August 27th Loudenvielle

It has been up in the mid 30's each day.
I have walked a few miles each morning whilst it is still cool.
I have had aching knees, and yesterday afternoon I kept my left left leg elevated to relieve my knee. Bad Idea !
I had serious pain in the evening meant I could barely put weight on my leg. I hobbled back to my tent to kip the night.
Online research has it down to a tee. The result of too much exeretion or resting after regular exertion.
So it has been ibuprophen pills and gel, and the warning from the pharmacist, not to go into the mountains for a while. I am fucked for a while
What to do ?
So this walk is over, and after checking out with my mates Elaine and Fred, I am off to Brittany for a bit of rest and recovery. It is nice and flat where they live.

August 24th Loudenvielle

With an early departure and as usual a steep (very) uphill for 2 hours, thankfully mostly in the shade.
It was a very hot once in the sun even at 9.30. Then I could see Loudenvielle 2000'  below.
With these big height differences this area is very popular with paraglyders.
I stopped a few times in the shade on the way down.
As I reached the outskirts of Loudenvielle there was a campsite. It was midday but the steep climb out of the valley was not going to happen in the heat of the day.
During the afternoon I decided I was going to stay for a few days until the weather cooled down a bit.

August 23rd Boursip

I left Lac de l'Oule nice and early, contoured around the head of the lake/resevoir then it was steeply up through forest until emerging above the treeline and Cabane de Bastane.
Soon after this the GR10 met with another well worn trail that contoured the hillside. I met a load of day walkers coming my way. A change in direction and there is a ski centre. The day walkers drive up and park there.
After passing the carpark I was by myself, hot sun and no shade.
Then I could see Vielle-Aure in the valley way below.
It was a hot tiring descent. I came to a large supermarche stocked up and found a cheap and good campsite nearby at Bourisp.
37 in the shade, too hot.

August 22nd Lac de l'Oule

As the walk from Luz to Bareges was parallel to the road, I caught the Bus to Bareges. With hindsight I should have caught the bus the night before and camped at Bareges to get an early start.
I left Bareges 2 hours later than I would have liked to. The first couple of miles were parallel to the road and very steep in places.
When I got to a large car park, for the ski lifts there, I turned south up a valley, that just got lovlier as I gained height. It also got hotter.
The replacement brolly I had bought proved it was not uv resistant as I could feel my head burning under it.
I eventually reached the Col de Madamete, at 2509m it is the second highest point on the GR1O. At this height it was not so hot.
At the col was a grandmother and her 3 young grandsons, each with their own walking pole.
The way down passed lovely lakes with plenty of people around. There is a bus service to a carpark 1000' below the col.
After the carpark I only met a friendly young Spanish couple, who came over to chat when I was getting icy water from a stream.
Their path went of to another car park visible way below. Mine dropped 600m to Lac de l'Oule.
It was nearly 9pm when I found a flattish spot to camp.
By the time I had got water and eaten it was dark.
P.S. no alcohol meant it took a long time to get asleep, even though I was knackered.

August 20th and 21st Luz st Saveur

It rained during the night and again heavily during saturday morning. The clouds were low so I was not going anywhere.
Two young English guys who had been walking the GR10 pitched next to me, and we had a chatty evening.
Sunday morning and there was still low cloud. I did a bit of a walk in the hillsides above Luz.
With a great forecast for monday all was ok.

August 19th Luz st Saveur

All night I could hear music whenever I woke.
I went to the bus station to catch the bus to Irun and there were loads of party people waiting for buses too.
90 percent of the bus got off at Unquera 30 minutes into the journey, it was a lot quieter then.
At Irun I had my last Spanish tortilla and coffee before crossing the frontier to Hendaye and after a short wait took a train to Dax, then another to Lourdes.
A 3 hour wait at Lourdes went soon enough after having food and a look around. So many nationalities.
Finally it was bus to arrive back in Luz st Saveur 14 hours after leaving Llanes.

