Circuit de Couéguel

Start from the village of Couépion.

(S/E) At the far end of the village, leave the farm on your right and head up the road heading west towards Touchal.
As you approach the first buildings, leave the road and take the path branching off to the right, towards a wooded area. This wide path takes a sweeping bend as it descends into a small valley, then climbs back up towards the village of Kerhervio after crossing the stream.

(1) Ignore the signposting heading left and continue straight on. Pass the houses in the hamlet and turn left after the last one, onto the small path nestled between two large hedges.
At the next crossroads, turn right. Pass the Ferme de Couéguel on your right and continue straight on along a wide, tree-lined path. It crosses a beautiful agricultural landscape before reaching an area of heathland planted with maritime pines.

(2) In the heart of this area, a wide path branches off to the right. Follow it down until you reach the vicinity of the stream. Just before you get there, a path branches off to the right into the woods. It winds its way some distance from the stream, sometimes deep within the woodland, sometimes along the edge, before emerging into an agricultural area. Please note: in wet weather, the proximity of the stream can make the path difficult to follow.

(3) Pass the chicane, turn left, cross the stream and head up the slope until you pass the rear of the first houses in Kerbodo. Turn right to enter the hamlet and cross it, following the tarmac road uphill. Follow it to the first junction, then turn right. Continue along the road until you can see the buildings of Kerlerno.

(4) As you approach this hamlet, a road branches off to the left. At the junction of the two paths, a flight of steps has been built to descend the embankment. Take these and follow the edge of the woods, then head deeper into the woods, following the embankments that once bordered an old track.
As you approach the bottom of the valley, ignore a path branching off to the left and continue straight on until you reach the stream again. Turn right then left to reach the footbridge that takes you across it.

(5) After crossing the stream, turn left onto the path that follows the valley floor, at the foot of the wooded hillside overlooking it. Pass two ponds that have been created on the other side of the stream, and continue along this same path. Just before reaching the Limerzel road, it climbs up the slope to join a magnificent sunken path lined with beech trees that descends to the vicinity of the Couéguel mill.
As you approach the property, turn away from it and take the path on the left that runs between the foot of the slope and the stream. Cross the stream a little further on and follow the path back up to the road.

(6) When you reach the road, turn right. This road is not very busy, but walking along its edge requires a degree of caution. Follow it until you pass the old mill and the left-hand bend overlooking it (approx. 500m).

(7) Just before the Talhouët mill, take the path that branches off the road to the right and heads down the slope towards the stream. A ford allows you to cross the stream, just before the entrance to the property. Continue straight on, following the wide sandy track that runs alongside the valley and climbs up onto the plateau in a broad S-shape. You will soon see the first houses of Couépion, the end of the route (S/E)

Par temps humide, certains passages (proximité des ruisseaux, gué de Talhouet, abords d'exploitations agricoles...) peuvent être plus ou moins boueux. Il n'en demeure pas moins que les chemins sont bien solides et que, s'il est parfois possible de salir ses chaussures, pas de risque de s'y enliser.

Ravitaillement possible à Péaule.

Le parcours suit pendant un long moment l'un des ruisseaux qui aboutissent au moulin de Couéguel. Le sentier y longe d'anciennes noës, prairies humides de fond de vallon, qui constituaient autrefois les garde-mangers de fin d'été pour les exploitations riveraines. Inadaptées à la mécanisation de l'agriculture, elles ont fait l'objet de déprise agricole et nombre d'entre-elles sont désormais en friches ou boisées, voire ont laissé la place à des plans d'eau. Toutefois, ce circuit permet de constater la survivance de certaines d'entre-elles et de leur système d'écoulement.