Discovery in the woods

Sunday, 7^th July Overcast and blessedly cool morning, so we decided to go on a favourite walk while we could. Walks in France are called randonées and are marked by yellow poles with a yellow circular band at the top. If the walk turns right, then the pole will carry a yellow strip that looks like a | with a – at the top right, rather like an upside-down L.

We followed the path easily, because the commune ensures that the grass is kept at a reasonable level and fallen trees etc are cut back. On the other side of the valley was an old mill, now a renovated farmhouse, with a thriving orchard neatly laid out in rows. We guessed the crop the farmer and his tractor were collecting was apples, but we might be wrong.

The path followed the route of an old pound, now dry and covered in ivy. Once upon a time the pound would have taken water to the mill and on the return trip we discovered, buried among the trees, we found the old water wheel; a gigantic structure which must have need a good flow of water to turn it.

Spent the afternoon finishing off In a House of Lies, the latest Ian Rankin, thoroughly good, swimming and relaxing in the delightful co-o-o-l.