August 18th Llanes, the return to.

I set off at first light with Brian and Yoko. Yoko wanted.us to go ahead, and I wanted Brian to go ahead. I am slow in the morning.
Yoko soon passed me.
After getting back to the camino at Colunga, it was a tarmac tour along quiet country roads, with no cafe or bar for coffee.
This gave me time to think. I have been pissed off with all the paved walking. After checkinjg online for bale-out options. I decided to.do just that.
When I got to Villaviciosa, I waited a couple of hours for a bus to Llanes a hub for bus journeys.
I couldn't get a bus to Irun and the French border until the morning.
So it was back to the campsitr of a few days previously, for the night.

August 17th Colunga

I left the campsite with Brian, but told him to go on ahead, I wanted to walk alone.
It was a long gradual ascent on roads, before dropping down to a village with a bar. A few hikers were waiting for it to open at 9am. I joined them for a break, but left just after 9.
They caught up with me and passed by, having given up on getting a coffee.
From there it turned off the road and descended to a beach, then it was plenty of cliff top walking and sandy bays to La Isla.
Whilst having a break, Yoko came by, I had not seen her for alab few days. Brian came along too. He and Yoko carried on together whilst I stopped far coffee.
The amount of people on this walk exceeds the beds available in August.
In Colunga I met up with Yoko and Brian. They decided to walk the 1.5km to a campsite I had decided to go to.
I went to a Chinese bazaar and got a tarp, cord and pegs, so Yoko could have some shelter for the night.
It drizzled for a while, but nothing much.

August 16th Ribadesella

Llanes was foggy and damp as we packed up after a night of music from the town that finished at after 5am.
It was road walking through the suburbs to a path that led to the Playa (beach) de Poo.
From then on to Celorio it was delightful walking. Celerio was a holiday resort. After that it was more pleasant walking past a beautifully situated church (photo). Then it was inland with a brief visit to the coast, before a roadwalk to Nueves.
After that it was a bit of off piste country tracks to save a few km's before a long roadwalk to Ribadesella.
The day had been cloudy but the sun started to burn through for the last km before a campsite and it became very humid.
I got chatting to a young Russian woman who couldn't find any albrtgues with spaces. I persuaded her to try the campsite. They had one space in a tent with a Czech woman.
We spent a nice evening chattinh with Ana about life in Russia

August 15th Llanes

It was a very damp misty start to the day. The 4 of us set off together. An hour later we stopped for a coffee break, not so misty but cloudy. Soon after we resumedd walking the route became a rough track and then after crossing a railway line it was a path over coastal heathland. The best walking on this camino so far.
Brian and I left Sebastien and I can't remember her name, but after a coffee and tortilla Sebastien arrived.
The walking stayed lovely until we approached a village where a festival to celebrate the 'assumption' was kicking off.
Here, many people were in traditional costume. After a short break, it was a very humid uphill, then a long downhill to Llanes.
We camped just before the town on a very humid day.
What a relief to shower and wash clothes.

August 14th Colombres

It was a low foggy night with stars overhead. A damp packing up and very early departure.
It was a quiet country road and then a crossing of a long bridge to the edge of St Vicente de la Barquera.
Lovely changing countryside.
After a short break along came Sebastien, twirling his stick.
We stopped off for omelette and coffee, then after a bit it was a lovely woodland path before a descent, river crossing and steep ascent, before a quiet path into Unquera.
A resupply at a supermarket then a steep uphill into Colombres.
The large albergue would not have campers, so we walked on to a campsite. They were adamant that they were full.
So after a bit of messing about we settled down at a nearby picnic spot for the night.
Sebastien had remet a nice young german woman who shared his tiny tent. 4 peoples food made a great potluck dinner, with beer from the campsite shop.
The days downside was not being able to get a shower.

