We have arrived at our final destination before making our way back.

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Well I think it will be certain that Goose will not make it to Christmas with his navigating skills - who would have believed he used to have over 400 employees!!!!! So we stock up at the supermarket and turn right - well around 8 miles down the road he says I think we are going the wrong way. Now 6 of these 8 miles were on completely winding roads and when I say winding I mean winding and with a camber so I was not happy having to retrace my steps - but what else could I do? (Polite answers on a postcard please!!)

As you can imagine Goose was not in my best thoughts at this moment as I said you should look at the map and see which town you should be heading for a BIG town - hey ho why bother!

Now this final journey South went through some lovely towns and all I can say some really narrow villages and if totally honest one part where I thought I would not be able to get through but we made it.

We have met up with a number of Carthago owners at this site for a few days so it will be nice having someone else to talk to apart from Mike or Goose as he is now named!! He says the same vice versa haha. The day started well as we all took a coach trip to Rocamadour. I have seen Rocamadour in the guide books so was really pleased we would be going there. Not only is Rocamadour famous for its cheese but the actual village attracts tourists for its setting in a gorge above the river Dordogne and especially for its historical monuments and its sanctuary of the Virgin Mary. Rocamadour also attracts pilgrims on their way to Santiago del Compostela (have you seen the film The Way starring Martin Sheen) and to be honest even though I am not relegious this is one of the walks on my bucket list.

After Rocamadour we all had lunch well if totally honest it was a feast so I am definitely going to have to get my 10,000 steps in eating a lunch like that. After lunch we then went to Gouffre de Padirac. Now I have to be honest I did not do any research on this and had no idea at all what or where or even why we were going. All I can say is it is absolutely unbelievable - so what is it you are probably saying - well it was like taking a voyage into the earth‘s core. The Gouffre de Padirac is one of the largest chasms in Europe. Discovered by a famous French cave explorer called Edouard Martel - can you imagine if you discovered this what an achievement. It appears and yes appears that in times gone by it was often referred to by the local population as the devil’s hole and it’s a sight to behold as you gaze down into the enormous 75 metre chasm into the earth, 33 metres wide. This enormous sink hole then leads into a cave system, water erosion has carved out spectacular caverns in the limestone, full of enormous stalactites and stalagmites deep under the ground.

You can go down by lift (Martel had to use rope ladders!!) but we took the staircase and now here is a fact, the design of the staircase was inspired by the design of the Eiffel tower of Paris. Once at the bottom you can’t help yourself but look up in wonder at the small circle of sky that now looks decidedly faraway.

We then took an underground boat and this time it helped explore the full cave system some 103 metres under the surface which took you down small passageways giving us unbelievable access to large caves.

Once we got off the boat we then climbed another 150 steps to see more and what a sight is all I can say - now you know why I said it felt like a journey into the core of the earth. Then we climbed down 154 steps before getting back on a boat for the return trip. Then 2 lifts towards the surface before the final flight of 80 or so steps. This is one of the most amazing caves I have ever been in - if you are ever near here it is a MUST go to.

I will be taking a few days off publishing my blog as going to stay around the campsite that I am staying in so bye bye peeps for a few days you can now take a rest!

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Photos

Caves
Does not do it justice

One of the pools
Again if honest does not do this amazing cave justice