Day 11 - La Thuile to Courmayeur, 19.2 miles.

Total ascent, 1632m.
Total descent, 1889m.
Thursday, 30th July.

Some stats for my own information first:
Total distance, 133 miles.
Total 11 day ascent, 13,983m (45,876ft).
Average ascent per day, 1271m (4170ft).

Up up up down up down down down down.

I was up, ready, had eaten breakfast in my room and was away by 7 this morning. Almost. I was actually in the hotel foyer at 7, but the owner had fired up the coffee machine, so I felt obliged to have a swift expresso and two lattes. These were soon dispatched, however, and by 7:15 I was in my stride, confident that with support from the caffeine I would re-gain the lost 15 minutes, and plenty more besides.

At 7:50 I reached a sign. It said 'Courmayeur 10 hr 10 min'. This was a problem, as I would miss my bus. Generally on this walk the descent times on these signs have been pretty much in keeping with my own, and I've been quicker than the ascent times stated. Therefore I needed to hammer the long ascent to Col des Chavannes in as short a time as possible, then I could slow down. The col was posted as being '4 hr 10 min' away, so I had a challenge. And it was early and cool. I usually walk quite fast and people often ask me whether I get time to look at the scenery? Maybe they think I'm superhuman (though that's doubtful) but you'd have to walk pretty damn fast not to be able to notice what's around you!

It was about 8 miles from the sign to the col and it was all along a single, enormous valley. It was another 'moment', though quite a long moment. It was reminiscent of the Carneddau in Snowdonia in its vastness, and I could quite happily have walked another 8 miles along it. The track rose pretty much at the same gradient throughout, and 2 hours and 40 minutes, 1200 metres of ascent and one golden eagle (the first I've spotted) later I was at the 2603 metre col.

Looking back down the looong valley.

Now I need to settle something. I've grown up saying Mont Blanc, but I've now been in Italy for 11 days and have not stepped one foot into France (actually that's not true, as I stepped precisely one foot into France when I was on top of Becca della Traversière, which straddles the border), therefore from now on I shall use its Italian name, Monte Bianco.

Another Monte Bianco massif panorama. But nearer this time.

To continue... I'd seen glimpses of Monte Bianco as I walked up the valley, because it's simply too big to hide behind anything, but nothing prepared me for what the massif looked like across a single valley. It is simply enormous. I'd walked close to it on a previous Alps trek but not this close. There was even another convenient person up there (making a phone call!) to take a piccy of me.

Just to prove I was actually there.

Descent to the valley bottom was easy but after a very peaceful morning I was now about to join the Tour du Mont Blanc (it's called that so I can't use Monte Bianco here) for the remaining 8 miles. I began to lose my patience almost immediately. It was packed! Now without trying to sound snotty (which I will), there were people on the path who simply weren't fit enough to be there. There was a ludicrous amount of coughing and wheezing going on. I wonder how much Mountain Rescue time a year is wasted on people suffering from gastric influx.

The irritation lasted just over 45 minutes, where there was a choice. The main path continued down the valley and descended gradually to Courmayeur, whilst a right turn, which was the actual signposted Tour du... and Alta Via 2 path, set off up a final 400 metre climb. I had wanted to go this way as long as time permitted and it now did, so off I went. I was now completely on my own again.

The climb was again worth it for the views, but the nearer I got to Courmayeur the more people I saw. As I was sitting having lunch a large group of teenagers appeared and stopped nearby, carrying pretty small packs. About 10 minutes later the small packs were explained....

"Bloody students."

With 3 miles to go I reached the inevitable ski slopes, and there were even more people as I knew that a chair lift was operating nearby. At a hut where the lift terminated I stopped for a drink and watched the sunbathers. I also saw the very first person I've seen cycling in the mountains. Strangely though I've seen quite a number of cyclists, it's just that until now they've all been pushing or carrying them. The terrain I've been walking on is so cycle unfriendly I really don't know why they bother.

Yes I think I would! The quick way down Monte Bianco.

All that remained for me now was a 700m descent into Courmayeur. The path did well to stay in woods and avoid the ski slopes. About 150m down I overtook a couple, and the girl was really struggling to get down a quite shallow slope. Her partner was looking totally exasperated but trying to hide it. After I passed them it took me another hour to get to the bottom. Every time I came to a tricky section I found myself saying, "She won't like this bit". I just hope they've got torches.

Plan B had been a great success and I reached the bus station in Courmayeur with an hour to spare. The bus would be taking me right back to where I started the walk in Pont-Saint-Martin, and I would be staying at the same B&B before flying home tomorrow. The tourist office was next door so I went up to the lady behind the counter and after establishing that she spoke English asked, "Where is the end of the Alta Via 2?" She replied, "There is no end." I found this very profound and thought I'd better let Jennie know that I couldn't come back, then realised what she meant.

It's been a fantastic, challenging walk and I'd recommend it to anyone who is fairly fit (you'd need to be to cope with the first two days). I've picked up a basic understanding of Italian, even though for the last four days everybody has spoken French! After chats with various people at the huts (and Guy) I would definitely consider returning to Italy to do another (slightly shorter) walk. In fact I already have another area in mind. After three days of ridiculously hot weather I was pleased that it settled into something much more bearable, though the Italians seem to wear far more clothes whilst walking than they need to; shorts and a t-shirt will do nicely in my opinion.

Last days of long distance walks are often rubbish but this had been a 19 mile beauty. Official ends of long distance walks are nearly always rubbish and this was no exception. After my brief conversation in the tourist office I decided to go and find an Alta Via 2 sign which only pointed in one direction, as this had to be the end. It was right outside, next to bus bay 3. I walked up to it and gave it a friendly slap.

-- Posted from Kev's iPhone

Day 10 - Refugio Deffeyes to La Thuile, 4.8 miles.

