We had visited Saint-Sauveur-Le-Vicomte in the past with hopes of identifying the location of a picture of Dennis’ father, but we had been unsuccessful. This time, we hit the jackpot!
Picture of Ernest Blanchard in the liberation of Saint-Sauveur-Le-Vicomte
We first stopped at the medieval chateau to speak with the historian. The small museum had testimonials of people who lived in the city during the Liberation. It was moving to read the stories, but only a few were translated.
The mayor, Eric Briens, identified the locations and took us to the old primary/elementary school where the photo was taken. The building is now the CCVO, a city hall. At last, Dennis had an answer!
Original Picture on city hall cornerThe mayor pointing out where the school used to beMayor describing the school
When the mayor returned to the office, he emailed the original photo to Dennis and awarded Dennis’ father the city’s medallion—a most rewarding day.
Ravenoville is a community of 250 inhabitants, about 1.5 hours’ walk from Sainte Mere Eglise, where the paratroopers first landed during the Liberation. Dennis made a sign, and we hitched to the Eternal Heroes Memorial ceremony to which Dennis had been invited.
Dennis had been here previously, and the olive tree sampling was now about 12 feet tall and bearing fruit. We took a few moments to reflect on his father’s plaque.
Ernest Blanchard’s Commemorative Olive TreeErnest Blanchard Plaque
The ceremony commenced with a fly-over and lasted about 1.5 hours. Attendees included aged veterans, families of veterans, military officers, and state officials. Following the presentation of The Colors, a military band played the American and French anthems, and then an al Capella group sang the Band of Brothers theme song. The gist of the speeches was liberty, freedom, and the necessity for each individual to vote to ensure a free world. This is particularly important this year because there are more elections worldwide than any other year. Too much is at stake not to take heed and vote wisely.
C47 fly over
At the ceremony, Dennis and other relatives of the veterans honored at the memorial were awarded a flag that had flown over the memorial and a medallion commemorating the event.
Ernest Blanchard Plaque
Following the remembrance commemoration, Dennis enjoyed talking with the attendees. Two sisters gave us a lift back to Sainte Mere Eglise.
Bayeux is a town in Normandy, 10 kilometers from the English Channel coast. The medieval center contains cobbled streets, half-timbered houses, and the towering Norman-Gothic Cathédrale Notre-Dame. In the cathedral courtyard, a tree was planted in 1797, and they project a 360-degree film onto the trunk. There is also the Tapisserie Museum Bayeux, which we did not visit.
Gaufre NormandeTree at Cathedral in BayeuxBayeux Cathredal
When we arrived in Bayeax, we stopped at the Bureau du Tourisme to make dinner reservations and visited the town. Our first stop was a cafe to try the “Gaufre Normande,” a special waffle made from risen dough. We will have to learn how to make this mouthwatering waffle.
Jane in sidecarDennis on back of bikeWWII Harley Davidson motorcycle
At 1:30, we met Philippe Gantois on a sidecar motorcycle for a 3.5-hour Normandy Beaches tour. Philippe is a historian who retired from the Gendarmerie in the motorcycle division, so I felt comfortable riding in the sidecar while Dennis sat behind the guide. Our itinerary included Gold Beach (Mulberry B), the German Bunkers, and Omaha Beach. The Mulberrys at Gold Beach were quick-built floating harbors used during the invasion to land over 2.5 million men, 500,000 vehicles, and 4 million tons of supplies before it was fully decommissioned.
Gold Beach War MemorialGold Beach D-Day MemorialGold Beach D-Day MemorialGold Beach Bunker 1Gold Beach Bunker Close-upMulberry (artifical port) at Gold BeachMulberry B harborLooking at Omaha Beach from Gold BeachHeroes Forever, Omaha BeachHelicopter test landing 1
The roads were crowded with people and cars, but the guide knew the backroads and easily maneuvered around overheated cars and other blockages. Because of the traffic and the delay at Omaha Beach, where the US Presidential Helicopter Convoy (5 choppers) had a test landing before the President arrived on the 8th, we were more than an hour late returning to Bayeux.
We learned a lot about the invasion while having a great time. Dennis laughed out loud and hooted as he bounced around and acted like “the monkey,” moving from side to side to help the driver steer. Five times, the sidecar lifted off its wheels—it was exhilarating!
Backpackers often find it hard to travel within a country on Sundays, Holidays, and Feast Days. That was our experience today. The buses were not working, so we planned on hiking 3.8 KM (2+ miles) from the Carentan train stations to The D-Day Experience Museum, aka Dead Man’s Corner.
