Author Archives: Sally

131 miles / GR10

Geoff & Sally in BanyulsWe are now in Banyuls after walking 131 miles in eleven days along the GR10

We have had perfect weather very hot at times and only rain during the night

It has been a very tough walk but I have enjoyed every second and Geoff will never know how much I have appreciated the opportunity to do this walk with him

It’s been great to have my Kindle and catch up with the reading I long to do, but always seem too busy to do at home

Looking forward to a good nights sleep after being in full, air less, dormitory rooms for the past few nights, with some real miserable French people 🙁

3 days till we fly home, will be interesting to see what we do I hope to get a few hours on a nice beach in the sun with my Kindle

Then I cannot wait to have a bath and give my clothes a proper wash

It’s been perfect 🙂

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Location:Avenue de la République,Banyuls-sur-Mer,France

Trailside Eco Lodge

Sally striding down GR10We had mountain thunder storms during the night so was happy to wake up to a clear fresh day

After another breakfast of bread and jam which I really struggle with, we were off on our way at 8.30am

Today’s route was a much easier walk with no noticeable height gain or loss, mainly through forest and across ski runs .

We soon covered the 12 miles and found ourselves at the Trailside Eco Lodge by 1.30.

The downside to finishing so early is the long wait till the 8pm dinner the upside is more time to read my book and rest my feet / legs ready for the next day.

Dinner here was very good all local organic food with local cheese too. Only 2 other guests staying a French couple we have bumped into now and again they started on the same day as us from Merens and will be going to Banyuls too so we expect to bump into them again.

Tomorrows refuge has no shower or electric so should be interesting.

It’s now pouring with rain and thunder can be heard in the distance but hopefully it will be dry and clear again by morning.

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Location:Casas del Mitg,Planès,France

Tough walking

GR10 Geoff & Sally on snowWe are now at refuge Des Bouillouses after 2 really tough days walking along the GR10.

The first day was only 6 miles but it was a constant climb,the actual height gain was 1367 m so not bad for a Norfolk girl

That night we stayed at Refuge Des Besines very remote and beautiful with a great evening meal which made up for the expensive price .

We had breakfast at 6.30 and was on our way by 7.30 as it promised to be another hot day.

The height gain today was only 602 m but it was a good 11 miles over very rocky paths, some still covered in snow.

The 2 hour climb up to Coll de coma d’Anyell was just awesome! Then it seemed a long way down till we eventually arrived at tonights refuge.

We had a long wait for the showers as a huge French walking group had just arrived but I passed the time with Mr Grey and my Kindle 🙂

Photos for day 1 can be found here and day 2 here.

Happy to say my achilles is behaving but as a precaution I am applying Voltarol gel morning and evening.

As I write a mountain storm is brewing.

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Ax Les Thermes

Geoff & Sally at Tolouse stationThis morning we left Cambridge by taxi at 3.30am after a flight and 2 train journeys we arrived 13 hours later in Ax Les Thermes and just to make us feel at home it was pouring with rain 🙁

Tomorrow we are going to sample the thermal baths and have a massage, I have booked the hot stone massage to see how it compares to mine.

Hopefully by Tuesday it will have stopped raining as we then take the train up to Merens les Vals and from here we start walking along the GR10. Day 39 in the Cicerone guide Book.

This will be Geoff’s third walk along the GR10 and I am lucky to be with him this time as he completes the walk.

My rucsac weights in at 8kg without water and food the lightest I have managed yet and hopefully this will help my Achilles.

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Location:Rue du Parc du Teich,Ax-les-Thermes,France

A stroke of luck !

It seems I really did only get my job transfer as a huge favour from one manager to another ( and because I kept nagging oops I mean asking ) which on the plus side is a huge stroke of luck for me but on the down side its what will they do with me !

I have had a great week working on the dairy and answering all “red “calls for the checkouts, amazing as I was not even till trained before !

My neck shoulders and arms have never ached so much and my brain has had to work too, yes I actually have one that still works !

The people I have worked with have been really friendly, I have settled well and my hours at work have just flew by … something that never happened on the fish counter.

Now I just have to wait while they make a job for me….. it should be the same days but the hours could change BUT I am not going to worry about that now as I am off to the Pyrenees walking on Sunday and wont be back till 18th July 🙂

Hope to blog if I can get wi-fi and I can drag myself away from Mr Grey 🙂

if not see you all soon x x

 

 

A Good Swap

One thing that I have learnt over the years is that when ever I go away walking with Geoff its really important that I have something to do in the evenings, while Geoff does his computer things 🙂

When we went to Turkey to walk the Lycian Way I started writing a diary every night and now always do this when we have a walking  holiday, its great to go back and read them again.

I always try to take a book too but as we always carry all our kit it does add to the weight especially as one book is never enough.

So for this trip Geoff has bought me a Kindle, I soon fell in love with it and find it light and easy read.

Although I have a sneaky feeling that the kindle was also bought so Geoff could get his hands on the books that I am reading at the moment, which happen to be the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy

As yesterday he read the first book from start to finish in one go but I am not complaining as a  kindle for a few books seems a good swap to me 🙂

 

 

A trip to the coast with Cambridge Rambling Club

It was lovely to see a full coach on Sunday for the summer trip to the coast, as last years summer trip with CRC had to be cancelled due to not filling the coach.

We set off from Cambridge at 8.30am heading to Sizewell on the Suffolk coast.

There was plenty of choice of walks, enough to suit all levels of walking, we decided to do the longer 15 mile walk, taking us from Sizewell to Snape  along the coast.

It was a good walk for my new boots, getting them ready for the Pyrenees, although I have been told to buy new trousers that dont rustle, else I will be walking on my own 🙁

We ended the day at the Maltings for lovely tea and cake before the coach trip back to Cambridge.

Summer walk with CRC at EveryTrail

All is not well…

I left work on friday feeling very emotional, I had beautiful flowers, more flowers than I have ever had in my whole life and I realised I had worked in that store for 11 years, the longest I have ever been in one place 🙂

I was also excited and looking forward to my job transfer, something I have been waiting for, for a very long time.

Today I called into my new store to introduce myself and hand in some paper work, straight away I was taken into the office, which I thought strange.

Its seems they dont really have a job for me with the hours that have been agreed and that I have in writing, in fact I was told that they had been forced to take me 🙁

So basically I can work them hours till they decide what to do with me…….and to top it all off the manager that I have been told to report to on Wednesday Is not even at work that day !

So I start a new job with no idea what I am expected to do and the worry that they will change my hours at any time ….   not what I call a great start 🙁

Lets just hope I have not made a huge mistake and my biggest fears dont come true !