Total ascent, (a feeble) 86m.
Total descent, 1053m.
Wednesday, 29th July.

Down down down.

Plan B is in effect. It only took a glance out of the hut window this morning to decide. Plan A had been a long walk today leading to the best views of Mont Blanc, a stay in a hut, then a final 4 hour stretch tomorrow into Courmayeur. However two things made me move onto Plan B. Firstly the weather is supposed to be much better tomorrow, meaning that I might just get those Mont Blanc views (rather than none at all today), and secondly the Swiss lady over dinner last night was telling me about the horrors of staying in my intended hut. The problem with it is that my route meets the much more famous and popular 'Tour du Mont Blanc' there (the Ibiza of Alpine treks, if you like), so it is always full, and as opposed to Vittorio Sella earlier in my walk manages to cram three storeys of adjacent mattresses into its rooms.

Rifugio Deffeyes this morning.

So the decision to move to Plan B was an easy one. Today became the easy walk down into La Thuile, and tomorrow I start early and walk to the end of the Alta Via 2 at Courmayeur. It gives the walk a bit more of a climax, but also gives me a deadline as I have a bus to catch back to the very start of the walk at Pont Saint Martin, which is booked for 5pm.

View on the way down

The walk down was straightforward and I had plenty of time to watch the high altitude frogs and, for the first time, giant snails. I've been doing a bit of research on the wildlife and apparently many of these frogs spend their winters 'suspended' in ice in frozen lakes, then are thawed back to normality each spring. And some of the plants have natural anti-freeze on their leaves to survive the (8 or 9 months of) snow.

A mile and a half high frog!

La Thuile is a pretty town for a stopover. I'm much more into skiing territory now, which can make some of the resorts look quite grotty in summer, but it's all pretty low key here. I went for several coffees, then to the library to get some free internet access and found a good hotel for the night, which I booked online and arrived at 10 minutes later. The owner was ready for me.

After the shower I was desperate for last night but couldn't have (the hut didn't have any, which I forgot about after a couple of beers and once the sweat had dried!) I wandered into town for supplies for tomorrow and for a meal. I needed to buy some breakfast as well as lunch because I'll be away in the morning before breakfast has started at the hotel.

La Thuile.

After a couple of drinks in a very friendly bar I wasn't actually hungry because with each beer the barman had brought over a selection of snacks, however I needed the correct food groups prior to my long walk tomorrow. That'll be a pizza then!

The local pizzeria was rated as the number 2 restaurant in La Thuile out of quite a lot, so I headed there. As I walked in it was bustling but there were a number of tables free. The waitress looked at me, nodded for me to follow her and ushered me all the way through the front room to an empty room at the back. As I sat and munched my way through a pizza Napoli, served incredibly quickly and with an extremely small glass of wine, I contemplated my appearance in relation to the remainder of the clientele (from memory because I couldn't actually see anybody).

I decided to start at the bottom and work up:

Shoes - I have a lightweight pair of sandals which are the only things I wear apart from my heavy, leather boots. They are not as comfortable as the boots and rub my feet, unless I'm wearing.....

Socks - this is not a good look, I know, but the Germans would be impressed.

White ring on lower leg - between where the top of my socks are now and where the top of my socks are when walking with boots on; ie the non-tanned bits of leg.

Tanned legs - fine in my opinion.

Shorts / shirt - neither have been worn for walking so other than a dubious colour clash there's nothing offensive.

Tanned arms - very impressive!

Two carrier bags at end of one arm - these do make me look like a wino, but it's these or the massive rucksack. I usually only have one but the other is full of my meals for tomorrow. As I said, a wino!

Umbrella at end of other arm - it's an enormous, bright green golf umbrella which the owner of the hotel gave me to come into town with once the rain started in earnest, but it definitely adds eccentricity to the general look.

Beard - this could have a lot to do with it. I usually shave it once a week so it's on a roll at the moment. When I looked in the mirror earlier I thought I resembled the lovechild of Roy Keane and Kenny Rogers. Am I going to hug you, or am I going to take you out studs first? You decide.

Peeling forehead - I've tried really hard to keep lotioned up but that sun is so strong. At the moment I only have to turn my head and bits fall off me.

Hair - although clean it's developed horns which I'm struggling to control. Alongside the beard and forehead it can look slightly alarming.

All in all I think they put me in the right place.

-- Posted from Kev's iPhone

Day 9 - Planaval to Rifugio Deffeyes, 10.3 miles.

Total ascent, 2136m.
Total descent, 1204m.
Tuesday, 28th July.

Up up up up down down up up down.

A two col day! The only one in fact, and the climb began straight out of the hotel doors. Today was the best day for weather so far; hardly any clouds, a little breeze and sensible temperatures. Usually cloud builds up during the afternoon, but not today. However from the forecasts I've seen things are about to change for tomorrow.

I've been using 3 main apps for weather forecasting all together, two of which I mentioned before. In order of uselessness the Met Office is the worst. It may be my app of choice for UK weather but over here it's hopeless. Next is Accuweather, which isn't great either. Their default mode is to predict storms, so when they don't happen I guess we're supposed to be delighted. Best is Weather Underground, which after a shaky start has actually done a pretty good job, and the interface is decent too. But for once all three agree that tomorrow the weather will be poor. This may mean a drastic move from Plan A to Plan B (oh yes!), but we'll see when the time comes.

The first two thirds of today's walk, that is the first ascent and descent, were wonderful. For some reason I'd got it into my head that the best of the scenery was over as I'd left the Gran Paradiso, but I'd managed to forget about Mont Blanc. So when I arrived at the top of Col de la Crosatie (2838m) and it was just there in the not very far distance, looking enormous, it was quite a moment (yes, another moment!). The descent from the col was unbelievable, an incredibly well engineered path down a seemingly impossible cliff. At the bottom I had lunch under a tree and thought that this could challenge for best day of the trip if the final ascent to Passo Alto Haut Pas (2856m) and descent to Rifugio Deffeyes could match it.

