30th August. Livinhac le Haut

I left Conques and had a steep ascent out of the valley that took over an hour.
At a point where the GR65 splits I met up with a French woman and we walked the rest of the day together. It was mainly ridge walking on quiet roads intil a big descent to Decazeville.
I've noticed that the route often goes to a cross or chapel only to descend again. I've walked the more level way to miss these out, saving over an hour sometimes. Today there were 2 such occaisions. My companion was so grateful she offered to buy me dinner. Unfortunately, when we got to the campsite, they had no rooms available, so she had to walk into the village.
I'm camped by the river Lot and it"s 33, scorcio !
Tomorrow"s forecast is the same temperatures with thunder and rain later

29th August Conques

Day 9.  13.3 miles   Total 130

I was up before it was light, used the kitchen to make coffee and write yesterday's blog. It was barely light at 6.45 when I started walking.
It was a great days walking as there was no big ascents. Lovely views in countryside full off valleys and tree's. Two long descents, one gentle ascent. I was feeling strong and passed a few people before the big descent into Conques.
Temperatures were in the low 30's, yet a strong wind made it bearable.
Conques is fabulous, barely changed for hundreds of years and full of tourists and very expensive.
After a look around I descended to the river and campsite. Had a bathe in the pool and set up my tent, when the lads came along.
They've named me 'Daddy Cool' ! The younger one 'Yasson', (Jason), is very spiritual and does his Tai Chi at the end of the day. Francois, is looking for women on Fuckbook wherever he stops. ( he's feeling deprived ).
I treated myself to a lovely seafood salad tonight.
We were all dossed out for the niight by 9pm.

28th August. Golhinac

Day 8  15.9 miles  Total 117.2

Once again I was awoken during the night by the wind roaring through the treetops in successive waves.
After leaving the town and reaching the first village,
the route became a steep path going up above the valley. For a few miles it stayed high, with great views.
Each day has been through lovely countryside so far.
A steep drop and lovely villages and a welcome break in the town of Estaing, where Catherine caught up with me.
Today was the hottest so far and I had a swim in the river after leaving Estaing. Unfortunately there was a big climb out of the valley and I was hot and thirsty by the time I reached the top.
The final few miles of the day wasy mostly in the shade of trees.
 

27th August. Espalion

Day 8  15.6 miles Total 101.3 miles

During the night strong winds woke me as they tore up the valley and buffeted the tent in waves.
I left St Chely at 1st light, but took the wrong path and wasted half an hour getting back on route.
After the initial steep climb out of the valley, I walked through woodland and took a break at a farm lean-to with hot drinks available. The young French lads came along whilst I was there (I'll refer to them as the lads from now) and I saw them on and off the rest of the day.
The Lot river valley was ahead, the area is very wooded with fields of cattle interspersed, beautiful. I saw my 1st vulture of the walk. It was a an undulating descent to the town of St Come d'Olt and the river Lot.
From here it was along the valley to Espalion. The route went away from the river but I stayed on the road, which I reckon was the original  route, until the outskirts of Espalion.
After booking into the campsite showering and setting up my tent, a woman who had passed me before the turn off arrived. She said it was a very hard stretch.
Espalion is lovely and touristy. The small shops lacked much choice in food for campers to cook, and I couldn't be bothered to walk out of town for the supermarket so made do with lentil salad, which Catherine the woman camping next to me brought back also.
The lads turned up and we spent the evening together. Catherine went to bed at 7pm, knackered.

26th August. St Chely d'Aubrac

Day 7.  11.8 miles  total 85.7

Nasbinals is a really lovely village.
I didn't get away until after 8am.
If anything todays walking over the plateau to Aubrac was more spectacular than yesterdays, big wide open spaces of grassland and clumps of broadleaf woodland. It's a skiing area in winter.
I kept remeeting people from previous days and meeting new people. One guy is a cheese making consultant from New Caledonia in the south pacific. He works all over the world.
From the village of Aubrac the trail descended over several km. to where I'm camped tonight.
At a shady sight just before the village Anne caught up with me. She was undecided whether to stay here or push on another 17km. I think if I'd asked her she would've stayed.
The 2 smily young French guys turned up late afternoon, and we had a pot-luck dinner together

