July, 2023 - gratitude yoga

15/07/202315/07/2023

Bois de Roc et La Lutine

This week’s training for the Camino has taken me along well-trodden paths.

Wednesday morning at Bois de Roc was all about pace, on the flat just like the middle part of the Camino, which is called The Meseta, a flat and endless path with very little shade! However, in the forest there was plenty of light and shade sheltering me.

I also met a couple of ramblers taking advantage of the cool morning calmness of the forest. I’ve walked many times here and each time the gentle rustling of the trees, shade, smells, and bird song never disappoint. Even on the flat I walk with Nordic walking poles, which give me support not only for walking uphill and downhill, but they also add to the rhythm of each step.

Fridays walk started from La Lutine in Mervent, I was joined by Sarah Jane and her two dogs Poppy and Trigger, again another regular walk. But we managed to get lost forgetting to turn right! Where was Nicola Lee her app and map guiding us? We came across a wonderful chateau and a met a lovely gardener with the biggest tomatoes I’ve ever seen, and they were ripening unlike the tomatoes in my potager! It was very similar to the first walk with Dom, Debs and Paul the terrain was undulating and challenging, good for ankle mobility and cardiovascular.

Along this route I was surprised and happy to see the Camino symbol guiding us. I can’t remember seeing this marker on our previous walks. Sarah Jane told me there are a plethora of Camino signs throughout the region marking routes for pilgrims. I think I need to be more observant!

I’m trying to mix things up as the training progresses, imitating the terrain on the Camino, it’s not all about distance each time I don my hiking shoes and pick up my walking sticks.

I am walking the Camino route to honour the memories of my late father Robert Millar and our nephew Luke, you can donate in memory of Luke using the dedicated Camino memor y pag e, don’t forget to giftaid if you can.

Buen Camino

#josiewalksthecamino

09/07/202315/07/2023

Morning hike in Vouvant & Environs

I owe deep gratitude and thanks to Debs and Paul for their friendship and supporting me along this journey. How well are we equipped and what do we need to take with us on any journey? Solitude shows us what we should be; friendship shows us what we are and what we can achieve.

Today’s training walk covered some challenging paths but gave us many delights and laughs too. The weather was very kind too as we trod the path before us. Our pace was good with a combination of a faster pace, and meandering as we enjoyed the charm of the forest and somewhere in-between. This hike took us around Vouvant into the forests and along the river. We all agreed that we are truly blessed to have such beautiful countryside on our doorstep.

A gorilla, goat, donkey, and a gargoyle graced us today with lovely wild blooms along the path.

One thing I’m beginning to appreciate more at this slower pace is we miss the little things which give us such pleasure and joy, sounds, smells and colour, and the Billy bonus with life at this pace is they’re all free!

The following photos were taken by Paul Neal to whom I am most grateful for both his support and his artistic abilities, some lovely shots of our mornings walk.

#josiewalksthecamino

06/07/202315/07/2023

Venturing into the Vendee!

Venturing into the Vendee I was met with Route Barrée and a deviation! For those of you who know France well it’s like hearing those dreaded words replacement bus service!

A beautiful morning for today’s walk albeit it took me a little longer to reach Fossais-Payré to start my walk, Foussais is a beautiful little cité of character. Today’s walk started from the church, and I made my way out of the village to rolling countryside.

A beautiful morning for todays walk albeit it took me a little longer to reach Foussais-Payré to start my walk.

I met another pilgrim lady walking a different route to me, we stopped and chatted whilst looking at our hiking apps on our phones! I forgot to take a picture! We both wished each other bon continuation and promenade. I then came across another lady gathering firewood as I entered the path taking me through the forest and down to Mervent. Again, forgot to take a picture!

Undulating and challenging in more ways than one! This walk took me through woods, forests, farmland, and the road too. After breakfast part 2 in Mervent Forest I was somewhat confused which trail I should take but managed eventually to find the path. Again, my pace was good as I made plenty of stops enjoying the vistas around and taking photographs 40 plus!

Towards the end of the walk nearing Foussais I wondered if I would walk pass Corin’s house. I did and popped in for a lovely cuppa, most welcomed indeed. It was lovely catching up with this fabulous lady. Refreshed, I meandered my way back to Fossais and sat in the shade besides the church where I had started. My feet were beginning to throb!

I enjoyed most of the walk, however the latter stages were mostly on the road, which would explain why my feet were beginning to throb at the end. Taking my time and enjoying the company of others en route and of course not forgetting Corin for providing a much-needed cuppa and catch up, thank you sweetie.

Home, feet soaked and massaged, legs up the wall for 20 minutes and some well earned late lunch.

#josiewalksthecamino

04/07/202315/07/2023

Contemplations in the Gatine

It is independence day across the Atlantic, for me it was a day to put some more preparation in for my walk along the Camino.

Finding my pace! I’ve been thinking a lot about my walking pace and found today whilst I was on my own, I stopped to take plenty of photos. This affected my pace as I walked todays route. I had to stop powering through and focusing on pace because of the delightful interruptions along the way. Although my pace was slower both mentally and physically, I enjoyed it. I noticed more around me!

This area of the Deux Sevres is known as the Petit Alpes, the one piece of information that was not shown on the map my walk data was the elevation change – 168 Metres between the lowest and highest points on my route, quite a challenge especially as the landscape is undulating and I probably climbed more than 168 Metres in total.

I am blessed to live in beautiful countryside, not only do I have numerous route options on my doorstep but it is amazing how viewing the same countryside from differing points and elevations reveals totally different perspectives on the familiar.

Dodging cow pats and coming across a lone hare were a couple of highlights! Part of the walk today took me through narrow countryside lanes, where at one point I had to dodge the many cow pats and wondered what my reaction would have been if I had met the herd of cows walking this path.

As I turned right at the top of the lane and started the descent toward La Petit Chéne I came across a lone hare happily bounding down the road towards me. We had a moment looking at each other but this handsome fella hopped off into the hedgerow before I could introduce myself! Small pleasures which delight.

We never walk in silence! True! The rambling conversations we have in our heads, the sound of crows and bird song, there’s the wind and trees rustling and not forgetting the tractors and farming machinery. What I find very meditative is the sound of my feet and walking sticks as I walk rhythmically along.

What goes down must go up! Although today’s route was short it was challenging in a different way with all the undulations and hills giving me a good cardiovascular workout.

I know it took a long time this morning to convince my sorry ass to cross the threshold and walk the walk, but I’m glad i did as I feel good now!

I am walking the route to honour the memories of my late father Robert Millar and our nephew Luke, you can donate in memory of Luke using the dedicated Camino memor y pag e, don’t forget to giftaid if you can.

#josiewalksthecamino