June 24 Gouarec to Carhaix-Plougher 45 km
It would have been good to stop another day at this peaceful park, but we were running out of spare days if we are going to complete our planned journey to Vannes and on to meet Cam in Bilbao in early July. Walked down to the Boulangerie to buy some pastries and take them into the bar to have with some delicious hot chocolate.
We headed out of town and uphill to the rail trail, as we had been advised to take the rail trail to Rostren to visit the market and then take the canal path for the rest of the way. The rail trail was very undulating. Mark and Anne, the South African pastors, caught up to us, just as we passed a brightly coloured snake on the trail. Sunning itself and not threatening at all. Rode into town with them, with Mark showing us the way to exit town and find the canal path. Had a relaxing coffee with them beside the market. Talked with an English trio, probably in their 70's - woman and two men, who have pooled their pensions to buy a place in Rostrenen. In winter they rent a house in Portugal. She was pushing a pram containing two pekinese dogs. Real characters - could have chosen to stay in England and end up in a nursing home waiting for the kids to work out a way to get their money, so they decided to get up and go. The woman had just had a knee replacement and was using the pram instead of a walking frame. They and the other English people we met, including the fast food woman and her young teenage family, all lamented the decline in quality of life in England, the increasing violence and lack of respect. The French children are certainly polite and courteous, as were the fast food children.
Riding out of town it was up and down some steep hills as we headed for the canal path. Much further than I anticipated but we kept heading downwards as we figured that would be where the canal would be - eventually proving this theory correct.
The canal path was quite pretty, but proved a much longer route than anticipated, and much harder to follow on the map. I eventually found some people I could ask for reassurance that we were on the right path. Towards the end there were some wet and sloppy parts and others more rocky. I was relieved to reach the town of Carhaix-Plougher, even if it required negotiating several more hills an traffic on the 4 km ride into town.
I left Sue while I headed off following signs to the Tourist Information office. Eventually found it
and was surprised to see Sue walking towards me - I had followed signs right around the block to find the Tourist office at the point from which I started the search. They have just moved and were awaiting new street signage! This frustration at the end of the day was compensated for by a very helpful woman who gave me a lot of information about the trail ahead, as well as other riding options, as well as advice as to hotels. Booked in to the nearest hotel, bikes stored in the manager/barman/dogsbod's office, while we carried our bags up the narrow staircase to the second floor.