You won't see and vines here, but you will see castles perched on rocky outcrops , beautiful views, oak wood slopes, little streams and ruined stone buildings and quite a number of beautiful old crosses.
Start by taking the little D157 to Brenas.
It's tucked away at the top of a most beautiful wild valley that leads down to Lac du Salagou and is steeped in history and natural beauty.
Turn off the road and go through the hamlet of Bernas.
It's only tiny so don't blink but at the other end of the little street with its pretty stone houses and collie dogs that always seem to be wandering about you will come to a small car park next to the church.
The people of Brenas seem to welcome their visitors with not just one walk but two and plenty of cycle routes from here too.
Don't muddle the two different walks. The map refers to the lovely wooded walk that goes up the hill behind to the north of the hamlet whereas the signposted walk "Les ruffes" is the one that you will follow on this walk.
If you like you can combine the two walks to double the distance and walk in two totally different valleys.
After parking walk back towards the hamlet but take the first little turn that goes down a small alley between two houses.
Turn left and and then right onto a the D157. Almost straight away you will see a small grassy path on the left go down this path and pass the first cross.
The path reaches a farm and turns right. The little lane very soon becomes a rough track which winds its way downhill past another farm and after quite some while reaches the valley bottom road.
Turn right and walk for about 200m until at a bend by a bridge you take the track to your right. Keep on this track which follows the little stream all the way up to a stone building where it turns off to the right.
There is a place where you need to cross the stream and then regain the track once more. There are also a few places where you have to cross electric fences here.
They are all good and have hand protectors where you need to remove them to pass through. Be careful to replace them as this is farmland and there a number of different animals about.
Keep to the right of the stone hut and make your way careful uphill through the little red hills.
There are blue markers here but no too many and it's not always easy to see where the little path goes. The path crosses the little stream and reaches a ridge with more lovely views of the valley below and the castles too.
The track goes to the left here and up to the tiny hamlet of Campillergues which appears to have been lost in time.
The track double back around the hamlet and continues as a small road until you reach a tiny path with a blue marked step on a bend.
Follow this little rather overgrown path to reach the road, D157. Turn right here and walk past some lovely oak woods and a couple of crosses before returning to the hamlet of Brenas.
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