Day 15 Walked in reverse from Vers: Day 16 from point across the river from Vers to Cahors

Vers to Saliac-sur-Cele - 32k

Some days I manage to feel a grade one rat, without too much effort, this was such a day. Looking at my original plan for today I had worked on a quick 17k to a place called Bouzies where the Cele joined the Lot.

Andy had offered to join me bring me home and drop me off again the next day. I was so concerned that I was committed to 32k the next day to get me to Cahors that I suggested we add a bit to Mondays walk.

Unfortunately that made it 32k, Andy felt obliged to accompany me and we set out at 9am with Monica dropping us at a village called Vers. On a nice day this would have been a lovely, if somewhat challenging walk. But it was raining hard, cold and generally horrible. Andy, the perfect gentleman that he is, just commented that “A good general never reveals his plan until the last moment”.

I don’t think I could have been that tactful. I would have called me a rat of the first order. As an understatement it has to be said that in allowing this to happen I was less than the perfect guest. I don’t know whether I tried to change it as the weather was so poor, or the thought of 30+k’s being knocked off got the better of me. .....Knowing my muddy soul probably the latter

The first part of the path was off route 65 as I was doing something sneaky (we all have to be good at something) by going in a straight line to Cohors & not the long way round the GR65 goes… I bet I know which way the Bishop of Le Puy went.

The Lot as it was hidden in the rain & mist. Andy had identified a railway bridge and knew it was unused to save a few K’s


We then plodded on over the river and up the hill to join the GR65 variant taking us past the Grotte de Pech-Mele. One of the caves in the area that has prehistoric wall paintings over 25,0000 years old. Joy & I did the tour 3 years ago; When first saw the paintings I was totally blown away. To think someone had sat in the dark by the light of some primitive lamp & produces things of such beauty from memory.



On our return to the house Monica greeted us with sympathy, my ankles were aching and I was running out of bright ideas. I hope Andy wrote the whole day off to one of life's experiences & dines out on the story. I can sort of imagine the conversation between him and Ian. “We feed him, clean him & his clothes, provides computer and back up system, not to mention secretarial and translation help… so what does he do?” Perhaps we are just left with the story of leopards & spots and as Tony Blair would say… move on.

Crap weather, long walk, great company….& yet another wonderful meal.