Wild again and with herbs.

12/5/12 – Location – Wild camped about half a mile inside Spain South of the 'Col de Banyules' above 'Banyules sur-Mer' on the Med coast.

“That's it Tanya. I've had enough of crowded coast and campsites. Tis time you and me headed out into the wilds again and away from all these main road and coastal campsite dwellers.”

We'd had 6 nights of luxury at the 'Criques de Porteil' campsite at Collioure and then moved to the E5.50 a night Aire at Port Vendres. Very pleasant and a further 4 nights were spent there. Andy and Helen from Norfolk were there for the last 2 nights and Helens invite to join them for an evening meal of spag bog was readily accepted. Afterwards we played Skip Bo, a card game all to do with numbers and really very good. Simple too, it has to be for me!! Helen duly trounced both Andy and I.

They also had a Rapido motorhome but a different model. Slightly longer and with the very popular and reliable Fiat engine and front wheel drive. Very nice inside with a bigger lounge area and with that 'womans touch' tidyness. They decided they would like a few nights with luxury so the next morning they followed me round to 'Criques de Porteil' campsite and booked themselves in for a few days. I meanwhile bade my farewell and parked just outside the gates and briefly used the free campsite Wi Fi to catch up on my e mails. I had the access code after my stay there. Cheeky but it worked. A couple more hours were spent on the local beach, dogs allowed, swimming and snorkelling and then we were away to seek out a wild spot for the night.

Being primarily on main roads around the coast has a secondary affect. Confidence in just where Sadie can go tends to erode. Hence my present wild spot which, as far as wild spots go, is just about perfect. The photo's show a little but I am literally surrounded by mountains and perched beautifully on this level meadow with a tree right next door for shade and a little stream for clean cool water. The stream was very handy earlier as Tanya and I returned from a walk to one of the peaks where poor Tanya by the end of it had had enough. The rough stone paths had played havoc with her paws. I had to carry her the last half a mile to where we had left the bike. She of course rode back in luxury from there. She did really well as it was a very hot, long and steep walk. A strip off for a jug and bucket shower in the stream afterwards was sheer bliss. Well it certainly was for me. Tanya hot or not just does not like getting wet. It did seem to slow her 'tongue out panting' though.

Getting here did indeed put the confidence back with reference to Sadie's capabilities. Coast to 'Col de Banyules' at 350 metres high was steep, narrow, rough, twisty and such fun. We also have not seen another motorhome since we turned off the main road in Banyules sur-Mer. Yes; it may be good to have a bigger motorhome with more luxury etc etc. I personally would not have liked to attempt such a route in a vehicle any longer than Sadie and certainly not front wheel drive. Some of the bends as they wound round the steep hillside vineyards literally sat Sadie on her arse, as it were. I'm just glad rear wheel drive meant the shove and the push was right under that arse and not up at the distinctly light steering end!!

Scotland comes strongly to mind when I am in a mountain place such as this. The difference is it is now half past five, 26 degrees with a clear blue sky, no midges and Lavender, Thyme and Asparagus all around for the picking. I now know that as I have just been shown in detail what they look like and how you use them.

I was quietly writing this up when 3 walkers appeared. A man and two ladies. One lady was severely limping. They were French but enough communication was enabled for me to learn they too had walked to one of the peaks where limping lady had sprained her ankle. They had managed to get down to the road where I was while the fourth member and husband of the other lady had continued the circular route back to their car. He duly turned up about an hour later to collect them all. Meanwhile chairs were supplied from within Sadies depths and food, drink and assistance offered. The uninjured lady was searching around and collecting Thyme, Asparagus and Lavender. When I showed interest I got a full lesson how to recognize, pick and use all these herbs and I also now have a plastic bag full of them. Kettle was soon on and an expertly made thyme infusion is now in front of me and being sipped as I write. Very nice it is too. Fresh from the hillside and nothing like the 'pay me a fortune cos I'm an eco friendly infusion bag packed in a neat box which tells you how planet friendly I am.'

Tomorrow we move on again. Now; do I stay South of the Pyrenees and work Westwards or do I go back into France and go North of the Pyrenees? Too tired to work that out tonight. I also have one other 'thing to do' before I turn Westwards.

photo's of our lovely Mountain spot and ....

...... yes, we did walk that track!