First outing of the randonnée club season...

Yesterday saw the first outing of the new season of our local randonnée club. Joel took us up behind Courvaux and back on what was a very warm day.

Yesterday's outing with the randonnée club - around Barrou in pictures.

A walk with the randonnee club from La Guerche.

Yesterday's walk with the randonnee club had us starting from La Guerche and heading over the Creuse into La Petite Guerche before climbing up the woods around 'La Rond du Chene'

The initial uphill climb had the usual effect of splitting the group before hitting a welcome plateau...

Before heading back into the woods,

where we passed the 'fountain of youth' on our way to the centre of this interesting part of the forrest.

I recall admiring this pretty house on a previous walk.

By the time we were nearing the end of the walk the group was pretty spread out but all happy to have completed another good walk.

La Guerche from the bridge

Never get tired of taking this shot of the chateau.

From Barrou and back...

Yesterday's walk with our walking club had us setting off from Barrou along (or should I say up and down) the Creuse Valley.

We started by climbing uphill behind the village on a route that was very familiar to Pauline and me.

It takes you along the valley with great views over the village.

 

Our illustrious leader,as ever, managed to take us along some tracks even we hadn't been on. One which led us us passed  this charming house in a little hameau just up behind Barrou (La Grande Village) which we had not visited as to us it was a dead end. 

After that we headed up past a friend's house which was handy as we managed to refill our water bottles - thanks John & Maureen!

On our way we came across this farmer working away. He was chopping the heads of the sad looking sunflowers to extract the seeds. What an end for these beautiful flowers! 

 This was the view towards the small hamlet of 'La Coue' a place we visited back in  2016 during Patrimoine weekend and a local history tour.

There were rare and welcome, spells of respite from the very hot September sun.

Are we nearly there yet?

A last look along the valley before heading back to the village for a welcome refreshment!

Off and running...

Well walking actually...our local randonnee club had its first outing of the new season yesterday. There was a good turnout  for the walk which started under the watchful eye of the chateau ruins at Etableau just outside Le Grand-Pressigny

We walked passed fields of sunflowers which after a very dry season were not looking their best...

though some were hanging on in there!

Our walks nearly always throws up a diverse range of views and yesterday was no exception

We had started at a chateau and finished with one - passing the private 'Chateau de la Vienne' on the way back to Etableau.