TOUR Des ECRINS--AN ALPINE ESCAPE (PART 1)

 

A fortnight booked off work. A 12 day hike on one of the toughest GRs in Europe and a decent weather forecast. What could go wrong?.

Monday June 15th;

After doing my usual "sleep" in Dublin airport I was all set for my 6am flight to Lyon from where I would get a bus to Grenoble followed by another one to Bourg d'Oisans where my adventure along the GR 54 would begin. Everything went perfect and I alighted in the pretty (but hot) village at 13:50. A quick visit to a nearby supermarket and another to a nearby outdoor store (which amazingly was open at lunchtime) and I was on the move by 14.00. Everything was going great, well except that my charging cable for the phone was playing up and the security bands on my Suunto sports watch strap had broken. A rubber band from the outdoor shop made the watch more secure. 

As is usually the case, the heat came as something of a shock. Leaving Ireland where the weather had been a succession of cold wet weeks (with one exception), suddenly being immersed in unremitting 30 degrees plus is tough. However it is also glorious and only adds to the sense of being somewhere new and different. After a walk along the main road (very busy with cyclists who I guess were going to, or after doing, the Alpe d'Huez climb) and after crossing over the river, I walked to just beyond the campsite on the right from where the route was supposed to turn right before climbing a rocky buttress. A sign said private property (and rather bizarrely no urinating) and a fence blocked the way. I walked into the campsite to see if I could access the trail from there but to no avail so I returned and just climbed around the fence and was on my way. It was hot so I took things steady as the trail wound its way up through the rocky steep ground. In places some chains aided possibly exposed places but overall it wasn't too bad. After gaining nearly 300 metres in height I reached a tarred lane which led to a lovely fountain (gratefully used) before it entered the woods and climbed until another lane is reached and you walk through three hamlets. Out here in the open you can see the ski resort of L'Alpe d'Huez across the valley and you have gained almost 800 metres. Unfortunately, soon after the trail drops steeply and loses one hundred of those hard earned metres until it reaches the river.

This was a lovely cool spot to rest a while and have a bite to eat before I continued on my way towards Col de Sarenne (1999mtrs). From here the going is decidedly easier. Over the next two kilometres the trail runs near the river and gains just 150 metres. After this you reach open country and the valley widens and you rise through open pastureland. Before too long I reached a junction of valleys at Le Gua where plenty of places for a possible bivouac were to be found. It was at around the 1650 metre contour but I passes it up as I was hoping to get nearer to the col. Ahead the valley narrowed and the gradient steepened a little. I worried that I would have to go all the way to the col and as I didn't know if it was allowed or possible to bivi there, I resolved to use the next likely spot I found, as my home for the night. Thankfully before too long, at around the 1800 metre contour I spotted a nice level grassy spot amongst the scrub and made for it. There was even a trickle of water nearby so I was sorted. I revelled in blissful solitude and relaxed, ate and enjoyed my rugged surroundings. Before long the rigours of the restless night and travel caught up with me and I retired to a good nights sleep.

So, just 14 kilometres covered, almost 1200 metres ascent in 4 hours 45 mins. I was content.

Tuesday June 16th;

I had a good night and slept most of the time. I was wide awake well before 6am but I lazed in my sleeping bag and just listened to the birdsong. it was a beautiful morning when I emerged from my tent and the sun was lighting up the upper slopes of the surrounding mountains. I was in no hurry and I didn't have a set target for today. I would just see what the day would bring. It didn't take long to reach the Col. A short walk along a ski road and the trail reached the tarred road from Alp d'Huez and it rose gently to the wide verdant pass. There were a couple of people camping  there and a couple of camper vans as well. All were still asleep as I dropped over the other side and began my descent to Clavans le Haut. So far the scenery had been great without any real wow factor. That changed now when I got my first view of The Meije. OMG, what a sight it made. A wonderful wall of soaring rocky peaks, blanketed in places by glaciers was a joy to behold. My biggest problem now was trying not to stumble as I was constantly looking up to soak in the view. The trail dropped steeply until it reached the woods and before long I reached Clavans. Easy walking through the forest saw me reach Clavans le Bas and a short sharp drop followed and I reached a road and there the climb to Besse started.

A steep climb up through the woods gained over 100 metres before things eased back and the trail emerged from the woods and rose more gently towards the village. Besse is a delightful place. A jumbled collection of old well loved stone houses line the narrow lanes. I had thought to buy a baguette here but things were late opening so I just continued on through. The trail stays on the road until it reaches a basic camping area and then it rises up the right flank of an impressive valley. It was hot out here on the open hillside and as I had forgotten to refill my water bottle in the village I was hoping to reach a water source soon. On the map the trail went near a torrent on the steep hillside so I hoped to be able to refill there. I was disappointed to find that the water had carved a deep gully and it would have been too dangerous to try and reach it. I continued on and hoped for the best. Thankfully after I passed Col Nazie I was able to top up my bottle. Eventually I reached Col Saint Georges (2237mtrs) and I has reached the Plateau d'Emparis. This was a delightful undulating grassy landscape filled with wildflowers and backed by rolling mountaintops. It was a joy to walk through as I headed towards Col de Souchet (2365mtrs). I had been on the move for over six hours by now and I was on the lookout for somewhere to bivi. The plateau is off limits as there are signs all along the trail forbidding any camping.

 I paused at the col and when I was able to draw my eyes from the stunning view of the Meije I surveyed what lay ahead. Basically it was almost all downhill from here to La Grave but I hoped to find a bivi spot long before there. The trail dropped to the south and contoured around the mountainside. As I walked I saw a wide spur drop gently to my right and near its end there seemed to be a flat grassy area near a stream, I wasted no time and headed straight for it. It proved perfect. I soon had my tent up and I lazed away the sunny afternoon in wild camping heaven. I was well away from any trail and I basked in blissful solitude  and gazed in wonder at the stunning view. At around 5pm the breeze picked up and I heard a rumble of thunder. It came as a surprise as there was not a lot of cloud on the high mountains but when I looked back to the lower mountains surrounding the plateau there was a wall of darkness. I gathered everything into the tent and awaited the storm but it never arrived and just an hour later it was all blue sky again. All in all it was one of the best camping experiences I can remember.

Literally the view out the door of my tent.

Wednesday June 17th;

After a lovely night I was on my way again by 8am. It was a gentle easy start as I dropped slightly to a trail that crossed the spur and re-joined the GR54 trail at Chicot. This trail dropped down to the village/town of La Grave. After getting a few supplies here I left and followed the route that went alongside the river to Villar d'Arene. While it isn't flat it certainly has less climbing than following the "official" route that climbs over 150 metres through the woods only to drop down to the river beside Villar again. Once I joined the trail again I followed it easily as rose very gently alongside the river. After a couple of kilometres it crossed to reach a road. A few hundred metres later it passed a pretty little lake and then traversed above the valley floor until after a kilometre or so the valley narrows and the trail climbs steeply above a gorge. After gaining 200 metres in height, things ease back and you head for Alpe de Villar d'Arene. The scenery all around is wonderful and and becomes more spectacular and complex as you go on. Below the Romanche river turns southeast into another valley at the back of which mighty peaks rise to over 3600 metres. 

Stunning view from the refuge. The Romanche in the valley below.