Looking back to Planaval (the yellow building is the hotel) and yesterday's valley walk.

The Mont Blanc massif.

After an initial 300m climb through pleasant pasture, what followed was probably the least pleasant 500m ascent I have ever had to do, up the middle of a hideous, bowl shaped valley full of rocks. My guide book, which to be fair is very good indeed, made no mention of a 'God-forsaken hellhole', or of the climb being 'seemingly endless', or even of the valley's resemblance to the 'early stages of a Redrow housing estate'. It was so awful I half-expected to bump into Sisyphus, and because I kept stopping and stamping my feet and refusing to take a step further it took an hour and a half before I finally (finally!) peered over the top of the col to see a very similar scene on the other side. It was a relief to find that the descent was quite easy, and that the hut was out of the rubble and back in the grass.

The top half of the view from the col, rendered completely irrelevant by.....

.....the bottom half. Aaaaargh!

I've been thinking about how the scenery here changes at different altitudes, and who out of all the people I know would like the different levels. I know plenty who would love the beautiful valley floors, though there is little to do and see without climbing out of them. To climb out involves the forests, which are cool and lush but very steep. The most popular areas I think would be the high level pastures, as that's where all the flowers, butterflies and animals are, but it's quite an effort to get there. Which leaves the very high ground and glaciers. And I can only think of a few people who would enjoy these. These areas can be hugely different though, and whereas today was just hideous, the equivalent areas in the Gran Paradiso are much grander and awe-inspiring.

Rifugio Deffeyes is my fourth hut and the smallest and quirkiest. The protocol here is: take off boots and put in plastic shed, put on a pair of old, furry slippers from same shed, go to other big shed and take out what you need for the night from your rucksack, put rucksack on shelf in place of a numbered plastic bin, put items you need into plastic bin and take into hut.

Strangely this works very well, and I quite enjoyed living out of a bin for the night (beats a suitcase any day). I was pretty exhausted after the amount of ascent (7008ft) and descent done today, so revived myself with very large glasses of beer and a fine meal. I was sitting with a Dutch man and a Swiss lady, and it was good to have a long conversation, though this only happened because their English was so good. It was also good to meet other people who really enjoy walking alone, as I don't come across that many. Mind you I felt the Dutchman was taking things to extremes as he had only come into the hut for a meal, before he went into the mountains to find somewhere to sleep in his bivi bag for the night. As the wind was up and the cloud was thickening I didn't envy him.

The end of the walk with Rifugio Deffeyes just right of centre.

-- Posted from Kev's iPhone

Day 8 - Rifugio Mario Bezzi to Planaval, 13.8 miles.

Total ascent, 579m.
Total descent, 1283m.
Monday, 27th July.

All along down along out along lee.

Don't let the distance fool you, this was a day off. Well, almost. There was still a bit of ascent and quite a lot of descent but it felt like one. There was also a strong breeze which kept me cool all morning and I was finished by 3.

I've for the most part got into the routine of up at 7, breakfast at 7:30 and away by 8 to 8:15. The odd thing about this is the variation around me. If I'm at a hotel I'll be the first in for breakfast at 7:30 and (I think) the first to leave. If I'm at a hut I'll be the last in for breakfast at 7:30 and the last to leave. This was the case yet again this morning, and as I sat reading the warden looked like she thought it was time I left. I was going to explain my decision from yesterday that there was no point me ever going anywhere else ever again, but didn't.

In a nutshell I descended from Rifugio Bezzi and walked above the Valgrisenche valley for most of its length to Planaval, past the first valley lake I'd seen, though it was a reservoir full of milky coloured glacial outflow. It was a pleasant, relaxing walk!

There were only 2 events. One was a bog standard 'getting lost', so I headed downhill through a meadow till I got to a landmark on the map, in this case a chapel. The other was a slightly more exciting 'getting the bullock back in the field with the rest of the herd'. It was looking a bit distressed, but as tends to be the way with cattle they see plastic posts with ribbon joining them together as impenetrable objects. I spent a few minutes getting to know him, then lifted a post out of the ground and tried to usher him in by making the noises we might make to attract a dog, cat or budgie. He liked the budgie noise but stopped short of going under the ribbon. After some time I decided to take the bull by the horns and, er, took the bull by the horns. He did not like this one bit, dug his heels in and reversed. There would be no moving him. It was at this point that the farmer got out of the car nearby he'd been sitting in for the last 15 minutes. I'd thought it was empty. He wandered over looking quite impressed with my efforts (I can't say I was with his) and gestured for me to hold the ribbon up high. He then expertly held one horn whilst pushing its rump with the other. The bullock knocked him over, then ran off. I decided it was best to put the pole back in the ground and leave too.

Now I'm sitting drinking beer outside the lovely Hotel Paramont in the hamlet of Planaval, contemplating the 3 days remaining. The next two could be quite long and both end at huts so it's back into the wild again. The third is a half day wander back to civilisation to finish.

As little happened today I think a mini nature review of things I haven't talked much about is in order:

1. Rivers - nearly all of the rivers here are waterfalls as the terrain is so steep. I remember being very impressed with the first one I saw, and completely ignoring the last one I saw.

2. Flowers - absolutely stunning and absolutely everywhere. They still have the ability to make me frolic from time to time, particularly when found in ridiculous places.

3. Insects - where there are flowers there are insects. The bees and butterflies (masses and masses of butterflies) seem to love the flowers, and the flies seem to love me. And as for the crickets; what a racket! From tiny browns to enormous greens they are even more everywhere than everything else put together. Tricky to photograph though!

