Friday 14 August 2015

the finish

At 1:50 I finished my journey in the sea at menton.  The water was warm and soothing after my long days.  I felt slightly numb and I suspect it will take some time for it to sink in.  I'm utterly exhausted after having to do those 40 km with little sleep and stomach cramps and after two very hard day's before. It was bizarre to join the throngs of holiday makers on the beach.such a different environment from the lonely places. I'll miss the rhythm of the days, the mountains and the wildlife, but I relish having a less intensive schedule. It's been one heck of a trip and I'll write it up properly and post pictures in the days ahead. Thanks especially to my dad for doing most of the blog posts and to Andy for the early ones, and to the incomparable Lawson family for their support in the valley at the end and in the dolomites. I've made it!

Thursday 13 August 2015

The final mountains

My alpine journey is nearly ended, but not before two very hard days.  After completing the traverse of the Mercantour mountains and a last night in a hut, I climbed Monte Argentera (3,297m).  There was a nice scramble to the top, but then a very difficult descent taking two and a half hours, during which my water bottle fell from my rucksack and fell tinkling down the mountainside (glad it wasn't me!).  After a meal I got the poles out and generated a good pace uphill, but it was a tough day, 30 km and 2,500m of ascent in great heat.  At 6.30pm I rather lost it, felt queasy and sick and my stomach rebelled against a mountain of pasta.  So in the shelter of a wall I found a good bivvy spot and had a last night under the stars.  But I was too tired to enjoy it, yet didn't sleep much.  I thought of getting up at 3am, but negotiating a pathless boulder field and glaciated slabs in the dark wasn't appealing, so I set off at 6am, still feeling wretched.  After another pass and following a better path, I met up with Pam at 12 and with a smaller and lighter sack felt a little better, finally reaching the campsite at 4.30, having walked 40 km.  Coming down from the mountains was like entering a heat bowl and, with an easy 20 km tomorrow, I'm really looking forward to finishing.  Menton, here I come!

Monday 10 August 2015

very soggy on the border

I should have done my half day yesterday.  Today was very wet.  I retraced my steps for two km and went up to the French Italian border. Despite the heavy rain I climbed the cime de laufer and then followed the border to the col lombarde. You can walk over stones marked france/Italy which feels a little odd. Half way I was in danger of getting hypothermic so I sheltered in the overhang of an abandonned hut and stripped off my t shirt for a long sleeved shirt and jumper.  By the time I reached the pass everything was wringing wet so I was glad of being met for the comforts of isola.

Two big days coming up.  I hope to do the argentera tomorrow from the Lombarde pass and then the cime de gelas the next day.  We'll see. The poor weather today makes me appreciate the wonderful days I've had.

No pictures today but a few more from previously.














Sunday 9 August 2015

rest day number 2 and photos

with an unpromising forecast of rain and storms I've opted for a rest day in Isola, or more accurately, a day to match good forecasted weather with the peak I want to do.  In reality its stayed dry, so I hope tomorrow isn't much worse!  I've felt fit and have moved much faster over the past few days but last night I was kept awake by 2 families until 12:30 at night at the camp site and then woke up before 5am.  Not so restful!  I've plenty of time in hand so plan a short day tomorrow when the weather is predicted to be bad in the afternoon and then 2 long days with bivvies when its supposed to be good, followed by the walk out to Menton over the next 2 days.

I've mixed feelings about finishing.  I'm glad not to have a schedule and the continual physical and mental effort but I'll miss the journeying on and the rhythm of the journey.

Yesterday I got caught in a big storm at the wrong time.  I was right at the top of a notch in a rocky ridge with lightening all around.  the thunder was so loud I stuck my fingers in my ears.  The gap between lightening and thunder was less than a second.  the hail came down like a power shower had been turned on full and the sky was pitch black.  I went down after crossing another pass in the same conditions.  I didn't fancy a repeat today.

Finally I've managed to download some of my 1134 photos.  So here's some for starters:









Saturday 8 August 2015

A district of lakes

Despite threatened storms, the good weather persists, so I've continued to make good progress - 32 km yesterday, a similar distance the day before, and probably the same today.  After Larche, yesterday I slogged up a hill, passing probably 150 people (on a trail near a car park!), then after 4.00 pm I saw no-one.  Among the many lakes which are such a feature of this district, Lac Lauzanier was particularly beautiful.  Then after another pass, I walked off-trail in a very wild area of moraine, variously coloured rocks and grass, not unlike Scotland - except that it was hot!  Threatened thunder held off, so I again bivvied near a little lake amidst glacial slabs.  These bivouacs have been the highlight of my journey: choosing a perfect spot with grand scenery, watching the sun set and the afterglow illumine the mountain tops and then falling asleep under the stars.  Then, of course, an early start - this morning it was at 5.15 and still dark, but soon the sun rose into a perfect blue sky and once again it has become hot.  This morning I've passed ten lakes on an amazing path traversing the mountains of the Mercanton range.  If the weather holds, I shall bivvy again tonight.