I was feeling quite good but I decided to head to the nearby refuge and see if it was possible to bivouac near it. As I got nearer and nearer there seemed little likelihood so I opted to stay. It was just 14.15 but I had been on the move for over six hours and it felt like a reasonable effort for today. I had decided to only go as far as Monetier les Bains the following day. That would make it almost like a rest day as it shouldn't take more than a few hours to reach it. I would then follow the required schedule for the remainder of the trek. There was a lot of people milling about and as the dorms wouldn't be ready until 16.00 I found a shady spot and relaxed. Later, once settled in the dorm I took a nap and cooked my dinner and whiled away the evening reading and gazing in wonder at the views. I tried to charge my battery pack but the cable wasn't connecting . When I tried to pull it out of the connection it was stuck fast and eventually broke. I managed to borrow one from the refuge and got everything charged, but I would have to try and sort something out in Monetiers the following day.

Thursday June 18th;

I slept quite well despite the heat in the dorm and it was another lovely weather morning when I went down for breakfast at 6.45 the following morning. The guardian requested that we eat early as they were  expecting helicopter deliveries quite early. I had decided to pay for breakfast so as to conserve my own supplies for the more remote following days but I was less than overwhelmed by the fare. The coffee was good but I wasn't in the mood to eat much. I tried to eat a decent amount but it was all too stale or too sweet. I was on the move by 7.20. The refuge is at 2071 metres and the high point of the day was to be the Col de Arsine at 2348 metres so there wasn't a lot of climbing to do. The going is easy as the trail rises gradually towards the col. Straight ahead there are ever improving views of a spectacular cirque of glaciated peaks rising to over 3600 metres. I reached the pass easily and looked forward to vistas new. Just below the pass there was an enchanting area where small blue pools and cascades glistened in the sun. It was a truly beautiful place. The trail continued into the narrowing valley until it reached the small Lac de la Douche where it entered the trees.

It was at this point that I took out my phone to take a picture and I was alarmed to see welcome scrolling across the screen in various languages...WTF. I tried to get it working by re-starting and it was still the same. Now here is the problem, I had taken my work phone because it takes better pictures than my own and when I re-started I had to log into the company system. Normally not a problem if you can remember the password but of course I couldn't . I had no choice but to continue to Monetier and see if I could contact home from there and get the password etc. I went to the tourist office and was met with a somewhat uncooperative lady who presented a series of nons. I walked to a nearby Italian restaurant and there I met a delightful woman who lent me her phone and allowed me to call home. I was eventually able to try to log in again but the next obstacle appeared when a verification number was being sent to my own phone, the sim of which was in my work phone. Goosed again. I waited a couple of hours (during which the heavens opened in a thunder storm) and caught the bus to Briancon where I hoped that a phone shop would sort me out. The "Orange" shop was the first to present itself and the staff were wonderful. They took my sim out and used an unlocked phone so I was able to get the verification and finally log into the phone. I had thought to buy a phone as well for my sim but the cheapest they had was over 500€. 

I resolved to stay in Briancon that night and return to the trail the following day. Once settled in my hotel I set about putting all the apps back into the phone, especially Mapy.cz who I had a subscription with so I could use it for all my navigating needs. I was also gutted to discover that all my pictures were wiped when the phone had done a motherboard re-set. Bollocks to it. 

Friday June 19th;

It was another clear sunny morning when I emerged from the hotel  after a restive night. I was having severe doubts about continuing the hike. I was gutted to have lost all the pictures and another issue was the fact that the next section was over some high passes, some of which were closed due to snow. I had  thought that  I could continue along the GR 50 but from what I could see it travelled at lower levels and I was struggling to see what possible route I could take to cover the remaining 8 days I had left. I was stressed and struggling. I set off out of town and with each step my spirits got lower and my feet more leaden. I made a decision then and there to return home. I did a search and saw that there was a flight to Cork from Carcasonne the following day so I rang my wife and she booked me on it. I secured a hotel in Carcasonne for tonight and headed for the train station. A butt numbing 5 hour slow train to Marseilles was followed by another 3 hour journey to Carcasonne. My phone troubles were not over however as just after leaving Marseilles I went to check the name of the hotel in Carcasonne only to discover it was after doing a re-set again. A fellow passenger searched the hotels for me and it was just a few minutes walk from the train station when I arrived at nearly 11pm. I was glad I had decided to end the trip.

Monabrack, Knockaterriff, Lyracappul and Galtymor

Wednesday May 27th;

After the disappointing weather of the previous week Ireland was now enjoying record breaking temperatures of May. Just a week before I had "enjoyed" wind and rain and temperatures that struggled to reach the low double digits. Today the temperature was forecast to reach 31 degrees. What a contrast.

I wanted to get a decent round in so I parked in Kings Yard and decided to head in the glen under Monbrack and go from there to Knockaterriff and possibly even Temple Hill before heading to Lyreacappul and then along the ridge to Galtymor. Wow it was warm verging on hot when I left the car at 10.45. I was glad I had four litres of water in the bag. The walk into the glen is always a joy. It feels wild and you know that you are entering a different world. The 300 metre climb to the top of Monabrack looms above and once I was across the river (no footbridge anymore) I began the climb. Nice and steady was the mantra but I was pleased with my progress and before long the expanding views towards the Knockmealdowns provided ample reason to pause and drink some water. Eventually the broad top was reached and there was now a bit of a breeze to enjoy as well as the glorious views. I wasted no time in dropping into the deep glen under Knockaterriff and began the steep 200 metre climb. I was feeling good and it felt wonderful to be out in such glorious weather. 

Fine and lonely stand of trees

Galtymór a fair ways above Monabrack

I enjoyed a bite of lunch at the top and surveyed the route ahead. I decided that for today, in the heat, I would give Temple Hill a miss and instead head directly to Lyracappul. The normally super boggy stretch to the base of the climb was easy to cross today as things had dried out a lot in the few hot days we had had. I was also delighted with how I felt on the 200 metre climb to the 830 metre top. Lyracappul has I think the best views in the whole range. The views to the north, where the ground sweeps steeply down for 2000 feet to the farmland below is wonderful. I set off along the airy ridge and before long I reached the final climb of the day, the near 200 metre pull to the summit of Galtymór. I hadn't seen another person all day until until just below the top I was met three other hikers. From the summit cairn I turned and descended directly to the conjunction of three streams and then returned easily to the car. It had been a lovely outing. I had covered 17 kilometres, climbed 1200 metres in 5 hours 30 mins.

Camping for a few days in Cahersiveen

 I took the plunge and booked a week off work for the third week in May and set off west to one of my favourite campsites, Mannix Point in Cahersiveen. I booked in for four nights and I must say I was looking forward to it. All I needed now was some decent weather. Well as luck would have it the forecast was rubbish and stiff winds and mostly rainy days were to be my lot.

Tuesday May 19th;

My plan was simple, pack in some cycling, running, hiking and fishing. Basically all I like to do. My first order of business was to get some bait for the fishing so I stopped in Rossbeigh and dug some lugworm and collected a good few peeler crabs, which when added to the frozen bait I already had meant I was set fair. I even managed to get my digging done in between squally showers so I was happy and relieved as I drove through the rain to Cahersiveen. Now all I had to do was get the tent up. Once again I was lucky and the rain stayed away until about five minutes after I had everything done. Result. It was now after 3pm so I didn't really have the time to do anything other than a run. I have been nursing a knee injury to my right knee. I don't know if it is a hamstring or ligament problem but it has definitely curtailed my activities of late. I had taken a fortnight off running until a few days before I left and the few runs I had done went well, much to my relief. I didn't want to overdo it so I decided that a gentle 8 or 10 kilometres would be fine. I set off into town and crossed the bridge and headed towards White Strand. Not that I had any intention of going that far. By the time I reached the junction above the playing field I had covered four kilometres so I reckoned a kilometre further would be enough. As it turned out I went as far as the spectacular stone ringforts and turned for home from there. I was well pleased with myself to have done a reasonable 12 kilometres on day one and thankfully the knee wasn't too sore afterwards. The weather was showing some signs of improvement so I headed to the lovely beach at Reenroe to try a spot of surfcasting. It was high tide by the time I got there and the big swell was crashing right to the back of the beach so I stayed on a grassy platform near the road and fished hard for over two hours without any success. At least it stayed dry while I was at the beach but it rained heavily into the night and the wind ensured that the tent was given a stiff test. Still the forecast for tomorrow was a little better.

