Wégimont to Spa: Day 121

A long day, but an early start allowed me to walk in the cool for a few hours marvelling at how the low morning light made everything look beautiful. 

I had a choice today, a short walk today and tomorrow, or one long day. Deciding on the latter I started early, rising with the sun and on the road by 7:10 am. It was the best part of the day, cool before temperatures rose to the mid twenties. Cows, houses, even barbed wire fences looked attractive as the low sun gilded their outlines.

Photos did not do justice to the morning scenes.

I found myself following a lady walking ahead of me, not wanting it to appear I was stalking her I quickened my pace to overtake with a quick "bonjour". Not easy as her pace was similar to mine. She caught up with me at place where the path was blocked by construction works and we exchanged a few words. I discovered she was Dutch, walking the GR5 for just a few days, and that she started this morning even earlier than me.

Vauxhall-sous-Olne seemed to mark the start of the Ardennes, marked by steeper valley sides below wooded plateaux. It was a strenuous climb out of the village soon followed by a steep, winding descent into the small town of Nessonvaux. After a further steep climb I was on the largely wooded plateau and with time the GR5 delivered me to edge of the village of Banneux. In addition to the more challenging landscape I also noticed the houses tended to be made of stone rather than the brick of Flanders, more sympathetic to the surrounding scenery. 

In 1933 in Banneux a local girl saw visions of the Virgin Mary. A series of chapels and churches have been built on the location of these visitations and many people were visiting them. There have been healing miracles. Masses were advertised in a number of European languages although I spotted none in English. There were massed rows of lighted candles in dark chapels. Nearby a square was lined with shops selling religious items and, far more interesting to me, there were a few cafes where I could indulge in a coffee and cake. Before leaving I said a pray for my wife and journey, joining others kneeling nearby. 

By now the heat was increasing, not quite as hot as the last few days but still sweaty weather. Fearful of dehydration having noticed some signs (no visits to the toilets overnight and yellow pee) I was making concerted efforts to drink more today. My reward was having to find discrete places to relieve myself, and urine the colour of champagne (apparently every hikers dream). Some paths today reminded me of walking along deep drainage ditches, without the water, buried in the landscape they were verging on overgrown.

The GR5 makes concerted efforts to avoid visiting the centre of villages where cafes and shops may lie. As my guidebook assured me there was a place of refreshment in La Reid I diverted off trail. My reward was a coke and bag of crisps in the quiet bar, otherwise occupied by two men with generous beer bellys.

On route looking at the wooded hills of the Ardennes. 

Walking on beechmast admiring the patches of sunlight. 

Although a direct route would enter the town of Spa from the north, the GR5 manages to approach from the south adding significant mileage. However the final section was a pleasant woodland walk, my feet crunching beech mast, patches of sunlight decorating the ground. Spa, once I eventually reached its centre, was a bustling place with pavement cafes, shops and a Aston Martin sports car on display in the square. Somewhere there is a spring delivering water which allegedly cures things. Spa gave its name to all the other Spas around the world having attracted attention since Roman times (when it was called "Aqua Spadanae").

Spa.

After I long hard, hot day I was sad to find my campsite at the end of a long hill. To tired to go back into town for dinner I settled for a takeaway Pizza from somewhere nearer.