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| Owner:
squiz Member Member#: 6644 Location: Registered: 27-05-2007 Diary Entries: 3072 |
23rd January 2018 Hiking - Walking: Briare and Digoin Wind Direction: Wind Stength: Surf / Sea State: Air Temperature: Sea Temperature: Weather: Max Speed: Distance Covered: Winter/Spring 2018 trip to France and Spain :) Monday 22nd January – travel to France. With our shuttle not leaving until 8.20 in the evening we had all day to load the van. So, after a last walk along the prom with a quick trip to Tesco we set about loading the van, it’s amazing that we can get everything in as we have to cater for snow and sun with skiing and windsurfing! I have taken a couple more sails this year along with two booms but got the top box shut at the second attempt! Then just before we were due to set off we received a WhatsApp’s message from Mark Swain saying some plonker on Felixstowe council is proposing 17 beach huts at our parking/rigging area at The Dip meaning we would lose it. This is very bad news for windsurfing in Felixstowe as there is limited access to the sea here and it will cause us loads of problems. I quickly wrote a complaint and posted on the council website before leaving Felixstowe at about 5. It was a good trip to the tunnel with no delays and we were entertained with WhatsApp going mental with banter about The Dip, lets hope they can sort this mess out while we our away. I will email my mate the Mayor to give our point of view. I don’t think the council members even realise the windsurfers use this area and the problems that will be caused if we are chucked off! On arriving in France, we make the short trip to Mont Hubert just outside Calais and with a new gate blocking the entrance to the radio mast we tuck in behind the hedge in the old restaurant carpark. This is a good move as the wind picks up really strong in the night but we are well sheltered:) Tuesday 23rd January – travel and walk – a night-time circuit of Briare **** cloudy with showers Despite the strong wind we have a good night being particularly mild too, after breakfast we take the coast route to Boulogne including a couple of diversions! We spot kitesurfers out in three different spots and rivers high from heavy rain! We then do a small section of pay motorway before the free to Rouen. We stop at the flooded Pont de L’Arch for a sandwich, the sun even managed to come out and the wind has dropped. We still had a long way to reach Orleans and the road is part dual carriage way part single lane with loads of roundabouts and lorries, not ideal but free! At Orleans we turn left and follow the Loire to one of our favourite places, Briare where a canal crosses the river very lovely. The camper spot by the canal just out of town has been closed, (every time we come to France now yet another place has been closed to us:() Not a problem here as we are allowed at the re-cycle carpark in sight of the canal bridge crossing the river. There is only one other camper here and have never seen it so quiet! Even though we shared the driving we are both knackered but are revived by a cuppa before we set off for a walk just to stretch our legs and clear our thick heads. We aim for the church and see the cat sitting on the glass covering the churches floodlights warming its bum! We saw it there before so it’s obviously a favourite spot! It’s very pretty in the dark by the canal and I get some nice pics before heading back to the van for Lidl paella – yum yum. All being well we should reach the mountains in the Jura tomorrow:) Wednesday 24th January – travel and walk – circuit around canals in Digoin **** sunny and very mild :) Quiet night in our spot near the flooded Loire but a bit disturbed as poor Mag had to suffer my snoring while I spent most of the night composing an email to the Felixstowe Mayor regarding losing our windsurfing spot at The Dip! We finally dozed off and woke late at 9 o clock! While Mag went for a walk to collect willow twigs I made the bed and packed away and had completed a draft of most of the Mayor’s email by the time she had returned. Then after a quick stop at a Super U we hit the road towards Nevers. We made a quick stop near the nuclear power station to take pics of the flooded Loire which is well over it’s banks. This is one of our favourite sections of road as the scenery improves, firstly with the vineyards of the Sancerre with as usual many workers in little vans tending the vines, it was pruning today and burning the dead bits, very pretty in the sunshine. Again, the road is a variety of dual and single lane with not many cars just loads of lorries! We were only held up for a short while when a queue formed at a roundabout! With lunch time approaching we made the small detour to Digoin and found a place to park by the flooded River Loire. We had a delicious French bread cheese and ham baguette sitting out in the amazing sunshine and it was a roasting 16 degrees! We then walk up river on the old river wall (where lots of lizards are sun bathing :)) lined by stunning plane trees to the canal which actually crosses the river here by aqueduct:) We cross over the aqueduct to the first lock and return to the town and are joined by several other walkers and cyclists out enjoying the very mild weather, definitely shorts and t-shirt weather today! Mag takes over the driving and we press on as we want to get to Lelex in the Jura mountain so hopefully we can ski tomorrow. The hills turn to small mountains as we approach Nantua where the impressive pay motorway towers high above on concrete legs. At the turning up into the Jura mountains I take over driving again as we wind our way up high as darkness falls. We encounter our first snow but the road is clear and we make it to the very quiet Lelex and park up in our usual spot. After yummy shepherd’s pie Mag made at home we have a quick walk up into the small town to check tomorrow’s meteo (weather) forecast and it looks promising with the winds much lighter than today and sunny periods before snow on Friday. So, it looks promising for skiing tomorrow then if the weather turns we can head down to Lac Lemon in readiness for meeting up with family and friends in Morzine this coming Saturday:) PLEASE SUPPORT FELIXSTOWE WINDSURFERS It might have come to your attention online or in the press that Felixstowe Town Council and proposing putting 17 beach huts at the Dip. A site windsurfers have leased from the Council for several years now. It has turned into one of the most popular windsurfing spots in Suffolk and would be a great loss as the other local options come with problems e.g. poor parking, crowded beaches, tides etc.. Even if you are not a sailor – if you have ever enjoyed watching the windsurfers out enjoying the natural force of the wind and waves – could you spare a few minutes to sign in to the link below and offer a few words of objection. There are hundreds of beach huts in Felixstowe and most are unused so I am sure if the Council want to generate more revenue they could find another site for their proposed beach huts. Something along the lines of windsurfing is good to promote Felixstowe, Environmentally friendly, promotes a healthy lifestyle, great for all ages and also safer for us to keep the windsurfers and kitesurfers grouped in one spot. Many thanks for taking the time to help. Please help Felixstowe Windsurfers here – Thanks |
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