4. Furry creatures - I followed a marmot along a track today for about 3 minutes and it didn't notice. This was a rarity. The furry creatures are usually always on the lookout and very entertaining to watch. This is the one who decided to freeze until I'd passed.

5. Bigger creatures - aside from my 'moment' with the chamois I passed very close to this herd of ibex. Quite beautiful animals but you wouldn't mess with those horns.

6. Cows - the real stars of the Alps. I can't imagine the place without them and their bells.

7. Strange things - this could just be me (eg. seeing faces in glaciers and mountains that look like animals), but the profile of this rock reminds me of a former Premier League footballer. I'd be interested to know if anyone agrees.

-- Posted from Kev's iPhone

Day 7 - Rhêmes Notre Dame to Rifugio Mario Bezzi, 13.5 miles.

Total ascent, 1723m.
Total descent, 1120m.
Sunday, 26th July.

Along up up along up up up down down down.

I'll start at the end. I'm staying in Rifugio Mario Bezzi, another alpine hut and the best so far. Very friendly and as a bonus I have a room to myself, unless someone staggers in from the dark which is extremely unlikely. I almost ran the last 30 minutes after the weather had closed in after a gorgeous day and I could see rain coming along the valley behind me. I just made it and therefore have still not been rained on. I suppose I should have stood in it as I splashed out on a new waterproof recently, but it saved the hassle of getting things dry.

I've just had dinner (which was fantastic) with four Frenchmen who seemed friendly but obviously were being friendly in French, so they might not have been. Nodding politely and not understanding however is far preferable to actually understanding in this environment. For the first time in a week I can hear my own language being spoken (by I think two Americans and an Englishman) and it's really irritating. There's a lot of complaining, especially about the showers. I mean, we are at 2300 metres with no road anywhere near and they've managed to put up solar panels to provide hot showers. What on earth is there to complain about?! I know that listening in on conversations is usually a fun part of my walks, but it's been great to be totally oblivious to what's being said around me for the past week.

The only English I've heard prior to this evening is when other people have been trying to help me, and my own voice with its peculiar Latin lilt. I still find the 'Joey Barton talks French' video hysterically funny, but only because it was televised. I do exactly the same thing and thankfully it isn't televised. I've realised that it all depends on what I try to say, coupled with the fact that I know a bit of Spanish and a bit less French (from school! "Jean Paul et Claudette adore Marie-France dans le jardin." Just a list of names from my textbooks with a few guesses in between which ends up sounding a bit dodgy.).

For example if I want to say the word 'direction' I can say phonetically "directhion" and be pretty sure they'll know what I mean, as they're quite similar in several languages. However if I want to ask the question, "What time is dinner?" I will start well with "A que hora..." (so far so good, bit of Spanish which might not be totally correct but it's close enough), then follow it with "...ees deenair?", which is completely useless however many times I say it and however long I make the "eeeee" bits. Thank goodness then for my ability to turn into Basil Fawlty at such moments and dramatically mime eating with a knife and fork and make "nom nom" noises.

Anyway I've digressed and need to finish with the middle of the day. Although today's walk wasn't up to yesterday's standards the middle section was astonishing. The weather had been perfect for a long walk up to glacier territory, the bit I'd been looking forward to most of all. I've been fascinated with glaciers since before I went to Iceland many years ago, and was looking forward to climbing a 3337m (10,948ft) peak which was surrounded by three of them. The peak, Becca della Traversière, has only been accessible fairly recently since the permanent ice receded and is quite easy to reach (if you're willing to put in the effort, if that makes sense!). The summit also marks the border with France so it's just as well I had my passport with me.

So now I'm not sure whether I need to go anywhere else ever again, as it won't be as good wherever it is. The distant views were breathtaking (as if the walk wasn't enough!): Monte Bianco (Mont Blanc), Monte Cervino (the Matterhorn), Le (or La) Grand Combin (The Big Combine Harvester), they were all there. And beneath me were these vast, powerful, grubby glaciers that made the valley I'd walked up through earlier look like the surface of the moon. Not pretty but pretty awesome (you can tell there are Americans about!). I may at some point try and post a 12 second video I took panning just 180 degrees of the total view.

So I've left all the photos till the end and I'll decide in the morning whether I'm ever going anywhere ever again. It could pose a problem if I decide not to.

I was starting to feel like I was on the moon. A glacier at work.

And in the middle of it all is this wonderful mossy rockery.

Ascending the peak, on my right was Glacier de Gliairetta...

...on my left was part of Glacier du Goletta...

...and over the top (in France) I found the rest of it! I could swear it's smiling.

The mother of all 11 second videos!

-- Posted from Kev's iPhone

Day 6 - Valsavarenche to Rhêmes Notre Dame, 10.8 miles.

Total ascent, 1482m.
Total descent, 1284m.
Saturday, 25th July.

Up up up up up down down down down down.

Perfect profile symmetry at last, well give or take 2000 metres or so. And as walking days go this couldn't be bettered. I again slept well and was at breakfast by 7:30, but I really have had enough of crispy bread and marmalade. Luckily I was first down so ate most of the fruit yoghurt before anyone else arrived, and I also stashed some crispy bread, ham, cheese and an apple for lunch. I was quite subtle and did it in stages as the waitress came in and out, but by the time I got to the ham another guest had arrived and I think he saw me drop it in my plastic bag by the table leg. Maybe he thought I had a pet in there.

The village had been totally dead last night with one notable exception, a boys' summer camp on a field opposite the hotel. As I headed back from the restaurant at 10 o'clock for some reason I expected them to be asleep. It was an absolute riot! One of the tents seemed to have a hot tub in it, as all I could hear was screaming and loud splashes. Everyone who wasn't in the hot tub was playing football in the dark.

