20.05.14 Tuesday Cahors to Gamel.
An early night and a dry dawn, we rise pack and race/stumble according to ability, down to the bus stop for the first little bus of the morning. It is driven by the same lady as yesterday who bids us a cheerful bonjour and bonne journee. We get giant pain au chocolate at a patisserie 4 for price of 3 (whats french for bogof? ) and head out across the medieval fortifief bridge spanning the Lot Charlemaine Chrissy and Patricia are already there having not had to come in from 2km out off town. These are the three ladies travelling together 2 from SA and one from Canada who we keep meeting along the way who will hence forth be known as CC&P. We are all impressed by the bridge and even more depressed by the vertical cliff up which go the steps we must follow.
A bit of a climb later we are back on top of the limestone Causse thst wr stay on with the frequent orchids raptors and a charm or goldfinches feeding on seeds already starting to ripen in the dry fields up here. Some of which have already been mown for hay.
We manage a couple of coffee stops along the way but have had enough by the time we arrive at our booked lodging for the night. This is a very nice converted barn with its own pool which everyone but Tony, who claims a note from his mother, goes in very briefly. It is still not very warm.
With rain forecast tonight and tomorrow we are glad even at the price to have found this place wild camping in the rain with no prospect of home is not fun.
27km 740m gained 620m lost.