At the station, we discovered that “navettes” shuttles could take us. Unfortunately, a parachute drop on the outskirts of town blocked the roads, and the shuttles never came. Since we had an appointment with Michel Detrez, the museum director, Dennis and I quickly walked the distance, weaving through the crowd.
Dennis at plaque honoring is dadDennis giving the director the cameraExhibition description of PFC Ernie BlanchardExhibition of PFC Ernie Blanchard
The director took us to the Ernie Blanchard Panel at the museum. Dennis presented a Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta 533/16 camera that Ernie Blanchard had taken from a field artillery observer office during the Battle of the Bulge. After handing over the camera, we went to see the plaque that the museum put up in honor in our names in honor of PFC Ernie Blanchard.
We then visited the 3-D Theater and the simulation of “La Manche,” the English Channel on D-Day. Both exhibitions gave me a deeper understanding of the D-Day effort.
Simulator planeJane in flight simulatorFlight simulator
We arrived in Valognes on June 1. This town, which the Romans called Alauna in the first century, still has ruins of Roman baths and an imposing theater with more than 3000 seats. In the 15th century, Valognes became the economic and administrative capital of the Cotentin peninsula. In the 17th century, Valagnes became home to the aristocracy. A large part of the town was destroyed by Americans during bombings in June 1944. Reconstruction largely redesigned the city, keeping the “feel” of old French towns.
Eglise Saint-Malo de ValognesDescription 1 of the Reconstruction of the churchDescription 2 of the Reconstruction of the church
We were in Valagnes for 8 days. On June 5, we had a very peaceful walk around the old city, visiting the public gardens, the Parcheminerie, a 15th-century building that now houses the office of Pays d’Art et d”Historie, the boundary wall of the Cordelier convent, the washing place, and other 16-18th-century buildings.
Entrance in Public ParkFountain in Public ParkWWI Memorial in Public ParkWashing-placeParcheminerieOld town buildingsHotel de Beaumont
Dennis wanted to visit the Jurassic Coast in Dorset County to explore the beaches and hunt fossils. Since it was a bank holiday weekend, most accommodations in Lyme Regis were unavailable, but we managed to snag a room at the Westley B&B in Upland, a town just 1.5 miles from Lyme Regis. The B&B is on the bus route and there is a graveled path that runs from it into Lyme Regis— ideal for backpackers.
On our first full day in town, it rained and was windy. We visited the harbor and the iconic “Cobb,” the internationally famous stone-built breakwater and jetty. We spent a few hours in the Lyme Regis Museum learning about the town’s history, the fossils, and Mary Anning, the paleontologist known internationally for her discoveries in Jurassic marine fossil beds in the cliffs at Lyme Regis. Since the tides did not favor fossil hunting, we did laundry and he got a beard trimming.
The Cobb east facingThe Cobb west facingLyme Regis beachAmmoniteNarrow and steep museums stepsMary Anning statueLyme Regis Museum
This is our final day on the South West Coast Path. I am not sad that it is an easy 6.5-mile path, 1.3 on paved roads. Knowing this in advance, I took my hiking sandals to change into after Mousehole (mow-zel) for the final walk into Penzance.
Lamorna CoveMouseholeKemyel point
Lamorna was a famous artist community in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Now, it has cottages and a pub/cafe. We climbed out of the cove onto the path and eventually into a wooded nature reserve. When the path climbed steeply up irregular steps carved in the hillside, I needed a bum push from Dennis to get over some of the tall steps. We stopped midway to breathe and admire the landscape.
Mousehole
At last, we descended into Mousehole, a picturesque harbor village. From there, we followed a paved footpath to Newlyn and Penzance.
We stayed at Holbein House for two nights. The room was lovely, and the hosts were helpful, but the nesting crows in the tree by our room started squawking at 4 am, making it impossible to sleep. Dennis also took a photo of the three adaptors needed to plug American electronics into the system: British-to-European-to-US. This conglomeration is particularly inconvenient when the outlet is behind furniture.
Holbein HouseCrows NestsConversion Connectors
Wanting to rest for a couple of days in Penzance, we moved to the Union Hotel, which is closer to the center of town. Though built in the 17th century, the hotel has been modernized with electricity and plumbing, it remains worn. Though far from ideal, it was adequate and allowed us to rest.
