France, part one

After a gap of over two years, it was time to visit Brenda & Mannes, our friends in France. I had first met them when my brother & I were exploring the Basque region of South West France. It's a long story, but the four of us spent a VERY enjoyable evening in a ski lodge (out of season) at Chalet Iraty. They were doing the ENTIRE GR10, at over 800KM, no mean feat in your youth, but this wiry couple were doing it at around 60 years old - with two DOGS in tow!!! Anyway, they invited us to stay with them if we returned to France. We did, and a firm friendship was forged.
With us unable to get a flight to Perpignan airport (which is only 1/2 an hour from where Brenda lives), we had to fly to Carcassonne. That meant a 2 hour drive each way for Brenda and Mannes, our friends in France, but they were more than happy to do this. Instead of whizzing back home, they dropped Sue & I in Carcassonne and left us there for a couple of hours to explore - something I've wanted to do ever since the first time I saw the walled city a few years ago,
So - we were dropped outside the impressive gates, and off we set to explore.

A few pictures of the outer walls, before we paid our dues, and set off up onto the ramparts. It's very like York, in a way, but a lot more impressive. All these high walls didn't stop Carcassonne being besieged and surrendered many times. It got its name, because after it was relieved once, the bells rang out and the people all shouted 'carca-sonne' (the bells are ringing).

The close proximity of the houses and narrow streets would be a nightmare if there was a fire.

VERY 'touristy'.

This is what we came to do and see, the battlements and towers.

In the central courtyard, some very fancy herringbone brickwork.

The central courtyard.

The outer walls, from the battlements.

The view across the city - that sky doesn't look too promising, does it?

There were some really nice houses inside the walls.

....with some lovely gardens.

Sue, enjoying a stroll around the walls.

Inside, there were several displays and demonstrations.
Some of the stone artefacts were superb.

There were also many shops - this one selling every flavour of biscuit you could think of.
I wondered, how do they rotate their stock????

We found it a bit expensive to eat out - not that we did in Carcassonne.

An ingenious table around a tree trunk.

After that, we were picked up and taken to Brenda's house in Nyer.
Here's a map of just how remote it is.
The road to the village goes ONLY to the village - then it's the Pyrenees.

(Click on picture for a larger version, or type 'Nyer, France' into Google earth).

Anyway, we parked at Brenda's house, and set off up the other side of the valley to a deserted village called En - more of which later. Here's Mannes and Brenda walking through the remains of the village.

And there is the old chapel. What a position, eh?

Me, Brenda & Mannes.

The new bell, again, more about this in a later email.

I was given the key to unlock the substantial chapel door.

Before long, we made our way back, with the sunset now done, moonrise came next.
The camera can't capture just how beautiful this was. The light from the moon was quite bright.
We got home just in time for dinner.

Brenda is a vegetarian, but she always makes sure we get our meat. Her house is FULL of those gadgets that usually only get used once, then put under the cupboard to gather dust. Not at 'Les Samoyedes' (the name of the house). Eating is fun and a pleasure, and she uses her full 'artillery' of cooking gadgets to feed her guests.
Tonight, it was bangers and chops on a tabletop hotplate, with a stir fry accompaniment in a tabletop wok, and meat on a grill.

Dinner often goes on for hours. It's not unusual to sit down to eat at 6:30, and not leave the table until 11:00PM. Lots of chat, food and drink, plus humour makes the hours fly by.
Mannes shows just how to pour the perfect beer.

BIG HEAD!!

Cheers Mannes. (We were on the 'wine course' by now).

There are always several courses at a French meal.
This one ended with some lovely local cheeses, plus some English 'after eight' mints.

And that was day one, done. We'd really enjoyed it, and tomorrow we'd got two walks planned. One above the house and around the plateau, the other just Sue and I up the Nyer gorge, hoping to see bats - not in the belfry, but in some tunnels further up the gorge.

Part Two

click HERE

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

PLEASE READ; 

MY OTHER BLOGS ARE HERE;

 

GRAN CANARIA 2024

https://gc24amadores.blogspot.com/2024/03/gran-canaria-2024-based-in-amadores.html

 

LONDON, 2024

https://biggersteps.blogspot.com/2024/01/london-trip-january-2024.html

 

KRAKOW 2023

https://holihoiliday.blogspot.com/2023/02/krakow-poland-2023.html

 

CYPRUS OCT 2022 

https://holihoiliday.blogspot.com/2022/12/cyprus-coral-bay-october-2022-two-weeks.html

 

PARGA JUNE 2022

https://holihoiliday.blogspot.com/2022/08/parga-greece-2022.html

 

PARGA OCT 2019 (HONEYMOON)

https://2019parga.blogspot.com/2020/04/parga-2019.html

 

CYPRUS  CORAL BAY 2018

https://cypruscoralbay.blogspot.com/2020/04/day-1.html

 

GRAN CANARIA MARCH 2018

https://gran2018.blogspot.com/2018/04/gran-canaria-2018.html

 

BUDAPEST NOVEMBER 2018

https://biggersteps.blogspot.com/2021/08/budapest-2018-best-pics.html

 

