It was overcast but not raining – time to walk! We parked outside the Church in Caurel and set off on an 8km circular walk – signposted and on the ordnance survey maps.
The Lac du Guerlédan is the largest artificial lake in Brittany – built over 7 years (1923-1930) to provide electricity, previously a rare commodity in rural Brittany. In making the lake and flooding the valley seventeen locks on the Nantes-Brest Canal disappeared.
In the middle of the walk (and not marked on the map) we found a slate mine! From the end of the 17C and into the 19C Caurel was one of the important areas for mining slate in the Côtes d’Armor. The slate was transported via the Nantes-Brest Canal.
Walking here was easy, quiet, pleasant and good even on a slightly damp day because of the tree cover. Back in Caurel the church was unfortunately closed and I could only see these chaps in the porch…
