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First woke at 07:15, but didn’t rise until 08:22. I’ve arranged to be at breakfast at nine.
10:24 Packed and ready to go with my bag on my back. I’ve found an alternative Seine crossing that allows me to follow the river for a bit.
10:34 On the road. Madame only charged me €40 for the room, “for those who walk”. She then gave me bread and fruit and brought me to the gate to point me in the right direction - and as I paused to write this, just around the corner, she coo-eed to me to give me my walking poles which I’d left in her kitchen, complete with drying socks condomed over the handles. That’s the first time I’ve walked out of somewhere without them - it had better be the last! I had two hands free to give her a double handshake - that ought to have been my signal that I was missing something.
11:14 Climbing steadily out of the river valley. Stopped to drink some water and apply factor 50 and DEET. A new variety of fly hatched yesterday that likes to inspect your ear holes. The DEET doesn’t seem to make a difference. It’s another bright, blue-sky, warm day. I hope to get to Ailly by midday.
Some observations of my gîte last night: my hostess was a lady in her later years with dyed black hair and scoliosis - warm and friendly, who fed me a breakfast of three homemade jams, croissant, baguette and three quarters of a dense apple cake. I took three finger-sized slices. I didn’t think I’d be able for any of it but it was not too sweet and very digestible. She also brewed a decent pot of Lipton’s and served it with cold milk. I drank the entire pot.
Both of my pairs of socks now have one hole each - the green pair have a hole sliced by my left big toenail and the purple pair have a hole eroded in the sole, also by my left foot. I must pivot differently on my left foot. I think it takes most of my weight. Others have pointed out my uneven gait, but not since I’ve lost weight and taken up yoga. The bag doesn’t even bring me halfway to my former weight, but it’s probably causing me to slip back into my old gait. I hope the poles help. My left foot was (is) also the one to suffer most from blistering.1
11:47 Out of the valley, back on the plain. I’m not going to make Ailly by midday.
12:28 Passing through Ailly. There’s nothing to it - I was maybe hoping for a café or a boulangerie.
12:50 Stopped for an impromptu lunch of the bits Madame gave me - I’ll add my own butter and chocolate biscuits. The earplugs are staying in. This is a fast stretch of road in a pretty piece of countryside. I’m sitting on a bank three or four metres above the road looking out over cropland and the autoroute In the distance. The light breeze is keeping the insects off. I haven’t noticed them since coming out of the valley.
13:16 Packed away and ready to start moving again. It’ll be good to get off this road.
13:20 Stopping to put some sun block on my legs.
14:23 This is far from a plain. I’ve found some of the steepest roads since leaving Cherbourg. I’m climbing through the tiny village of Ste-Barbe-sur-Gaillon, from where I can make my way to Gaillon and then north to Aubevoye, continuing north to bring me to the west bank of the Seine. I’ll walk north for a chunk of the afternoon and cross the river at Port Morin, which will lead me into Andelys. From there I’ll pick a route east again.
14:57 There’s an amazing restoration job being done on the Chateau de Gaillon. I’d love to spend the rest of the afternoon exploring it, but I want to press on across the river. Another day.
15:18 Actually, this town is really special. It has a lovely feel. I’m trying to find the tourist office to find out if there’s a municipal camping but first I have to eat my tartelette au citron (€2.25). Oh that was extra-special: zesty custard on a biscuity base with a plump raspberry on top. Heavenly.
15:29 Found the tourist office. There’s camping in Andelys. Better crack on!
15:37 Phoned the camping. I know where to find them now and they have a slot for me. Awesome. Two days R&R coming on, perhaps?
16:00 There was a wedding going on at the Mairie2 with vuvuzelas blowing and drums beating. I took some snaps of the wedding party on the steps of the Mairie and the father of the bride introduced himself: Mehmet. Smiles and congratulations all around.
16:07 Stopped to get a tradi-grains at a boulangerie and another tarte-au-citron, why not, and 1.5 litres of water. €3.80 the lot. The water was a euro; normally the same brand is 27c in the supermarket.
16:15 Tarte and 1.5 litres in my belly. Stunning afternoon, lovely mild temperature.
16:32 First view of the Seine. There’s a track alongside with steps leading down to it. Maybe I’ll find a spot to take a minute to bathe my aching feet.
This bank is wooded, with a mix of low-rent and architect-designed properties strung along it. More low-rent than Grand Designs. The opposite bank is thickly wooded.
17:36 Still alongside the Seine. It’s a beautiful walk but the sole of my left foot has been stinging all day. I just felt something pop with a pang as I rolled from heel to toe, so I’m inspecting it now. I’m not yet at Tosny. I think I’ll be a bit late getting to the camping. I’d like to get there for 19:00 but that’s perhaps optimistic. I will get there before sundown.
17:32 Okay, I took a macro photo of the burst blister and it looks a bit ropey. I rubbed alcohol cleaning solution on it which stung a bit, indicating that there’s a hole there. The sole of my sock is damp where the fluid jetted out. I ought to have attended to it sooner. I won’t be bathing that in the murky waters of the river!
17:39 Jesus I’m limping now. Just need to press on and plant the foot down. Pay attention to the quality of the pain, don’t react to it.
18:23 Cracked on nicely over uneven woodland paths - now I’ve reached the bridge at Port Morin. It’s a huge concrete and steel cantilevered affair.
18:30 On the bridge, taking snaps, feeling smug, savouring the moment. I walked here from Cherbourg. Every step.
18:40 Checked in at the campsite - €17.50! Ouch! €9.00 per day for Internet - no thanks. The ground is not that flat on my allocated area. Figuring out where the sun will rise now…
19:36 Took my sweet time setting up. Wandering into town now to find a café or a restaurant.
20:00 At the Carrefour Market. Open 0900-1230 Sundays. I could do a big egg salad for lunch if I choose to stay put for a day. The tourist office is normally open on Sundays but closed tomorrow: “Fermeture exceptionnelle”.
20:25 The main square is dead, compared to the lovely low-key buzz about Gaillon. I’ll ask about how to get a bus the tomorrow and hang out for the day. It looks like I’m talking myself into staying two nights here! I’ve taken a seat in a kebab joint - which in France have a much less salubrious vibe about them than many of the Turkish cafés Aisling and I found in southern Germany when we went walking there a couple of years back. Anyway I’ve ordered some variety of chicken with rice.
Food’s arrived. It’s bloody good. Barbequed chicken pieces, monster salad and chips [indistinguishable] and spicy sauce with a proper chili kick!
22:16 Just left the kebab joint. €11.90 for the plate of food and two little bottles of water. Limping now like an old man.
23:43 I had to scale the two and a half metre high gate to the camping ground - thankfully it was designed in such a way as to make it easy to climb over.
22:46 There’s a street light shining into my basha, which is convenient! Setting up my bedding now.
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I don’t think that’s the case: it was my right foot which blistered badly on the Dublin to Rosslare walk. 
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Town hall↩
