a 20 miler.

    A strange incident happened as I got close to finish. A local worthy started speaking to me and asked if I wanted a photo. I assumed he meant did I want him to take a photo of me. We are both well past the age of taking selfies (as you may have noticed) so I just thought it was a kind gesture so agreed. He nipped inside the neighbouring barn and came out holding a muckle great cockerel. I now thought he wanted me to hold the beast while he took a photo of us. Why, who knows? But no, he proceeded to stick this thing on his own head and pose for me to take the photo. Which I duly did and you can enjoy at your leisure.

    I am in a gite for pilgrims tonight and I have a fellow pilgrim. From Luxembourg I think and only started a couple of days ago but looks like we might be covering the same sort of distances so he might become a bit of an issue. I would so much prefer to be on my own.

    Dinner was provided which was just as well as there was nothing available anywhere else. It did.    Leggi altro

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  • Stuart KilpatrickViaggiatoreVia @ 70

    Besancon 20 miles

    15 agosto 2023, Francia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Slightly unusual breakfast as it had been left the previous night by my hosts. Slice of plum tart (that should have been last night’s dessert), banana and lots of coffee. Couldn’t face the bread and an egg that had also been left.

    Did the usual packing of the rucksack only to wonder where the waterproof cover had gone to. As mentioned before I can live without being able to see but that cover is vital especially as it was raining at the time. So everything out of the bag to find the blessed thing.

    Another long, hot and sweaty day walking. Highlight was lunch of a banana, snickers bar and a warm can of Orangina. Very pleasant. Found a couple of cemeteries during the day to keep the water topped up.

    This morning’s route was described in the book as a morass of mud, mire and mosquitoes. It did have its moments but it wasn’t that bad. No sign of mosquitoes anyway.

    Had my first equipment failure a while back. My power bank stopped working completely and was promptly ditched. Needed replaced as on a long day my phone needs carefully nursed so as not to run out and leave me completely lost. I would have no idea where I was staying or where I was in the first place. This is the largest city I pass through in France so I thought I would easily get one. Except today seems to be some sort of French National holiday. All shops shut. And they don’t open that early tomorrow. Fortunately Amazon Prime came to the rescue and one sourced, ordered and paid for from the comforts of my bed. Glynice can bring it out next week when she comes.

    The place I am staying tonight is massive. Built in 17th and 18th centuries and could hold hundreds. Seems to be just me here though. But when last night’s pilgrim turned up on spec they turned him away saying there was no space. Bizarre. I think they don’t like people just turning up. Advance booking required.    Leggi altro

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  • Stuart KilpatrickViaggiatoreVia @ 70

    Foucherans 15 miles

    16 agosto 2023, Francia ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    No breakfast possible other than small Snickers bar and some water. Shame because there was a stonking climb out of Besancon heading into the Jura Mountains. Brief stop at a viewpoint and statue then on. Had high hopes of some food and water at a village not long after. It thought enough of the Via to have a nice big sign giving the distances from Canterbury (830 kms) and to Rome (1,272 kms), giving me 40% completion so far. Unfortunately it didn’t go so far as having any shops open for pilgrims. Only food available was a full-blown restaurant. Seemed greedy but I had a very nice pizza with a litre of lemonade. Lovely. Sat outside and let my clothes dry slightly in the breeze. To be honest I am not sure if I would have been that popular inside. Possibility of a slight odour sometimes.

    Afternoon turned into a bit of a slog. Thought the food and liquid would have helped but they didn’t really. It is still over 30C each day and that doesn’t help either.

    Had a short but unpleasant road section. Not happy with lorries on one side of me and a metal barrier on the other.

    Tonight’s place is very old and quirky but everything here. Well no bed linen, towels or toiletries, but it is only 20€ a night for pilgrims. And someone brought in dinner for 10€. Don’t know where from but don’t really care. It did and there was nothing else to be had. On my own again. Grand.    Leggi altro

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  • Stuart KilpatrickViaggiatoreVia @ 70

    Mouthier-Haute-Pierre 16 miles

    17 agosto 2023, Francia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    A surprisingly good sleep. Not a sound to be heard. I am easily put off sleeping if there is any noise, tv nearby, folk talking or even breathing noisily, snoring, traffic, birdsong, insects the list is endless. But this was lovely. Didn’t let the fact that the pillow had no pillowcase and had probably been used by hundreds of pilgrims put me off in the slightest.

    Slice of toast and jam and a coffee for breakfast and off I went.

    Slight rain for the first couple of hours but not unpleasant. Kept the temperature manageable. Most of the morning spent on a beautifully surfaced old railway track, gently descending. You don’t get much better than that. It did have an interesting tunnel though.

    For the first time I am in a fairly touristy area. Very picturesque. And tourists mean more facilities. Found a great cafe/restaurant for lunch. Didn’t know what I was getting, just that you could order a large plate or a small plate. Went for the small which was just as well as it was quite big enough. After it came I wasn’t much the wiser except it was all vegan. Looked shockingly healthy. The one thing I did understand from the lovely ladies serving was that I had a glass of chilled courgette soup. That’s a first for me.

    Afternoon was hot again but helped by an ice cream stop on the way.
    Can’t remember what tonight’s place is costing and I don’t want to ask because it is spectacular. A rambling old house with probably up to 10 bedrooms. Dinner was served on various tables spread round the garden. For some reason the lady of the house placed mine in the middle of the garden with an amazing view. No choice for dinner but it was a sort of vegetable stew with salmon & trout mixed in. Very nice too.

