Tony, Tim, Betsy & Ray's (not forgetting Geoff) 2014 Camino

27.05.14 Tuesday Condom to Montreal en Gers.. A quiet afternoon inn the campsite free of rain allows somw removal of mud from hear and general dryimg out. Rain threatens so someone is aeays on watch while others sjhop 10mins away in a large supermarket. Rain faild to materialise so with a short etape (stage) we start off late through rolling countryside which is still a little moist from yesterdays rain. We csn not get into the gite booked by Betsy yesterday until 1400 but a beer in the main square an arcaded bastide in the sun allows drying off of the dew on tents. On the way we hear a hoopoe but fail to spot him and see a green woodpecker take off. There is also a bridge built for pilgrims probably originally in 12th C but redone a couple of times. The gite de compostela in Montreal is owned by a German lady who will be off on her own Camino on the North coastal route like us but in the autumn when trade falls off. We are coming up to a part of the route with less recognised campsites and a few blank spots but the lady in the tourist office confirms that the sports stadium and gite comunale in Nogarro do allow pilgrim camping this is just as well, although the national holiday in two days when we expect to be there still may make things interesting. 16.5km 300m up and down.