29 Jan A thick damp fog hides the beauty of ‘the Lot’ !

Photo: Creysse

After weeks of rain, swelling rivers whose waters have escaped & flooded surrounding roads and fields, the beauty of this picturesque region is at present quitely hidden within a thick damp fog.  The promised sunshine just does not have enough strength to penetrate through the dense white dampness that veils the land within.  Some campsites next to rivers are flooded, many roads in the surrounding area are closed having disappeared under gloomy brown waters, must say it all looks rather spectacular.  Waters flow rapdily down the cliff faces & across roads joining forces with swelling waters escaping from the river’s Lot & Dordogne.  The current is strong, carrying huge tree trunks and collecting any other form of debris that lay within the path of it’s flow, noisily gushing its way forward, gurgling & entwining its way around anything that lays within its path.   I walked around the village of Gluge,  where the road to Creysse and the campsite there were flooded.  Wood smoke quietly spiraled &  spread itself within the late damp afternoon  air, escaping in curling swirls from chimneys of the surrounding houses, the welcoming smells of  cosy home fires burning different woods penetrated the daytime air,  mingling with light falling rain.  Add this to walking amongst beautiful, varying hues of muted winter colours, it created a wonderful ambiance for a gorgeous winter’s walk.