August 13th Oyambre, campsite

I set off with Brian and Sebastien at first light. Sebastien twirled his stick as he walked, and gradually let us get ahead.
We road walked to Comillas and saved 9km on the marked route. I am sure we walked the original way.
From Comillas it was a shady road walk to the Natural Park de Oyambre.
On checking out the campsite we had to wait for them to find a space for us as it was 'completo',
full. We had a slightly overgrown spot, which felt more of a wild camping site. Dinner was a pot-luck picnic together.
The bummer of the day was that I lost my brolly.

August 12th Santillana del Mar

The camino officially went all over the place today.
The woman running the albergue told us in English, French and Spanish a more direct way to go.
With the aid of my Viewranger app. I sussed it out.
I started the days walk with Brian and a French couple. Brian wanted to follow the French couple, when we ended.up in a field, I stuck to my own navigation.
Soon I saw Franchesca and the French miss a turn, Brian and I walked illegally on a railway bridge over a river, thus saving 9 or 10km.
I stopped for coffee and tortilla at a bar, Brian carried on.
After checking my guide and map, on leaving the bar I met up with Yoko, and we walked on to Requejada together and stopped at another bar, where a few other peregrino's turned up.
After a couple of miles, I stopped for a break and let Yoko carry on.
Eventually I got into Santillana del Mar.
Yoko and a few others were there, waiting to walk on as the albergues were 'completo', full.
Brian had been looking for me, I headed onto the campsite, got a pitch with cool guy, Sebastian, French, had a shower and found Brian, who moved to our pitch, where a boozy evening evolved.

August 11th Santa Cruz de Bezana

I walk all day with Brian. The first section was along quiet country roads, passing through one village before coming back to the coast. 
It was a nice clifftop walk with two sandy bays and plenty of surfers.
Santander came in site and after coming past the headland into the large natural harbour, we had a long beach walk to the small resort of Somo.
There were hundreds of people being taught to surf on this section.
From Somo it was a passenger ferry ride across to a crowded Santander.
It was slow going getting away from the centre and tedious walking through the suburbs to an old albergue set by busy roads and industrial buildings.
It was hot, there was are supermarket nearby, and a.load of people I had met before. So with space in the garden to sleep outside I wad happy to stay.
Yoko, a.Japanese woman gave me a welcome foot massage, then proceeded to give others the same.
We had a communal meal in the evening with plenty of red wine.

August 10th Albergue la Cabana de la Abuela Peuto

  It was cool from the sea breeze as I got ready to leave the campsite.
After a level street walk through Playa Berria it was a steep, sandy uphill walk and descent to Playa de Noja for a long beach walk.
From the town the route went inland. After a few miles I met up with Franchesca a dynamic German woman, who I walked and talked with all the way to the wonderful albergue near Guemes.
We arrived in time for lunch and a wonderful welcome.
This is a huge extended albergue with lots of space. I pitched my tent under a spreading tree at the rear of the property.
Supposibly the best albergue on this camino, I met up with loads of people I'd chatted to before, including Brian, who I had met in Irun.
At dinner there were 130 plus people fed with a great 3 course meal, and lots of red wine. What an atmosphere.

August 9th Santona

(Oops I missed out the 7th)
Not a good start to the day, as my phone battery bank and charger had been taken from where I left it charging.
Anyway, not long after I left the campsite it started raining lightly.
It was mostly flat road walking for 8 or 9km to La Magdalena. From here the tarmac ended and it was steeply uphill along tracks through Eucalyptus forest.
After coming out of the forest into lovely hill country, I got chatting with 2 Japanese sisters, who had stopped to feast on blackberries.
I walked with them for the rest of the morning until the village of Liendo.
I stopped at a bar for coffee and tortilla, and they had a picnic by the church.
I left them and road walked a more direct route into the large resort town of Laredo.
I found a chinese bazaar and bought a replacement phone charger.
Next it was along walk on the beachfront, where it started to rain again, to where I caught a ferry across the rivermouth to Santona.
  I walked on to a campsite which was next to a large prison. It was a windy spot behind another beach.
There are surf schools all along this coast.

