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.
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.
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.
-- Posted from Kev's iPhone
No comments:
Post a Comment