Water water everywhere, but not a drinking drop

The first half of my first full walk! Although only three days of hiking have passed, I am very proud of myself, because to be honest I had not put so much preparation on this walk as my preparation of SKYE paths. So I worried a little going, but I pushed.

Day 1: The Trereport to Dieppe

I got up early to say goodbye to my family that went to the airport to go home and take the train to Le Tortport. The trip was pleasant, but I almost missed the bus because they didn’t have enough seats for all passengers who ordered tickets. Finally I went down at the wrong stop and walked through the city of Mers-Le-Bains. However, it was worth it because it only added half a mile to my day and the city had the most beautiful architecture in history. However, once I arrived, I went to the Le Tortport train station to take a photo at the Eastern Terminal of the Path.

Then I went to buy a lot of water because what I learned very quickly from the investigation (which I expected to be not the case) is that there were few water sources available to filter. And the more I go through the days, I see the truth in this statement. The ocean surrounds this walk like a kind of joke, since I have to carry at least 2-4 liters of water to make sure you reach the recharge point.

Anyway, the first views from the path were magnificent. Beautiful white alabastro cliffs defending these small villages along the coast against an enrolled sea. The La Mancha channel can be a very turquoise color here due to the way the water stirns the alabaster when it falls from the cliffs, which makes it look almost tropical. It was something overwhelming to start with such surprising views and was incredibly excited for next day.

The views continued to arrive when the path amounted slowly and descended the cliffs along the coast. From time to time, the path turned inward and went to the last cultivation lands. It was very strange to be caught between those two configurations, but I loved spending some cattle from time to time to greet him.

When the day ended, I realized that I worry a little to talk to someone. It is difficult when I know a very limited Frenchman and many of those who I find know very limited English. So I tried to call my family. They took, but I got a bit excited because I felt a little overwhelmed by the idea that I would have to do this for another 5 days and, frankly, I missed them. As much as I was promoting my love for being a human without listening, sometimes it is good to share an experience with someone. Anyway, I ended up establishing myself after talking to them and reminded myself that I could do this.

Day 2: Dieppe to Saint-Aubin-Sur -mer

Entering Dieppe feels like entering the most English expensive city in history. Architecture, infrastructure, everything seemed very very English. I understand that I am in Normandy, not far from England, but it still took me a little.

I had to deviate in Dieppe to get some fuel, water, food and sunscreen, so, of course, I stopped in the decathlon. Little knew that I would go alone with water and sunscreen. Honestly, I was not upset because they did not store fuel or dinner in bags, I could buy dinner throughout the path to stretch what I had already bought and made it so hot that hot food was not attractive, but it seemed so excited when I was investigating that I thought they surely had everything. They had fuel, they were only exhausted, but they had no place for dinner in bags. I must say that they still had equipment for almost any outdoor recreation you want, so it was great.

Finally, I met with the path, the sunscreen on and refrained in the water. It was then that I ended up taking my first coastal shortcut to shorten my trip. I love this walk so far, but I wanted to see the cliffs from the side of the shore and not above them. The path is well designed to do so, but you never have to fear the tides, but it also has many areas with service, so it is not difficult to acquire that information. I loved sticking in this way and I immediately knew that I would definitely do it again for the rest of the walk when possible.

I realized while walking this day that most people walk east because the cliffs gradually become larger as they advance so that they become more dramatic towards the end. However, that is fine because that only means that most of my elevation gain for the day will be covered in the first days instead of the last days. I also realized that he was warming up a lot around 1 PM, so he would try to wake up incredibly early to overcome at dawn and get cold walking miles in the morning.

Finally I arrived at the camp for 5 and originally the owner said they had canceled my reservation application. At first, my heart fell because there is no path camping in the GR21 and I did not know where to go if they had no space. Fortunately, he told me that he canceled not because there was no space, but he had paid too much online! Then I asked if I could help me call the next camp to help me make a reservation because my phone doesn’t work well with international numbers (and I certainly don’t know enough French to do it) and she said, of course. We ended up unable to contact them, so to comfort me he gave me a tomato.

Day 3: Saint-Aubin-Sur -mer A Veulettes-Sur -mer

Well, I took that tomato with breakfast before the sun came out and let me tell you that it was a great tomato. The cliffs and the sea in the dark were also incredibly great and served as an incredible breakfast background.

I saw the next city on the other side of the coast after walking a few miles in the dark to reach the beach of Vules-Lles-Rose. According to Alltrails, it was 4 miles away. It was much easier to walk along the coast than to make the great diversion of an inner walk, so I went for it. At first it was beautiful, with all the morning light painting the cliffs, but slowly when the miles accumulated that the city did not seem to approach. These naked Hard Rock shelves also began to get up from the sand at some points, which made it unequal and more difficult to cross. The walk just ended 4 miles, but it was sure to return to a uniform time and have my «lunch» at 9 am

The last 9 miles of the day were mostly an interior zig zag through cultivation and road lands. I ended up listening to some music to help spend time, and that combined with the breeze that left the coast helped those 9 miles to happen anything.

The final section before reaching Veulettes-Sur -mer makes you pass through an old bunker area of World War II, which was really great to see. You are allowed to go to the bunkers and look around to believe me, I did. Along some areas of the coast throughout the walk, you can even see fallen bunkers that have dropped to the beach due to erosion. It is crazy to think that they have been standing for 80 years, but also that the sea consumes them slowly and their eventual memory.

As I had not reserved a camp and the reception did not open until 2, I had to wait and rest my body for an hour. I realized that I had very little feeling in my right outside courtyard and I thought it would disappear shortly after removing my backpack. However, I began to investigate and I realized that I probably have parish melgic. Apparently, a third of hikers experience some type of paresthesia (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1580/1080-6032(2003)14%5B161%3abp%5d2.0.co%3b2?icid=int.sj-Full-Full-text.Similar-articles.9), What is a type of neuropath? Compression in your nerves for what I understand and can affect your arms/hands and feet/legs depending on which nerves it is compressed. I guess my hip belt is too tight, but I’m not worried. Unless you develop a lot of pain, which I currently have none, it is a normally benign condition that you recover quickly after walking.

Currently, I am in my store and it’s 8:42 pm, so it’s time to bed. I am very excited to move on and I can’t wait to share with you the last half of my walk!

This website contains affiliate links, which means that the walk can receive a percentage of any product or service that you buy using the links in the items or ads. The buyer pays the same price that would do it differently, and his purchase helps to support the continuous objective of the walk to address his quality backpack advice and information. Thanks for your support!

For more information, visit the page about this site.