KEFALONIA CARAVOMILOS 2016

https://kefaloniablog2016.blogspot.com/2019/07/kefalonia-2016-staying-at-karavomilos.html

 

LANZAROTE 2016

https://lanzarotepics2.blogspot.com/2020/05/lanzarote-2016-part-one.html

 

SKIATHOS SEPT 2015

https://skiathos2015.blogspot.com/2015/09/arrival-first-day-16th17th-september.html

 

MALLORCA 2013

https://www.blogger.com/u/1/blog/post/edit/3574557249150315453/689116775364332226

 

FUERTEVENTURA CALETA DE FUSTE 2013

https://fuerteventurapics.blogspot.com/2013/04/fuerteventura-part-one-getting-settled.html

 

MALLORCA 2012

https://biggersteps.blogspot.com/2012/11/majorca-part-one.html

 

GRAN CANARIA 2012 MASPALOMAS

https://biggersteps.blogspot.com/2012/03/gran-canaria-2012-day-one.html

MADEIRA FIRST VISIT 2009

https://peakwalks.blogspot.com/2009/03/madeira-day-one.html

MADEIRA SECOND VISIT 2011

https://walkpeaks.blogspot.com/2011/03/madeira-2001-part-one.html

 

ARRAN FIRST VISIT MARCH 2010

https://walkpeaks.blogspot.com/2010/03/arran-part-one.html

 

ARRAN SECOND VISIT NOVEMBER 2010

https://walkpeaks.blogspot.com/2010/11/arran-re-visited-part-one.html

THE GIANT’S CAUSEWAY 2014

https://furtherafield2.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-giants-causeway.html

SCOTLAND - 2023

INCLUDING SKYE

https://biggersteps.blogspot.com/2023/12/scotland-2023.html?m=1

 NORWAY 2025 BLOG

https://holihoiliday.blogspot.com/2025/11/norway-2025-on-ambassador-ambition.html

 

THE DERWENT VALLEY RESERVOIRS.

A WALK AROUND AND ABOVE 

THE DERWENT VALLEY RESERVOIRS.

We turned over from October to November on the calendar, and there was a lovely autumnal scene around Ladybower. Sue decided that was where she'd like to go for our next walk, so I wrote the walk, and off we went. This was our first walk in Derbyshire for about five weeks, due to holidays, work commitments etc, so we were raring to go!

I decided to park on the viaduct to jig the walk start round a little. I usually park further up the reservoir. This is looking up Ladybower.

 We crossed the road, and immediately took the path up towards Crookhill farm. I really was hoping to see some mushrooms today, edible if possible, as the conditions were damp, BUT I had heard that it wasn't a good year for fungi. 

 After the initial steepness, the path eased a little. Looking back, we could see Bamford edge looking larger. This is a SUPER edge if you want pictures of the reservoir.

The twin peaks of Crook hill could be seen to our left. 

Looking back to Crook hill's distinctive peaks. 

 After all the recent wet weather, the going underfoot wad decidedly squidgy!

 We topped the rise, and took the path that runs alongside the wood. This area used to have terrible damage from four wheel drive vehicles and motorbikes, but since they were excluded, the path has recovered a lot. The view left was of the iconic lose hill to Mam tor ridge, part of the Castleton skyline walk.

 This time of the year, you can always count on gorse to add a splash of colour to an otherwise drab scene.

 We turned right to pass Lockerbrook farm and got our first glimpse of the reservoir since staring the walk. Normally, I would turn right, and go down through the woods to the Fairholme visitor centre, but that was the reason for parking in a different place - today we headed straight on, into the woods - a path I'd not walked before.

 One of my favourite photographic subjects - fungi. We'd not seen any of the edible variety, but this was a lovely bunch anyway.

 I also spotted this impressive, new bracket on a tree trunk.

 We were a week or two too late for the really splendid colours, but as the leaves had mostly fallen now, we had a warm, copper carpet to walk on.

 Just before we reached the valley and clearing, a Chinook helicopter flew by at ground level. One more minute, and I'd have got a video! We were now walking on level ground beside the Howden reservoir.

This trunk was suffering a full on attack by fungi, and it wouldn't be long before it crumbled down to earth. It looks like a grasping hand, reaching out of the ground,

Looking back to Howden dam, with water spilling over it.

 .....and forward to the Derwent dam towers

 The mighty Derwent dam. The water was rushing over Howden dam when we passed it, but it was barely trickling over the Derwent. The reservoir is brim-full, JUST.

 I usually only take photo's 'as is', but this one made a lovely subject for a sepia shot. It sort of gives the mood of this dreary, cold, damp time of they year.

 Something that we've only seen recently in the Peak District - hedge layering. Ingenious, the tall saplings are bent and chopped, and amazingly, they continue to grow, but horizontally! Less maintenance, and a thick cover for birds to nest in.

 We chose to cross to the 'quiet' side of Ladybower. It was a serene scene as we walked on the fallen leaves, the day all to ourselves.

 But, with the light fading, we reached the car. 

Looking up to Bamford, brooding over us as we left to go home. 

Our first walk for a while, and a really good day. Not bright, but dry, and for that, we were grateful.