Assisi Diary Post 5: 13/06/2008, Reims

Assisi Post 5 - 13/06/2008, Reims, 1838 kms left

Have broken the 2000 km barrier!

Well it has been an eventful few days! Weather has been very mixed. But I forgot to say that at Amettes as well as a very welcoming B&B, we received our first Via Francigena stamp - see below!

I have at long last tasted my first French Guinness (and Joe, I didn't have 5 pints this time!).

This was at Arras, a lovely town with a good variety of eating places including a Polish restaurant and a Japanese restaurant. This is somewhere I would recommend a rest day particularly as the Youth Hostel is very central unlike many which tend to be on the outskirts of towns, probably due to property prices. The downside though of the YHA was that it did not open til 17:00.

Most of the route into Arras was on the main road and just the last stretch off-road. I decided to stick to the main highway so imagine the look of surprise on Fred & Vanda's faces when they entered the main square to find me already installed supping a Guinness in the afternoon sun! (Tortoise & hare springs to mind.)

As I mentioned earlier the weather has been pretty variable and a few days later the walk into Peronne was the most grotty, miserable, wet day I have ever walked. In all the kms I have clocked up, I have never experienced a day like it. It was raining when we set off and it did not stop, (and I mean it did not stop!) all day long. It could have been worse - it could have been windy as well, the rain could have been heavier. It was just a persistent, insistent rain. To make matters worse, the distance we expected to walk was only about 18.5 kms so I had set off a little later. However the actual distance by the direct main road was at least 21 kms so the off-road route would have been longer. Mistakes in the directions had caused me to go wrong and I ended up walking in the wrong direction back towards the previous night'.s stay. In the end I stuck to the main road again, plodding along trying to avoid as best I could the spray from the lorries. Fortunately at about the halfway stage I found an open bar/tabac and was able to get some warming coffee and a sandwich. My waterproof gear was OK. I now have the raincoat popular with those who walk the Camino in Spain which has a bump on the back for the rucksack. I look like Quasimodo! One does get a bit wet inside on a day like that where there is no let-up in the rain, but this is I think from sweat as I wore it the following day which was overcast but not actually wet, and still the sleeves were damp inside. The mac kept my rucksack drier than a normal 'sack cover. Vanda discovered the following morning that her rucksack had not been fully protected by the rucksack cover and her tent was damp. She carries all her other stuff in those waterproof bags you can buy in camp shops so didn't realise about the tent.

Anyway the people at the hotel we were staying at were very friendly and warm. I was starting to get a little weary as I had now been walking quite a time without a rest day and the rain had not helped. There was an Irish pub in Peronne and although it did eventually stop raining later in the evening, I didn't feel like going out again. So I missed a chance for a second drop of the black stuff!

The following day saw no rain though it was overcast all day. Fortunately it was quite a short walk but the next few stages were going to be problematic. Because of availability of accommodation, distances were 36.5 kms, 36.5 kms & 29 kms. The three of us talked about it and I said I would not be capable of walking those distances day after day especially as I was starting to feel in need of a break. I looked at the map and worked out a different route that would get us to Laon in 3 days instead of 2, but we did not have any information as to the availability of accommodation on the middle day. I suggested if the worst came to the worst we camp wild. The other two both felt able to cover the longer distances and in addition, Vanda had to reach Rome by a specific date as she was meeting people there. We could not be sure that a problem like this would not arise again as we were not familiar enough with the guide and route. Sadly the following morning we went our separate ways. I took the route via St Quentin, they the 2 day route via Tergnier. The route I chose worked out OK and there was accommodation available but I decided to have a rest day at Laon.

Apart from the lack of company the most obvious drawback is the sharp increase in my accommodation costs so I have to economise where I can. To this end I had a very simple meal at St Quentin consisting of cold corned beef and tinned mixed veg. Naturally the key to open the corned beef broke and I had to hack the tin open with my penknife - see below

Cold corned beef hash!

Never mind though, the Cotes de Rhone made up for it all!

The walking has been on roads through cultivated farmland. Many of the fields have what looks to my untrained eye lettuce growing, other crops include potatoes and corn. The past few days have mainly been flat apart from the ascent into the old quarters of Laon. I had intended to arrive at the Cathedral there on foot as pilgrims of old, however I'm afraid the spirit was willing but the flesh was weak, and I took the cable car thingy called the 'Poma'.

The beautiful Cathedral of Laon

And before I forget, 2 photos taken as I left St Quentin - interesting sculptures atop the disused casino and a painted metal shutter. Its such an attractive way to camouflage a dull boring shutter. I have seen many like this in Camden town and one or two in Barcelona.

Bear with me - I am stil experimenting with the capabilities of my phone and its ability to put captions on photos!

This one was slightly better!

I reached Reims from Laon by way of the N44 - not for the faint-hearted - and amazingly have covered the distance from Laon to Reims in 2 days instead of the guide's 3 days. (Chris L you would have been proud of me!). The day out of Laon it rained all morning and there were a lot more lorries (& spray) on the road than I would have wished! A very kind chap even stopped and offered me a lift. He wondered if I was en route to Santiago. He had walked there from Holland & it had taken over 4 months. I explained where I was off to and (reluctantly) declined his gracious offer. Still, not too much later the rain stopped & I dried out enough not to be dripping all over the friterie I encountered at about the halfway point where I was able to get some very good chips. Arriving at Corbeny I found the familiar (from my 2006 journey) AIVF logo displayed in the window of the hotel. They gave a pilgrim discount for which I was very grateful. It was a lovely hotel with a very welcoming chap in the attached bar/tabac.

I knew I had a longish walk the following day so I was on the road by 07:00. It was a bit overcast and chilly but not raining. In fact the day went well, sun came out once or twice but in the main it was good cool walking weather.

As I said, I am now in Reims and yet again as he did in my 2006 pilgrimage, St James has come to my rescue re accommodation. I was a little concerned as there is a festival in reims this weekend and I felt the town might be full. The first thing that happened was that I was stopped as I walked into the town and offered accommodation if I was unsuccessful at the Tourist Office! Happily I did not need to take her up on the offer as St James helped me yet again!

Detail from one of the doors of Reims Cathedral.

So if I had not had a rest day in Laon I would have caught up with Fred and Vanda but at the time I had not been planning to walk 50 kms along a rather busy road and partly in the rain. Who knows perhaps I will catch up or even overtake them (tortoise & hare comes to mind again!) as I am not that phased by walking on main roads when it suits though I do prefer a quieter life!

Take care all