Saint-Caradec – Abbaye de Timadeuc

6h20 25.7 km

DIRECTIONS :

00.0 – At Saint-Caradec, go towards the town hall [mairie], pass in front of the St James Waymark denoting 105km and walk as far as the Rue Nationale (formerly N 164). Cross it and take the D7 towards Pontivy. At the intersection with the Hilvern feed-canal [rigole] (1.3km) go left and walk on the left or right bank (greenway) – passing under a motorway after 500m – as far as the intersection with a farm track, site of the Pestuan trench (explanatory signboard about the feed-canal). At the top (2.2km), leave the feed-canal and go left, and head down to the junction of the Croix de Giben then go straight up as far as the hamlet of Kerdrain

Above the hamlet take a right. Having passed the hamlet take a farm track on the left. Go up the slope and then back down towards the mill Moulin de Beausseau. At the Cross, take the right-hand road, then quickly left in the direction of the chapel of Saint Marcel. At the side of it, go right and head up the path. At the intersection with an asphalt road, go left towards Hémonstoir. Pass through the areas of Beau Soleil and Belno and enter...

1h35 06.7 – ... Hémonstoir. In the town, pass by the town hall, take a right, then a left, in the direction of Loudéac. Above a fountain decorated with three saints, take on your right the C2, to the right in the direction of Saint-Gonnery. Pass by the old railway station of Brérec, and the stream called Clio which defines the border between the departements of Côtes-d'Armor and Morbihan, go up towards the hamlet of Brérec and enter the woods of Robert. Having reached the Hilvern feed-canal, turn left to follow it (on the right or left bank) as far as the D 768 dual-carriageway. Go over this using the walkway ; follow the feed-canal crossing first one road (via Impasse des Colombes), then a second road (via Rue de la Rigole) to arrive at a third intersection, where you go down to the left towards…

3h00 12.0 – ... Saint-Gonnery, At the stopsign, turn left and take Rue des Deux-Ponts towards the church, pass by it and go up towards the feed-canal. At the top, turn left (Rue Parcola) and go alongside it on the left bank (for 2.3km). Pass through two road intersections and turn left at the third one towards the Nantes-Brest canal. Pass through the area of Goaffré ; continue straight ahead to the next intersection and turn right to get to...

3h55 15.9 – ... the lock of Boju. Here turn left before the bridge and walk along the left bank. Pass by the lock of Kermelin, then that of Coët-Prat, where you change banks (17.8km). On a curve of the canal you will come upon the lock of Guer before the town of Saint-Samson, with an access overbridge, after 500 m. Continue along the towpath and pass by the...

5h15 21.2 – ... River Port of Rohan. Go around the dock by the right before getting back onto the towpath. Pass under a first bridge and at the second, near the chapel of Bonne-Encontre, on the other bank, cross over the bridge taking the D2 to change bank and continue along the towpath which from this point follows the left bank of the canal.

[Variation  : Here it is possible to go to the abbey of Timadeuc following the walking trail GR37 : for this, after having crossed the bridge, follow the D2 then the GR waymarks (1km by road then by hollow-path/chemin creux and farm?/forestry?access track; the same distance as via the towpath)]
Reach the lock of Timadeuc. Here take a left and go up for 500m towards...

6h20 25.8 – ... the Abbey of Timadeuc.