Wednesday May 20th;

After a windy rainy night it was a relief to wake this morning and find that at least the rain had stopped. There was more of a breeze than I would have liked and the cloud still hung low on the hills. The plan for today was to go for a cycle and the route I had planned wouldn't be too big (about 70 kilometres) and had a reasonable amount of climbing . I was hoping that the stretch beyond Ballinskelligs would offer amazing views, especially in the St Finnans Bay area.

I set off through the town shortly after 10am and I must say I was regretting not wearing more clothes. I just had a t-shirt inside my rainproof jacket and a long sleeve top would have been better. I reckon it was struggling to hit 10 degrees. I hoped that the long drag to the pass at Coar would warm me up and it did to a extent, but the long descent on the far side meant I was again chilly. Once I reached the Waterville road I turned into the breeze. It was about 16 kilometres to reach the ring of Kerry road so I didn't push too hard and stayed in a gear I could easily manage. Of greater concern was the fact that there seemed to be a mist coming inland from the sea and by the time I reached Dromid it was drizzling steadily and this soon turned to rain  Now I really regretted not having that extra layer on.  Add to this the fact that the cloud was now very low so this meant my hoped for views around St Finnans Bay  wouldn't be seen so it was an easy decision to cut the outing short. Instead I cycled most of the way to Ballinskelligs and then turned towards Cahersiveen. It ended up being a 55 kilometre outing so it wasn't too bad. I arrived back at the campsite chilled and soaked but the warm shower and fresh clothes made me feel good again. A decent lunch in the excellent kitchen of the site and I was ready for the rest of the day.

The weather improved and the rain stopped and patches of blue sky appeared as I drove towards Waterville where I planned to fish the golf course beach for a few hours. Conditions looked excellent and the weather was actually quite nice but I didn't get a nibble. Disappointed, I packed up at 6pm and decided to try Reenard Pier on my way back. The wind out at the end of the pier was really strong and when you add in the return of the rain I decided to retreat back to my tent. Once again it rained and blowed into the night.

Thursday May 21st;

After a fairly wild and wet night I rose to a less windy but still wet morning. It was a day for a run. I wouldn't go up any hills as the cloud was still down to about 200 metres so I decided to do the Laharn Bog Trail, a waymarked route around Bentee that was about 15 kilometres long but as I was starting a kilometre off the trail it should be 17 kilometres.

Oh dear but I felt rough at the start of the run. My knee hurt and as it was uphill for the first kilometre I struggled badly. Thankfully things eased after a while and once I reached the trail road things levelled off and my knee started to feel okay as well. I didn't know what to expect from the route but at least it was something new to me so I was looking forward to it. After six kilometres of running on quiet country lanes the trail turned onto a green road that crossed wild boggy ground before it reached another road. After a few hundred metres this road became a forest track that was a delight for the next couple of kilometres before it ended when it reached the road I had earlier left. Now I was once again on tarmac but the going was easy. The next four kilometres the road descended gently and traversed under the slopes of Bentee and a wide expanse of bog was on the right. I knew that the trail joined the Kerry Way as it neared Cahersiveen but I managed to miss the turnoff. I stayed on the road until it reached the busy main road outside the town and followed this back to the campsite. It added a little distance to the outing but avoided a little climbing so I was just as happy. Once again I was soaking wet when I got back but well pleased to have completed an 18.5 kilometre run. The longest I had done since the start of February. In the evening I went to Reenard Pier for another attempt at fishing and once again the wind made it hard work. When heavy rain arrived after a couple of fruitless hours I called it a day.

Friday May 22nd;

Finally the forecast was for the day to be mostly dry. After the run yesterday my knee was quite tight but I was determined to get a hike in. There was a fair bit of cloud about but I could see Drung hill in the distance and it's summit was clear of cloud so I decided to head in that direction. I drove up to the place where the Kerry Way meets a country lane and I parked there. I decided that I would climb Been Hill and go from there as far as Drung Hill and return to the car on the Kerry Way. I walked along the trail for a couple of kilometres until I reached a spot where I could easily gain access to the south-westerly spur of Been Hill. This rises fairly gently to the broad top and doesn't present any difficulties. Once again the wind was strong and I had my hat and coat on the whole time. The highest tops of Terromoyle and Com Na Charria where covered by the cloud but thankfully I was able to enjoy views almost all the time. I was pleased that my knee had loosened out and it didn't present too many issues on the way up. I hoped that the descent would also be okay.

Looking back towards Cahersiveen

As luck would have it a veil of cloud swept across the summit when I arrived so I wasted no time in heading to the next top Beenmore. The gentle descent to the col went well as did the climb to the summit and as I was once again free of cloud I was able to enjoy the views down to Comnacronia lake, the first of a total of six lakes that nestle in the Glenbeigh Horseshoe. Once on top I walked the kilometre to Drung hill and then dropped steeply to the Kerry Way some 350 metres below. I followed the way for the six kilometres and finally reached my car. When I started driving back the rain once again arrived with a vengeance. It was just that sort of week. I had really enjoyed the outing. 15 kilometres, almost 1000metres ascent in just over four hours.

Towards Rossbeigh from Drung Hill

It did clear up again in the evening so I ventured to Coonana pier for a couple of hours fishing. It wasn't great but at least it was sheltered enough to fish easily and a couple of Ballan Wrasse obliged. This basically ended the adventure as I returned home the following morning. I also returned minus my tent as the wind had rent a one foot tear in the flysheet and I could see another area that was about to go as well. It was a not very expensive one from Decathlon which I had used a fair bit since Covid and had served me very well. I shall get another one. 

Purple and Tomies and the Gap of Dunloe

 

Tuesday May 11th;

I went with Jerry for a hike on Tomies and Purple above the Gap of Dunloe. This offers a wonderful outing that is packed with views and interest. It would also be Jerrys first time in the area and it is always nice to introduce someone to somewhere new. The weather forecast was good, promising a stiff breeze but dry conditions. Mind you when I collected Jerry at 9am it looked less than promising. The breeze was there but a steady drizzle was falling and it remained quite miserable until we got near Killarney when there was a dramatic improvement and the rain was left behind and mostly clear skies prevailed. We arrived in a reasonably quiet Kate Kearneys and we were on the move at 10am. We set off back the road until we reached the gate to the forestry lane that rises gently until you reach the end of the spur that rises towards Tomies North Top. This allows for a nice gentle introduction to the hike and a couple of hundred metres is easily gained and as you get higher the East Reeks start to reveal themselves above the bulk of Cnoc na Bracha. Unfortunately the gentle progress doesn't last and a steep tough pull of over 200 metres is required to reach the broad top of Tomies North Top. A brief rest here to admire the now extensive and stunning views and we set off for the climb of Tomies itself. This near 200 metre climb looks worse than it is and except for the final stretch is on a good chicaning path. We topped out to a buffeting cold northerly wind and we wasted no time taking some shelter and enjoying a bite to eat. Even in the shelter it was cold and I put on my hard shell, hat and gloves before setting off on the next leg.