25th August. Nasbinals

  Day 6  15 miles  total 73.9

After a stuffy night in the gite de etape, I emerged at 1st light to a cold morning 4°
2 coffees at the bar in the village and I was on my way. As I got higher it became more forested, then I emerged on the Aubrac Plateau. Imagine Dartmoor at 4000' and not boggy. It is vast and beautiful. I was happy not to have walked it in the rain. the weather was perfect.
Dropping down a little and having a break in a village I met up with some people I'd seen for the past few days , and a German woman.
Anne the German woman had walked from Germany, through Austria and Switzerland to get this far in 55 days.
On reaching Nasbinals and getting food and cold beer from the village shop, we stopped in the square and met up with a Swiss guy and a French woman I've been seeing most days. It was a good end to the days walking. Well almost as We had a km walk to the campsite.

24th August. Aumont-Aubrac

day 5  14miles  total 58.8

I walked for 10 minutes and realised I'd left my gaitors on the washing line, doh !
After a couple of miles I hot into St Auban sur Limagnol and met my smily young french mates. (They carry huge backpacks, but like a joint or 3, thus the smiles).
We passed and repassed each other several times during the morning.
I'm now walking on the Aubrac Plateau, lots of snow during winter. The wind is cold, it feels like England today. There's lots of small stones washed up in places after yesterdays rains. It was a morning of showers, on and off with waterproofs. lots of forest with some dairy fields.
I stopped to brew a coffee at an basic pilgrims shelter, which though thatched with broom was dry inside.
The end of my walk for the day was in Aumont Aubrac. I had a Plat du Jour, sausage and Aligot. Aligot is a mash potato and cheese mix, around 30% cheese. Very filling and an hour after it I had to get to a toilet fast to let it go  !!!  Not the food to eat after a mornings walking perhaps.
The campsite was 2k out of the village and in the wrong direction from my route, so I booked into a gite for the night.
  I keep remeeting lots of people and meeting new one's. Quite a few people said they'd ended up soaked to their skin yesterday, I'm so happy to have my umbrella.
  Had a beer with a Spanish guy who I'm sharing a room with. The price of beer in France is certainly keeping my consumption down. It's only 450miles to Spain.

23rd August '15. Le Rouget

Day4  12miles  total 44.8

Last night was mild and I would've been warm without the space blanket beneath my mattress.
  The weather forecast was thunder storms. After a shower the weather was ok, with dark clouds on the horizon.
A lot of mixed forest walking with a highpoint of 4550'.
After an early lunch, a little later, the thunder built up and ot poured down. Luckily, within a minute I found a roofed picnic table, that I sheltered under until the rain eased off. I love having an umbrella !
I only met 2 other walkers today, and was told this weather would continue until the morning.
I was not wanting to walk more than 12miles, so the 1st place I checked out had a barn half a mile along my route.
2 woman walked me to the barn, which was modern. I was dubious until we went upstairs to a lovely set-up. Everything I could need, including a hot meal and drinks for €24.
  I'd only just arrived when it poured down, again. A good move all told !

22nd August. Le Falzet

Day3.  13.7miles.  total 33.7

I packed at 1st light and was on the route by 7.15, the climb was steep and relentless, I'm so pleased not to have done it yesterday afternoon.
From the top of the gorge it was farmland and woodland until I dropped to Sauges.
Here I bought a Plat du Jour for €8.50. A reasonable price for a good meal with bread and cheeses to finish. It also gave me a good break in the middle of the day.
I bought a space blanket to try under my Thermarest airbed, in the hope that I'll be warmer at night. If not I'll get my Exped downmat sent out.
After a doss in the shade outside of town I set off in the 30+ afternoon heat.
The 1st village I checked out gites was a bit weird. One was shut up, the other the guy didn't want a camper, and there were no walkers. So I carried on another 1-2 miles to a gite that was full, but I was given space in a field. 2 young French guys I'd talked with yesterday were camping also.
I'm enjoying meeting so many people. Lots of nationalities, and typically no brits (so far)
As I'm writing this I'm sat in a lovely hay barn (photo)