August 9th Islares

The day's walk started with a lot of steps up through trees to a cliff top path. The path was an old rail line and it was level walking with nice sea views for several miles.
Then it was away from the coast and road walking into the village of Onton, and a coffee and tortilla break. A coffee and a generous slice of tortilla comes to around €2.50
Yet more road walking brought me into Castro-Urdiales, a large resort town. After a bit of a look around and food shopping I caught a bud to the campsite at Islares. It would have been more road walking, and as it was hot, why not.
I met up with a woman from Finland, and an Italian and  French guys. We had a good evening together and got rather pissed.

August 8th Pobena

  The route description from Geurnika to Bilbao was inspiring enough to decide me to catch the bus into Bilbao from Mundaka.
  Once in Bilbao I sussed out which bus to take to get out of the city.
I just had to see the Guggenheim Museum building, being in Bilbao. It was a walk down to the river and alongside it to reach the Guggenheim.
It was so worth it, I have never seen such a wonderful building.
Bilbao is impressive for a city. The bus ride away from it made glad I was not walking through the miles of suburbia.
I got off the bus, walked through sand dunes, across the beach at Zierbena and crossed a bridge to Pobena.
There was no campsite, but I camped behind the albergue.
There were 20 beds in the albergue and over 60 pilgrims wanting to stay.
I was so pleased to be able to camp.
The overflow pilgrims had to sleep in the church cloisters, which was a lot healthier than in an albergue.

August 6th Mundaka

I left the albergue as day was arriving and was soon walking alongside a river.
I wish I had hung out the previous evening and camped.
At the village of Iruzubieta the route ascended up through woodland only to descend back to the river. I shall check my mapping to save these diversions from now on.
After Bolibar there was a very steep uphill section to the impressive monastery of Zenarruza.
From here it was lovely woodland and then a few more old farmhouses and pasture that led to Munitibar.
A bar provided tortilla and coffee an a good break.
Then it was mostly valley walking  through lovely countryside.
At a junction I met 2 English guys who were on their 3rd day. They were aching and one had bad blisters.
Whilst talking with them I checked the map and my gps track went a different way to the signed route.
It was a road walk to Guernika.
I didn't fancy hanging out there, do a 15 minute bus ride got me to a campsite at Mundaka

August 5th Markina Xemein

After rain in the early hours it was a slow start to the day.
It was a very steep climb from the campsite to get back on the camino.
It was muddy in places where the early walkers had passed through.
The day was mainly through a hilly forested landscape, mainly conifers, but not like the sterile conifer plantations in Britain.
A stop for a coffee at Olatz then it was remote country until Markina Xemein came into view far below.
The day had gradually became warmer.
I booked into an albergue for the night as I did not want to go any further.
The old town was intetesting with a good amount of Africans about, speaking Basque.
In the evening I sat in the centre people watching. Everyone goes out to meet and greet each other, or so it seemed.
The night was disturbed by people partying in the street close to the albergue

August 4th Mitrika

It was a very steep climb out of Zumaia, as usual. Then it was undulating grassland to the first village Elorriaga.
I stopped at a bar for a coffee at Itziar. Then on to Deba on concrete tracks, before a very steep descent to Deba.
The final part of arriving in the town was by two lifts/elevators.
The day was warm and very humid and although I had walked less than ten miles I had walked enough for the day.
I checked into the tourist office and found the nearest campsite was near Mutrika, 4km along tbhe coast.
Lunch was a picnic in the park, then I caught a bus to near the campsite.
Once settled in I sussed out I was only 500m. from the camino.
Lovely views and a few conversations with various Germans, with the sound of the surf in the background, made me pleased to come here.