Once on the move we warmed up again and the next climb of 100 metres to the Purple NE Top  passed well. The climbing was now nearly done for the day and it was just a short walk to the col before climbing the final 100 metres to the top of Purple. Oddly enough the wind wasn't as strong since the last top and we were able to relax in the open for a while and enjoy the extensive and wonderful views. It had been a while since I was here and it was also a pleasure to see Jerry's appreciation for the place. One curiosity of the summit is that when you reach the first cairn the next one just 100 metres away looks definitely higher but when you reach the main cairn and look back the first cairn looks higher. I don't know why this is but it is something I have encountered before on other mountains. Wedidn't delay too long and continued straight ahead and dropped easily down the dry slopes until we reached Glas Lough and followed the trail to the Head of The Gap. It felt much warmer down here and we enjoyed walking the 6 kilometres back to the car. We enjoyed an excellent coffee and cake in the nearby cafe before heading home.

It had been a grand old outing and a good test for Jerry who is still getting his mountain legs. 16 kilometres, 1050 metres ascent in just over 5 hours..

Hiking in the Dingle Peninsula

 

I haven't really being doing much hillwalking of late, I've been using running and cycling in the main to try and keep fit. As I have a trip upcoming to the Alps in June I reckoned it was high time to get in a few hill days. A great weather forecast coincided with a few days off work so I took the chance to head to one of my favourite places, the Dingle Peninsula.

Thursday,

After finishing a run of nights I needed some sleep so I didn't leave home until 2pm. I was going camping at the Green Acres campsite near Castlegregory and the plan for the evening was to get in a spot of fishing. There was a stiff easterly wind blowing so as it's a big old four man tent and not the easiest to set up when alone and its windy, I opted for the sheltered corner near the games room and play ground to pitch the tent. Once the tent was up I went and dug lugworm for bait and fished at Castegregory beach until 10pm. It was a very enjoyable and busy session as the bass were plentiful and on the feed. I returned to the quiet campsite and enjoyed a lovely peaceful night.

Friday,

Today the plan was to get a good hike in. I had a leisurely morning and I caught up on some sleep and relaxed a while with good coffee and breakfast before deciding to  do a fine outing that would take in Bensokee and several tops that stretch west towards Cloghane. I drove to the junction for Cloghane off the Dingle road and parked there. Up next comes a three kilometre walk along the road until, after crossing the river at a bad bend, easy access is gained to the beautiful valley between Gob an Iolair and Binn an Tuair. The morning was perfect weather wise. The stiff wind of last nght had died down to a breeze and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. I have developed yet another injury, this time the back of my right knee giving trouble and I was apprehensive as to whether it would be problematic during the hike. Once into the valley I turned and started up the steep 500 metre climb that leads to the broad boggy summit of Binn an Tuair, which although it is just 592 metres high, requires a stiff effort to reach it. I thankfully needn't have worried about my knee, as while I could feel it, it didn't hold me back. 

Looking towards Gob an Iolair

The views to the Brandon massif are wonderful

Finally on top and looking towards Benoskee

I paused a little while to enjoy the wonderful views before setting off to the top An Com Bán just a kilometre away before dropping to the col before the final 250 metre climb to the summit of Benoskee 826mtrs. What an amazing viewpoint this is. Situated right in the middle of the peninsula, there are superb views to both the massifs of Bartregaum and Brandon. The Brandon area in particular looks stunning.  I enjoyed a bite of lunch here and I sheltered from the chilly breeze before setting off down to the boggy expanse that separates the hills on the northern and southern sides of the peninsula. 500 metres is lost and the ground gets progressively wetter but there is a delicious sense of remoteness and isolation here. A stiff 150 metre climbing saw me reach the craggy Gob an Iolair. A traverse of the slopes of Sliabh na nGabhar comes next before after another descent and river crossing sees you reach the final climb of the day. 150 metres of ascent and finally I was on the sharp and delightful An Starraicìn. Now this top is just 458mtrs high but don't let the modest height fool you. It is a superb viewpoint, perched as it is atop a steep spine that drops between two valleys filled with lakes and framed by cliffs and waterfalls. It is a truly  magical place. One advantage of the modest height is that it doesn't take long to descend and before too long I was walking alongside the lake shore and soon I was back at the car. One thing to note however is that the start of the descent is quite steep and a good head on steep ground is essential. 

So just under 19 kilometres covered in just over five and a half hours with a respectable 1250 metres ascent thrown in. I was delighted.  Mind you I was less so when I returned to the campsite to discover a few families, each with several small children had arrived and pitched up near me. My quiet time was a thing of the past.

Saturday, 

The breeze of yesterday was after easing off and it was another mostly blue sky day.  The mountains however were veiled in cloud down to around 700 metres. I wasn't too bothered and decided that today I would do a round on the Brandon range. One of my favourite rounds is to start in the delightful village of Cloghane and walk in along the quiet lane that heads towards the wild ground under Ballysitteragh before turning and climbing Gerhane first. The lane is a dead end so it is very quiet and the views become ever more dramatic the further you go. After nearly four kilometres on the lane I turned onto the track/roadway that passes a couple of farmhouses before climbing gently to reach Lough Avoonane. Wow, what a spectacular place this is. The lake nestles under a series of cliffs and cascades that rise over 600 metres to the ridge above. Not that I could see the ridge as it remained hidden in cloud. I was ever hopeful it would clear but the day was calm and dry so I couldn't complain. Now I started up the long, steep and unrelenting climb of the east spur that would eventually see me crest out at the summit of Gerhane 803mtrs. I took it steady and was pleased to find I made good progress. Once in the cloud there was little to distract me and once I reached the top I simply continued on towards Brandon Peak, less than a kilometre away.

Gerhane hidden high above

While following the easy ridge I reminisced on the time I crossed it during the severe cold snap of 2010. Then the entire massif was covered in snow and the ridge had formed a pleasingly sharp snow crest that provided an airy and spectacular passage. When I reached  Brandon Peak (840mtrs) the usually spectacular views were absent so I turned without pause for Brandon itself. The next three kilometres passed easily and only the final bit provided a stiffish pull. I actually had the summit to myself but once again I simply walked on and descended the normal route towards the grotto. Once I re-emerged under the cloud I enjoyed a very pleasant passage, all the way back to my car. I hadn't had the uninterrupted views of yesterday but I had still enjoyed myself immensely.

Finally re-emerging under the cloud

17kilometres today in 5 hours 20 minutes with 1320 metres ascent.

Sunday,

I enjoyed another leisurely start and I was in no hurry to pack everything up and turn for home. It was warm calm and sunny again today but there was more in the way of loud on the mountains, which were veiled down to around 600 metres. By the time I was ready to leave it was almost noon. I decided that I would climb Caherconree from the road that rises from Camp village on the western side of the mountain. There is a marked trail that rises to the old promontory fort that is spectacularly situated at over 650 metres. It was just a short drive to reach the trailhead and I was ready to start by 12.30. Things got off to a great start when I heard my first cuckoo of the year when I got out of the car.  Straight away my eye was drawn to the elegant spur/ridge that rose directly to the fort. I decided that this would be my way up, so I walked down the road a bit until I reached a gate that gave access to the open ground. Right from the start it was steep but do-able and I made sue and steady progress. On a fine Sunday afternoon I expected to see others out on the mountain but I seemed to have the place to myself. The going gets steeper the higher you get until finally the final 100 metres rise up through crags and bluffs when hands are sometimes required.

