Month: July 2019

Against the clock now – Mont St Michel, Normandy Beaches, Honfleur

Booked the ferry from Le Havre to return to the UK Fri 6 July, and planned the route from Perros-Guirec via Mont Saint Michel, Caen and the Normandy beaches and then Honfleur town visit. Apart from passing through, this is my first visit to Normandy.

The weather continues to be perfect for driving, stopping somewhere overnight, and walking/cycling to explore.

Mont Saint Michel was very impressive, although I decided that a visit to the inside of the Abbaye would wait for another time. The surrounding countryside is peaceful, and seems ‘gentle’. Don’t know whether this will change once the full Summer holidays start. Stayed on a camping car private aire called La Bidonniere about 2.5 miles from the start of the causeway and can see the Abbaye through my van side door.

This morning I woke up quite early and had just the sound of birds, gentle breeze and the faint echoes of successive village bells chiming 7am, from across the flat plains. Perfect.

Posted by Jackie Barnes in France, Places

Cote de Granit Rose – trip down memory lane

Have very fond memories of one or two holidays taken with extended family when the next generation were children – did that actually happen! – in this part of northern Brittany, when the weather didn’t perform like british Cornwall. I wanted to see whether it was still as beautiful as I remembered.

So Perros-Guirec and Tregastel – you are. I love the rocks and boulder formations, along the coastline and in the villages, the coves, inlets and beaches of the crystal clear sea. Recollect being in the water amongst the rocks when the tide came in very fast, and it’s one of the many places we’ve been fortunate to enjoy with our family which would have been paradise for me as a child. As an empty-nester – what could be better – fantastic for walking, cycling, kayaking, exploring the coastline – assuming sunshine, and not drizzle or sea mist which also happens.

For those who know Brimham Rocks in North Yorkshire, UK, then it’s like that up and down the coast of pink granite, and the houses, street pavings, flower planters, etc are built from it. Unfortunately just a one-night stop here this time as part of the 5-day road trip from Benodet back to the ferry port at Le Havre, and the weather did its job – clear skies, low twenties.

Posted by Jackie Barnes in France, Places

Legs – let’s hear it

Had a moment of mindfulness, or put more simply, I thought gratefully about my legs today, as they carried me back along Mont St Michel causeway to my trusty steed; decided to go with silliness in the sunshine – particularly given that my youngest sister demanded more than just pictures of ever more beautiful places – even before having a glass of chilled Normandy cider bought from roadside stall whilst watching THE semi-final and Day 1 of Wimbledon this evening.

Couldn’t do what I’m doing without them (or at least without huge adaptation), and though I say so myself, they’ve been a brilliant pair through all these years: no further stupid comments needed …..

So here’s them doing their normal day’s activity so reliably – but fear not, I won’t be giving the same tribute to other body parts. Now I know I’ve really lost the plot 😂

Posted by Jackie Barnes in Equipment, Musings

Emotional Ups & Downs

A couple of weeks ago, I was asked how I had been in terms of general ‘up or down’ over the 3 – 4 months of being mostly on my own. The answer was that over all, I have been very happy to be doing this exploring, and despite doing it solo, but I have enjoyed other travellers’ company or conversations at seemingly just the right time.

Some days, though, I recognise that I am exceptionally on top of the world, eg yesterday, having a great bike ride in the sun, just the right distance, not too hot, beautiful cycle routes along the coast from Benodet to Mousterlin Point, then to Beg Meil and back, then making myself set up on the beach, get the cossie on, to feel the warmth of the sand, and to enjoy the feeling of being in the beautiful clear water of the sea, and confirming how worth doing it was! Then out for a meal unusually in the evening with very pleasant, interesting company.

But this very next morning, I feel I should add to the record for completeness that for a couple of hours at least I felt pretty sad, and unusually for me recognised the need for a good shoulder to cry on. I had a walk and a coffee with another solo camper, and by the time I set off to head for north Brittany, I realised that my mood had lifted and it wasn’t simply due to the fact that I put my upbeat ‘Lovely Day’ playlist on the van stereo!! 🙂 It is primarily to do with the back story, the change in status, I suppose, that every now and again resurfaces and becomes acute.

Anyway, pleased to report that it’s been displaced once more by the usual things – the extremely significant sunshine, the beauty of the next lovely place living up to expectations, and the thoughts and research turning to coming back to the UK as originally planned for most of July and August before journey number 2 – heading south to Italy and possibly Croatia, which is still there on the list.

Not an emotional up or down but ……… have become aware that there are two ways of ‘following’ the blog – ie getting an automatic update when a new post is published; if you have not subscribed as an email follower, I get an email telling me that your WordPress profile name has subscribed, but I don’t get to know your email address and therefore have no way of contacting you. If you want me to stay in touch directly, then I think the only way is to subscribe as an email follower, so that I have your email address, and can reply. Thanks of course to the millions of faithful followers I am now keeping in touch with! Showing my age I know, but slight hints of Dame Edna Everidge, dear viewers.

Posted by Jackie Barnes in Musings