Tony, Tim, Betsy & Ray's (not forgetting Geoff) 2014 Camino

01.06.15 Sunday Ferme de Marsan, Pimbo to Lareule. The rain that started at dinner time stopped at 2.30, the tents are dry inside and are soon packed we are off by 7.30. Ray says we are not on the camino cos we are going downhill but this changes, we turn right on to the Way and head uphill steeply, after a while we go through the regulation mud but still climb up to Pimbo a linear bastide on the top of a ridge. It has another gite comunale attached to the church which has a very old arch with what look like celtic designs around it. The church is known to date to 11th C and has a round cieling around the altar which is ready for the service and a garden at the back. More up and down continues enlivened by Betsy spotting a small grass snake asleep up a bramble. Along a road we are effusively greeted by a black labrador, we have met the first Buster of the trip. (For those ignorant of previous adventures, a Buster is a dog who chooses to follow, or sometimes lead pilgrims along their way.They are amiable spirits not excessively friendly but quiet and content to ramble often long distances attached to the walkers.) This one was with us for about 5km when we were witness to a dog napping as a blue Peugeot stopped a young girl got out, grabbed our new friend and bundled him into the back. The car then drove off with a woman presumably her mother glaring at us. Oops. Maybe he was a wanabe Buster, not the real thing. The way has further attraction added in a couple of placed by some house owners and farms placing old farm machinery beside the path. One such collection is by the walnut tree in whose shade we have lunch and provides the usual excellent drying rack for the tents. A few hills later we reach the gite in which we are staying and four beers gratefully dissappear before the usual cleansing rituals take place. The weather seems to have warmed up! 24km 630m up 660 m down