Another Walk in the Val de Ruz

We had a couple of quiet days on Sunday and Monday, so decided to do some work today.  We walked from Cernier/Fountainemelon to la Jonchère, to Boudevilliers, to Valengin (where the castle is), to Fenin, to Vilars, to Engollon and back to Cernier.  Using the old 1 hour = 5km rule, it was around 22km.  Feet a little sore, but otherwise feel pretty good after a long shower.  Bits of this might look easy, but it wasn't all like that - I lost a kilo between leaving home and getting back.

  

Starting out - fields between Fountainemelon and la Jonchère.

  

Just a farmhouse we passed.

  

For Aja - Pa outside a house in la Jonchère.

  

For Mardi the teacher (she is now officially able to work for DET!) - Ecole Primaire in la Jonchère

  

Nice bit of forest heading down to Valangin.

  

View from our lunch spot in Valangin - a 15th century church.  Valangin.

I'm a little hazy on the dates here - a 14th century tower/gate?  Valangin.

  

15th century church again - Valangin.

  

Medieval part of the town in Valangin.  Not something you see every day on a Bega Valley Bushwalkers walk :)

  

From the castle ramparts Valangin.  This is the first castle we've been in since Muirten in The Netherlands.

  

Jan stepping down from the "round-castle" walk in Valangin.

  

Tower/gate from the other side - the lady's skirt was fascinating. Valangin.

  

Jan removing the zip-off lower section of her fancy hiking pants outside of Valangin on the way to Fenin.

 

Lovely walk up from Valangin to Fenin.   "Up" being the operative word!

  

Just about to come into Fenin.  View accross the valley to Cernier (where we live) in the distance-

  

A cabinet maker's place in Fenin.

  

For Aja - a moo-cow with a bell on so the farmer doesn't lose her.

  

Jan heading down from Vilars to cross the Seyon River (creek) before heading up to Engollon.  Downhill was good at this stage!

  

OK, so we took a shortcut through a farmer's recently harvested field - he was nearby and didn't seem too upset :)

  

Jan outside the Val de Ruz pool - by this stage water was vastly preferred over walking.  Please note the Swiss flag on the water bottle.