I think this has been my two year old granddaughters Chloe's favourite outing this week. We went to the Three windmills walk and it was in the clouds, within a few minutes a storm came in and we soon got soaked, the rain got very, very hard and the only people out was our family and another rather wet British family with their soaked children.
Chloe loved all the puddles and then the gushing torrents of red water flooding down the hill, the harder it came the more excited she got. We all got back in the car and she ran off shouting more puddies, more! In the end we all come home rather wet, but everyone said it was a very exciting walk and had ticked all of Chloe's boxes for her thrill seeking. Three was me saying be careful of storms and we ended up in one. The thunder was a long way off though and we were never that far from the car. Mind you I wouldn't recommend it for the best way to spend Sunday morning!
After a storm in the evening, I was woken with flashes, sparks, zapping noises and finally burst of flames from a cable in the garden opposite fraying it caught in the trees. It was such luck that it had been raining all night as the garden is like a meadow and full of dried grasses and trees. If the cable had come down or it hadn't rained I think the forest behind and a few houses would have been in real danger. The kittens seemed tired today and rather damp. I think they have found our wood store cellar now so they stay mostly dry in the heavy rainstorms today. EDF were very quick to come and fix the power cable and all is well in Mons once again.
A little walk up the Gorge d'Heric. Watched a little friend for quite a while, he even had a little look in my rucksack. It looked like a storm was on it's way so we made for home.
I meet this lovely little chap in the Gorge d'Heric today. Not sure if he was a European mink or a stone Marten. I was talking to a French lady who said that he was a Fouine but he didn't have a white patch on his chest, so maybe mink? She added that they sold the meat at the supermarket.
Not sure what supermarket she shopped at but he she went on to tell me that it tasted rather strong, it was at that point he ran off from sorting out our rucksacks and headed for the safety of the rocks!
Just a reminder of the dangers of storms at this time of year. Do check the weather forecast before a walk and watch out for a build up of clouds. Always carry a lightweight waterproof on long walks. Never shelter in woods or forest. Try to find shelter in a cave or stone building. If you are on a col, cliff face or mountain top do not stand near the edge. Try to make yourself small and low or get away from the any high places as quickly as possible. Do not stand near large bodies of water and never camp near a river/stream if a storm is likely.Just one thing to add, if you are walking in a large group, it's best if you leave a gap between you and don't hold poles or umbrellas.