Postscript.  Well, I did manage 35 km today, but the weather didn't hold!  This afternoon there was a massive thunderstorm: it became black as night, hail lashed down, lightning struck as close as 150m away from me, and the thunder was so loud I had to put my fingers in my ears.  Pretty scary.  I'm now down to the road and waiting for Pam and Martin to pick me up - the storm has cleared away but it's camping and drying out for me tonight, no bivvy!

Friday 7 August 2015

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.

Wednesday 5 August 2015

Ascent of Monte Viso

The bivouac hut last night was in a lovely wild spot, above a twinkling blue lake, surrounded by rocks.  The hut was packed to capacity, with parties from France, Italy and Germany all intending, like me, to ascend Monte Viso in the morning.  It seemed cramped at first with rucksacks etc everywhere and I was in the attic, but actually it was fine and I had a good chat with a French couple and one of the Germans, and I slept well.  Unusually there was no stove, so I cooked my meal on my camping stove using my sole canister of gas, which conveniently ran out just as I'd heated my morning tea!  Some parties left at 4.00 and 5.30, but I left with the rest at 6.00 am and I'm going well so overtook everyone to arrive at the summit at 8.20.  It was actually a surprisingly easy ascent, with a path to start and then scrambling over red rocks, polished smooth by many feet.  The view from the summit was stupendous; in the clear, still morning air the whole of the alps could be seen - quite brilliant.  I was back at the hut for a meal by 10.10 and then had a leisurely descent to the valley.  It was a thoroughly enjoyable day, though I found that camping a couple of days ago disturbed the rhythm of my days and it took two or three hours to get back into the flow of my journey.

Tuesday 4 August 2015

Monte Viso

I'm back in Italy, doing some peaks in the Monte Viso range of spiky, rocky peaks, with lots of alpine flowers, lakes and goats; quite a favourite area of the Italians.  Yesterday I climbed the Tete de Telvas, a nice pointy peak and today the Piz Granero, with a good little scramble to the top and a fine view of Monte Viso.  In between was a very good hut offering conversation and an excellent meal.  So, feeling good and hoping the weather continues to hold, tomorrow I shall climb Monte Viso, at 3,841m the highest I've been on this journey. 

Sunday 2 August 2015

A delayed rendezvous

Yesterday I reached Briançon, a pleasant place where I ate some little treats at an excellent a little way in the direction I wanted to take next day and they would drive up the road and catch me up.  However they were severely delayed by traffic, the weather and a major detour, so I ended up walking 21 km to the end of the road!  Fortunately there was a refuge where, being soaked by the rain, I ordered a vin chaud and had a good meal, before eventually they arrived and we were able to camp.  Today was fine and I climbed the Grand Glaiza and walked in the Queyras National Park, a most wonderful area teaming with wild life, particularly butterflies and many different sorts of cricket in the grasses.  An amazing place for photography, with a striking view of Monte Viso towering above the clouds. 

Saturday 1 August 2015

A soaking in the night

This time my instinct was wrong, as was the weather forecast given in a shop!  The bivvy by Crystal Lake started well - a lovely evening, peaceful and a good meal al fresco, but I was awakened at about 10.30 by distant thunder and not so distant rain.  It then rained hard all night and although my bivvy bag/micro tent is waterproof, my mat is small and not proof against boggy ground near the lake.  I ended up sopping wet, rain hammering on my head, sleepless and cold; at 4.00 am I'd had enough, so put everything on, stuffed the wet things in the sack and set off into the dark, mist and rain.  The high level path wasn't the easiest in the dark - steep, eroded and on a narrow crest - but all those challenging nights navigating the trackless wastes of the Scottish Highlands stood me in good stead.  When the rain eased, I lay down on the path and I think I dropped off for five minutes; anyway, the path has now improved, the sun is out and there's a rainbow.  Fortunately the timing for much needed drying out couldn't be better: I'm meeting Pam & Martin Lawson at a campsite this evening and for the final 13 days I shall have their company in the evenings and a lightened load in my sack.  But beware of optimistic shopkeepers and question your instinct!