Licques to Wiques

Wheat, corn, potatoes and cows

Awake with the sun which was bright and early. Coffee situation remains grim. Booked a couple of stays further down the road and set off at 9.30.

Very windy again which meant the weather changed from sunny to cloudy every ten minutes. There were lots of cyclists out and about and this seems to be a good place to ride. In fact the Pas de Calais has been much prettier and varied than we had expected.

Mixed farmland on our journey to Quercamps for lunch. Being city people, we find it very helpful when the farmer labels the crops in the fields. Who knew potato plants were so pretty?

Quercamps is an odd place - the only shop sold wine and dairy but not water or bread. The only bar had no food. We had our lunch by the church.

Our route today was mostly on the road and there were some very dull stretches. It was still possible to look back and see Calais in the distance. We cheered ourselves up by thinking of all the new and lightweight equipment we can buy to lighten our packs.

The weather warmed in the afternoon and knowing it was a shorter day we took our time and stopped for cake in Zudasques which is by far the liveliest and most attractive place we have passed.

We crossed the Autoroute des Anglais. We're usually sprinting for the ferry on this stretch.

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Today's date: 3.7.20

Weather: sunny intervals and a strong breeze.

Steps: 38,400

Distance: 22.8km

Climbing: 275m

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The Abbey

We arrived at our stay, the Abbaye de Notre Dame in Wisques at 5.30. The Abbey and grounds are huge and it was after 6 that we made it to our room in a cottage in the grounds.

There are currently 16 nuns living at the abbey. We chatted to one who had been there 59 years. So many questions.

Dinner was at 7. There were three other guests at the table. Two guests are 'on retreat' from the world and the third is doing some work in the abbey.

A shortish 20k day tomorrow. We will start later and try to get some pictures of the abbey.

Pretty sure I heard a donkey.

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