ensuitepilgrim's Blog

Last day of the sejour here. Six peaceful days on an excellent campsite – Camping Eucalyptis.

The site has a lake with wildfowl, terrapins and fish – a deliberate gesture meant to replicate the flora and fauna of the Ebro Delta.

It has been a restful few days – the shade of the Eucalyptus trees,

respite from 33+* temperatures, a grassy edged swimming pool and an endless, wide beach 300 metres walk away.

Time has been spent simply; beach walks, rural walks.

Reading and yesterday ,

an excursion by launch up the Ebro Delta – a highlight. By taxi from the campsite to St Jaume, then across the impressive bridge to Deltebre.

The original pontoon that ferried vehicles and people across the river was preserved inland – some Camino signs were noticed – part of the Camino Catalan. Pondering on how may pelegrinos had crossed this way en route to the Rioja region, to join up with the Camino Frances.

Wherever I am in Spain I always find myself somewhere on a Camino.

Then a mile walk along the riverbank to take the vessel named “ The Beast”.

The company styles itself as –

Cruceros Olmos – though the affable crew were as unlike buccaneers as you could wish. Even allowing Hannah to take the wheel! Risky business …

There was an English commentary as we cruised along, pointing out the Eel netting points, the practice of growing rice,the changes in the landscape as we neared the Med and simple statistics like the 8 metre depth of the Ebro and its 250 metre width,930 km in length beginning north of Zaragoza .

Some fabulous flowers and unusual trees.

BBQs were a feature – Delicioso!

The Ebro Delta is worth longer stay, it would be a great advantage to have your own transport to visit the many other sites of interest in this unique part of Spain – the Southern most part of Catalonia. The Ebro Delta is one of the largest wetland areas in the western Mediterranean region, at 320 km2 (79,000 acres). The Ebro delta has expanded rapidly on soils washed downriver over the centuries.

Tomorrow, Saturday, moving up to Cambrils-another contrasting stay in prospect.

PROLOGUE

Seems like five weeks already. Usually, just the change in the weather creates that feeling of timelessness,especially when you are driving relatively long distances, but we’d had soaring temperatures at home for a month.

I think it was good fortune in the places chosen to stay in,plus for the most part excellent driving conditions – the sort you will never experience in the UK. As a throwaway thought, France winning the World Cup helped too – something else the EU is good at!

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Leaving SC, for France at 21.45 on Sunday evening – how appropriate that they should have won the World Cup earlier in the day. Hopefully, it would be a good omen. The ferry leaves Dover at 02.40. After an uneventful journey down the M1,M25 and M20 we arrived at the port early enough to be put on the 01.15, with no hanging about at the quayside – hats off to DFDS Ferries.

The plan was to stop at a service station as soon as we got on the motorway in the direction of Abbeville. Unfortunately, the first on was full of slumbering lorries and so we carried on until reaching The Baie de Somme, one of our favourite stops from the past. It is designed to fit in with the Valley of the Somme wetlands and is all boardwalks and ducks – after a three hour nap, the traditional picnic breakfast of cold sausages and hard- boiled eggs was enjoyed overlooking one of the streams designed to fit in with the surroundings and with ducklings for company.

Then off in the direction of Rouen, using mainly toll free roads. There were some slow sections around Evreux and Chartres, but after coffee and lunch stops, 560 miles to the good from Vesey Road,we made it to Châteauroux and its excellent Campsite. Up for a stroll over the river into neighbouring Deos , where the remains of a Clunian abbey were explored before a drink at a nearby bar.

The next morning was fine and dry and using mainly motorways we headed for an area around Caussade, the Quercy region, by passing Brive la Galliarde en route, along the A 20, a mainly toll free motorway, we had not driven along before. It was a good journey as the route was undulating and quite twisty, for a motorway – which is good because Mways can be monotonous, even in France. After another couple of hundred miles the campsite chosen was a little beyond Caussade by the small, medieval village of Montricoux . This proved to be an excellent decision as we were greeted on arrival by a very cheerful and welcoming lady, with good English who gave us a choice of emplacements.

Pitched up, the pool was taken advantage of and the BBQ was good to go. Wednesday proved to be very warm and after an exploration of the small but unspoilt village and its Spar supermarket, the pool proved to be a unanimous choice. Hannah’s Meteo forecasted an early evening storm and as sure as oeufs, in it rolled at 4pm. Some fairly heavy showers as well. This did nothing to dampen the spirits of the crowd at the bar’s Karaoke evening, where number after number was greatly appreciated by the 100% French audience. I did ‘t think Buddy Holly or Billy Fury would be on the set list, so I just enjoyed the raucous atmosphere for an hour or so.

A randonnee was planned for Thursday morning and using the guidesheet provided by our lovely host, we set off up through the village and along deserted lanes, through forests, with good views of the Aveyron Gorges and countryside. Two things stood out – spider webs on one section which were formed across the narrow path, some head high and on other sections the number of different butterflies.

We walked about 9 miles and met only three people – some hilly sections along stony paths which put me in mind of the Camino.

On retuning to the village coffee was taken at a bar next to some grounds where a three day Reggae festival was to begin the next day.

An unlikely venue, really, but part of several Musical weekends planned during the summer. Not sad to be missing it as after half an hour of Reggae, to me it always begins to sound the same.

Having stayed on French campsites now for the best part of fifty years,

Camping Clos Lalande would be in my top ten Desert Island Camping venues, for its peacefulness, the design, friendliness of mainly French campers an ambience you can only find on the best sites.

Then it was Spain. Via the Cadillac Tunnel and a spectacular drive at times, though quite twisty and turns near our destination, Camping Solsonese in Solsona. A thousand and five miles since leaving Vesey Road.

Another good campsite and an enjoyable dinner on their terrace – Carpaccio of Figs, local ham and cheese for my starter – delicioso.

On Saturday, 119 Miles to Camping Pobleda in the Monsanto National Park. Another beautiful drive and the location of the site, at the foot of the village is stunning – pity about lack of local facilities though, like a butcher,Baker, etc; especially as the drive down of about 200 metres along a really narrow street was unnerving – wouldn’t want to meet anything on the way!

The weather is set for 33* for all of next week.

Not sure where we shall be, though.