Looking up towards the fort...steeper than it looks here

Above the fort and Dingle Bay beyond

I crested out in the middle of the fort and it was glorious. The cloud was dissipating all the while and now only the very top had a veil and the views were gorgeous. The remainder of the climb to the 835mtr summit is quite laid back and passed easily. Since I was feeling pretty good I decided to include Baurtregaum 851mtrs in m day as well. This would mean an out and back addition of nearly four kilometres and add an extra 260 metres ascent. As it had taken just 1 hour 20 mins to reach the summit it would still only be a short day. The descent to the wide stony col between the two tops is easy and at times pleasingly narrow. By no the remaining cloud was in retreat and I ambled along in warm sunshine. The pull to the broad stony summit of the fourth highest mountain in the country outside of The Reeks is easy and before long I was enjoying the views from it's top. I simply retraced my steps and I was back on the top of Caherconree an hour after leaving it. I descended back to the fort and then made my way back to the road via the marked trail. This becomes increasingly wet and boggy the lower you get and as luck would have it I managed to have a fall while jumping across a watery patch. Ah well, I had only a few minutes to endure before a welcome change of clothes.

Looking across to Baurtregaum

It had been a lovely hike. Not too demanding as it had only covered 10 kilometres but there had been a respectable 950 metres ascent. All done in just under three and a half hours. I was also pleased that I had visited the three main mountain areas of the peninsula.

Hiking In The Italian Alps, Lombardy

 I was off on my travels again in early October and once again I headed north of Milan. Last year I flew to Bergamo and headed to Sondrio, from where I made my way south, through the delightful Bergamasque or Orobie Alps over a seven day period in the second week in October. This time I was once again going to Sondrio but it was the mountains to the north of the town I was going to explore.

Monday October 6th;

I had originally planned on flying out from Dublin on Tuesday afternoon but a warning about a three day French air traffic control strike, due to commence on Tuesday morning, prompted me to change my flight to Monday morning out of Cork. It was just as well as Cork suits me better and is a much nicer airport to fly from. All travels went very well until I was directed to the wrong train at Ponto di San Pietro near Bergamo which meant a two hour delay in arriving in Sondrio. It was no big problem but it was stress I could have done without and it also meant that I wasn't able to get gas for the trip until the following day. Still I had treated myself to a nice hotel and I enjoyed excellent pizza and a good night's rest.

Tuesday October 7th;

I was anxious to be off but I had no choice but to wait until the shops opened before I went in search of gas. I ate a copious breakfast and left the hotel at nine. There was a fishing store in the town centre that was open so I made for that. Alas they didn't have any gas but he gave me directions to a store he said would have some. I quickly managed to get lost so I returned to the shop and this time he dropped a pin on the map and I found it okay. I was a little dismayed to see it was a hardware store but they did indeed stock gas. Unfortunately the only screw on canisters they had was the large size. Still I was now good to go and ready to start my little adventure. 

One of the impressive public spaces in Sondrio

I had planned on getting the train as far as Tirano and following the Alta Via to Torre di Santa Maria over three days. The delay in getting gas meant that I wouldn't be able to actually start hiking until after 11am so I gave the map a quick perusal and saw that I could start from where I was and head towards Tirano. I decided to do that. 

Leaving the town heading into Valmalenco

The weather was glorious. It was warm but not hot, with blue skies and no wind and it promised to remain the same for the duration of the trip. I was regretting not bringing shorts and t-shirt, but I knew that it would be chilly higher up when it got dark. The store was at the upper end of the town so, after using the excellent Mapy.cz app I was soon exiting the town and following a trail that headed deeper into Valmalenco. The first target was Arquino about four kilometres away, and from there I could see that the trail climbed through the forest until it entered a glen that eventually became a long wide valley. Before Arquino the trail reached a road that was shut to traffic. As I neared the village I could see why. Some rockfall had occurred and some substantial gouges had been taken out of the road. Just after the village I entered the woods and began to leave the world behind.

Gaining good height in Val di Tongo 

I had feared that the slope would be steep but it was a vehicle track so it was quite straightforward and an easy 300mtrs of height was gained. The track continued for another five kilometres until it reached a small collection of houses and Refugio Val di Tongo. Here, I was at over 1300 metres, so a substantial height had already been gained. One curiosity was when a couple of guys in a big SUV stopped and demanded to know where I was going and where I was going to sleep. I explained as best I could that I was heading to Tirano over three days and I would bivi up high. One guy seemed to insist I go into Switzerland. I agreed and they drove on. It wasn't hostile exactly,  but it left me wondering.

After the refuge the track became a trail and the valley became more open and the views got better. I passed through a several alpages and the valley widened and turned to the west. Eventually I could see the pass I wanted to cross tomorrow. I was taken aback by the amount of snow that was lying well below the pass. Passo Forame is quite high at 2830metres but from what I could see the snow lay down as low as 2500 metres. I began to reassess my options for the following days as most of the route I had planned was above 2500 metres and a lot substantially higher. Once I got above the tree line the wide valley offered stunning alpine views and I found myself surrounded by stunning snow capped alpine peaks. 

Not too far from the refuge. Things looking very alpine

My pass for the following day.

My first target was the Refugio Bruno de Dosso which sits at just over 2100 metres. Thankfully I was still feeling pretty good but it's fair to say that the going was never too tough. Still when I reached the closed refuge I was glad to discover a delightful flat patch of grass alongside it which I immediately decided would be my home for the night. I had been on the move for five hours forty minutes so I felt it had been a decent first day out. The views were wonderful in all directions but the peaks on the western side of the valley that soared to over 3200 metres and with snow lying to 2500 metres looked majestic. It was wonderful to while away the remaining daylight admiring them.

Home sweet home

Up to 3200 metres. Much more snow than I was expecting

Day 1 19 kilometres, ascent- 1855metres in 5 hours 40 minutes. I was well pleased.

Wednesday October 8th;

I hadn't tried to stay up reading last evening and basically I settled down to sleep once it got dark. As expected it had gotten pretty chilly after the sun went down so the sleeping bag was the best place to be. I did my usual thing of dozing and laying awake but overall the night passed very well. There had also been a full moon and it was really bright and a delight to stand outside at 3am and enjoy the silvered landscape. Dawn arrived at 7am and I rose and enjoyed breakfast before packing everything up. I was on the move again before 8. There hadn't been a frost on the tent but before I had gone too far the grass was crispy. I was wondering what the snow on the shaded side of the pass would bring.

Up at the pass

Pizzo Painale 3247 metres

From the start I was struggling a bit. The going was fairly easy but I could feel the after effects of the hike in the legs. Once I had gone a couple of kilometres and gained just 150 metres things became considerably steeper. I lost the faint path in the rougher ground but I just picked what I thought was the easiest line. Once up over 2500 metres things eased a little but now I had reached the snow. I soon got my answer as to what it was like. The first few steps were good and I crunched along the surface of the frozen snow but then I would break through and "posthole" the next few and then repeat. It was horrible. There were ribs and outcrops of rock available and I resolved to use these instead. This provided snow free progress but I don't know if it was ultimately any easier. I was continually moving from one rock spur to the next in search of a continuation, as sometimes it would rear up and sometimes come to a sudden drop. It was engaging but tiring, especially with a heavy pack but I made slow but steady progress. Eventually I reached the snow basin that led to the pass. I was hoping that the other side would offer easier progress. It took me two hours and forty minutes to reach the pass. Wow, I was slow. Anyway, there was nothing for it but to go on. 

Just after the pass. Steep snow to descend

I reached the pass and looked somewhat apprehensively over the edge. After my experience last year in Passo Scaletta I was dreading having to descend anything too steep or icy. It was with some considerable relief that I saw relatively straightforward ground. An initial steep drop of around 10 metres on rock saw me reach a snow field that dropped for about 200 metres at about 40 degrees. It was doable. I set off carefully on the rock and soon reached the snow. Some old steps should have provided an easy descent, but my quads were on fire and pain was my companion all the way until I left the snow. I reached a trail that headed to the nearby bivouac hut called Capanna Cederna Maffina at 2580 metres. One of the things I had hoped to do on this trip was to climb Pizzo Scalina which at 3323 metres would be a great highlight of the trip. The route began from the hut. If I was feeling better, I would have rested it the cabin for an hour or two and then set off up with a small bag. I could then have stayed overnight in the hut. Now, even though the route looked from here to be snow free, looking up, I knew it was beyond me. I sat and looked at the map and formulated a new plan.

