Monday 20th September - Good day on the coast, at Cap Fréhel. Parked in the car park in front of the lighthouse. Busy here, but not many people ventured far from the car park. Lighthouse relatively modern, built in 1950, out of granite. The Cap, however, is formed of red sandstone. As it was very hard / well-cemented and resembled the rock forming the Brecon Beacons, I thought it was Devonian Old Red Sandstone. Actually (see weblink in intro'), it was much older, Precambrian. Distinctive bedding. A sea stack just off the promintory. Further along the cliff, to the north was a stone tower, presumably a beacon at one time. CCEng remembers propping his bicycle against this when he came to Brittany in the early 1990s. Numerous nearby cairns built with loose, angular boulders of sandstone. Heavy tourist erosion, removing much of the vegetation between the lighthouse and beacon. Some areas fenced off, espace conservation, to allow the vegetation to regrow.
Apparently (Michelin guide) there was a Breton myth about it being possible to walk to the UK from Cap Fréhel. Perhaps they got the idea from it's distinctive flat topped profile. Apparently scientists have shown it would have been possible during human / hominid times. Presumably, the western Channel was always too deep, even during the ice ages. No Precambrian red sandstone in SW England, anyway.
Walked to Fort de la Latte which we could see silouetted against the sun from the Cap, on the first promintory to the east, the Pointe de la Latte Followed the GR34 clifftop path around the bay. Views beyond to St. Cast, the St. Briac area. In the distance, St. Malo. Felt very warm in the sun, though clouded over as the day went on, particularly inland. Emerald green colour to the sea (hence Côte d'Emerald). Pine trees in the more wooded area towards the middle of the bay, gave an almost Mediterranean feel. Rocks underfoot changed as we neared the Fort. The red sandstone became greyer, quartzite perhaps. Wasn't sure about the cliffs near the Fort, but there were granite pebbles in the cove where we had lunch, enjoying the view of the Fort, a grand castle building. Dare say it'ss been used in films.
Walked back to Cap Fréhel, buying ice creams from the shop in the round building near the car park. Also a restaurant here, though didn't look very busy today. Now a definite current running around the Cap from the west.
Back at Dinan, went for another early evening walk and did some sketching by the Rance. Bought a couple of slices of crumble from the cake shop at the bottom of the hill.
