A walk on the wild side

Tuesday afternoon, September 23rd 2014.   Bright and sunny.  We decided to go for a walk on the far side of the lake at Les Ballastières at Damvillers.  We used to visit this part of the lake quite frequently but access had been made more difficult and it has been a while since we went, these days gaining entry on the other side, nearer the main road.  On the far side, it is no longer possible to take the car to the entrance - we used to do that and take a picnic lunch, chairs and books, although we enjoyed short strolls as well. This time we parked at the top of the path.

The footpath approach looks much the same although it has a wooden barrier with pedestrian access only.  When we got into the grounds themselves we found it a much more neglected area.  We wonder if this has something to do with the long summer holiday by the schools as it is maintained by a local forestry-training college.  But there seems to be more than that with some paths closed off, bird hides in disrepair, fallen trees left where they fell and nettle beds running rampant - and many signs of donkey droppings! We used to see other locals walking, including families, but this time did not see anybody else.

We ploughed on as best we could wary of tree roots across paths which were very muddy in places.

It was an experience and I got some nice photos but it was a relief to get my aching back home for a welcome cuppa!