August 3rd Zumaia

  I left the campsite with Brian, but as our walking styles are different, I let him go on. He likes to knock out the km.s/miles and finish early afternoon. I like regular breaks and just ambling along.
My first break was at Orio, a village built around a port. Most are at river mouths.
Next stop was Zarautz, a modern town and resort. Lots of people on the long beach, and hundreds of surfers in the water.
Then it was a long plod along the cliff road to Getaria. In hindsight I should of caught the bus from Zarautz.
From Getaria it was a hilly inland walk to Zumaia.
The campsite was reached by walking through.an industrial estate by the river. As it was only 1km. out of my way I went and checked it out.
It was fine, full again, yet they will always find room for camino walkers.

August 2nd A campsite at Igeldo

It was dark when I left the albergue and I wasn't the first to leave.
It wasn't far to the edge of Irun and across a wetland reserve as day was breaking. I should have checked my guide book, and left the albergue and camped somewhere like this.
Then it was uphill to the Santuario de Guadalupe, church type place. There were benches overlooking the border and harbour and a water source, which made it the perfect spot for breakfast.
As I was there a steady stream of walkers came and went on, excited by their first day on the camino.
From there I took the higher alternative, which had great views, it became a really sharp ridge walk for a while.
A steep descent to the lovely Passajes de St Juan brought a ferry crossing over the river.
Then it was not far before the outskirts of classy San Sebastian, which rates alongside Barcelona and San Francisco for me.
A bit of a linger to take in the place, the on to find a campsite.
On the outskirts I met up with Brian a guy I'd spent time with the night before.
He decided he would come to camp as well.
When we reached the campsite it was 'completo'/full. I blagged a space for us though !

August 1st Irun

The cloud was lower and there was fine drizzle. So I packed up and caught the bus to Lourdes.
A german hiker who was camped next to me was also leaving because of the weather.
A train to Bayonne and another to Hendaye, and I walked over the river and into Spain.
I went to a donation only albergue to get my crianciale/pilgrims passport, which entitles me to stay at cheap or donativo albergues.
It was a dump, clean but not nice after camping.
Food for the night cost half what I paid in France.

July 31st Luz st Saveur

My intuition serves me well. I did not feel happy to spend the night in the mountains, and the effort to get to Gavarnie confirmed I had made the right decision.
(Less than 10 minutes of arriving in Gavarnie I met up with a woman who I saw regularly on my camino walk through France last year).
As I was putting my tent up it started to rain, and it turned into thunder within 30 minutes.
After my mega effort the day before I had the longest continuest sleep I can remember for years.
I woke to fog and drizzle, so decided to pack up quick and head down to Luz st. Saveur. The first car passed me and I got a lift all the way.
The day improved but stayed cloudy. Checking the forecast gave an iffy day next. My guidebook says don't go on in cloudy weather as the next 2 days are some of the most spectacular of the whole GR10.
If it looks ok in the morning I will carry on, if not I will get a bus to Lourdes then a train into Spain to Irun to start the Camino del Norte, which goes along the Atlantic coast.

30th July Gavarnie

I caught the hikers and walkers bus to Pont d'Espagne. Then it was walking up to Lac de Gaube and ever more spectacular scenery to the Refuge de Oulettes de Gaube, with my first Pyreneean glacier spilling from the Vignemale Massif.
After a rest here it was a steep rocky climb to the Hourquette de Ossoue at 9200'.
I met a couple of English folk in their mid 70's here who spend a few weeks each year in the high Pyrenees, respect to them.
I went east down to the Refuge de Beysallance.
There were groups booked in for the night here bigging each other up, or so it seemed yto me in my ignorance. Anyway it was only 4pm and I didn't fancy camping in the stone wall sheltered camping spots at this altitude.
It was an even steeper dedcent zigzagging and traversing the steep mountainside.
I was pleased to be at a lower level area. Once at the first car parking area I got a lift to Gavarnie, from 2 Spanish guys who had done an ascent of Vignemale.

