Day 16-17

Day 16-St Severin -Huy 17km
Monday and it's a holiday. Breakfast with Marie-Paul then onward. There were thunderstorms in the night so paths are muddy with many large puddles. But, much of the way is along paved roads and at one stage, where I see a pheasant running towards me, it crosses a new road being built. Very muddy. There are a few shrines/memorials along the way and what appear to be the remains if castles if the past now used as farm houses. For the first time I see fields of Colza (canola) a metre high, rain affected and bent over. Ups and downs, village to village, past electrical substations, fields of grain, horses & cows. The final descent into Huy is very steep past stations of the cross, apparently known in cycling circles as the "wall of Huy". Just past the musee Jacques, the German pilgrim & his children catch up with me. & we walk in to the tourist information office together. Here we can get a stamp for our pilgrim credenciale from a very unhappy, unhelpful, unwelcoming person - a pity considering she is the face of the city. They go to their accommodation and I find my way along the river to Hotel du Fort where I can get a chambre du pelerin - a pilgrim room. Great wifi downstairs although the restaurant is closed tonight. I go out for dinner. Another storm front comes thundering through. Thunder, lightning, high winds & torrential rain. So dark the cars have their lights on at 7pm.

Day 17- 10/6- Huy to Namur 34kms + 1.5km
Haven't been able to book any accommodation closer than Namur so decide to go for it today. It is all alongside the canal on pavement. Flat , barges plying up & down, locks and weirs as the river flows ever onwards. Barges being loaded & unloaded with grain, sand, rocks and what smells like potting mix. Around 1pm I run for shelter when black clouds threaten but they pass by. Slowly the town if Namur appears where I head for the youth hostel. Reception tell me they will put me in a 4 bed room with 2 other ladies "like me". They are 2 lovely Dutchafies Trudue & Carla who are walking in stages and are planning to walk for the next 7 days. We enjoy a meal together before planning for tomorrow when we will walk together. More blessings.