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After a few restless days, not to mention last night's pizza and the suitable quantity of wine to help it down, we slept really well and are in no hurry to move. We hear other vans leaving and when we finallt open up there is a goodbye note from Geoff & Basia.
This morning the wifi is good soo Nick updates the blog and does a few other internetty bits while Ali walks across to get some photos of Uzech in the sunshine.
There's no rush, we're not going far today, so it's nearly midday when we set off on the first part of a tour in the book Ali bought on the ferry.
It's a meandering twenty odd miles on minor roads through some beautiful scenery with undulating landscape shared between cornfields and net covered orchards. We pass the towns of Lubersac and Arnac Pompadour, home to a huge stud farm.
A few miles into the countryside we arrive at Les Verges de Leycuras, a France Passion farm surounded by mature orchard. Ali finds the owner, who lends us a map of a recommended circuit around the area, so we set off in 27C sunshine along the country lanes.
Sorry for the repetition, but it's another classic summer's day, full of wildflowers, butterflies and birdsong.
Over the 6km walk we pass through little hamlets, alongside tiny streams teeming with damselflies and past orchards and wooland. We also notice the cattle here are mid-brown, not the cream colour of further north.
At one point there is a lake with ducks and geese, but the adjacent bar is not open. Pity.
Back at the Passion we return the map and visit the shop. The smell of apples and almonds is wonderful as Madame is jarring up another batch of preserves. We buy some jams, a jar of raspberry and a jar of fig.
She also gives us each a glass of jus de pomme, home pressed apple juice. The flavour is intense; sweet apple with hints of straw, wood and pips. We'll take some with us tomorrow.
The huge chestnut trees provide lovely shade in the hottest part of the day.
In the evening we sit out and BBQ some steak for dinner, listening to the sounds of the countryside as it cools down; wood pigeon, cicadas, the occasional bleat of a goat and bark of dog.
Bliss!
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