July 29th Cauterets

With a lot of uphill to start the day I was ready to go by first light.
Initially very steeply through forest, then upward along the side of a valley before a very steep ascent to the Col d'Ilheou. All but ths last few minutes in shade from a mountainside.
I was very glad I had the late start and stopover the day before, it would have been hard in the full heat of the day.
Then it was down to the lake and refuge of Ilheou.
One traverse was a bit hairy for me, then around a bend came 20 5 and 6 year old children with 4 adults. That put things in perspective.
From the refuge it was mostly a rough track, with many people coming up from the car park.
After the car park it was down a wooded path  besides a river to Cauterets.
Whilst having a coffee outside a bar along came Patrick, a French-Canadian I had met at Arrens.
I went to the same campsite as he was staying at.

28th July Lac d'Estaing

As there was lots of cloud first thing, I did not leave the campsite until after 11.30.
It was soon hot, but most of the ascent to the Col de Borderes was in shady forest.
Then a descent to the village of Estaing was followed by a warm walk up the valley to a campsitoe at Lac d'Estaing.
This valley is very scenic and consequently there were lots of tourists and campsites.
For some reason the campsite depressed me initially. A visit toze the tacky cafe/bar/ tourist shite place, and a chill out with the wonderful views sorted that out.
I ate one of my freeze-dried meals, a pasta one that was very satisfying and crashed out with views of the mountains

27t July Arrens-Marsous

I spent the day at the campsite, reading, taking in a petanque competition, with visits to the supermarket for food for lunch and dinner
I chatted with a few folk, and got into a book I'd found in the site 'library'.
A very relaxing pleasant day.

26th July Arrens-Marsous

When I awoke the fog had returned.
The walk up to the Col de Tortes was so steep that in places I needed hand-holds. It was not exposed so it was well in my comfort zone. The Col itself revealed huge rock slabs to the right disappearing into the fog below. The path went left for a winding route to a road that I drove on last year, the D918.
The GR10 crossed the road and dropped a long way to the valley far below before coming up to join the road again. I road walked the couple of miles with great views.
A 300' ascent from the road arrived at the Col de Soulor. From here it was a steady descent to Arrens-Marsous.
I found a campsite just on the edge of the village, with the small local supermarche nearby.
After a shower and clothes wash, I decided I was going to spend 2 nights here. I am enjoying being in the Pyrenees and in no hurry to finish the walk.

Monday 25th Gourette

The first section of my day's walk was very steeply up through the forest on the side of a deep gorge.
After emerging from the gorge and the trees the wiews were fantastic. The gorge opened out into a broad hanging valley, grazed by a herd of cattle.
I stopped for brunch were a side valley branched off. The French people I'd met just before  camping arrived here in the last light of the day, exhausted.
The path went gradually uphill then got steeper until the final section passef through snow fieldd to the Hourquette d'Arre, at 2465m, over 8200'.
After lunch and a rest taking in the views there was a steep descent to Lac Anglais, a popular spot to camp the night.
I was short of food and cloud was coming up the valley towards Gourette.
I was soon walking in fog with no views. Eventually arriving in the large ugly ski resort.
The campsite had closed, so after shopping I had a pizza and a couple of beers, then camped on a patch of level ground at the top of the village.
After midnight I was woken by a Pyreneen mountain dog, which barked at my tent for over an hour.
The sky had cleared and I could see the wonderful mountains that had been hidden by fog earlier.

July 24th A bothy 3 hours after Etsaut

With a better weather forcast for France, I decided to go back to where I had finished on Monday - Etsaut.
It was great being in Jaca as I bought cheap fuel that comes in a nice pouring bottle, and a very nice sun hat.
Civilised, cheap Spain tempts me to walk the GR11 again. A €2 bus ride took me to Estacion Canfranc where I had a 2 hour wait for the bus to Etsaut, in a bar getting my phone charged and watching Le Tour de France.
After reaching Etsaut I had a hot walk along roads and tracks to the Chemin de Mature, a scary walk along a path hewn out of cliff. I did not look down.
At the end of it the path entered trees always ascending.
After 4 hours hot walking I found an bothy which was perfect for the night.
  I had the place to myself fot the night. A clean firm mattress gave me the comfiest nights sleep I've had for years.