21st August Monistrol-d'Allier

Day 2,  9 miles.  Total 18miles

It was a cold night, I checked the elevation, 3700'. I hadn't realised I climbed that much yesterday.
I set off uphill to the highest point of the day at 4200', then down gradually getting steeper to St Privat d'Allier, and a welcome break for coffee at a bar.
It was then up the other side of the gorge, then a steep descent once more to rejoin the river at Monistrol- d'Allier.
Allier is the river that flows through a gorge in this area.
I stopped at a hotel for another coffee, (to have a break and sit down rather than any need for coffee), the English guy that owned the place, suggested I relax by the river for the afternoon, and camp here as the ascent out of the gorge here wouldn't be pleasant in the afternoon heat. I checked my guide book, which confirmed this, 1500' of steep ascent. Better done early in the morning.
When I went to the campsite a few people from last night's gite turned upin drib's and drab's.
Not a long walk, but enough for one day.
During the afternoon and evening quite a few other walkers arrived.
Its lower than last night, so should be warmer !

20th August. Montbonnet

9 miles

This morning, I had to wait until 10a.m. for the cathedral office to open to get my criancial. This gives discounts on accomadation and meals at certain points on the route. It is stamped like a pilgrims passport at places along the way to Santiago de Compostela, so that on competion you can get a certificate !!!
I saw plenty of walkers setting off before I left.
On preparing I discovered my water bladder was leaking. I tried repairing it, but ended up binning it. I've replaced it with a plastic water bottle.
I started walking 10.30ish. It was a steep climb out of Le Puy, then undulating through farmland at 2500' -3000'. temperatures were in the high 20s by mid afternoon. I was glad to arrive here and booked my tent into a gite de etape.
The gite was fully booked, I'm pleased I've my tent. and it's only€5 for the night. It's worth that for the shower and kitchen facilities

19th August Le Puy en Velay

I arrived in Lyon to blue skies and not too hot. My backpack frame had a carbon fibre strut snapped in transit. Wedging my flip-flops is a temporary solution to stiffen the pack.
I arrived at Le Puy and booked in at a Gite de Etape, a bed in a dormitory. I was too tired to walk to the campsite.
I had a look around Le Puy and bought food to cook in the kitchen at the gite.
Whilst cooking I got talking with a Spanish woman, who was walking the Robert Louis Stevenson Trail and a French guy who had been walking the GR3, from Nantes, following the river Loire to it,s source. Le Puy's a hiking crossroads/paths.

18th August

I came away from my appointment at the Rebound Clinic in Settle, with a pair of custom heel wedges and how to stretch my tendon.  
Result !
Since then I've walked the South Downs Way, and a 33mile circuit of the Black Mountains.
Tomorrow I travel to Le Puy en Velay in France to start walking the GR65, the St James Way, towards Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

23rd July Update

I drove to Hope Valley in Derbyshire to attend a Backpackers Club meeting, Mostly men my age with bellies.
I was told that his Plantar fasciitis took a year to heal by one of the guys. I also was told of the Rebound clinic in Settle. I phoned the on the monday and booked an appointment. (a week ahead being the 1st available cancellation).
Rain on sunday morning, was the 1st I'd had since Italy. Northern France was hot, and I left the heat on arriving in England.
I soon missed being relaxed an glorifying in yet another wonderful day.
Being dressed in clothes I hadn't worn for weeks !
I drove on from Hope Valley to Crowden for the night, and bought a headnet the next day for protection from midges.
Next day was a journey through the east Yorkshire Dales, very pretty, touristic and no sun. Wharfddale, Wensleydale and Swaledale.
I considered booking into a youth hostel as it was wet and cool (to me), but it was fully booked.
I stayed near Barnard Castle abd explored this lovely town in the morning before driving through Teesdale. Stopping off on the way for a lovely walk beside the river to see Low Force then High Force water falls. The Tees is a very dark brown from the peatmoors that it comes from.
I passed through the Northern Penines to Carlisle and booked into a campsite at Threkeld. Plenty of rain during the evening convinced me I needed a larger tent for wet weather comfort.