Cima di Forame 3053 metres. Snow a long way down on northern aspect

Capanna Cererna Maffina

Towards Val Martina

I was disappointed, but only a little. It would be silly to dwell on the negatives when there was so much to enjoy. The trail down from the hut was easy and in the wonderful weather the views all about were a joy. The trail headed down into the deep Val Martina that ultimately led to the town of Churio a little east of Sondrio. In hindsight and having looked at the map I could probably have continued on the Alta Via to Tirano but as well as my fatigue I was spooked by the snow up high. Anyway, the decision was made and down I was going. Once down in the deep valley I was once again enveloped by the forest. I made slow but steady progress and once I reached a wide grassy area at Piana dei Cavalli my mind started to turn towards finding somewhere to stay for the night. It was still fairly early but I had been on the move for six hours. I decided to continue for another while and perhaps the next alpage would be just as good. 

Hard to remain disappointed on a day like this with views like this.

Thought about camping here

The next one came a couple of kilometres further on and initially it looked promising but I was disappointed to find that a large number of cattle were still there. I was beginning to think that I would have to continue all the way to the valley floor as the next clearing at Campello was served by a road and there seemed to be several houses there. There was a refuge there called Refugio Massimo Erler but I didn't hold out much hope of finding sanctuary there. It wasn't long before I reached Campello and as I entered it I saw what I thought was a chapel off the road to the left. I walked up to it and it turned out to be the deserted refuge and there was a grassy area alongside that was secluded from all eyes. I had my home for the night. While there were several houses around the refuge, they were all deserted. A couple of men were working on constructing a nearby house but once they left at five pm I had the place to myself. It was a great little spot and I enjoyed another excellent camping experience (even if it really wasn't in the wild). 

Home for  night two.

It had taken me almost seven hours to cover the 16 kilometres. Just less than 800 metres ascent and nearly 1500 metres down. Hopefully tomorrow I would feel stronger.

Thursday October 9th;

It had been a quiet, uneventful night and I was on the move again just after 8am. I was feeling pretty good today and I wanted to do something longer than descend directly to the valley as this would only take around two hours. After looking at the map I decided to go to a place called San Bernardo, which was around eight kilometres away and I would reassess my options there. It was another beautiful morning and the going was easy. I followed the quiet lane down to a little village called Sant Antonio and here the route entered the woods and traversed the mountainside on a good track. There were several stags bellowing and I was reminded that the rut was in full swing. I was hoping that I wouldn't run into any of them on the trail. As I said the going was easy and the further on I went the more I wanted to add some climbing to my day. I had a look at the map again and saw that a trail climbed from San Bernardo to a place called Massarescia, which would give me a four hundred metre ascent, and would allow me to loop around back to the valley to a village called Ponte in Valtellina.

Leaving the refuge...still a long way down to the valley.

After leaving Sant Antonio looking towards the Orobie Alps

When I reached San Bernardo (a road head and just a few houses) I turned and began the climb. It followed the crest of a spur that rose up through the forest towards the high mountains above. I could see a cross atop an outcrop and I wondered if that was my destination. I was very pleased with how my body felt. Tired I certainly was, but also, I was much better than yesterday. I made very good progress up the sometimes steep trail and eventually reached Massarescia. My hoped for viewing point turned out to be a car park in the woods with nothing to see beyond. I could now see that the cross was still several hundred metres higher so I turned and began my descent. The trail dropped steeply through the forest and six hundred metres was lost pretty quickly. Finally it reached a tiny roadway and this led directly to the valley. Once below the trees I passed through some orchards and I helped myself to a couple of delicious apples. 

Finally able to see the valley floor

I reached the sleepy but delightful village with it's narrow cobbled lanes and after a couple of enquiries I found the piazza where I could catch a bus to Sondrio. It was just 13.30. I relaxed in the warm sunshine on the chairs provided at the bus stop (yes, actual chairs). I asked a guy walked past if he knew the bus times and a delightful tableau happened when he shouted to the patrons of a nearby cafe and after several back and forths, he said 15.15. That meant I had nearly an hour and a half to wait. I had opened my rucksack and pulled a few bits out while I searched for something or other when I heard a heavy engine. I turned and saw that a bus had arrived. I quickly tried to put stuff back in the bag and asked the driver if he was going to Sondrio. He replied something like quinto minute, which I assumed was fifty minutes. I was well pleased, as that was better than what I expected. I was even more pleased when he returned after about five minutes and I was once again on the way to Sondrio. I booked myself into an apartment with the superb Valtellina Sondrio Holidays and enjoyed another pleasant, luxurious evening.

They tasted as good as they looked

Ponte in Valtellina

I had been very pleased with the hike today. Nothing too taxing but I had covered 16 kilometres, climbed 750 metres, descended 1700 metres in just over five hours. Plus I felt stronger. I was looking forward to getting back on the trail again.

Friday October 10th;

After good pizza and beer and a comfy bed last night I left the apartment after 8am feeling good and made my way to the bus station, where I could get a bus to Torre di Sante Maria, from where the next adventure could begin. The plan for the next four days was to follow the Sentiero Italia as far as Novate Mezzola just north of Lake Como. All went well and I alighted in the village at 09.10. 

Once again the weather was glorious. It was a nice easy start, as the first couple of kilometres were on a quiet road that rose gently as far as Bianchi. Valmalenco looked wonderful and it stretches up to the north until it abruptly reaches giant mountains that almost reach 4000 metres on the Swiss Italian border. Some beautiful autumn colours adorned the steep forested sides of the valley and I paused to enjoy the views wherever I got the chance. Torre sits at about 800 metres and Bianchi is at just over 900 metres. Now I was faced with a near 700 metre climb up through the woods. I was delighted with how the climb went, and also delighted with the knowledge that my fitness was returning. Eventually I reached a forest road that led to Alp Bracia, where I was once again able to enjoy expansive and wonderful views.

Alp Bracia. A beautiful place.

It had taken me just two hours twenty minutes to reach here, and as I had already done nearly 900 metres of climbing, I decided to rest here a while and soak in the sun and the views. I sat on a bench beside a little chapel and looked across at the mountains that had formed the backdrop to the first couple of days. I planned to go as far as Refugio Bossio-Galli which was only about 400 metres higher up. Once again when I reached there, I would assess my options. The trail continued in a more undulating fashion and there were no more big climbs. Eventually the enclosed woodland gave way to a delightful open valley and here, the closed refuge guarded the entrance. I took another break here and decided to carry on another while. I had looked at satellite images last night and there appeared to be some suitable options for camping ahead. Before long I reached an abandoned cattle shed and some rather boggy pastures lay beyond. After a little exploring I found a nice dry level spot so once again home for the night was sorted. 

Not too far below the refuge

What a glorious spot it was. To the north of the valley the ground soared above some small glaciers to the impressive Monte Disgrazia which at 3678 metres was a substantial beastie. At the head of the valley Corni Bruciati soared to 3114 metres and, framed by the valley, away to the east were the snow capped mountains from days one and two. My first target for tomorrow lay ahead, Passo Caldenno (2530 metres), and it was snow free and quite laid back. I was looking forward to crossing it tomorrow. I whiled away a very pleasant few hours in warm sunshine and blissful isolation. 