    Altogether a pretty good day food-wise. About the most, and certainly the healthiest, food I have had so far.

    I’ll put up with some tourists knocking about if that’s the payback anytime.    Leggi altro

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  • Stuart KilpatrickViaggiatoreVia @ 70

    Pontarlier 15 miles

    18 agosto 2023, Francia ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    Last night ended up being 72€ which I thought was pretty good for dinner, bed and breakfast with that view.

    Started this morning with a 500m climb but luckily most of that was in shade. Spectacular walk up beside a river through trees. The photos don’t really do it justice. There were places where you really did not want to slip so I was grateful that the ground was dry. Would have been a bit of a knee trembler if muddy. Lovely stop half way up for a litre of sparkling water and an Orangina. (Plus my banana and Snickers bar). Views are so much better since Besancon although the hills do make for harder going.

    Another youth hostel tonight. Interesting shower cabinet. Tiny, walled on 3 sides and with a pair of doors that opened inwards. Luckily, I have lost a couple of pounds since I started but it was still a squeeze. And then I dropped my precious wee bar of soap. The contortions involved in picking it up would have caused much mirth if anybody had been watching but I was just worried about what would have happened if I had got stuck. With inward doors that would have been me until a cleaner turned up in the morning.

    Out for another Japanese meal tonight. Strange that it is such good value here. All the French restaurants seem pricey unless you just want a burger and fries and I think I have had enough of them. I suppose Scottish restaurants are dear in Scotland.

    I think I may have realised why I don’t have much of an appetite here. Because it is hot I am having a litre of chilled sparkling water with every meal. Once you have got one of those in your tummy there ain’t much room for anything else.    Leggi altro

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  • Stuart KilpatrickViaggiatoreVia @ 70

    Les Fourgs 8 miles

    19 agosto 2023, Francia ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    Only 8 miles today but it did pack quite a lot of hills into that. Even with the latest permitted departure from the youth hostel of 10am and a bit of sight-seeing on the way I arrived just after 1.30pm. I was hopeful of getting something for lunch but it was like a ghost town. Several shops and restaurants closed. Looked a mixture of closed for good, closed for a while or just closed for a 4 hour lunch. One shop said open and the door was indeed open but when I went inside you only accessed a large vending machine which sold big dods of cheese or cold meat. Nae bread.

    Luckily, just as I was giving up, I noticed a bar which had someone moving inside. Went inside and asked the jimmy if they were open to which he seemed to reply he wasn’t. But just in case, he asked what I was after. After a short (because I don’t know much French) conversation he agreed to make me a sanny and sell me a litre bottle of lemonade. Magic. He did produce the largest sanny I have ever seen. I think he had cut a loaf in two and then filled one half with a massive chunk of pate. Threw in a couple of gerkins and a tomato and there you go. He did charge 15€ for the pair but then again it would have done your average family of four for a perfectly adequate lunch.

    Slightly disappointed that I couldn’t get into tonight’s pilgrim’s hostel straight away, just had to wait outside for an hour and a half. But I was very early. These places are amazing. You have no idea in advance what to expect. Every one is different. This one is a couple’s house rather than being a separate, rather dilapidated property that they often are. I am in a spare bedroom and would share the toilet and bathroom with them but they have gone to sleep with their grand-children in another property they are building nearby. Only charging 26€ a night so they aren’t doing it for the money. No overt religious signs so they just seem to like pilgrims. Seen it frequently that pilgrims as a group are welcomed by individuals or communities, possibly because of historical connections, in a way that tourists certainly aren’t.    Leggi altro

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  • Stuart KilpatrickViaggiatoreVia @ 70

    Orbe 18 miles

    20 agosto 2023, Svizzera ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    My hostess warned me at breakfast that today would be hot and so it proved. Started with 150m of gentle climbing and then it looked like downhill the rest of the day. Wasn’t quite like that but enough downhill to make my feet hurt. The soles of these shoes are wearing thin and so I feel every small stone especially on downhill sections. Only got a couple of days in them before the cavalry is coming bringing replacements as well as all sorts of other goodies like more contact lenses, another wee tube of toothpaste etc.

    Stopped at a supermarket at the first village to get something for lunch. Thought it a little strange that although the village was small the supermarket was massive and the large car park was packed. On a Sunday morning? Twigged after a while that a large proportion of the cars were sporting Swiss number plates. I was less than 5 miles from the Swiss border and folk were coming across to stock up.

    Bought a litre of Orangina, some bananas, cookies and Snickers. A healthy diet. Sat outside in the car park looking like a complete dosser while chomping away. Little disappointed that no one offered any money. Didn’t even give me a second glance. Maybe they are used to pilgrims.

    Nothing much to the Swiss border but I was amused how the narrow gravel path in France became a full-blown very smooth road in Switzerland. Amazing what unlimited money does.

    Before crossing the border I had visited my last French cemetery to stock up with water. None to be seen anywhere. Bit upset as I had finished my supplies in anticipation. Had a further 5 hours of very hot walking to do without any liquid. After reaching the campsite I have drunk 5 litres and will take another litre in to the tent with me.

    The campsite was next to a large outdoor swimming pool which had a restaurant. Fab. Had to sit inside where it was boiling because it looked like every outside table had at least one smoker. Smoking seems just as trendy here as it is in France.

    Prices were fairly scandalous. I went for pasta carbonara and a large bottle of water, being about the cheapest on the menu but still got through 25.50SFr. Ouch.    Leggi altro

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