Safe Return Doubtful

Rarely have I welcomed a Spring Solstice as much as this one. It is coming to the end of my second year in the van, though last year I had my hip operation on that day, 20th March. A year on from the operation and I don’t think it could have gone any better.

The most important thing about the solstice is that it makes life in the van so much easier; more daylight means more power from the sun, and the ability to spend more time outside comfortably. Both of those things have been increasing, but it’s a good milestone to have reached. 

Looking back on the winter, I have learned a few things. Shap’s temperatures and rainfall are hard to cope with in November and December, and only possible due to the ability to use New Ing for a weekly electric top up, and the Lodge front room to spend some weekday afternoons in.

Life is easier in Spain and Portugal, warmer, and with a sun higher in the sky for solar power, but spending time if wilder places is more difficult, as they are often higher up, and liable to snow and ice. I came back over the French border a couple of weeks sooner than I had planned due to a couple of storms that were about to hit. That worked, I missed them, but central France is cooler, and the weather pattern since has been more unsettled. I find myself more dependent on the weather than I have been before. I enjoy winter, but it is more difficult to do so living in the van.

My original goal for life on the road was to be in wild places, and this winter I haven’t really done that. The places I have been are well populated, I’m trying to get away from that. I’ve a few thoughts for next winter, and they will take shape in the next few months. The challenges are enjoyable, but some tweaks are needed. I want to spend as much time as possible to the north, Scandinavia and the Northern Isles; the orca, the Great Skua, the parrots of the fjords, the mosquitoes of Finland, beckon.

Currently, I’m still in Central France, specifically Saint-Auvent, a town in the Haute-Vienne department of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Next week I will head to Brittany for a couple of weeks before returning to the UK; my ninety days is up, and the season starts at New Ing in mid-April. No matter how hard I have tried, my plans remain dominated by the Schengen 90 day rule with the UK having left the EU. I have got round it at times, but it is always the most dominating factor in any future plans. 

I had a day on the Vassivière lake on Wednesday parked by the causeway to its island. There was some good hiking, across to the island, and to the summit of Puy La Besse which gives a good perspective on the area. I would have stayed longer, but it was quite busy with visitors in the fine weather, and the car park itself had overflowing bins that looked like they hadn’t been emptied for several weeks, and smelled bad. 

On Thursday afternoon I moved further north to a smaller, man-made lake, and the village of Peyrat-le-Château. This coincided with the spell of fine weather breaking. Temperatures have been in the high teens, with cold and clear nights, but a front blew in yesterday late afternoon, starting with a strong westerly wind. Today that has been joined by rain, which is due to stay around all weekend. A reason to come to Peyrat was to see the Resistance Museum, which I had been told was open, but that was not the case, it is only open from mid-June to mid-September. 

The museum is dedicated to those involved in the French Resistance, but particularly women, and with detail on the massacres in Tulle and Oradour-sur-Glane in June 1944 in which almost a thousand civilians were killed. There is a focus on the nearby internment camp in Nexon. And also a recreation of the German surrender in Limoges. It really is a pity it is open for such a short amount of the year, and will have to wait for another visit. 

There was however a good historical hike I put together this morning (Friday) just before the rain came, which took in several old water mills on the Maulde river. 

I then drove for ninety minutes through Limoges and beyond, to the west, filling up the LPG tank on route, something I have tried to do without success, twice in the last week, both garages had nonfunctional pumps. I filled up with 8 litres, at just over €8; as I’ve said before, good value for use of the cooker and oven for the last 8 weeks. 

Saint-Auvent has a magnificent ‘aire’. There is only space for three motorhomes or campervans, but they are in an attractive area of the forest,  above the Gorre river valley, a kilometre or so out of the small town. With the rain around I expect to be the only person here. Roja and I will explore more later, especially the tempting Auberge bar..