Around the Adriatic Sea 2026: Dubrovnik – Durrës (Albania) – Bari
The second leg of my cycle tour around the Adriatic Sea: the Balkan countries, probably as far as Dubrovnik in Croatia, perhaps even further…
My first day of walking in Wallonia went smoothly. A fairly cool 23 degrees in the afternoon, little full sun and a quiet course.
At Dottigny some pubs were closed, but in the centre was tavern BarLeBrunchy open, including for lunch inside. In Wallonia, inflation is apparently lower than in Flanders: for €7.5 I had a mega tuna salad on a thick bed of crudités, a coffee after and a recharged phone. Vive la Wallonie! The corona situation here is also less severe, I observed visually on the way.
After the banks of the Yser and the Lys, it was now down to the Scheldt to welcome me to her towpath. The bell house I entrusted to her might pass by my hometown of Antwerp in a few days....
Around seven o'clock I arrived tired but content at my new Welcome To My Garden garden host family, Pierre and Ivy and their three-headed offspring in Kain, near Tournai.
Meanwhile, I have covered 330 km and the feet appear to have finally rotted!
Dottigny - Saint-Leger
Short stepping day and long rest day Tuesday as Kain is near Tournai. On the Scheldt before Tournai, there was a monument to 'Les Passeurs', the ferry services using a flat barge pulled across on a rope stretched across the river. When the passeur was not active, they would lower the rope to the bottom so that shipping could pass. Passeurs were active in several villages. The last stopped in 1952.
After 3 km along the banks of the Scheldt, I crossed the city on my way to Chambre d'Hôte Maison Tahereh. Which turned out to be cheaper than a bed in the youth hostel! The warm-hearted manager Monique is a supporter of the Baha'i faith. I had a very nice and deep philosophical conversation with her. It was bloody hot again and I first took a cooling shower and then dove into a real bed for a lovely afternoon's rest.
Because of the predicted heat, I was out walking by 6:15 this morning. First 10 km beside the Scheldt, at a brisk pace because it was still nice and fresh. After that 6 km through the fields to campsite Des Potteries, just across the French border. Un camping 'bien sympa', French country style, not too clean and brushed off. I was there by 11am.
Getting up at 5 am 'weighs' in the afternoon. For 1.5 hours, I fell into a deep coma sleep on my matraske in the shade. Very invigorating.
Somewhere in the maize fields must have been the border, but I did not see a customs or border post/stone. Pity about the missed photo, haha.
Resting in Rosoir area
Like yesterday, I was walking a little after six, just after the first dawn. The camping pond was still seriously muggy this early.
Today my trip was a Long flirtation with the Belgian-French border. Sometimes I was just walking in France, other times in Belgium. On one lane, the houses on the left were Belgium, those on the right France. Along the way I saw two chapels dedicated to St Joseph were instead of to Mary or Jesus. I found that remarkable. After about 10 kilometres I crossed a large forest. That shaded area was welcome because from 10:30 the temperature started to rise seriously.
The latest 5 km through Bernissart to the campsite were too much: over concrete and in full sun. But a step slower will get you there eventually.
The day started early today. At 4am I woke up by myself and at 4:15 I then got up. It was still dark and nice and fresh. An hour and a half later, I had breakfast, everything was packed and I could be on my way.
The very first section, a path straight through the two bird ponds of the Marais d'Harchies, was the most beautiful today, especially so early in the morning. While photographing, I did get heavily attacked by mosquitoes.
Thereafter, the GR412 Ouest me through the village Hensies and then right through a large plain with windmills where hardly a tree could be seen. Just at a time when the heat was starting to rise. Besides, the GR path there flowed into a impenetrable wasteland of nettles and thorns, which meant I had to make another block around in that heat before arriving at the commune around 11am, after 18km of walking Monceau arrived.
I had not yet found a place to sleep, a Welcome To My Garden host in Wihéries whom I wrote to on Wednesday had still not replied. So I went to take my chances in Monceau. However, because of the heat, there were very few people on the streets, and in a café that was open - thankfully - I didn't find any candidate hosts either. The few people I met advised me to go to La Maison du Quartier to go behind the church. There, two friendly staff members helped me search. Meanwhile, however, I had written to a second WTMG garden host, Aline in Onnezies, 7 km south-west of Monceau, Where I could go. Actually a bit out of my step direction, which again makes my overall journey several kilometres longer....
Since it is too hot to step out in the afternoon, I spent my time partly at the Maison de quartier and, when this closed rather quickly, at the morning cafe.
Around 6pm, I bought some dinner at the local Carrefour and then set off for Onnezies as swiftly as possible. As I expected the route to pass through the fields in full sunshine again, I had first wet my marcell and cap, to which I attached a handkerchief as a neck protector yesterday, thoroughly in the cafe. This helps enormously in keeping your body cool. After 4 km, I did this again with a bottle of water. In the end, thank God, it turned out to be a rather shady route via a Ravel in a deep, wooded bed.
Around 8pm I arrived at Aline in Onnezies, a very quiet and rural village.
It was a long day, tomorrow I'll stick to about eight kilometres to a campsite just across the border in France.
Marais d'Harchies near Bernissart
This morning I slept in until 5:30 because yesterday had been very tough and I only had a short trip ahead of me today. The bow should not always be tight...
To 6:30 I was out and about. A few hundred metres past Aline's house, a vast forest begins and I planned my route right through it. But before I reached the edge of the forest, I spotted a roe deer grazing undisturbed in a meadow. Unfortunately, a little too far away to capture on camera. In the forest, I also saw two more, but before I had dug up my phone they jumped gracefully into the inhospitable forest.
I was planning to go to campsite La Jonquière to go into Hon-Hergies, France. They would also have a restaurant, but since so many establishments are closed because of corona I decided to call to see if the campsite was open. I was then in Bellignies, and there was the last grocery shop I passed. The telephonist at La Jonquière said they were full and flatly refused to receive me, even as a not very mobile tent puller. Not at all 'sympa', a campsite that all hikers and cyclists should put on their blacklist. And caravan and mobile home travellers too, in solidarity with their less mobile and more vulnerable counterparts.
But these adversity turned into a huge windfall. In Bellignies Indeed, was also a municipal campsite which was not shown on Google maps and where I received an exceptionally warm welcome. Not normal what the (volunteer) campsite manager Monsieur Claude did for me. He called the mayor and got permission to let me camp for free for two days.
Tomorrow will be a 100% canicule rest day. I resist only to get something to eat at the local restaurant.
The second leg of my cycle tour around the Adriatic Sea: the Balkan countries, probably as far as Dubrovnik in Croatia, perhaps even further…
On my travels, I meet so many friendly, helpful and hospitable people.
They deserve a hall of fame.
