Eco-Gites of Lenault Walks - La Cour Anteol
This is walk number 7 in our series of walks you can take directly from the gite with the route taking you past our nearest riding stables of La Cour Anteol. You can take both take riding lessons here on their ponies/horses or stable your own horse(s) there before heading out to discover Normandy on horseback.
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La Cour Anteol
Distance - 11.1kms
This walk is currently the longest in our series of routes that all begin and end at Eco-Gites of Lénault at just over 11kms. However, it is not as hilly as some of the other walks and takes in a mix of views including woodlands, open farmland, small hamlets valleys. I did this walk in autumn when the trees were just beginning to really show their colours but I would also recommend doing it in spring when one section has a magnificent display of cowslips and wild daffodils. In all but the very driest of weather waterproof footwear is advisable as there are 2 sections where the paths are stream fed and can be wet underfoot.
Herd of Charolais cows
Waymarker showing the range of local walks including 2 horse riding routes
Autumn ferns
Bridge over the Ruisseau du Cresme
Fallen autumn leaves
Ponies and a donkey at La Cour Anteol
Path across open farmland - on this section of paths Red Kites have been seen on the wing
Spring cowslips
The Route
Walk out of the gite past the old building/pig house and onto the footpath. Turn left. Follow the path round to the road and turn right. Walk down the hill. After a long bend when the slope begins to level out take the path on your left (marked with a no vehicles sign), cross the small stream and walk uphill. This path is fed by a spring and in all but the driest of summers it becomes a small stream itself. Walk on across farmland where you may see a herd of white Charolais cattle and just before you reach the road turn right at the Le Bout de Là waymarker. Continue down to the next road. Cross over and take the small road almost opposite the path. Cross over the next road continuing past a house and cross the bridge over the stream called the Ruisseau du Cresme. Turn right at the road and continue ignoring all paths to your right. You will pass another waymarker, Le Val Mérienne, which guides walkers on several other local footpaths and 2 long distance horse routes, La Chevauchée de Guillaume and La Rando des Haras Nationaux.
The countryside around Eco-Gites of Lenault is very well suited for horse riding being close to several long and middle distance guided routes. A little further on near the riding school you'll see a sign for a route called Au fil de la Druance, a 32km route taking you from Suisse Normande to Falaise.
Walk past this waymarker following the route called Variante Pontécoulant et le Cresme and when the road takes a sharp right turn take the path on your left. Continue along this small valley and when the path forks (waymarker Le Côtil Jouvin) turn left over the stream (following the Pontécoulant et le Cresme route). Walk up thehill along another stream fed path and at the road turn right. Walk on until the right bend in the road and take the path to your left across open farmland with a few trees standing tall on the horizon.
A friend has told me that on this section of path he has seen red kites. I have not been so lucky to see these magnificent birds locally but I hope to one day. You may well catch sight of other birds of prey, though, including buzzards, kestrels and maybe even a hobby.
Towards the end of the path is La Cour Anteol Riding Stables. Walk straight on down along the small path that takes you down the side of the stables and wind your way through the hamlet of La Quartree. Here you will see various ponies and horses belonging to the stables.
At the road turn left down into the valley. If you are walking this route in spring you will be able to see hundreds of cowslips that grow on the verge as well as fields of wild daffodils. At the bottom of the valley cross over the bridge and turn right immediately towards the hamlet of La Buotière. Walk through the hamlet and take the path to your right in front of the house facing you. Continue to the road and turn left.
Walk along the road and through the hamlet of Crapouville and continue along the road, dropping down into a small valley and back up the other side. Take the first road on your right just before you let into the hamlet of La Motterie and marked with a weight limit road sign. As the road starts a left turn carry on to the path in front of you. Walk up this path to the road then turn right. After 2 fields on your left turn left down the first path on your eft and continue all the way to the road. Cross over the road. You are now back to where you began the walk so continue along, round a sharp right turn and after 100 or so metres walk back in through our gate. As an alternative at the road you could turn right and then walk up our front drive.
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Eco-Gites of Lenault Walks - La Pierre Druidique
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