Lynn Amber - Travel & Photography
sharing my thoughts through words and images
Cinque Terre Hiking Trip – Preview
October 2025
My blog posts have been intermittent for some time now. Sorry!! I have had very limited cell service since last Spring and no convenient internet service. But, I’m back home in Vermont for the foreseeable future and enjoying consistent connectivity! So, I have a lot to catch up on!
The list of posts that need to be written and shared include: the continuation of my Le Puy Camino from Spring of 2023; the trip my husband and I embarked on Spring of 2025 consisting of a cool Danube River boat trip and our Camino Portuguese adventure; and my most recent hiking trip to the Cinque Terre coastline of Italy. I hope to devote a little bit of time every day to editing photographs and drafting commentary – and hopefully get caught up documenting my travels over the coming winter months.
I’ll start off today with a single photograph from my recent trip to the Cinque Terre – just a little snapshot of what’s to come! The photograph above was taken along the pedestrian walkway lining the harbor in Le Grazie, Italy. Le Grazie is one of several towns that line the coast of the Gulf of Poets – also referred to as the Gulf of La Spezia. It is my home base for the next week as I explore the wonders of the Cinque Terre!
The boats in the foreground are commercial boats used in the mussel farming industry that dots the gulf waters. The black barrels float on top of the water and farmers suspend ropes from these barrels. The mussels attach themselves to these ropes and are left there to grow before harvesting. This is an industry that has been active since around 1800 and makes a significant contribution to the local economy.
Le Grazie was my home base for 8 days while exploring the Cinque Terre National Park or the Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre in Italian.
August Sunset on Timothy Lake
We’ve had a smokey haze all day due to wildfires to the south of us and it makes for some very pink sunsets.
More Timothy Lake Ducks
I’m not sure what provoked the one duck into scolding his fellow log-sitter – but the squabble was amusing!
Lazy Timothy Lake Morning
July 29, 2025
I like to bring my chair and coffee down to the lakeshore early in the morning on my days off. I’m usually greeted by one of the several flocks of ducks that call our campground day use area home. 🙂 They are so chill!!
Timothy Lake 2025 – Sunset
We have not had many colorful sunsets at Timothy Lake this summer but this one a few days ago was absolutely spectacular!
Timothy Lake 2025 – Early Wildflowers
Connectivity issues have prevented me from posting for awhile but hoping now that I have a good system to get back to regular posts!
We arrived back at Timothy Lake in the Mt. Hood National Forest for a second year of camp hosting and the early wildflowers blooming in the forest did not disappoint!
Le Puy Camino – via Podiensis: Moissac to Auvillar
April 27, 2023
It was a long (19.8 km) trek today but also a relatively flat walk along the Canal Latéral de la Garonne between Moissac and Auvillar. It also turned out to be one of the hottest days of our travels.
Some final scenes from Moissac:
An example of the many small épiceries that we encountered along the Way. This one specializes in local products.
We reached the canal very quickly and and commenced our journey – happy for what would be a fairly easy, level walk even with the distance. The weather was good and the canal walk afforded plenty of shade due to the massive sycamores lining the path.
The path hugged the left side of the canal for much of the walk. There were several bridges that spanned the canal and led to small villages along the route. This was definitely one of the most relaxing days on the Way.
Some of my favorite photos of the canal:
Before crossing the bridge that leads to the final 5 kilometers of the walk, I popped into the Église de Pommevic, located in a small village along the canal.
At the village of Pommevic, the GR 65 turns left and crosses over the Canal Latéral de la Garonne and it’s sister Canal de Golfech. At this point, the path is more exposed and it was a hot crossing through some agricultural farm lands.
I took a short break once I reached the town of Espalais. There was a nice park with some shade and I desperately needed a water break and relief from the sun. Reaching the point in the day when you know you are “almost there” is a gratifying feeling and I felt that sitting in the park. The final stretch involved crossing the Garonne River and climbing the steep road to the center of Auvillar – a city built on a hill overlooking the valley below.
Auvillar is another one of the towns in France that has the distinction of being “one of the most beautiful villages” in the country. And it does not disappoint.
Auvillar is known for it’s unique brick and limestone architecture. The town dates back to the Roman Empire as evidenced by archeological findings. Into the nineteenth century, Auvillar was known for its ceramic pottery. One peculiar aspect of the town is the many ceramic figures throughout the town – mostly in celebration of the pilgrims who stop here along the Camino de Santiago. They are hard to spot – you need to look up as you walk through town to discover them! Many are located on the corners of buildings – what fun!!
As I was walking around in search of my accommodations for the night, I started down one street and noticed a nice flower display in front of one of the townhouses. When I got closer, I realized it was our lodging for the night – Accueil catholique Les Amis de Saint-Jacques! Unlike most of the other places we stayed, the hostess here required that you show your pilgrim credential – no exceptions! She was a former pilgrim who is a devout catholic and opened this pilgrim lodging as a way to help other pilgrims.
