Yesterday I planned to walk from Morlaàs to Lescar (20 km) or even Artiguelouve (26 km). In fact, my watch showed 20 km by the time I came to a bus stop, maybe 5 km short of Lescar, and headed back to Pau.
The disparity could be accounted for, in roughly equal shares, by the bus terminus being 2 km east of Morlaàs, non-walking time in church, tourist office and refreshment breaks, and a detour where the route was blocked by fallen trees.
Ste Foy church in Morlaàs has one of those impressive porticos of which I saw many when I walked on the Via Podensis (Le Puy to St Jean Pied de Port). There is a particularly splendid one at Conques, also dedicated to Ste Foy. Maybe the same craftsmen?
The Tourist Office next door to the church was very helpful, providing a step-by-step account of the route to Lescar and photocopying for me pages of a guidebook about the following stage. I also picked up a pocket-sized “Guide du Marcheur” covering the preceding sections from just west of Toulouse up to Morlaàs and giving basic information about accommodation, food and other amenities at each place. A basic, free alternative to Miam Miam Dodo.
All was well as long as the route followed tarmac roads. At the point where one became a stony track, there was a notice “Route Barrée”, and investigation showed that this even applied to walkers. I backtracked to the D road, where I met another walker and told her the bad news. She wanted to see the problem for herself. I never saw her again, so I don’t know if she managed to fight her way through the blockage, decided to give up the walk, or took the same detour as me.
It was easy enough: just carry on the D road to the next turn and, after maybe a km on a minor road, branch off left down a steep hill to meet the official route where it emerges from the woods.
Though overcast, the day was warming up, and I needed a couple of water stops before reaching the Forêt du Bâtard. What a relief! Much cooler, and even a tap to refill a water bottle. I had been here before, in 2017, and parts of the route through the forest and afterwards – footbridge over the motorway and passing the racecourse – were familiar.
Well, I could have continued to Lescar, but chose to leave that for another day.
What does this say about my fitness – physical and mental – for the long Camino walk I was planning in September and October? And if I give up that idea, what would I do with the time I have so determinedly kept free from other commitments?
emeritablog: life after work 