So after breakfast I assembled a sort of lunch in my room before leaving at 8. The summer camp was completely silent except for a man who was walking to each tent in turn and blowing an enormous horn through the entrance flap. He did it with gusto and looked incredibly self-satisfied each time. I heard no responses.

I felt really up for the walk today and realised that I now know exactly what a 1482 metre ascent and a 1284 metre descent entails. Unless following a river valley the first 600 metres would be a zigzag path up the steep, wooded valley side, leading into a hanging valley above the tree line with shallower slopes, before the final, long pull up to the col. The descent would be the same in reverse. And they are getting easier every day.

Today's walk on paper looked quite hard work but it was an absolute joy from start to finish. I also had the bonus of a long conversation with a fascinating man I crept up on during the initial ascent. I was only walking slightly faster than him so I saw him zigzagging above me for a good 20 minutes before I drew level with him. He spoke in Italian so I did my useless shruggy thing and said I spoke English but lived in Wales. Within a minute he said I sounded like I came from the north of England, maybe near Liverpool. I was a bit taken aback to be honest; I can't really recognise other languages, never mind accents of other languages. In the end it transpired that his name was Guy (he was about 60), he had studied French and English (his English was brilliant), he had travelled through Wales, he had been to Mold and he loved Caernarfon Castle! He was great company for the next hour, despite stopping continually to explain something or draw something on the ground with his walking pole. I made a terrible joke and told an anecdote about cheese, both of which he found incredibly funny, so it was a bit of a shame when he left the path to attempt a nearby 3500m peak.

Cows and the Gran Paradiso massif.

View across the second lake.

And the rest of the day was fantastic too. The best scenery of the walk, two lovely lakes and fantastic weather. Oh and a tricky bit of descent...

Glad that's out of the way!

When I got to Italy I was expecting it to be incredibly hot and it was, but when I was chatting to someone at the second hut I was surprised to find that it has been unusually warm recently. So after last night's storm it seems to be back to normal, which is a good 5 degrees lower than previously. The average temperature today was 24 and the humidity was very low, making the walk very easy. It was hot in the valley at the end but a Solero Exotik sorted that out (thank you Mrs Pearce, my dentist, for recently making that possible!).

I did have a 'moment' again today. During the descent I stopped for a drink beneath a small cliff with nobody in sight ahead or behind. I then noticed a chamois munching away on the grass near the bottom of the cliff, about 20 metres away. It didn't seem bothered and as I watched I started to notice others dotted about the cliff, quite a lot of others. Had I not stopped I'd probably have missed them completely.

I know that there are at least 10 chamois in this photo, though it's probably a bit blurry to zoom in and find them all.

I'm in a posh hotel tonight as other options had sold out when I booked, and it's very nice indeed, despite my hand-washing hanging off the balcony. The bottom floor is a bar, where I was happily drinking beer and watching football on the telly when I remembered I needed to eat. I went upstairs a floor and felt totally underdressed in the restaurant until a nice lady waitress (at least 70) managed to explain the Italian menu perfectly to me, despite only speaking Italian. Very clever!

A beauty of a mountain and some wacky farm buildings.


-- Posted from Kev's iPhone

Day 5 - Rifugio Vittorio Sella to Valsavarenche, 11 miles.

Total ascent, 813m.
Total descent, 1867m.
Friday, 24th July.

Up up up down down down down down.

What a difference a day and a cup of camomile and something turquoise tea make. I slept really well in a peculiar dorm containing one enormous bunk bed with each 'floor' containing a row of mattresses. I think this is actually the norm in these huts but it was a bit unnerving to me. There were 6 of us in the room but thankfully I had the upper floor to myself! One of the men in there was also the only other walker I'd seen on day one, and I'd bumped into him every day since. I'd ask whether he is doing the whole route but I don't know how to.

So I felt great this morning, which was a relief as I was about to reach the highest point on the Alta Via 2, Col Lauson, at 3299m (10,823ft). I was away by 8 after an appalling sham of a bowl of cornflakes and some dry bread and jam (I can deal with most fake breakfasts but after 50 years of Kellogg's cornflakes the other brands can do one). I'd not liked this hut as much as the other, only really because it's much bigger and therefore less homely.

Lovely morning! Col Lauson is right in the middle.

I could see the col throughout the 700m climb, the surroundings were spectacular and the weather fantastic. I was up there in a couple of hours with my breathing perfected and no hint of any altitude related ailment. This was good because my book mentioned a short detour south to a peak at 3393m, but said it was for people with climbing experience. Up until this point the book had slightly exaggerated the difficult bits so I gave it a go and it was fine, just a short but very high scamper (yes a scamper, like marmots do!). So now I was at the highest point I could possibly get to on this walk, the summit of Punta del Tuf, and at 11,232ft the highest place I had ever stood on this fair earth.

It's all very Icelandic up here.

I paused for a second to reflect, then remembered there had been a large group coming up behind me and I wanted to get off the col before they arrived, so I made my way down (I did not scamper, I have not yet mastered the art of scampering downhill).

It was another massive descent, but each one gets easier and it was actually enjoyable. There was lots of wildlife to see today, but I'll save the details for a bonus wildlife photo special (though this maybe not be on a par with last year's bovine photo special).

So I finished pretty early at 3:30 under glorious blue skies, checked in at the Hotel Parco Nazionale after wandering around for 15 minutes looking for anybody who worked there (I ended up in the kitchen), got to my room and it was pouring down outside. I wasn't sure whether I was seeing things as the time scale was ridiculous, and I'd seen no other rain since I arrived. Then it turned into a full on thunderstorm and I was very grateful I wasn't outside, and even more so on the mountains I could no longer see.

