A few weeks before set off, there were signs of mice in our garage. They’d gnawed through a plastic sack, that was on a bench and stuffed themselves silly with fish food. Good intentions to provide their freedom via a humane trap never materialised and after a clean up there were no further signs.
It wasn’t until Mr S searched out his special ‘for Scoot use only’ jacket, that he discovered they’d moved on to more nourishing produce. Stored inside an office drawer they’d breakfasted on the drawer base, before finding lunch and dinner at the ready.
Day 13 – Today’s very short hop of 67K takes us west to Vezac and Camping La Plage. Beautifully positioned alongside the Dordogne River. Hemmed in by open fields and stunning golden cliffs, that are typical in this Périgord region. With wall to wall sun forecast, we’re here for four nights.
For centuries the Dordogne course fed life and trade along its banks. Nowadays, as it cuts its watery swathe through this green and golden Périgord region, it’s all about the tourist and their euros. Hardly surprising. When the weather is as good as this, they swarm like wasps around a warm pint of beer.
We have an afternoon to fill. We step out. Go take a look-see around the tiny commune of La Roque-Gageac. Literally, just around the next bend in the river.
A huge rockfall in 2010 destroyed parts of the old fortress. A scary reminder to the villagers that nature must have its way and say.
Day 14 – This morning’s low of 6C comes as a shock. With both showers and loos open to the elements, there is more than a shady nip in the air. The campers’ responses vary. Some defiantly remain in shorts, t-shirts and flip-flops, in spite of the mouth-mist of foggy droplets clouding above their heads. Silently urging the sun to do a and ‘Move on up’. Others, the self-called sensible ones, layer up. Ready themselves for winter’s first snowy blast. But soon regret that. There’s only one peg in the shower cubicle.
It’s midday before we make our move. Like a couple of rustic reptiles, we need the sun’s warmth for mobility. We want to keep our shorts on for the short Scoot over to Les Jardins de Marqueyssac and its 150,000 box trees. Expertly manicured twice a year by a dedicated team of six.
The narrow eight hundred metre long gardens, run riverside on a 192metre high escarpment that give us a birds-eye view of our campsite.
