Over the last few days, the temperatures have been really draining, and yesterday was exhausting, especially when we found ourselves with very little to eat, due to the shops being closed in the heat.
We had originally planned to ride to a campsite, just west of Morlaix today, but last night decided to change the plan and pedal to Carantec, a pretty little town on the coast. We hoped that being by the coast may give us a bit of a breeze, or at least a bit of freshness. It would also give us a chance for a trip down memory lane, as we would aim to stay on the campsite that we stayed on 28 years ago,when we first brought our eldest son to France (aged 6 weeks)
We plotted a route that would take us past the original camp site that we had planned to stay on, just in case we decided that was far enough. It’s best to be prepared
We set the alarm for 5.30, although didn’t need it, as we both woke shortly after 5. We silently packed the tent away, and loaded the bikes, pedalling out of the site at 6, before the sun had risen above the horizon.
It was a beautifully cool start to the day, and the fresh morning air felt like silk on our skin, after the unforgiving heat of the last few days.
We rode out of town, and turned onto the back roads that we followed for most of the day’s ride. It was a glorious morning, and the golden sky of dawn pulled a gentle mist from some of the fields that we passed. It was like cycling through an enhanced film-set.
In the cool of the day, the kilometres slipped easily, below our wheels, and we just enjoyed the birdsong and absolute peace, of pedalling through nothern Brittany, at dawn.
We reached Guingamp, by 7 am, and found ourselves in a picturesque town square, surrounded by enchanting buildings,
From the large granite church, to the pretty, half-timbered shops.
We stopped for breakfast, before pedalling on again, finding a huge iron deer in our way – such a great piece of street art.
It turned out that our break was well-timed, as our route then took us through a string of pretty villages and hamlets, where there were no boulangeries or epiceries, for us to stop for provisions.
It was a beautiful ride through an incredibly pretty area. It’s strange to say, but Brittany smells different to the other areas that we’vevcycled through. Here, there is the scent of privet, mingled with honeysuckle, and different scent that smells almost biscuity. I appreciate that is a strange description, but that is how it smells to me.
You notice these little things, when you are cycling, as well as the little rises in the road, the scent trail, where a fox has passed by, and the joyful song of the skylarks that were singing their hearts out today.
We stopped in a little village, filled with hollyhocks,
making coffee on a bench in the square, much to the delight of a lady who stopped to chat to us about where we were going.
Then, before we knew it, but in reality nearly 5 hours after leaving the site, we passed the campsite, we had originally thought of staying on. We didn’t feel the need to stop, so pedalled on, although began to wish we hadn’t, when the road started to climb more steeply than we had found so far.
Within 40 minutes, we were arriving in Morlaix, a pretty town at the head if the estuary, where we stopped in the shade, for some lunch.
Then it was the final ride to Carantec, along the estuary road. This is a beautiful ride,and as we left Morlaix, we started to smell the salty tang of the sea in the air..
And then,we felt a gentle cool, sea-breeze, which kissed our arms and pulled our lips into a grin.
It felt fresh, and even slightly cool, after the last few days of cycling in an oven, and it was an absolute joy.
We smiled, as we pedalled along, the breeze giving our legs power to get us up the last few hills.
We stopped on a beach and enjoyed the view, which is always so similar to the one of Rock, from Padstow, in Cornwall.
Then it was the final few kilometres to tonight’s site, where we are relishing a little bit of cloud cover too. I never thought that I would be singing the praises of cloud!
Today has been a long day (nearly 100km and over 1000m of climbing), but it has been worth it, for the slight freshness and the knowledge that we can just enjoy the next few days pootling around the coast, before catching a ferry on Sunday morning.
We weren’t sure that we were going to enjoy today’s ride, but the peaceful roads, and beautiful villages were just a joy to pedal along.
Also the hydrangeas kept my head turning too.
As of tonight, we have pedalled a couple of km less than 700km since leaving home 10 days ago, and it’s been such fun.
It’s hard to believe that this stage of the summer adventure is nearly over…
It’s almost time to start planning our ride home again, in a few weeks time …. I wonder if Andy’s feet will have lost their tan-lines by then?
Postcards from Provence and beyond 