Day 21-22

Day 21- Sat 14/6-Niverlee to Oignes 22kms
Breakfast & talk before leaving at 9.30. Go left at the church then right across the fields heading in the direction of Treignes. We soon pick up the scallop shell waymarkers to arrive in the pretty little village of Treignes where we enjoy a coffee. We started in misty drizzle but that had now gone. We take a grassy path between 2 fences across private property, wild flowers purple & white, wild roses, blackberries in flower, the perfume wafts across the path from the flowering privet & honeysuckle. The path is narrow & shady, quiet & peaceful. We hear the steam train whistle. The track passes through woods, beside a stream, beech, birch, oak & fir trees, grand old giants with mossy roots amongst the green lichen covered rocks. Today seems to take a long time as we have really slowed down. After an apple stop in a fur forest we finally get to the village if Oignes en Thierache. Again our host is only expecting 1 pilgrim but Joke makes us both welcome in her partly finished home she is fitting out herself. A warm dinner with a glass of wine & we are ready for bed. €40 ea.

Day 22- Ougnes to Ricroi 21km
We are woken by the bleating of sheep and no electricity. However we have breakfast & are in our way by 8.50. Most of today is through forest on forest paths, some badly affected by recent rains, sometimes in a gully, lots of new fir trees with their bright green tips, green pathways, sometimes muddy. Signposting is generally good but most often missing when it is needed most. At Bruly we stop to rest on a bridge. Here we meet another pilgrim - Jean-Pierre from Belgium. We are now 3 and walk together to Rocroi where he has told us about a new pilgrim refuge provided by the municipality.  We pay at the tourist office €15 each. 2 rooms both with bathrooms. 1 room sleeps 4 & the other 2. We get a code for the door & make ourselves at home, hang washing in the sunny courtyard & relax before taking a walk to the ramparts. Dinner is at the Rocroi kebab. We are now in France - Belgium & Holland are already finished.