Sunday 25th (?) Gabas

After such a lovely night I set off up the valley and it was cloudy. As I gained altitude I started seeing glimpses of sun shining on mountain tops. Then I was above the cloud level.
A steep climb brought me to the Col de Ayous at over 2000m. What magnificent mountain scenery there was all around me.
From here it was down to a large refuge a above a lake with the Peak Midi de Oisseau behind it.
I spent a couple of hours here taking in the view, washing self and clothes and having my picnic lunch.
Being a lovely sunday there were lots of day walkers arriving and enjoying the area.
It was a long walk down to another lake and the car park, then a road walk down to Gabas.
There were several hikers at the bar, some going east and some west on the GR10. The local cheeses, Oiseau something a hard cheese was on sale so I had to buy some. The Pyreneean hard cheeses are excellent.
I left and walked along thd busy road until I turned off across a bridge into the forest.
There was a scary section with several hundred metres with a safety wire to hold onto, I did not look down.
Soon after this I came up on four French walkers who I had talked with at Gabas. One young woman was freaked out at the crossing of a stream running down a steep rock slab. I passed them there.
A little further over a bridge I found a level site for the night and set up camp.

July 23rd Jaca

So after the hot spell it became overcast with low cloud. I am not on a time-scale, and decided to wait for the weather to improve before resuming my GR10 walk.
Thunder storms during the night and early friday morning and an iffy forecast decided my to hitch to Jaca in Spain.
On my third lift we entered the Somport Tunnel in cloud and emerged in Spain to sunshine.
Ah a bit of warmth and blue skies.

July 18th Lescun

With backpackers going off on the GR10 and HRP each day, I got caught up with the daily exodus and set off on the GR10 going east.
I'd planned on walking the HRP west, but being in the high Pyrenees I wasn't ready to leave them so soon.
It was lovely walking through woodland then the Lhers valley up steeply in more forest to the Col de Barrancq which at 1600m was the highest point of the days walk.
From there it was a steep descent often in the hot sun to the Gave de Aspe and the village of Etsaut.
A shaded thermometer show a temperature of 37, too hot for me to be in the sun, even with the shade of my brolly.
I sussed out a camping spot in a picnic area by the river.
Later I met two guys who had descended from where I was going through on the next stage, who advised me to have a rest day or two whilst it is so hot.
Etsaut was not a great place to chill out for a day or two, so I caught the last bus to a place where I could return to the lovely campsite at Lescun.
The second car going towards Lescun stopped for me and took me to the campsite entrance, thank you kind woman
After the Campsite in Cazorla this is the nicest I have stayed at, and the setting is stunning

July 17th Lescun

My phone's not running as it should. Yesterdays post is still being saved.
So briefly I walked during the morning on the GR10 east.
As it is getting hotter each day I have decided to set out early tomorrow on the GR10 which will be in woodland a lot more than the HRP.

June 18th Llangenny

A heavy overnight dew, rain sodden high grass and plants made for a wet walk for the first hours.
After all the mud under the tree's yesterday, I changed to the Wye Valley Way for the walk to Monmouth. The Offa's Dyke went high and in tree's most of the way to Monmouth.
A bit of road walking was followed by walking on an old railway track, which was preferable to long wet plants.
I stopped for my 1st break at a locked cabin which had a picnic table to sit at. This was most welcome as my back was really aching.
After a wet walk for the final miles into Monmouth, I decided that was enough walking for one day.
I didn't relish the next 20 miles of walking through farmland before the Hatterall Ridge. After a wander round a very pleasant Monmouth and lunch by the river. I decided to bus to Abergavenny, then on to Glangwyrny and walk the 2 miles along the valley to my favourite campsite in the UK at Llangenny.
As I arrived in Abergavenny the sun came out. I really like this area and could live here if it wasn't for family in Dorset.
It was lovely to arrive in Llangenny and to see people I know from previous visits.
A visit to the pub to charge my phone was followed by an early night

June 20th Finito

A night disturbed by gust's of wind hitting the tent was followed by an early start.
I decided that I didn't want to carry on walking in rain and wind, with poor weather forecsst for the next few days, so I started walking the 10 miles towards Abergavenny and the train.
3 miles and the 3rd car got me a lift to the train station just as the train I needed arrived.
It rained all morning, and after a e hour break in Bristol, I caught the train back to Dorchester.

