Aiguille de Chambeyron

Yesterday I stormed along for 30 km through a wonderful area of wild rocky peaks around the Aiguilles de Chambeyron, taking in a 3,000m peak and four mountain passes en route.  In between the passes were paths being walked by lots of people, probably following their guidebooks, and with good reason, for the paths skirted some very pretty lakes.  Then, after a series of tremendous rocky peaks, I came to my bivouac hut in a dramatic location, basically a small tin hut just about able to accommodate two Italians, three French and me.  A good bunch of people, good to talk to.  I rose at sunrise to climb a 3,000m peak overlooking the Aiguille de Chambeyron, the colour of the red rock intensified by the early sunlight.  Then back to the hut and a hot and sunny 14 km walk to Larche, where I'm now sitting having a well earned ice cream.  This is a great area, though it doesn't get easier - still many tiring ascents and I have in front of me a long and rough traverse of the Mercantour range.  That though is the last mountain range in my journey, and there are just seven days left.