Day 15 – Josselin to Malestroit (click link to open route in new page)

Wednesday May 18, 2011, 26 km (16 miles) – Total so far: 517 km (321 miles)

Today was another fine day of cycling on nice quiet roads until we turned onto what seemed like a minor road. It was narrow and there were no road markings at all, but cars and trucks were flying by at horrendous speeds.

Mike stopped at a bridge crossing a canal. There was a path alongside it. Then two touring cyclists came riding along the path on the edge of the canal.

I said to Mike we should get off this horrible road and follow that path along the canal. Our conversation went something like this:

Mike: But it’s not the way we are going

Jo: Who cares, we don’t have a route anyway and it looks like a nice ride.

Mike: But the GPS doesn’t see it as a road.

Jo: Those touring cyclists just came along there – it must go somewhere

Mike: But what if it turns into a dirt track like the english canals

Jo repeats: Those touring cyclists came along there – it must be ok.

At that moment three buses go flying past at horrendous speeds.

Jo: I don’t care – I’m getting off this shitty main road – let’s follow it and see where it leads us.

Mike: ok

This is the beauty of not have a set route or a set destination – we can go wherever our mood wants us to go.

Turns out the path is a popular cycle way which follows the canal for over 300km from Brest to Nantes. What a bit of luck to have stumbled onto it.

It was wonderful flat cycling, not having to worry about cars, trucks and buses.

We cycled through the narrow streets of the Medeival town of Malestroit.

We stopped at an amazing campsite right beside the canal just walking distance from the village. This was another fine example of the better the campsite the cheaper it is. It only cost 4.85 euros, it had toilet seats, and even a table for us to use!

We wandered into Malestroit and picked up supplies for dinner – sausages, potatoes and mixed veg, beer, and a chocolate desert.