12.04.2010 Lincel to Forcalquier – 20km

12.04.2010 Lincel to Forcalquier – 20km
We wake to grey skies and light rain, but nothing too unpleasant. Our hosts give us a great send off with an apple for Nellie and some local produced crystallised fruit for us – consumed within the first hour. Our animals have made a big impression and there is a hint of wet eye as we leave. From here the walking is along pleasant farm tracks that Nellie seems to be tackling without any difficulty, though we have noticed what can only be the echoes of a donkey gene in her performance. Where the going is straight and easy, she lapses into a lazy mooch, head down and eyes half closed, refusing to be hurried. But as soon as we hit a difficulty, steep climb, stoney descent, anything out of the ordinairy, her ears prick up and so does her pace. You can almost hear her say «let me at it ».
Highlights of the day are passing the 12th century Prieuré de Salagon, an incongruous, but impressive monument that appears to be undergoing extensive renovation, the crossing of a narrow Roman bridge – previously unthinkable for Nellie - scaling an almost sheer rockface, again Nellie's achievement, and our first view of Forcalquier clustered round a small mountain pinnacle. But from here just about everything is the flipside of our previously good day. Rain, freezing cold and drenching, starts to fall in earnest. Our campsite is further away than anticipated and on the side of a hellishly busy road where all of sudden Nellie remembers that she used to be frightened of traffic, a state enhanced by the appearance of ludicrously horny stallion, separated from our now equally horny mare, by a single electric wire. Having negotiated this obstacle, we then try to make our way up the lane to the campsite, past a field full of deer. Here, Nellie absolutely refuses to go any further and behaves as she did at the very start of our journey – walking on hind legs, kicking out and generally rejuvenating the hidden donkey gene. Meanwhile, the rain is still hammering down and having found the owner of the site and agreed that we would prefer to have a room, we then have to find a place to tether Nellie in one of her most recalcitrant moods. Finally, the best solution for everyone emerges by accident when she heads for a pile of hay, introduces herself to a row of calves and settles down to eat their food. Since then, she has been moved inside a barn, to yet another pile of hay, and everyone is content. In addition, this will also do her disgruntled digestion some good – the last few days of rich grass having caused some unpleasant, messy symptoms. Days like this make me wonder why the hell we put ourselves through so much unnecessary discomfort, but now that my feet are dry and the rest me is more or less warm, I think I'll give tomorrow a go and see where we end up.

Accommodation Chambre d'hote or camping (price not known) rating: Good/PR – horse accommodation (no price). Warm welcome, with evening meal (18 euros), but at 50 euros, outside the recommended pilgrim price. Le Bas Chalus, Route de Niozelles 04300 Forcalquier 04 92 75 05 67 baschalus@orange.fr