Grindelwald and the Jungfrau Region, August 2009

Map: Landeskarte der Schweiz - Jungfrau Region 1:25000 (Ref. 2520) 

Day 1 

Left Morzine early to get back to Geneva in order to meet long time friend Richard for another week in the Alps, this time in the Jungfrau region, based out of the Chalethotel Steinbock in Grindelwald.
As usual the Swiss train network took us efficiently through Bern, Interlaken Ost and then up to Grindelwald, magnificently set amidst the towering cliffs of the Schwartze Lütschen valley. On route, just after Lausanne, we were able to see two of last week’s summits, the Mont de Grange and les Cornette de Bise, across the waters of Lac Leman, a great vista under perfectly clear skies.
Grindelwald is a tourist honeypot, so was crammed with the usual crew strutting around the town with all the walking gear on, presumably to walk from one shop to another…just like Ambleside in the English Lake District! 

Views from Grindelwald

A major mountain bike event was being staged over the weekend, so there was a fair sprinkling of the Lycra brigade too…better watch out for these maniacs on the trail tomorrow. 

A lazy day, a few beers, a late stroll to catch the last of the evening light on the Wetterhorn, Mattenberg and the north face of the Eiger directly over the town…all looked like volcanoes with the darkening cloud slowly oozing around their summits. Very atmospheric.

Day 2 

A clear day dawned and we were off early to catch the train back down the valley to Wilderswil to connect to the little diesel train that takes you steeply from 584m up to Schynige Platte at 1967m. A very slow train, but there are great views down to the two lakes straddling Interlaken, one crystal blue in colour and the other a green hue due to the glacial sediment emptying into it.
At Schynige Platte the hordes all set off for the circular walks and the main path signposted First (our ultimate destination for this walk).
However, if you want to do this route then ignore all these signs and look for the one saying Oberberghorn (Panoramaweg): the path leads up in the ‘wrong’ direction, across the terrace of the main restaurant and then curves steeply back up the hill to provide instant solitude and a narrow contouring path giving fabulous views as it takes you towards the little top of Oberberghorn at 2069m. The summit of this little top is accessed by a path off left from the main trail and takes about 10 minutes, the last sections on steep wooden ladders up through the summit rocks. Fine views to the lakes and the whole range of the Jungfrau region to the southeast. 

Looking back to Oberberghorn

Rejoining the main path, it stays on a superbly narrow ridge at around 1950m before the main tracks from Schynige Platte come up to join it as it traverses around the base of the Loucherhorn. The path gets a little busier from now on, but not enough to spoil the isolation of the next phase of the walk as it crosses the small col of the Gürotürli at 2029m, taking us into a vast rock landscape bounded by the south west escarpment of Ussri-Sägissa and the remote valley which hides the attractive tarn of Sägistalsee. The path traverses the slopes of Indri-Sägissa and breaches the ridge at Gotthard 2276m, before rising again to the hut Berghaus Männdlenen, well situated on a narrow col, before the steepening path takes you on to the shoulder of the Winteregg ridge, with our objective, the Faulhorn 2680m getting ever closer. The shoulder offers fabulous views in all directions, once again with the Jungfrau range in it’s full afternoon glory. 

Faulhorn

A steep zig zag path takes you up to the summit of the Faulhorn, complete with hotel and restaurant, and it’s here that you meet the hordes who’ve climbed up from the First cablecar in Grindelwald. We descended quickly to get the lift down to Grindelwald, a major pathway with lots of people grinding up and down it. For your information, the ascent of the Faulhorn from First, despite the great location of the Bachsee lake at 2265m, is a chore. Much better to do it our way!
A good first day, about 17.3km, with 1265m of ascent and 1063m of descent. 

Descent to Bachsee

Day 3 

Eiger day! Another early start, descending through Grindelwald to the base of the valley at Grund 943m. A beautiful day, clear blues skies, but thankfully a chilly start as we now had a considerable ascent ahead of us.
Following the Wanderweg signs to Alpiglen, we made our way steadily up through chalets and farms to reach the hut at Alpiglen (1616m) two hours later. Good going! A quick lemonade, then upwards from the hut to join the famous Eiger Trail which traverses under the north wall of the Eiger. A great path, steep to start, then rising progressively to reach the Eigergletscher station of the Jungfraujoch railway at 2320m. We took 2.5 hours from Alpiglen, including a stop, so good walking in evidence, as the signpost times had indicated 2 hours 50 mins, without stops. 

Eiger Trail

The path, in the morning, is shaded from the sun by the mass of the Eiger, so it was a comfortable ascent on a generally good path, with a little care needed crossing some of the streams and on the more narrow sections.
There were plenty of people on the path, with a lot coming down in the other direction as the morning wore on, but the close up views of the immense north wall of the Eiger were awe inspiring.
We had lunch above the Eigergletscher station, with close up views of the glaciers tumbling down from the Eiger and the Mönch, witnessing a small avalanche on the former as we enjoyed our grub. The Mönch looked massive and it was a somewhat worrisome moment, given that we plan to climb it with a guide later in the week.