The hotel is very attractive but completely lifeless. It's quite big but hardly anyone is staying here and it's Friday night. I opted to eat instead at a small restaurant along the road which is lovely but it seems I made a hash of it, ordering two primo dishes when I should have done something else. They were very understanding anyway and didn't point at me too often, and my two primos were delicious. The music was pretty good too.

Location, location, location!

-- Posted from Kev's iPhone

Day 4 - Rifugio Sogno di Berdze to Rifugio Vittorio Sella, 14.2 miles.

Total ascent, 1074m.
Total descent, 1020m.
Thursday, 23rd July.

Down down down down along along up up up up.

As Gene Pitney nearly once sang, "Something's gotten hold of my ........" (almost rhymes with heart, but lower down). Yes I've been got. Had a terrible night's sleep last night with a high temperature, then failed to get up at 6:15 and when I did (at 7) I started getting stomach cramps. It's almost certainly from dodgy water or masses of unwashed fruit. I've had worse (Madeira springs to mind) but it was hard work getting up and I couldn't eat any breakfast. What I could do though was drink coffee, lots of it (possibly a litre) with masses of sugar. I was very aware that I needed sugar at the very least to get me to the town of Cogne, then a chemist and some carbs.

Oddly enough when I started walking I felt much better, and today was an odd day; an upside down day. A descent followed by a flat section followed by an ascent, with no cols at all. The weather was overcast but not at all threatening, and the temperature was a perfect 20 degrees. The scenery was as wonderful as ever and had a bit of a Scottish feel to it.

The furry creatures I saw and now keep seeing are marmots. They're much furrier than those I've seen previously (ie. at Chester Zoo) so I didn't recognise them. They are the masters of running away, though a small grey creature I bumped into today wasn't. It just stood and looked at me while I stopped and took its photo.

I realised today that my perception of myself very often depends entirely on context. What I mean is that at the hut I was surrounded entirely by lithe Italians who probably live on pasta and chicken and felt positively flobby, however when I got to the valley floor at lunchtime I was surrounded by unlithe (litheless?) Italians who probably live on pizza and cornettos and felt positively slender. This second context was the pretty town of Cogne. After finding a cash machine and a closed chemist (aaaargh!) I bought a slice of pizza, ate it with no difficulty, contemplated spending the rest of the holiday eating lots more pizza (and cornettos) and had to chase myself out of town.

Entering Cogne. I only put this in because the white thing at the back that looks like a cloud is actually Mont Blanc.

I was now (at last) about to enter the Gran Paradiso national park. One of the biggest tourist attractions is apparently the botanical gardens at Valnontey. Now much as I love gardening, botanical gardens (with the notable exception of Bodnant Garden near Conwy) have always left me cold. Anyway I got a sneak preview over the fence as I walked past, so you can decide...

No wonder he's scratching his head.

I'm now at the next high level refuge and contemplating altitude. I'm obsessed with altitude. I never cease to be fascinated in places like this that I'm 'x' number of Snowdons or Ben Nevises above sea level, and still looking up at these snow capped monsters. The Italians don't appear to give a toss about altitude. This afternoon's ascent was a Snowdonish 1050m, but I passed loads of people on their way down as if they were ending a short stroll.

A beautiful evening, looking south towards the bar.

Rifugio Vittorio Sella is up at 2584m (8478ft), and the walls are covered with pictures of ceremonies, gatherings and dances which have taken place here over the years. Why? Surely it would be easier to have them in the village hall at the bottom. But nobody in the photos looks knackered or sunburnt. I need to put my own photo up so they can get a bit of perspective.

The girl behind the counter appeared somehow to understand my predicament when I arrived, as I stood there rolling my hand around in front of my stomach and doing rumbling impressions. She had no medication but waved her hands at some tea jars behind her. I'm all for natural medicine whether it works or not, so she made me a camomile and something turquoise tea. I'll reserve judgement till morning, on both the tea and the toilets.


-- Posted from Kev's iPhone

Day 3 - Chardonney to Refugio Peradza Sogno di Berdzé, 8.4 miles.

Total ascent, 1374m.
Total descent, 298m.
Wednesday, 22nd July.

Up up along up up down

I was shattered last night. I lasted a mere 2 amarettos, despite a good chat, then had to make my excuses and go to bed. It was also hard work getting up this morning, but as I staggered out of bed and looked down from the balcony there were two girls playing football in the street. At 7am!

Leaving Hotel Chez Isabel was hard. As I haven't actually paid any deposits for the places I'm staying in I did contemplate abandoning the walk so I could spend 9 more days drinking amaretto and watching the world go by. But as I watched the family dog circling my rucksack and growling at it for the umpteenth time I knew it was a matter of time before it urinated on it, so it was time to leave.

Today's walk was a relatively easy day, though the ascent was still greater than walking up Ben Nevis. There was though very little descending to do, a relief after yesterday. I was still not quite in the national park but the difference was evident. After a long initial and very pretty climb the path reached a high level plateau, but unlike others I've reached this one was accessible by road, and there were houses up there. Some children shouted "Ciao" at me from a balcony (ciao seems to be used for both hello and goodbye a lot of the time). I shouted "Ciao" back and one of them said, "Bye bye eengleesh". So my accent isn't at the convincing stage yet.

Donkeys on the plateau.

The difference now as I mentioned yesterday is the presence of the alpine huts. Firstly they aren't huts really, they're hostels. And they've all got a bar. And they're all at high level, beautiful locations. I wasn't daft enough to start on the booze at the two I passed today, but had a delicious caffe latte at each. The second was especially welcome as the weather forecast had actually been right for the first time (my 2 chosen apps, Accuweather and Weather Underground, had predicted storms on all 3 days so far). The average temperature on the first two days had been 28 and 29 degrees respectively, but today was only 17, and it plummeted to a frosty 12 at the second hut.

