Day 17: Stage 13: Pontarlier, 25 kms, heavy cloud, 18°

The Source!!

This is what we saw at the end of yesterday. 

This is what we woke up to today. It started raining when we went to bed and it poured all night for the second night in a row. When we woke up this morning it was still raining. However, by the time we started at about 8:00 the rain had subsided. We said goodbye to our lovely hosts Sophie and (sorry, missed your name).

Our host told us that these falls only show up after heavy rains. We are in a limestone karst type area and this sort of response is typical of these rock formations. 

As I mentioned yesterday, the main path through the canyon has been closed because of dangerous conditions. We began to descend to the river crossing in order to climb up the other headlands. We weren’t really looking forward to this a whole lot given the heavy rains and when we meant a young French woman coming back up the other way she told us that she was heading for the road to walk because her friend told her it would be too dangerous.

We decided that her advice was good advice, so we turned around and headed towards the highway. However at that moment our host just happen to be walking by and he motion for us to join him in the house. We followed him in and he came out with his car keys. He insisted on driving us along the top of the canyon because he said it was just too dangerous to walk it. As we drove along the 5 to 6 km pointed continuously to the rocks on the road that had fallen during the night, confirming his advice about the danger. We were dropped about 4 km away from the end of the canyon and began our walk from there. We gave our host a heartfelt thank you, and again reflected on the kindness of people we have met during our various Caminos. He even pulled off at this viewpoint so we could see the canyon from above. I used Annemarie’s camera because mine was in the trunk with my pack.

It was about 4 kms down to the canyon along a not too busy road. 

The upper area is a refuge if you are walking here and find yourself having to nimbly avoid a flash flood. Apparently they are fairly common. Who knew?

The Source was mind blowing! Having studied karst geomorphology during my studies I understood the processes, but is was really special to see it in action. There would have been much less flow had it not been raining so heavily. 

Please note the hat change today. This hat fits better with my rain gear should I need it. It’s actually my après walking hat. It doesn’t provide as good sun protection, but who cares when it’s cloudy or raining.

After all the excitement we began what turned out to be a 7 km climb out of the floor of the gorge. Much of the climb was quite steep, and according to some of the road signs we walked up at 13% grade. Boy did I sweat! Annemarie says she did too!😂 See!

When I saw this scallop shell, the symbol of the walk to Santiago de Compostela, I figured someone had brought theirs on the Via Francigena and was looking for a way to lighten their load for the climbs ahead! 







We finally emerged at the top of the climb and seemed to settle out on a plateau with gently rolling hills.

It was actually quite lovely, with herds of cows wearing nice big loud cowbells. We are so close to Switzerland now, and we are finding the buildings look very Swiss and the cows are dressed like Swiss cows!

Here you are Saiorse!

We stopped at Vuillecin and ate the lunch we’d asked our hosts to make us knowing there would be no places available on the route today. Little bits of blue sky were starting to show.



However as we approached Pontarlier some pretty black ugly clouds started to show themselves, and they were raining on areas around us.

As usual at this point, so close to the end of the walk, it becomes a bit of a race to beat the rain before it arrives. We’ve often been soaked in the last kilometre of a walk which creates all sorts of challenges getting everything dried out.

I wonder how my pumpkins are doing? I’m growing them for our petite enfantes so they can be carved at Halloween. I’ll be home in time for that. 

Hey Rob, look at the kayaking course here on the river running through town. Just like they use at the Olympics.

This is the gate that takes you into the core of the old town.

We are staying in an international youth hostile tonight, because from here on until I leave Switzerland things become ridiculously expensive. We were able to get our own room plus breakfast for a decent price. We will be doing this one other time. The downside with staying in an IYH is that you can’t get in until 5 PM. So we were sitting here in a bar dressed in our windbreakers to stay warm, enjoying a lovely beer while I write the blog and Annemarie writes her Facebook page. 

Tomorrow should be interesting as we go off route again. Hopefully it all works out. 

Bon chemin!