Lovely end to a lovely day...

Spent the first day of the year in good company, first with friends for lunch in Le Grand-Pressigny then meeting up with our walking group later for first meeting of the new year.We passed on the actual walk but joined them afterwards on what was a lovely evening. 

We think 2022 may have to be a year of more walking and less lunching!  

 

Simple freedoms...

 

This time last year we were taking advantage of crisp February days to walk with the local Randonnée Club unaware of what lay ahead of us. Simple freedoms like being able to walk in the countryside with friends now lost to us. Pauline and I were just about to head down to my brother's in Provence and would only just make it back the day before the first lockdown.

Back in step...a walk around Chaumussay

First outing in 2020 for us yesterday, with the randonnée club. I it turned out to be a bright February day for it. Joel took us over to Chaumussay for a walk around familiar and pretty countryside...

and for good measure had us starting out climbing a hill!

It was almost perfect conditions for a good walk.

Yesterday's randonnée...gimme shelter

It had been a few weeks since Pauline and I had walked with our randonnée club so after a lovely morning yesterday here in Southern Touraine we were looking forward to getting back out there. We headed over towards Abilly and as we set out it wasn't long before the weather took a turn for the worse. It had been forecast so there was plenty of brollies in evidence.

We were not far into the walk when we had to seek shelter from what was a heavy downpour, as luck would have it we immediately found some shelter under a large barn which saved us from a soaking.

After the worst was over we continued our walk...

you can see the result of the shower underfoot but we marched on...

with the sky still looking a little menacing!

Walking in the woods in autumn does bring its rewards. The walk took us through the woods over towards the Descartes / Barrou road and looking over towards Leugny, before re-entering them back towards Abilly. 

Every picture tells a story - by this time we were all a bit 'drookit' and some of us chickened out of continuing on the planned route and sought out the refuge of our cars - which by this time were a joy to behold!

          

Return to the randonnee and more pleasant surprises!

Pauline and I returned to walking with our local randonnee club yesterday after missing quite a few weeks due to work commitments and the weather. The walk was around the small village of Esves-le-Moutier

It was good to get back into the swing of things!

 

It was a hot sunny day but fortunately the walk offered a mix of open countryside and shade. 

 

 

A couple of pleasant surprises was a walk past this lovely property Les Brandelles which had been used as a convalescence hospital during the first world war but is now a beautiful house, which happens to have a public right-of-way passed its front door!

The other was arriving at the source of the river Esves...a magical place (more on this later)

Is chivalry dead? this image seems to ask but it was only after the ladies had vacated the bench that the men took their turn!

It was a lovely relaxing walk where all was calm...and colourful.

We even had a peek in the church which for me was a return visit having featured it as one of my 'Church on Sundays' way back in 2013.

Summer walk in Spring

Yesterday Pauline and I did our first Le Grand-Pressigny Randonnee club walk for some time, in 23 degrees - felt like summer.

We started from the 'source' at 'La Fontaine' just past the pottery and headed along the  local chemins through the woodlands and along country roads towards Abilly and then back in the direction of Barrou.

It is interesting when you come out of the wood sto views that at first seem unfamiliar and it takes a little while to get your bearings but there is always someone on hand to get our geographical postilion mapped. Above is looking towards Descartes.

This is looking down to the D750 which we walked parallel to for a spell in the direction of Barrou. 

I am always a bit disappointed when I cannot reproduce a scene accurately with my photographs...the greens and yellows of this field were much better than portrayed.

Alternative route...and breadcrumbs

Due to time pressures and a slight reluctance to get motivated yesterday morning we couldn't make the weekly randonnee club walk, so instead we opted for our circular route from here in La Guerche to Barrou via Maire and Lesigny (12km) and back.

Place de l'Eglise Maire

It was an ideal  afternoon for a walk with spring bursting out all around us.

Love how this house on the street has made the most of the available 'garden' space.

Looking towards Lesigny.

Beautiful Wisteria on Rue des Echelles

and Magnolia on Rue du Moulin in Lesigny.

Route de Lesigny,Barrou.

Grande Rue, Barrou

As it happens we did not complete the circuit, as after stopping into the bar for a well deserved refreshment (non alchoholic), we discovered, just as we were leaving the village that Pauline had left her breadcrumbs in the bar (never thought I'd ever say that in a sentence). She had bought them as we passed Claire's shop and they were needed for fishcakes, so reluctantly, we started back along Grande Rue only to be met by friends Angela and Denis who had been visiting mutual friends in the village - their offer of a lift was gratefully received!

Good walk around Ligueil

Last Thursday's randonnee  took us to Ligueil. We started from the piscine and through the town's lovely park (there is more to Ligueil that an awkward drive-through you know!).

I find it a bit more interesting when our walks take in a bit of a village or town...

but inevitably we have to put it behind us and head into the countryside.

The day was a beautiful one for walking, almost felt like a summer's day but the leaf colour reminded us that we were indeed in autumn.

It is always interesting going through the little hameaux and checking out the local housing stock!

Part of our route, around the Etang Communal, took us onto part of the 'Chemin de Saint Martin' which is waymarked.

All in all a very good walk in good company.