Walk Day 3 - Cajarc to Mas de Palat (near Limogne-en-Quercy)

Sunday, May 24, 2009
A later start again today at about 10am. I'd heard the stores didn't open until 9:30 but it turned out a bar/café opened at 8am (and it also had internet). Blazing sun all day but met great pair of Swedish men and walked with them for several hours which takes one's focus off heat, blisters, leg pains, etc. Did about 15 klms and arrived at La Hulotte B&B just before Limongne-en-Quercy just before 3pm.


View leaving Cajarc after a short, steep ascent out of the river valley.


The hills ahead in the photo are where I'm headed.

Cajarc is back behind the near hills.

The forest here, and on most of the coming days' trails, is oak and the underbrush is wild boxwood.

Morning snack stop in the woods. The forest is lined with old stone fences which indicate this was all cleared fields relatively recently, as does the forest in which the trees all look the same age and not that old.

Delicious foie gras and cornichon sandwhich for lunch.

After refueling, get the gear on and carry on....the two Swedes I lunched with kindly snapped this for me.

Wild geraniums.

My two charming Swedish friends who spoke perfect English, as most Scandinavians I've met do.

The courtyard of La Hulotte, my B&B for the night.

My bedroom.

Walk Day 2 - Beduer to Cajarc

Saturday, May 23, 2009
Left Pech Ibert near Beduer at about 8:15am -- coolish, clear, sunny morning shifting to cloud (which kept things cool), and arrived at Cajarc on the River Lot at 2pm for a total of about 19klms. Ouch. Didn't realise I wouldn't be able to pick up any lunch or snacks along the route and arrived at Cajarc very hungry and with legs a-screaming.

Had a giant steak and salad and limped to my Chambres d'hote (B&B) run by Cécile Pons -- a lovely little apartment with two bedrooms in the old medievil section of this small town. Iced my sore parts with cubes in one of my ziplocks from the fridge's little freezer. As became my daily ritual, immediately washed my day's clothing and hung it on the outside clothesline, which every pilgrim-stop has, and changed into my clean clothes for dinner.


These stone "igloos" dot the landscape all along the trail that I walked. Some housed wells, some were quite small -- perhaps a shelter for a shepherd? I was told they were built as first shelters before a proper house was built, and then used for storage, barns, etc -- but I've no idea if that's true.




Entering town of Gréalou -- note red and white trail marker on the hydro pole.


A field of sweet peas.






Another wonderful dry-stone wall -- look at those huge end-stones.

The first vinyard I came across. I was told this was most likely a plot for personal use as the main Cahors wine region was in the River Lot valley, west of the town of Cahors.

Typical signage along the trail where there are dividing paths.

Long path heralding the descent into Cajarc.

Town of Cajarc.

The last steep descent into Cajarc in the River Lot valley was painful for me -- watch out for those big toe blisters and sore muscles.

A beautiful wrought iron balcony in the ancient centre of Cajarc.

Medievil Cajarc.

My bedroom.