The Mönch from Eigergletscher station

Thirty minutes easy walking takes you to the honey pot of the Kleine Scheidegg station, where trains come up from Grindelwald and Wengen, laden with people who go on to the Jungfraujoch railway, an amazing route that tunnels across the face of the Eiger and emerges through tunnels at the height of 3464m, between the Mönch and the Jungfrau. We had a quick beer here in hot sunshine, before taking the easy descent path back to Alpiglen, to catch the train back to Grindelwald.

The north face of the Eiger on the descent to Alpiglen

Another well-earned beer in hot sunshine!
In all, a very good circular walk, but very hot in the afternoon. In all, about 17km, with 2002m of ascent and 1433m of descent. Sore feet towards the end of the day!

Day 4 

Another big day beckons, so an early start with trains from Grindelwald down to Zweilütschinen, then train to Lauterbrunnen, a cable car to Grütschalp 1489m, then a train to Mürren at 1645m. A quick breakfast in Mürren, then on the hill at 0900.
The trek today is the ascent of the Schilthorn 2960m, best known for its part in a James Bond movie. Ordinary, sane, people get two cable cars to the summit. We, with very few others, decided to clamber up the thing.
The first part of the climb is very steep out of Mürren, and in an hour we had climbed 475m vertically over a very short distance…hard work in hot sun, but proof that we were getting in condition for our big climb at the end of the week.
Climbing steadily we entered the remote valley of Engital and had a quick lemonade stop at the Schilthornhütte, before taking the lower track up the col just below the intermediate cable car station of Birg. Here the path steepens under the cable car, taking the hordes up to the summit station, revolving restaurant, etc., but for us it felt like a classic mountain ascent. A path contours above the attractive corrie lake of Grauseetoli (2514m), then pushes steeply up the summit ridge. 

Approaching the final ridge to Schilthorn summit

This was less easy than had been predicted with some steep, loose sections and some pleasant scrambling up grippy rock strata, before a series of rock steps led to a very narrow rocky ridge, easily crossed but protected on both sides by politically correct orange webbing fence. Ummm…
A short final, steep and unstable slope brought us to the steps of the ‘Panoramic Platform’, complete with fit grannies, the inevitable Japanese photographers, and assorted fat Americans (sorry, USA friends and colleagues ;-)).
We had taken a total of three hours 25 minutes in ascent, with 15 minutes of stops, so were well within the guidebook time of 4 hours 20 minutes. So, a well-earned beer with würst and rosti was consumed with vigour, albeit in the vomit-inducing revolving restaurant at the top.
Summit views, by the way, were stupendous. The big three Jungfrau peaks dominated the view to the east, but peaks like the Breithorn came into their own, as well as the immediate peaks to the west and north, plus the pass of Sefinenfurgge that Richard and I had crossed on a demanding Exodus trek across the Bernese Oberland back in 2002. In the distance we could see the peaks of the Haut Chablais, last week’s fun spot, and further afield the Mont Blanc Massif. 

View from the Schilthorn summit, and our steep descent route

Now, at this point, any sensible individual would have wimped out and descended by cable car, for a few early beers and well-deserved shower. But such is male pride that we descended the summit ridge again, this time taking what appeared to be an easier traverse from the summit, but which turned out to be a dangerously exposed nightmare. Not recommended…follow the ‘yellow brick road’ across the ridge and the main path. Yours truly had to resort to climbing down on his backside, fuelled by numerous expletives and ribbing from Richard just behind me (thanks, Richard, I always like to be reminded how I hate steep, unstable and potentially life-threatening descents…). A shitty little path. 

Not the recommended path...

Anyway, back on the main route, we rapidly lost height and then dropped southeast-wards by the lake to descend into Schilttall. This was an epic descent, on a very steep zig zag path which lost us a hundred metres about every 15 minutes. Bloody steep and demanding on feet and knees, but safely negotiated before the easier grassy pastures to the farm and chalet restaurant at Im Schilt. Of course, Richard and I were mortified to find that they only served large glasses of beer. Observed on other tables…great looking Rosti….might have to return one day.
Descent to Mürren from here was straightforward, reached in about an hour on increasingly tired legs in very hot sunshine. The views on the way down into Mürren are truly wonderful…the west side of the Jungfrau, diving into the Lauterbrunnen valley, one of the steepest sided valleys you’ll encounter anywhere in the Alps. 

Dropping down into the Lauterbrunnen valley

Trains, cable cars, etc back to Grindelwald….a long but satisfying day! 14.9km walked with 1636m of ascent and descent, to a maximum altitude of 2970m.
The evening was then enlivened by a call from our mountain guide Yvan, to advise that bad weather was forecast for Friday, so we would have to scale the Mönch during the day on Thursday, so no early alpine start for us, but hot sunshine, avalanche risk and a steep technical ascent in daylight beckons…far better to do this stuff in the early morning darkness so that you don’t see the exposure…ho hum. An exciting and unnerving prospect!

