Camping du Traspy, Thury-Harcourt

 Saturday 18th April

 Another shortish drive to our next stop along the River Orne in Thury-Harcourt.  We stayed here at this site 20 years ago with Peter, Hannah and little Emilie (Adam just a twinkle in his Dad's eye at the time).  It hasn't changed a lot as far as we remember, and it's in a beautiful spot deep in the valley of a small stream. 


Our afternoon walk took us up the hillside where we could look down on the campsite. 
We are seeing a greatdeal of Japanese knotweed around these parts.  Don't want to bring that home.

 

 John happily cooking up our chicken pesto pasta.


 Sunday 19th April

This morning I decided it was time to change our bedsheet, but after removing it from the mattress I found that where we keep the spare - wasn't!  Ok then, will go and get a jeton from Reception and use the washing machine in the Laverie.  No, that was not to be - notice on the door read 'Sunday closed'.  So the only thing for it was to wash the sheet by hand.  Anyone who has camped in the past at a French Municipal Site will know what the deep laundry sinks are like.  Back-breakingly deep!  So although the sheet (and a towel) were dripping wet when I hung them on our airer, by the time we had watched our home church zoomed service and had lunch, they had almost dried.  

 I'd read in the Green Guide that the Chateau Gardens are open on a Sunday afternoon, so that was our aim this afternoon.  The approach to the derelict chateau is quite impressive, with panels depicting local people and what they contribute to the town, 

leading to the facade behind locked gates.  We carried on down the hill to the right, but it seems that the open gardens are no more!  Oh well, we can go right down to the river (another part of the Orne) and have a stroll there.
So here is yet another picture of the river!
The Voie Verte runs through here too, and the old station is now a cafe where we had a cool drink watching the speedy cyclists on the track.  The white dots on this photo are a sudden gust of wind blowing blossom on us!  We walked up to the tunnel - just see the mouth of it ahead - that cuts through the rock.

Walking back through the town, we read about the tanneries that used to be in the town.  This is the last one still standing.

 

Although we are enjoying the lovely sunny weather every day, it gets quite chilly in the evening.  Need to put the heater on now!  
 

 

 

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