An early start to our day paid off as we got to Dover in really good time and got put onto the 8.15 crossing ahead of the booked 9.45 one. Absolutely no delays going through customs at Dover and we drove straight off the ferry and straight onto the road network system without seeing a soul! So much so that we pulled up at a the first service area outside Calais to get our bearings, set the Sat Nav and change the van settings to Kilometres.

We made good headway using the toll free route via Dunkirk and Lille and after one aborted mission to access an Aire in Lessines, where the access road was being dug up with no obvious alternative route we bobbed a few miles back down the road to an Aire in Ath. It was an unusual Aire (CCP) having started life as a recycling plant, where you reversed into the slots that would have sited the skips but the concrete walls had all been painted with murals – sorry forgot to take a photo.

Once settled we wandered along the banks of La Dendre Canal and into the town of Ath….

A vibrant university town with a buzzing Grand Place, alive with people enjoying the afternoon sun and a drink or two….

Some weird sort of totems in a courtyard caught our eye but no clue as to what or why….

And of course a fine church – St Juliens and a medieval Tower – Burbant….

A pleasant walk after a longish day.

Today’s stats:

• Miles driven – 139
• Miles walked – 4
• O/N – £11.18