We visited Penzance, shopped, and ate well. The Turks Head Pub is one of the oldest tap houses in Penzance, dating back to the 1200s. We sat by the door that leads to tunnels used by pirates and smugglers. The Egyptian House (now a B&B) was built in 1835 in Egyptian Revival architecture.
Turks Head PubUnion Hotel Dining Room PlaqueEgyptian House
The cab driver picked us up at 8:40 for an early start in St. Just. We arrange to be collected at Land’s End instead of the scheduled destination.
We walked for 1.75 miles before leaving St. Just and getting onto the tough path. I fell twice on the precarious scree, the slippery pebbles on the trail. One bolder was so high that I approached it backward and shimmied over it. I had to squeeze between huge boulders near the pinnacle of one hill before starting the descent. Yes, my heart was in my throat.
From trail looking downWalking near summitJagged path
The spectacular boulders reminded me how fleeting human life is compared to Nature’s elements. Many of the formations are millennial. I could split my head with one fall—humans are so fragile. According to a Google search, bones can survive for around five centuries in soil and become powdery in the air in about 50 years, a mere flash in the pan compared to these stones.
Land’s End is very commercial. We took the obligatory photo shots and called the taxis to take us to Holbein House in Penzance, where we will stay for our final two nights on the Path. Tomorrow, we end the South West Coast Path through Cornwall.
Land’s End Cliffs near Land’s EndDennis at Land’s End
We waited for the taxi at the entrance of Land’s End. Lined up were vintage cars for the Land’s End Classic Car Rally. They all took off at the signal except one, which sputtered, emitted foul exhaust, and only managed to creep about three hundred yards before pulling aside. I’m sure the driver was disappointed.
We took one sick day and one scheduled day off. Luckily, our hotel accommodations were four nights in St. Ives. While Dennis recuperated, I did laundry, wrote in my journal, and rested—my shins were happy for the break.
Dennis bemoans that my paranoia of being cold on the hike caused him to pack too much clothing, which resulted in bulging suitcases and heavy daypacks. In fact, because of my fear, I purchased an additional long-sleeve shirt and sweater in Halifax. Now, I have to get rid of them. But I am reluctant to discard two unneeded pairs of shoes I added at the last minute, justifying that they cost too much to throw away.
Because he is still ailing, we decided to shorten today’s scheduled hike and get off at Pedeen (instead of continuing to St. Just and then getting taxied to Pendeen. We adjusted the logistics to accommodate changes to HillWalk Tours‘ schedule.
The shuttle taxi was 35 minutes late. At Gunard’s Head Hotel, we had to wait for cattle to cross the road. Then we missed the trail and had to scuttle to find it, losing another half hour. It’s a good thing we decided to shorten our day’s hike.
The trail was stony, muddy, undulating, but otherwise, not too difficult. Dennis’s cold made breathing difficult, so we stopped often. The trail is hard-going; the rocks, the scree ( small loose stones that cover the slope and make it slippery), the boulders, the mud, the streams, the hill climbs, and the descents make this our hardest day. My feet ache from pounding on stones, my toes throb from jamming my shoes, and my elbows ache from using the hiking poles to propel me up and then brake me on downhills.
I am elated when we get to the Trinity Light House in Pendeen. This is where we get off the trail and walk about a mile on the road to the Inn. It was a tough day!
Looking for the pathNorth Inn PendeenTrinity Light House
Dennis woke up with a cold. After taking Day-Quil, we were shuttled back to Hayle for a 6-mile walk to St. Ives. The path was 2/3 paved. Since our accommodation does not include breakfast, we stopped at the Birdies Bistro for brunch. It is located near the path on the edge of the Hayle Nature Reserve in Lelant. Because it was crowded, our food took about an hour to arrive. Dennis had OJ. The bottlecap read: “Let curiosity be your guide and courage be your sail.” Quite appropriate.
FoxgloveSt Michael’s Way
We passed St Michael’s Way, part of the pilgrim’s route to St. James de Compostela. Although we were on the Way for only a few feet, seeing the familiar way marker was nice.
Memorial benchCarbis Bay
We spotted a memorial bench dedicated to Dennis and Jane Quick as we approached St. Ives. The quote felt apropos: “Don’t you worry, my dears, because all the worry in the world won’t make it right.”
Because of his difficult breathing, I’m sure Dennis was happy that the ascent was not very steep. A busload of tourists interested in local botany ensured we kept a slow pace into St. Ives.
We took the next day off as a sick day (Day 8) and the following day as a scheduled day off. In total, we spent four nights at the Cornerways Guest House in Saint Ives.