Monique – our host – has a beautiful accommodation with a nice landscaped backyard with flower gardens and we could also do laundry for an additional 5 euros. At 40 euros for the night, we had a nice dinner and breakfast included in our rate. A great deal!
The rooms were on the upper floor of the house and there was a really nice balcony patio with views over the surrounding rooftops.
I’ll finish up with Auvillar in the next post. We spent a small amount of time in the morning before heading out on the GR65 and visited some of the interesting landmarks in the old part of town.
Pillar Point Bluff 2.27.25
Another great day of exploring the Pacific Coast – this time just north of Half Moon Bay on a cliff above the ocean called Pillar Point Bluff. We are once again dog sitting for our son’s Belgian Malinois “Wylie” and finding dog friendly hikes in the area. This bluff sits above Maverick Beach which is a popular surfing site.
While there is access via a narrow path to the beach from the bluff, the beach itself is off limits to dogs – even on a leash. It is a protected marine wildlife area as evidenced by the elephant seals we witnessed while walking along the top of the cliff.
It was a warm day – mid-seventies – and I was delighted to see some flowers blooming!
We completed the day with a stop at Barbara’s Fishtrap in the small seaside hamlet of Princeton for a taste of some local fish and chips. Delicious!!
Filoli Historic House and Garden 2.12.25
Enjoyed a stroll around the Filoli Historic House and Garden in Woodside, CA this morning. I love having this place nearby my son’s house and with an annual membership I can visit frequently. Hellebores stole the show today, along with Camellias blooming throughout the garden.
Many Helleborus species are planted in the woodland walk but also given a spotlight in some formal beds. They are some of my favorite perennials – with their early spring blooms and interesting habit.
Also blooming in the garden are some Daphne shrubs with variegated leaves.
While many of the magnolias are in bloom, their blossoms have suffered with the rain and cold, frosty weather. So, I did not take any photographs of the flowers as they were quite unsightly!
I did poke my head into the orangery – my favorite building on site. I want a building like this!! Is that too much to ask!? Ha!
The inside was decorated with potted bulbs and smelled wonderful!
Le Puy Camino – via Podiensis: Saint Martin to Moissac
April 26, 2023
We had 16 kilometers of walking to look forward to on this rather cloudy, drippy day. In my journal notes for today, I wrote that it was a “nice walking day – not too wet.” My recollection is that it did not really rain during our trek but everything was coated in raindrops.
We passed acres of vineyards and orchards along the way – everything leafing out and looking super green! Nice countryside!
Along the GR 65, there are regular trail markers – most are very simple with the white and red stripes painted on trees, fenceposts or rocks. Every now and then, someone gets a tad more creative. Love the wayfinder below!
As we were walking, we noticed a sign up ahead and had some fun at this resting place for pilgrims.
I always enjoy it when I come upon an interpretive sign that explains the landscape we are experiencing. It also gives me a chance to practice my French reading skills. Thank goodness for Google Translate! The sign below “Windows on the Tarn” describes the view we see into the alluvial plain carved out by the River Tarn. It describes the modern landscape of fruit trees and the culture of market gardening that exists along the banks of the Tarn.
Once we got to Moissac, we decided to find our gîte and drop our bags. There was much to explore in Moissac unencumbered by our packs. As it turns out, the Gîte La Petite Lumiere sits high above the city and it was a very steep climb to reach the humble abode! But, oh the view!
We paid 38 euros each for the accommodation that included dinner and breakfast. We had a small dorm room but the other beds were empty so we had the room to ourselves. The other guests chose to pitch a tent in the yard as it is a cheaper option.
We dropped out bags and headed back to the center of town for a bite to eat and a tour of the abbey.
We had a delicious lunch at Le Florentin restaurant!! Highly recommend! It is adjacent to the abbey making it the perfect place to eat before exploring this amazing medieval monastery and active church.
After our meal, we wandered around the Saint-Pierre Abbey and Cloister. The following are some of my favorite pictures of the Romanesque architecture and decorations of the church.
The cloister is known for its sculpted decorations that are present on the “8 pillars and 76 capitals” that surround the green. There is a detailed description of these capitals and the figures sculpted on each here.
After walking around the enclosed green space, it was time to explore the interior of the church. We were able to walk up to the upper room of the bell tower where we could look down upon the main part of the church.
For more information on the Saint-Pierre Abbey please access this link. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a remarkable place!
Back out into the square next to the church, I was struck by the bright colors of the flowers in the planters surrounding a small fountain.
We headed back up to our lodging for dinner after touring the abbey. I enjoyed Moissac and the old part of the city.
We had a nice simple meal that was prepared by our host and a couple of her friends. Totally enjoyable stay in this modest accommodation.
One of the ladies offered to take our picture as we headed off the next day – you can see the statue in the background!
Onward!
