Thursday 26^th September

Raymond the farmer showed us the various produce she makes and explained the working of her farm, she harvests her walnuts and then sends them to a local co-operative that turns them into oil that she then sells. She was telling us she tried a cold press one year, the taste is still good but the oil does not last as long so now she always uses a hot pressing. Quite interesting as that explains why the flavor of the local nut oil is so more intense than stuff we have tried before at home and explains the extra cost, but well worth it.

We drove down to the River Dordogne at Grojelac and hired a canoe for a few hours and canoed down the river 19km (about 13 miles) to Pont de Vezac, took us three and a half hours a bit quicker than usual as the river was a bit higher and running faster due to thunderstorm last night.

It was fantastic experience gently paddling down the river, sometimes under huge cliffs, in little backwaters around islands, parts where the current was flowing fast over shoals and other places where it was slower and the banks much wider. We passed numerous chateaus perched up on the cliffs and a couple of small towns where house were cut back into the cliffs.

Viv looked like Minihaha perched in the front of the canoe and was full of oohs and ahs as various views opened up or we accelerated over the rapids.

We saw 9 Kingfishers, Purple Herons, Little Egret, Buzzards and Woodpeckers some really close up as we drifted past.

When we got back the chap running the canoe hire said we could camp in the car park next to the river for the night, as we were too knackered to drive on and find another place to stop, great though as just us and the birds and crickets calling. Although we were woken up by the church bell in the village perched on the cliff opposite at 7:00am when it struck 53 o’clock!

I had a refreshing wash and dip in the river before dinner, really cooled me off after all the paddling and cheaper than a shower.