This in turn led to an 'exciting moment'. I still had to cross today's col, Fenêtre de Champorcher, which was at 2826m (9272ft) by some distance the highest of the three cols so far. It was grey and getting cooler but not raining so I thought the sooner the better. It took an hour to get there and towards the top I noticed the altitude for the first time (I needed more breathers and kept yawning! Jen sent me a message last night reminding me to breathe - not my strongest point).

It was not an attractive col due to the power line that passed over it, and right on top was a pylon. The thunder was rumbling nearby to my left now and I really didn't want to be near the pylon for longer than I had to be. However I was knackered and had to stop for a minute at the top to get my breath back, which was fine until the power lines started crackling really loudly. I have no idea whether this is normal but it scared me to death and was closely followed by a massive crack of thunder. But there was no visible lightning and no rain. I was off the col like a shot and descended the 300 metres to the hut below as if yesterday never happened.

The pylon.

Looking down towards the hut (centre of photo) from the col.

And that's where I am now, staying in Refugio Peradza Sogno di Berdzé, which at 2531m is surely the highest place I've ever stayed. It's in a stunning location but when I arrived I wasn't bothered. I haven't slept well so far due to the heat so was looking forward to somewhere cooler (surely?!). I started by going straight to my dorm for a nap (I was here by 3:30pm). When I woke up I had a shower and wandered outside, and my surroundings now looked like this...

And looking back up at the col two hours later.

So after a lovely meal and some red wine I'm ready to adapt my entire lifestyle. I'm a good evening person and a terrible morning person, but lights out here is at 10 and breakfast is at 7, so I'll need to be up at the ungodly hour of 6:15. This will definitely be an advantage tomorrow if I can cope with the change. Better squeeze in another swift one then.


-- Posted from Kev's iPhone

Day 2 - Chardonney to Pontboset, 14 miles.

(For the record yesterday was 13 miles and the total descent was 1315m)

Total ascent, 1254m.
Total descent, 1875m.
Tuesday, 21st July.

First of all please forgive my idiocy from yesterday, when I confused a heavily populated grassy pasture alp with a mountain alp in my picture caption. Also I'm a bit disappointed that Blogger wouldn't upload my zebra crossing photo. Never mind, to business...

Along up along up up down down down down down

Today's profile in terms of ups and downs was pretty much the reverse of yesterday, but if the idea of an 1800m descent sounds more appealing than an ascent, I can assure you it isn't. I much prefer walking uphill, which is simply exhausting rather than physically painful (I think I said yesterday that the ascent was painfully hard, but that's only in my head!). It was agonising. I am using walking poles for the first time on this trip, but I should have practised with them. Yesterday I fell flat on my back in the first ten minutes of using them, and today tripped over one of them. I'm only using them for descents and they will take the pressure off my knees once I've worked out how to use them properly (yes I know it should be easy but...).

The ascent though was fantastic, the scenery stunning and I came across another grassy pasture alp (the second 'along', good but not up to yesterday's standard). My target was Col de la Fricolla at 2540m (8333.33 recurring feet), and at about 2500m I came across the first snow field, at the same time as I came across my first little furry creature (species unknown) and two high altitude frogs.

A not quite as good as yesterday's grassy pasture alp.

My packed lunch from the hotel was a very dry ham roll and masses of fruit (they just knew). Usually I'd abandon the fruit but context is everything so I abandoned the roll. I had a banana (disgusting as ever but I need potassium for something or other), an apple (lovely), two pears (delicious), four plums (astonishing) and two peaches (insert superlative better than any of the others here).

Until recently the Alta Via 2 did not include the two days I've just done, they were added to link up with the Alta Via 1 so they made a complete loop. I'm expecting it to be quite different from now on as I enter the Gran Paradiso national park, with more people and fewer overgrown paths (due to better maintenance and more trampling). I've met one walker so far and one suspicious looking old man as I climbed through the woods yesterday. I was about 5 minutes away when he saw me and he kept glancing down at me, then at what he was suddenly very hurriedly doing. I'm pretty certain he was burying someone but when I got there he'd finished, so he's got away with it I suppose.

I suspect the main reason nobody bothers with these 2 days are because there is nowhere (ie. alpine huts) to break up each day, so they are long and tough whether you like it or not. Further on there is a hut every 3 or 4 hours so you can choose how long to make each day. Indeed my next 2 nights are in alpine huts at quite high altitudes, and I very much doubt they'll have wi-fi, so unless I find a village cafe that's connected my next upload will be on Friday evening.

How on earth can this little beauty grow on a bone dry path at 2000m?

Well I need to change the subject because it's unfortunately all happening here at the hotel. As I left my room to head for dinner a lady guest had just fallen down the stairs onto the first floor landing below. The steps are stone and there is blood everywhere. Her husband is in a terrible state and even suggested I step over her to get past. I didn't. I'm back in my room with the paramedics outside and an air ambulance about to land (goodness knows where, though I presume they've done this before). I'll wait for an appropriate time to go down, though I've lost my appetite to say the least.

I'd better draw a line under this blog entry as I'm in a very subdued dining room with an empty table laid for dinner next to me. I feel especially sorry for the owners who look quite distressed. The meal is weird and the main course is omelette, boiled spinach and tomatoes. Time for an early night I think.

But wait! The owners' son has arrived since the ambulance left, has no interest in injured guests and wants to practise his English and feed me Amaretto. It's quite medicinal, I'm starting to feel much better!

-- Posted from Kev's iPhone

Day 1, Pont Saint Martin to Pontboset

Total ascent 1830m.
Monday, 20th July.

Along up up up up up down down down down.

Allow me to explain. I am going to describe the profile of each day's walking in no more than 10 words. There will be very few 'along's, and today's 'along' was only to get to the official start of the walk. As a rule when I do these summer walks each day's profile is more of an 'up down up down up down', but that isn't going to happen here (see below!).

