Day 15 of our 'virtual 'bike ride, Clitheroe to Lourdes. 25.3 miles

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Another lovely day for a bike ride. Today's route was through Chatburn and Bolton by Bowland, round the radio mast with an added loop round Higher Bank Farm and back through Sawley and Chatburn.

Our virtual route heads south out of Reims and meanders in and out of the vineyards on the slopes of the Montagne de Reims Regional Park endowed with lush forests. (One of the three most important wine growing areas).The Route Touristique du Champagne (600km of roads) runs south of Reims and our route touches on this in Verzy. Just out of Verzy is a forest of a thousand year old twisted beech trees known locally as the ‘Faux de Verzy’. No one knows why the forests near Verzy are home to 800 odd bizarrely malformed beech trees, but their presence has been documented since at least the 6th century. Our route winds among the vineyards and terraced hillsides where Champagne villages, châteaux, and churches are nestled.
Vraux is a very tiny village.

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