June 19th Llanthony

The previous time I'd walked from Llangenny to Llanthony was with Nippa in very hot weather. Today the weather was great, though rain and low cloud were forecast.
So many tree's in the hedgerows, in my opinion the lovliest area in UK I have been.
The final few miles were high open moorland of the Black Mounains before descending to the Vale of Ewas and Lanthony.
Although it was early afternoon, with the forecast and drizzle as I arrived in Llanthony, I decided to  stay there for the night. The steep ascent up to the Hatterall Ridge, and the Offa's Dyke Path, with a long exposed mainly flagstoned path to Hay Bluff didn't appeal to me.
The camping field at Llanthony Priory is basic, with just a stand pipe and is only £3, if anyone comes to collect the money.
Shortly after pitching camp the rain started, so I closed the doors on my tent and had a snooze.
I woke to the sound of a bedraggled D of E kids arriving to put up their tents in the rain.
A pleasant evening with good value tucker was spent in the nearby Half Moon pub.

June 17th Offa's Dyke path

The start of the path is nr. Chepstow, and I started early afternoon.
It was a hot ascent from the river Wye, but once on the ridge on the English side of the river there was a breeze.
The path follows the river to Monmouth. There were occaisional views of the Severn valley east of the path.
Many grand houses are built here with views of both rivers it is understandable.
The path was muddy in many places where it went through woodland, which was most of the time.
Mid afternoon brought a heavy bout of rain, I sheltered under a yew tree with my brolly up until it eased off. It continued dripping off the trees until I left them on the descent to Brockweir.
I arrived at 6pm just as the pub was opening. The food smelt really tempting, but I resisted.
After 2 pints I resumed walking along the river bank.
I forgot to top up with water at the pub, and when stopped for the night at a meadow that was nicely grazed by sheep I got water from a deep puddle. It was clear and tasted good.

June 9th Lynton

Once out of Withypool it soon became moor, then fields to Simonsbath.
After the mist burnt off it became very warm.
It was mostly moor to Exehead, the source of the river Exe. Then a lovely steep valley descent off the high moor. On the way down I saw 2 Red Deer.
At Cheriton another descent to Combe Park, national trust land all the way to Lynton and Lynmouth.
I found a campsite for the night, and after a long welcome shower, spent a relaxing evening in Lynton and Lynmouth.
Overall the 2 Moors Way is a good walk. The hot days over the exposed moors were hard though, but I had great views all the way.
With the weather forcasting rain, I decided to end the walk without any of the possible extensions from Lynmouth.
(It was a wet bus ride to Exeter on the journey to Dorset)

June 8th Withypool

A short walk uphill from my nights stay and I was on Exmoor.
Big views ahead and roadwalking until crossing under the busy main Exeter to Barnstaple road onto Knowstone Moor.
A mixed bag of roads, tracks and paths on a hot day across hilly Exmoor.
I had a long lunch by the river at Hollowcombe, before a steep climb to Hawkridge. This was followed by a high level walk above the Exe Valley, with a descent to Withypool.
From Hawkridge I could have walked to Tarr Steps and followed the river to Withypool, but I choose the breezier high route as the day was hot.
A pot of tea at Withypool decided me that I wasn't going any further.
The field behind the tea rooms was an ideal camp spot for the night. Secluded, toilets, and even an outside electric socket to charge my phone.
After a salad at the village pub I set up my tent at dusk, and discovered I could pick up the tearoom's wifi. The perfect stealth campsite.