On The Wild Side

Today we rode out towards Besse, a pretty French village with a historic church dating from the 11^th century.  The church has a beautifully carved porch illustrating the Redemption. 

This is one of my favourite rides following the valley bottom through quiet and secluded countryside; everything is so green and lush at this time of year. After yesterday’s absence of any wildlife we were rewarded by the sight of a most handsome fox peering at us through the long grass.  He stared at us for a few seconds before running off and disappearing into the woods.  A few yards further on we came across a young deer, he too bounded off across the meadow.

All the local wildlife seemed to be out enjoying the morning sunshine, another green woodpecker, a buzzard sweeping up in front of us, Mr and Mrs Duck out for a walk, another deer casually crossing the road ahead.

Finally, as I was huffing and puffing up the hill to our bastide town, I was noisily overtaken by a Chapter of the Hell’s Angels (or it might have been the local motorcycle club).  A very eventful cycle ride today.