Up above the hut

Not a bad spot to pitch

Looking west from the tent

Looking east

Monte Disgrazia (3678mtrs) looms above

It hadn't been too taxing and I'd covered just 12 kilometres, climbed 1500 metres in just four and a half hours.

Saturday October 11th;

It was another beautiful weather morning. Once again there had been no frost at the tent but it was chilly. I enjoyed breakfast and I was on the move just after 8am. Passo Caldenno was the first of two passes this morning and there was an easy bike trail, which seemed newly constructed, that led easily to the pass. I t wasn't long before I reached it and I could see Passo di Scermondone (2595 metres) not too far ahead. I had to drop just 200 metres before the climb to the pass began, but that climb looked a little steeper than what I had just done. The descent was easy on the continuing track and before long I was heading to the pass. It was indeed steeper but never difficult and I was standing at the pass just after 10am. Once again the descent was easy and I was glad that I had decided to forego the higher passes for this route. I was now entering Val Terzana which headed due west towards Val Masino in which sat Cataeggio which was the target for today. The going was easy and before long I was down in the valley and sauntering along and enjoying the views. To my right, the skyline looked to be a mountaineering dream and I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to try it. Not long after passing a shaded little lake the train contoured along the left side of the valley until it eased onto the broad crest at Bivacco Scermendone.

Leave no trace, leaving my campsite

Another beautiful weather day

Passo di Scermondone in centre with some snow

Back to the pass

Now I could see down to the wide, busy, Valtellina valley that stretched from Lake Como to Tirano once again. The views were a bit hazy but everywhere I looked was a delight, There were some men working at the bivouac and on a track that led to it and just after I passed them I saw a sign for a refuge that continued on that track, but my map was showing that my route stuck to the crest of the ridge. For a while things were delightful and easy as the trail undulated along the broad grassy ground, but after a while the trail grew fainter and the ground grew steeper and it became clear that this was a way seldom travelled. While walking along one easy section through some pine trees, I got an awful bang to the head when I walked into a thick stump of a branch that was sticking out from above. It brought me to my knees and I roared in pain and surprise and I was sure that I had done damage. I was waiting for the blood to start to flow but thankfully the skin wasn't broken and after a minute or two I was able to continue, tenderly feeling the growing lump on my head. The most awkward section was when I reached a spot called Pizzo Mercantelli where the ground was steep and I had to do some delicate traversing before I found myself on a better path that descended steeply through the woods. Before too much longer I emerged to a clearing at Refugio Alpe Grande which I guess would have been easier to reach via the other path. The lump in my head was only one reason why I regretted not taking it.

I entered the forest once again and the trail eventually reached a roadway that chicaned  its way down Valle di Sasso Bisolo until it reached the stunningly beautiful Val Masino. This spectacular  narrow valley ran from north to south and a few villages nestled in it. I hadn't sorted out anywhere to stay yet so I stopped and got on the internet to have a look. I was disappointed to see that there was only a couple of places online and these were extremely expensive. I saw that there was a campsite up in San Martino but this would have meant a six kilometre diversion off route to reach it. I would do it if I had to, but I hoped that there would be a bed and breakfast or two in Cataeggio where I could stay. As it happened, the first thing I saw as I was entering the village was a small hotel called Rustichella, which had a room, and was reasonably priced for dinner and breakfast. I was sorted. Later on, while looking at the map again I saw that there was a campsite only about a kilometre above the village which would have been ideal, but I didn't complain when sleeping in the comfy bed.

Towards Val Masino with Cataeggio below

Towards San Martino

It hadn't been too taxing a day, 18 kilometres covered, just 730 metres ascent (despite crossing two passes), over 2000 metres descending in just over 6 hours.

Sunday October 12th;

I was another beautiful weather morning and I emerged into the sleepy Sunday morning just after 8am. The target over the next couple of days was to reach Novate Mezzola, just north of Lake Como. The route went up to Lago di Spluga, passed over Passo di Primalpia (2477mtrs) before descending to Novate. Depending on how I felt, I had plenty of options as to how big a day I needed to do today. As for how I felt, well I felt strong, but I had developed a sore throat and cold, and I was concerned that I would develop a chest infection. The last time I had one it nearly floored me and I was in fairly severe respiratory distress. If that happened while in the wild I would have been in trouble. With that in mind I was mindful of my body as I set off. 

The trail left Cataeggio and headed south through the woods above the valley floor. I had thought that it would have gained height gradually but it descended instead, and eventually, after about five kilometres, it reached Torrent Splugo near Cevo. Now I was down at 700 metres. As the lake was up at nearly 2200 metres it meant I had a fair old climb ahead of me. It's fair to say that despite the sore throat etc I was moving well and I made good steady progress. As is often the case, when you are starting off up a climb then the high ground above looks impossibly far away. Whenever there was a break in the trees the open ground above the treeline looked so far away. Still, I just kept plodding away and gradually, what had seemed so far above me, came nearer. After climbing over 300 metres I came to a clearing in the woods where there was a curious collection of stone and wooden chalets whose only inhabitants at the moment was a few donkeys. From what I could see there is no other way to reach here except by foot and I wondered how the buildings were built and who stays here now. 

A hazy Valtellina with the Orobie Alps peeking through

Still a long way up. Beautiful autumn colours

For the next little while the trail climbed up through more open scrubby ground and I was able to enjoy and admire the delightful autumn colours on display. Another section of forest came and went and I emerged into the sunshine at an alpage at Corte di Cevo where I took a breather and had a bite to eat. I was delighted by how good the legs felt and I was breathing deep and strong. I was now up at over 1750 metres and I had done over 1000 metres ascent already. I reset my target for today and decided that I would go as far as Bivacco Primalpia. Before long I reached open ground that reached a crest at 2100 metres and here I was finally able to see Lago di Spluga and the pass above. I also found out I had climbed a little too high and I had to drop to my left to regain the trail. At the lake there was a sign for a pass that it said was over two hours away. I did a quick check of the name of my pass and I was much relieved to find it wasn't the one named on the sign. I used the app to get my bearings and I could see Passo Primalpia (2477 metres) directly beyond the rather small lake. The route went directly up a bouldery gully that looked steeper than I hoped it actually was. As there was still over 300 metres of climbing left to do I wasted no time in setting off. As I suspected, when I got nearer the gully it did indeed lay back and it wasn't too bad at all. It offered some gentle scrambling in places and I made good steady progress. The actual pass was a couple of hundred metres beyond the end of the gully and I looked forward to seeing what lay beyond it.

Lago di Spluga. Passo Primalpia is the one on the left up the gully

I reached the pass and stopped and marvelled at the stunning scene that lay before me. The valley descended until it became lost in a sea of cloud, above which, alpine peaks and ridges soared. It was one of the best temperature inversions I had seen in many years. Just ahead there was a sort of hanging coum in which lay a couple of small lakes that were surrounded by steep ground that only allowed a narrow gap beyond the second lake. The trail skirted around the slope until it reached the lower lakes edge and I could see some decent sized fish swimming in the margins. I had now entered Valle dei Laghi. After the lake the trail traversed steep ground until it reached the shoulder of the ridge. Easy ground followed as the trail went, first south before turning southwest and heading directly for the hut. It was just as well that the goin was easy as it was hard not to keep looking out at the stunning scene ahead. As I neared the hut I could see a group of five arriving before me. I was a little disappointed to see them stop and enter the hut so I decided that I would camp instead of stay. I had been on the lookout for a suitable spot  of several hundred metres before the hut and there rally wasn't anywhere to be seen. Once at the hut I spotted a platform of sorts above the hut and I made for it. Much to my relief it was flat and stone free. I had my home for the night once again.

