101 Uses For a Lamp Post.

We have had poor wifi connections recently so the blog is a bit behind; we are currently in Spain.

After Domme we visited the chateau of Castelnaud, a few miles west down the dordogne valley.

It is a lovely castle, with commanding views over the Dordogne, which was destroyed and rebuilt many times over the last 9 or so centuries. It was in the thick of the fighting in the hundred years war and was for many years an English possession.

It is now a museum of military history and houses a selection of bizarre weapons; the beast at the top was built on a design of Leonardo da Vinci and seems to be able to fire in many directions at once. Handy if you are being attacked at night I guess. Must get one for the motorhome.

There is also a good collection of siege engines or trebuchets, for hurling boulders and other projectiles at the enemy’s chateau.

First stop after Castelnaud was Toulouse, a rather grim campsite in a run down area, but close to a water sports park where we watched nautiskiing, as they call it.

The guy in red spotted I was taking pictures, waved to me, and started doing some quite impressive back and forward flips.

There was a gypsy camp just next to our campsite, with loads of rather haphazard wires going from a lamp post in to their site. While we walking by some guy walked nonchalantly out from one of the caravans and gave the wiring a good poke with a long stick….good to see a master electrician at work.

Next stop Montrejeau, in the foothills of the Pyrenees, for an overnight stop.

Then through the Pyrenees to Camping Baliera near Bonansa, a great site just over the Spanish border.

Mavis in the trees at Baliera.

There is a short walk up into the hills behind the campsite to this old castle in the village of Castane (population : 6).

About Peter and Nia

Rambling about Europe with the Kray Twins (Colin and Penny).