It's confession time.
Here is where I admit that this walking business is a struggle. I'm having real difficulties pushing myself to do it and, most of the time, not enjoying it when I do. So I've decided a couple of things. 1) I will take Sundays off. That's my reward to myself and 2) If the weather is foul or if I really really don't want to do it on any given day, I won't. That's my safety valve.
Having said all that, not counting today, the last walk I did was on Saturday. Sunday was my day of rest and Monday it just chucked it down the whole day long. It took us an hour to dry out just from nipping down to the local shops so I wasn't about to venture out in the afternoon.
Saturday's walk was OK to be honest. I decided to walk down to the big round-about at Chateau d'O, take the first right and just keep walking for half an hour, then turn round and come back. I had no idea what was down there but ended up seeing some really good sights.
This was the sort of countryside I was walking through - just to give you an idea . . .
Here is where I admit that this walking business is a struggle. I'm having real difficulties pushing myself to do it and, most of the time, not enjoying it when I do. So I've decided a couple of things. 1) I will take Sundays off. That's my reward to myself and 2) If the weather is foul or if I really really don't want to do it on any given day, I won't. That's my safety valve.
Having said all that, not counting today, the last walk I did was on Saturday. Sunday was my day of rest and Monday it just chucked it down the whole day long. It took us an hour to dry out just from nipping down to the local shops so I wasn't about to venture out in the afternoon.
Saturday's walk was OK to be honest. I decided to walk down to the big round-about at Chateau d'O, take the first right and just keep walking for half an hour, then turn round and come back. I had no idea what was down there but ended up seeing some really good sights.
This was the sort of countryside I was walking through - just to give you an idea . . .
The path followed the course of the main road for a Km or so but then, in the distance, it looked as though it was heading away from civilisation. I was a bit unsure about going there. A couple of times I've been walking in Parc Malbosc which is very isolated and felt a bit uneasy. But, in the end I decided that I'd be OK if I could continue to see the road even if at a distance.
It was a pretty walk. Lots of twisting turning paths lined with the lovely parasol pines that Malbosc and t he surrounding area seem to be so fond of . . .
It was a pretty walk. Lots of twisting turning paths lined with the lovely parasol pines that Malbosc and t he surrounding area seem to be so fond of . . .
Then I came across this. I have absolutely no idea what it is . . .
Don't you just love these stretches of lilac. It's a feature of the countryside of Provence (as in 'A Year in Provence' with John Thaw) but we seem to have our fair share too . . .
Just after I'd taken the lilac photos, I found that the path had headed back towards the main road, though a long way above it. A huge iron bridge crossed it and at the other side I found this lovely water feature pouring its clear water down steps to the bottom of a steep incline.
Click on the images to make them larger . . .
Click on the images to make them larger . . .
I was pretty certain no-one would have put this feature here without a reason. It had to mark something and, sure enough, it led on to the gates of our Regional Administrative Headquarters.
It's a sort of town hall but serves the whole Département of Herault . . .
It's a sort of town hall but serves the whole Département of Herault . . .
I kept seeing, in the distance, a dome-like structure but was really too far away to tkae any good shots of it. However, a bit later I managed to get up pretty close.
It transpires that it was a local college, the Lycée Jean Monnet . . .
It transpires that it was a local college, the Lycée Jean Monnet . . .
And that was the end of the Sat
Altogether I walked 4.14 km and burned 314 calories.
Now today's walk (Tues day) was a whole different kettle of fish. It was stultifyingly boring. Boring suburbia with nothing but endless apartment blocks and a few random shops. So the only photos I took were of flowers I met along the way.
Enjoy the slide show . . .
urday walk. From here I just walked back the way I'd come. Altogether I walked 4.14 km and burned 314 calories.
Now today's walk (Tues day) was a whole different kettle of fish. It was stultifyingly boring. Boring suburbia with nothing but endless apartment blocks and a few random shops. So the only photos I took were of flowers I met along the way.
Enjoy the slide show . . .