diben – to the pointe of

 

We've not done this before: stayed for an extra night in Roscoff before shipping. It proves to be a good strategy as we can now take a longer time to savour further what I think is first division coastal scenery. The sunday sunrise is wonderful: we head downstairs for a hotel breakfast – not usual for us but, you guessed it, this one was inclusive with the room booking.

We are going to Pointe du Diben.

To do this we peel off the main road south from Roscoff, skirt Carantec and drop down to the winding estuary of the Rivière de Morlaix in golden morning sunshine. So green, blossomy,  and stippled with bluebells here and there. We’ll always try to take in this loop when coming and going to Roscoff if time allows, it is beautiful, scenic, dramatic and often rich in estuarine birdlife. The contrast between high and low water is marked. There are intimidating mud banks. The bay is studded with islets, feux and minor phares, cardinals and tourelles.

I am sure all this, and the Baie de Morlaix generally gets a lot of visitors in holiday season, with some justification. Not the time to introduce oneself to the location perhaps, except in an early morning. We are: early, out of season and on a sunday. Motoring south then, upstream, passing Locquénolé to cross the bridgehead right in Morlaix harbour. Not today though. Route Barrée just before the bridge in Morlaix. No prior warning. The diversion is utterly confusing,  taking us to the railway station and then I know not where. Mme Melling applies her years of navigational expertise: even she is confused for a while. Eventually a route is found way off piste, via Ploujean; a great chunk of the riverside route has been bypassed (but we shall get it upon our return). 

A brief stop and leg-stretch around the renowned oyster sellers of le Dourduff en Mer, everything closed, then Plouezoc’h, Térenez, Pointe du Diben and the port. Oh my! what a scene to behold! Thundering seas, brilliant light with approaching thunderous cloudscapes. 

Not a hint of this en route…

Granite coasts you see. Finèstere and Côtes d’Amor. It is totally in charge. France has made this coast accessible to visitors mostly without compromising it, so generally the littoral retains almost all of its natural character.  It is almost like being the first to see it. Clearly we are not, and there are a handful of others just taking it all, very much, in. A bit of make ready on the jetty in progress but no one is going boating, the sea is frantic. 

Today we have rainbows, huge (massive even) surf, gunmetal cloudscapes, monumental granite tors, stacks and outliers, scattered brilliant light. Keen breezes. I’ll stop there. Just take a look. Believe you me, I could not do it justice with my camera, any camera. Just once we get caught in a squall. Even that was epic. Wowzer. 

How have we not preceded hitherto before? Being spoilt for choice is one reason. Another, it pains me to admit,  is not having the IGN map of this area. Couldn’t sort that today, (Magasin da la Presse closed). But I have it now. I shall consume it for weeks to come. And the egg size granite pebble I picked up. To add to those others I have brought back in the past…

Eventually, perhaps even reluctantly, we return the way we have come, or wanted to come, tried to be arty at the boat cemetery, and sit out a hail squall at Térenez. 

We drive up the east side of the river into Morlaix where it is still route barrée at the bridge, but we address this irritation like pros and are able to proceed north along the west side of the river, after visiting Morlaix station again, it seems to be de rigeur. A great day out, money in the spiritual bank as it were, only slightly dampened upon arrival in the Ty Pierre for refreshment to find that the Paris–Roubaix classic bike race is not being shown on the big screen. A national disgrace.

Supper is dished up at the Surcouf: we eat fish marmites and I sink oysters, just a dozen, and generally agree that the place is back on the up, if ever it was slightly less so. Not over-busy, which makes it less hectic, more relaxing……  been coming here for well over 20 years. A five star day. Supper also.