View from Passo Primalpia

Wow

I've had worse views when camping

And what a home it was. On my little platform, it was like having my own personal viewing terrace from where I could relax and enjoy my world class view. It still wasn't half three and the sun was really warm. There as just the hint of a breeze and I was able to strip to my shorts and bask in the heat. Not bad for the middle of October and up at 2000 metres. I was also delighted with how I felt. Despite the sore throat and head cold I was by no means spent when I dopped the bag, even though I had been on the go for over seven hours. After a little while I retired to my tent and dozed for a while Later as the sun lowered towards the horizon it got chilly but it was a wonder and a joy to sit and enjoy my dinner as the sea of cloud was set afire by the setting sun. Definitely one of my best camping experiences ever. As I was just out of sight of the hut and at half six I decided to go down for a look. The group that had entered had been very quiet and when I looked in t was deserted. They must have left while I dozed. The hut looked great, with a sleeping platform with mattresses and a gas cooker, a fire and even lights. I decided to pack up my stuff and stay there instead. As I was walking up to my tent I saw a woman approach the hut and sure enough she went in and stayed. I decided to stick to my tent as it wouldn't have been fair to subject her to my snuffling and sneezing in the night. I sat and watched the scene until long after the sun had disappeared beyond the horizon and saw the sky become a delight of pinks and purple.

It had been a good day. 16 kilometres covered in 7 hours 15 mins but almost 2100 metres ascent and 1000 of descent.

Monday October 13th;

It was another wonderful weather day and the layer of cloud still lay below me when I exited the tent. Again it was chilly but there was no frost, but I didn't tarry over breakfast or packing up and I was on the move by 08.20. While the cloud still lay over the valley floor I could see that it had thinned a little and retreated lower, chances were good that the sun would burn it off later on. Today promised not to be too taxing as the route was nearly all downhill. I was in a strange way a bit disappointed by this as I was feeling strong and thankfully the cold and sore throat symptoms had eased a bit this morning. After coping so well with the ascent of yesterday I wouldn't have minded another shot at a big day. That said, I guess I had to remain mindful of my health and an exhausting day might have led to a worsening of the cold. 

Finally hazy views down to the lake

Looking back up to where I camped last night

The trail descended easily and before too long I once again entered the forest. Down here where I guess the air would have remained still overnight there had been a frost. Once down below 1450 metres I reached a clearing and the trail crossed the torrent and continued easily all the way to settlement at Frasnedo. I had indeed been correct about the sun burning off the cloud and once again it was warm and sunny. I could now get misty views down to the valley floor and see the towns by the lakeshore. The trail entered the woods again and descended until suddenly I reached a narrow gauge railway (disused) and now the trail followed that. This section is known as the Tracciolino trail. As a signalman in the railway I found it quaint and delightful, especially in the little passing loops where the points were still there and in working order. For the next two kilometres the little line traversed spectacularly around the cliffs of the rocky mountainside and it was a joy. I arrived at the point where my route left the line and entered a near 400 metre long tunnel, just big enough for a shortish person to stand up straight. Out came the head torch and I ventured in. It passed quickly and if anything the trail became even more spectacular as it cut through and around rock ribs with some spectacular drops in places. It lasted for a kilometre and a half like this and I loved it. 

What a beautiful trail

A conventional trail followed and before long I was entering the hilltop settlement of San Giorgio. My route turned and headed towards Cola and should have traversed around the Codera valley before descending to Novate Mezzola. This would have included nearly 400 metres of climbing and covered nine kilometres. Unfortunately the trail was all barred up and the route was closed so I had to make my way from San Giorgio directly down to the town via another route. This meant my easy day just got a fair bit easier as the remaining four kilometres were all downhill. The route wound its way down quite steeply through quite steep ground and it didn't take too long before I was entering the edge of the town. I made my way directly to the train station and arrived at just 13.15. I caught a train to Colico which lay on the northern shore of Lake Como. I booked into another hotel and relaxed for the afternoon and explored the town a little. Not that the town charmed me, I found it a bit dreary, but the lake shore was nice. 

It hadn't been a taxing day and I had covered just over 16 kilometres, just 100 metres ascent and 1900 down in just less than 5 hours.

Tuesday October 14th;

The reason that I decided to go to Colico was that there wasn't really a suitable hike I could do in Novate Mezzola on the one remaining day I had left. I had seen a route that started from the centre of Colico and climbed to Cima Scoggioni at 1700 metres. That seemed to fit the bill nicely. I checked out of the hootel but I was able to leave my rucksack at reception and I was wonderfully unencumbered when I set off as I only carried a bottle of water and a few protein bars. I was soon leaving the busier centre behind and as I gained height above the town there were more in the way of gated villas, some of whom has stunning views over Lake Como and to the mountains beyond. Not that the views were that good today as there was a layer of cloud above and a hazy mist obscured any distant views. Still it was dry and I couldn't complain at the lack of blue sky as I had bee so so fortunate with the weather. After crossing over the motorway things became more rural and then before long I was walking up a quiet lane through the woods until I reached Fontanedo. Now the trail climbed up through a delightful beech forest and the world once again slipped away. After some time I reached the pine woods and it climbed up a spur quite steeply until it eventually reached a clearing and refugio Scoggioni. 

Hazy views this morning

I was really pleased with how I was moving. I should say that I had a train to Milan booked for 14.15 so I had at most five hours to complete the return trip. I had set a cut off time when I would turn around and I really didn't expect to reach Cima. Cima is something of a misnomer as there is no  peak or mountain top. It is simply a small plateau on the mountainside where a good view down to the lakes can normally be enjoyed. Alas not today as cloud veiled the views down and across the the mountains. I reached Baita del Lago and as I was now up at 1700 metres I was well happy with my effort and started back down without regret. The return was swift and straightforward and I was back at the hotel to collect my bag with plenty of time to spare. 

The astonishing Central train station

I caught my train to Milan and enjoyed an evening sightseeing near the hugely impressive central rail station. The following morning I got the train to Malpensa Airport for my flight to Dublin and a crazy stressful few hours ensued. Massive queues and delays at security and passport control, meant that, despite being in the airport three hours before departure, I had to run the entire way to the gate just to make boarding. If I thought all the stress was done for the day then I was mistaken. Is there a worse feeling than waiting at the baggage carousel and seeing all the people around you disappear one by one and you begin to realise that your bag isn't going to come. Ryanair staff were very good to be fair and their professionalism and calm helped a lot. My bag had never left Milan. Thankfully it was found and arrived at my door by courier a couple of days later. 

It had taken just less than 5 hours to complete the 17 kilometre round trip and the 1500 metres of ascent.

Thoughts;

And so it was done. I was really pleased that I had decided to explore the mountains north of Sondrio. The area has so much to offer and I loved the fact that, depending on snow conditions etc, there was a variety of route that could be taken so as to ensure progress. I was a little disappointed that I had had to forego the Sentiero Roma trail. Perhaps it would have been possible but I would only have been worried about each high pass on the way. Those passes were all up nearer to 3000 metres so I was content to stay lower at 2500 metres. It was still hugely spectacular and everywhere had a true alpine feel. Another thing I really enjoyed was the fact that there was none of the paraphernalia of the ski industry to be seen. No lifts, pistes or pylons could be seen anywhere to spoil the wonderful views. Of course the weather helped as well. Wall to wall sunshine each day made for very pleasant days. It was a pity I was so wrecked on the second day  but overall I was very pleased with how I dealt with each day and the fact that I quickly got stronger and stronger was heartening. The new tent I had bought, the Durston XMid 1 solid was wonderful. The space, simplicity of pitching and the complete user friendly experience made it a joy to use. I look forward to spending many more days and nights in it.