Walking around Huelgoat – France Day 4

The day dawned reasonable and so we set off to walk around Huelgoat. But first a coffee, and in the bar we picked up a leaflet and set off with said leaflet and Carte de Randonnée 0617OT. It was tricky – we should have used Wendy Mewes’ book, Walking and Other Activities in Finisterre, where Walk 13 describes the walk clearly – 12 kms, 3.5 hours.

The start at The War Memorial in Huelgoat

The start of the walk in Huelgoat

Setting off, in sunshine, alongside the canal

The sunshine didn’t last – throughout there were rain showers, but we had packed umbrellas (!) and somehow, miraculously, were always sheltered by trees when the rain came down.

Under the trees alongside the canal

Reflections in the canal

Under the trees

There was a brief open area before we plunged into the trees again. Lead and silver were mined in this area by the Celts, and then the Romans, with activity peaking in the 18C and 19C and ending in 1866.

Down a road, over the river, and then we were heading back towards Huelgoat alongside the river this time, rather than a canal.

The road down to the Argent River

The Argent River

Walking alongside the Argent River

And once off the road this sad sight around a bend in the path, seen so often on walks in lonely places. These young men were shot one month before the liberation of Huelgoat by the Americans.

And then we were back in the town. Wendy Mewes tells us that the lake in Huelgoat and the two canals were made in 1760-74 to supply water to the mines’ hydraulic machinery.

The old bridge over the Argent River at Huelgoat

The dammed river at Huelgoat

Huelgoat square

I popped into the little supermarket and then we set off for Commana and Mougau Bihan.

You may be interested in
Walks in Brittany – Huelgoat
Canal superior, Huelgoat
The mines of Huelgoat – very interesting article with photographs
The Liberation of Huelgoat