A Walk In The Woods On A Hiking Itinerary From Limousin
Hiking in Chalus Circuit Du Moulichou Balades En LimousinResponsible walker's charter
At a glance
A Walk In The Woods On A Hiking Itinerary From Limousin1. Respect nature as well as your home
When you go hiking, you enter the squirrels’ living room, the deer’s garden and the birds’ playground. 🌳
What’s more, each area you pass through has its own rules: Regional Nature Park, Natura 2000 zone, protected site, etc. So it’s best to find out what’s going on beforehand, so you can protect it better afterwards.
When you’re there, make sure you leave nothing behind but your footprints. No paper, no bottles, no ‘biodegradable’ apple cores. Each piece of waste takes time to disappear and alters the ecosystem. If you’re going to go swimming, make sure you use organic sun creams so as not to pollute the water.
The best rule? “What I bring, I take back“. Simple and effective ♻️
2. Staying on track
“Cutting across fields” sounds very adventurous! 😎
But the waymarked paths aren’t there by chance… crossing pastures can disturb the local wildlife and damage the soil 🌿
(In some cases, this crossing is authorised, so remember to close the gates! 🐄)
With their big eyes, our cows are adorable. But they’re not pets (although we’d love to be!).
So it’s best not to try and get close to them or stroke them… for that, there’s the Limousine Park. The cows there are used to being petted and they love it 🐮
Countryside And Cows Limousines
Hiking with your dog with Cani-Rando in Haute-Vienne3. Sharing the trail
Hiking is also about meeting people 🥾
In Haute-Vienne, you often have the impression of being alone in the world in the vast landscapes: and that’s what you’re looking for. Peace and quiet 💚
But sometimes you come across hikers, cyclists, hunters, farmers or local residents… So respect each other’s space and park in the designated spaces.
4. Animals in incognito mode
We’ve already told you about the Limousin cows, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the wildlife that lives here! Our countryside is incredibly rich in wildlife, even if it’s not necessarily visible.
So we have to respect these places, because if we can’t see or hear the animals, the reverse is not true. Music, shouting, etc. can disturb them…
Keeping quiet is the best way to be sure of catching a glimpse of them. And if they do? Admire them from afar, especially the small ones (and particularly the wild boars).
(Of course, you mustn’t feed them either, as the animals get used to it, abandon their natural food and become dependent on it. 🐿️)
The Etang de Murat, classified Natura 2000, and its ornithological observatory in Limousin.
5. No fire, no smoke, no fuss
Do you love the smell of a log fire? So do we.
But in the great outdoors, it’s the worst idea ever. A simple cigarette butt or improvised barbecue can devastate hectares of forest and the treasures it contains🌲🔥
In summer, the risk is greatest, so save your cold picnic and cigarette for later.
To cook outside, choose a designated, authorised area: never beside a footpath or in the forest.
6. Touching with the eyes
Heather, a mossy stone, a feather found on the ground… the temptation is great to bring back a souvenir. And yet it’s the exact opposite of the hiker’s spirit 🌸
Observing without touching, photographing without picking, means preserving what others will come to admire tomorrow. Each element has its role: a flower feeds an insect, a stone shelters a moss, a fallen trunk becomes a refuge for thousands of little lives.
So look, capture, contemplate… and leave empty-handed, but with a full heart💫
Autumn walks and hikes in Limousin - Lande de la Flotte et du Cluzeau at Château-Chervix on the shepherds' and tile-makers' path
