Stage 13/14 Friday 3 Oct: Hamelincourt to Villers au Flos (20.4km/12.7m)

The weather was forecast to change today with rain predicted for most of the morning. Fortunately we stayed ahead of the rain but it was still cold and windy at times. Still great walking through “vast” fields, numerous wind turbines and all too frequent military cemeteries from WW1. We’re reminded constantly that we’re walking on land with a bloody and brutal history. The cemeteries included below are just a sample of those we passed.

Route direction ⬇️; our direction ⬇️
Carrots going to market
I’m trying a new hip/bumbag (fanny pack) combination and have hooked my spare water bottle to my belt at the back, away from my poles… creating this “tail”, much to the amusement of my colleagues 🥴
Chapel near Courcelles le Comte
Manure digester on a dairy farm
A couple hiking from Bienne, Switzerland to Canterbury
Into Gomiécourt
A huge gay barn as we neared Bèhagnies
An old dairy shed
Into Sapignies
It was cool out there
We spotted him talking to three pheasant friends… who fled too quickly to capture
On the outskirts of Bapaume
And again
‘Beat palms’ is the source of the town of Bapaume’s name, as is remembered on this monument in front of the town hall
Lunch!! The Cafe De La Mairie generously allowed us to eat our (homemade) sandwiches with our coffees inside and out of the weather
Lynn’s snack from a patisserie after lunch
Church of St Nicholas
We’ve seen lots of these stand alone Friteries in recent days
The Australian War Cemetery has an area of 459 m2 with 88 graves from the First World War. This cemetery was opened in March 1917 by the 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station and used until June 1917. In April and May 1918 23 German graves were added. (Thanks Wiki)
South African National Memorial sign as we left Bapaume
Beulencourt British Cemetery
Thilloy Road Cemetery in the distance
An unexploded shell, propped by the side of the road 🫣
Manchester Cemetery, 1914-18 near Riencourt Les Bapaume
St Christopher Church, Viller au Flos… our end point today
An old Citroen 2CV outside our townhouse this evening (on the way home from Burger King)
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Lyn & Gary

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