Friday's walk...........

.........was on my own, mostly following the GR 50.

Walking along the road to the next village I took the opportunity to look more closely at things we normally rush past in the van.

I noticed the number of small irregular strips of terraced land that must once have all been cultivated. There are old retaining walls and mounds of stones. Today much of this land is left to its own devices. Even ten years ago there were little vineyards carefully tended by the local owners. Many have been lost altogether and some left to become wild and overgrown. Now and then I spotted smart rows of green vines now heavy with grapes.

{Photo of sadly neglected vines}

{Photo of vineyard surrounded by uncultivated land}

Once the fields were left behind the path climbed through the trees, along stony tracks and forest roads. The air was heavy with the scent of warm pine and larch. In some places every step threw up dozens of grasshoppers or tiny blue butterflies.

{Photo of the wooden bridge crossing the river where I sat for lunch}

Lunch was eaten beside the river; full of large stones and noisy water. It was too tempting, so I paddled for a while at the waters' edge, then let my feet dry in the sun.

{Photo of a new friend I very nearly trod on}

The last part of the walk took me alongside an old canal system, now looking like an empty drainage ditch, and down through more tiny settlements, past ruined farm buildings until I reached the bigger village where I had arranged to get a lift home. While waiting for John I sat in a small bar drinking coffee.

{Photo of little pavement bar where I sat drinking great coffee!}

Stats (from Viewranger): 17.0 km, 1572 m total ascent, 5 hrs 50 mins.