Last night's meal had been staggeringly good. I'd ordered the Menu Completi to guarantee I got to try everything, and despite sleeping badly as a result of being too hot and too stuffed, it was worth it. So this morning I left my B&B, Mandoué, at 8:30 after a continental breakfast which, as I'd been on my own in the room, was also now my packed lunch. Old habits die hard.

I walked along the road to the next village, Donnas, an uninspiring place aside from the primary school, which occupied the second and third floors of a grand old building. The ground floor however was a wine museum, surely a fine venue for staff meetings. I crossed a peculiar zebra crossing which had a wall on the other side, so there was nowhere to actually walk to, hugged the wall as traffic hurtled past, walked over the railway and beneath the main road. I was now on the Alta Via 2.

Last year the first morning was a stroll across Ilkley Moor. This year the beginning was described in my book as, "a continual climb of 5 hours and 35 minutes to Col Pousseuil, an ascent of 1800 metres", or 5905 feet!!! That's ridiculous!!! Well I've got nobody to blame but myself I suppose. The thing is, these things are never as bad as they sound. I'd say that two thirds of it was painfully hard (and hot - from my experience at the gym I estimated that my heart rate was 160 bpm or more throughout - actually that does sound quite bad), the other third minus a bit was very enjoyable (but still hard and hot), and the other bit was why I do these walks; the Eureka moment!

Coincidentally (and only apparently) 'alp' translates as both 'a high mountain' and 'a grassy pasture', and with 400 metres left to climb I came across the respite of a grassy pasture type alp. And what an alp it was! In the space of half an hour I wandered past at least a hundred cows (all wearing bells) and two donkeys, saw a chamois and passed very close to a grey and black snake, in one of the most beautiful settings imaginable.

A grassy pasture alp and a heavily populated mountain alp.

Some of a snake.

When I did reach the col there was quite a lot of cloud around, so the temperature was a pleasant 20 degrees and perfect for a stolen lunch. Peaches and plums taste fantastic at 2120 metres! All that was required now was the 1400m descent to my destination.

Pontboset sits in the middle of the Italian Alps and feels so far removed from modern life I can scarcely believe it. Most of the houses look they're falling down but the village looks beautiful. Nobody speaks English but I feel really at home. And as I'm having to do tomorrow's walk backwards (due to a shortage of accommodation further up the valley, so a bus trip is needed) I'm staying here for two nights.

A typical Pontboset house.

There is of course a hotel, or I wouldn't be here at all. It's more basic than last night's, but I've got a balcony to watch the kids playing IN THE STREET, IN THE DARK BECAUSE IT'S SAFE AND NOBODY'S PARANOID. And somehow it's also got wi-fi. Dinner was a hoot. The owners both came to get me and looked quite concerned about my welfare. Which is why I've just had a(nother!) enormous meal, including my beloved Fontina cheese, local to this region and even tastier than Tesco's finest. But the starter was soup, lots of soup. When I'd half emptied my first bowl the owner filled it again. He then did it a second time. I now wasn't sure how to stop him serving me soup. He was carrying round a huge vat of the stuff and it occurred to me at the start of bowl three that he was not going to stop till his vat was empty. And as 5 of the 9 tables were unoccupied it could last quite a while! I decided to slow down, but at one point near the end turned away to read something and he pounced one last time. With a satisfied look he returned the empty vat to the kitchen.

There followed the pasta course (pasta), the meat course (possibly pork with gravy and boiled courgettes), the cheese course (Fontina!!!), the dessert course (cake) and coffee (expresso - buzzzzzz).

So all I've got to do now is ask the owners what time breakfast is, what time I can catch a bus up the valley and whether they can make me a packed lunch. Using my iTranslate app. I feel inadequate.


-- Posted from Kev's iPhone

Day 0, Mold to Pont Saint Martin

"I'm, too sweaty for my shirt, too sweaty for my shirt, so sweaty it hurts. And I'm, too sweaty for Milan, too sweaty for Milan, New York and Japan."

O.........M.........G (note - that's not your common or garden omg), it's hot! Very hot. Very, very hot. My cunning plan to use the 4 hours I had to spare in Milan to do a tour of the San Siro football stadium went up in water vapour as soon as I stepped off the plane. I immediately went straight to plan B - do as little as possible. Except it didn't quite turn out like that, as I subsequently decided to adapt plan B to incorporate a walk through the city. Everybody I saw for the first half hour seemed to be sitting or lying, so I stood out simply by not being still, as well as by my leather boots and pack.

Now I've 'done' Milan I can confidently state that if you're not into women's clothes it's not really worth bothering with. So do I think it's worth bothering with? Ah, well that's for me to know. Oh and there's a big cathedral as well called the Duomo, and loads of people trying to sell selfie sticks. I wasn't tempted but I was inspired to take one.

Me and the Duomo.

Milan redeemed itself shortly after when I firstly found a superb little bakery / pizzeria, then an ice cream stall. So I can tick off pizza and ice cream already. Bit warm for coffee at the moment though.

Chocolate, pistachio and tiramisu ice cream. 10 seconds later it was dripping off my elbow.

After the ice cream I once again lost patience with Milan, so got the Metro across town to the bus station from where I would be whisked to the Aosta Valley, my overnight base before the walk starts tomorrow. All of the journeys today have been great. There were superb views of the Alps from the plane (and of London), and the Metro and both buses were cool and comfortable.

And now I'm in the pretty town of Pont Saint Martin in the Aosta Valley, the starting point of my walk. The mountains look enormous, because they are I suppose, but just seeing them gets the adrenaline going, as does trying to order food in a restaurant that's offering no concessions to someone who, since landing at the airport, has yet to manage saying anything other than "grazie".

Jen you'll like this: the menu handwritten in a notebook.

-- Posted from Kev's iPhone