An ant running up your leg is not normally a problem.

However anyone  who has read my gear list will realise that once it gets to my pants, there is not much to stop it going anywhere it pleases!

Otherwise a lunchtime picnique by the banks of the River Thouet is very idyllic. The river here is 100m wide, slow flowing, and with the occasional large carp throwing itself out of the water.

The Mk2 bandage on Topsy’s right foot has had to be modified to the Mk3. Paddling in water causes the cotton wool inner to clump into a ball in the toe of the outer sock. So it has been removed in the Mk3. This has now sùrvived an hour and a half!

We have done 10k this morning, about half on roads; a test for the Mk 2! There is intensive irrigation here and we have passed fields of lettuces, as well as the now usual corn and sunflowers. We even spotted a mechanical carrot harvester, and I waved at the tractor driver, then took a wayward carrot and fed it to the dogs! Their favourate!

Now waiting for the temperatute to drop before doing the 8k to the campsite at Thouars.