Both walks involved a river, but they couldn’t have been more different.
The first walk was flat. The second walk was hilly.
Lunch for the first walk was a pint
in a pub. For the second walk lunch was a picnic
overlooking a beautiful view of the valley.
On the first walk we saw lots of
people. On the second walk we didn’t see a
soul.
On the first walk the banks of the
river were a carpet of yellow daffodils. On the second walk it was pale lilac wild flowers that provided the
colour.
The first walk was last week along
the Thames path from Marlow to Hambleden.
The walk took about 5 hours including breaks. It was a perfect spring day. The walk is a circular one crossing over the
weir at Hambleden lock. The path takes
you through the Culham Estate and beneath the impressive façade of Culham
House. There is a great pub about
half-way – The Flower Pot, a traditional unpretentious place with local beer. We happened to arrive there at lunchtime –
perfect.  |
| Culham House |
We chose yesterday, for our
second walk. It turned out to be the
hottest day of the year so far in our region of France. The walk, rated medium difficulty is three
and a half hours, 13 kms in length and was another one taken from Le Lot apied. We parked in the hamlet of Sauliac-sur-Cele. This tiny hamlet used to boast two impressive
schools, both closed in the 1970s, just like the one we live in. The fields surrounding the hamlet must have been very different then, full of
agricultural workers. Now the fields
were empty. 
It was a gentle ascent up on to
the causse, through a wood of moss draped trees. On the way up there were views across the Cele
valley to Sauliac-sur-Cele. A circular
walk, it eventually came back down to the river where we followed a narrow path
through the trees.
Both walks ended in a shopping
trip, the first a trip to Waitrose the second a trip to Leclerc!