Day 5

A slow start to today, given the big one, the ascent of the Mönch, tomorrow. A gear check, and a minor panic whether my normal boots will be rigid enough for the climb (solved by a phone call to our Swiss guide), then off to the nearby Pfingstegg cable car to take us to the start of the difficult path to the Schreckhornhütte at 2529m. Our ride took us to 1391m and we quickly gained height on the narrow path under the towering rock walls of the Mattenberg to our left and the chasm of the Gletscherschlucht to our immediate right…a huge gorge created by rivers flooding out of the multiple glaciers above us, almost certainly exploiting a fault in the huge limestone walls towering around us.
Stunning views back over Grindelwald too. 

The Gletscherschlucht path

The track, at this stage, is relatively straightforward, although not for those with vertigo…however, you quickly get inured to the exposure and progress to the new Stieregg hut at about 1750m is rapid (note: on older maps the hut is shown about 100m lower).
After a quick refreshment stop, we pressed on up the path, passing the warning signs that we were now on a true Alpine path (demarcated with blue and white stripes on the rocks along the way, rather that the usual red and white way-markers. The path narrows, steepens and the exposure increases significantly after this point, but, all in all, it is a good path, contouring the very steep slopes high above the Unterer Grindelwaldgletscher. Views forward were magnificent, and following a steepening of the path through the wooded cliffs of the Banisegg ridge, we were soon rewarded with a massive view of glaciers tumbling from the summits of the Gross and Klein Fiescherhorn directly ahead of us, and the huge glaciers plummeting from the Eiger and Mönch high to our right. The view to the Mönch way above did little to calm our nerves…very high, with steep rocks before the exposed summit ridge…sweaty palms time!
Spent some time at our viewpoint at 1830m, savouring the view before descending back to the Stieregg hut for some lunch. 

The path beyond the Stieregg hut

Glaciers dropping from the Mönch

The path back down to the Pfingstegg cable car seemed to take an eternity in the hot afternoon sun, but great views all the way back and entertained by a helicopter doing tourist trips through the chasm below us. A total distance of just 6.2km today, but some hard work with some 500m of ascent and descent on challenging paths…not quite the lazy day intended!
An early finish to the day, to rest and pack for the big day tomorrow.

Day 6

Mönch, SW Ridge

Another bright start to the day and an early start down to Grindelwald station to meet up with our mountain guide Yvan Bender, who I’d last climbed with back in 2005 whilst on a Jagged Globe mountaineering course. Yvan can be contacted via his web site. 
We took to train up to Kleine Scheidegg to connect with the Jungfraujoch railway, which works its way up via tunnels through the Eiger before emerging on the col between the Jungfrau and the Mönch at 3454m.
Here our climb started in earnest, with a short walk to join the start of the SW Ridge route. 

Approach to the start of the SW Ridge of the Mönch

An easy walk across the slushy snow of the glacier was brought to an abrupt end as we headed steeply over the bergschrund on to steep ice where Yvan cut steps in order that we could make progress without donning crampons too early in the day. The reason for this became quickly apparent as the ridge loomed steeply above…first some straightforward scrambling directly up the ridge (where the best rock is…the unstable ice shattered rock litters the periphery), but then the reality of the route became obvious. Steep rock climbs, some with small overhanging sections, were the order of the day, so the yell ‘tight rope’ was uttered on numerous occasions, as well as multiple expletives from me. 

Early rock pitches on the Mönch

At one point, the realisation dawned that there was going to be no choice about doing this climb…to reverse what we had just done would have been unthinkable! Three hours passed in a flash, and parts of the ridge were very enjoyable…the exposure was tremendous on both sides all of the way up the ridge. Every step required maximum concentration and the adrenalin pumped constantly. I constantly reminded myself of the classic statement by Whymper, the first man to climb the Matterhorn, ‘do nothing in haste, look well to each step, and from the beginning think what may be the end’. 

Yvan leading one of the more challenging pitches

Views back to the Jungfraujoch from the SW Ridge of the Mönch

Views on the upper section of the SW Ridge of the Mönch

A hundred or so metres from the top we emerged at the base of a steep ice slope, corniced on the right hand side, but the slope to the left falling away at a steep gradient for hundreds of metres. A slip here would have been awful. For Richard and I this was the first time in crampons for a few years, so the first few steps were very tricky, but we eventually found our rhythm, our foot placements were solid and we slowly ascended to the summit, by now feeling the heat from the reflected sun on the snow slope. Richard was now feeling the effects of altitude as we were now above 4000m, and had a splitting headache and, by the time we summitted, had started to experience tunnel vision. 

Another climbing team descending our route

The final snow approach to the summit of the Mönch

Don't slip now!

Nearly at the summit!

The top of the Mönch stands at 4107m, so we were looking down to the summit of the Eiger. Awesome views all around, including the 22km long Aletsch Glacier to our south. Helicopter and light plane tourist traffic was seen far below. Truly magnificent. 

Summit views

The Eiger from the Mönch

The start of the descent route along the SE Ridge

Colin and Richard on the summit of the Mönch, 4107m

Stumpy at the top :-)

We had taken 4.5 hours to get to the top against a guidebook time of 4 hours, so not bad, especially when Yvan told us later that this was a route graded ‘AD’ (alpine mountaineering grading ‘difficult’)…I had only done short climbs at this level before, whereas Richard had never done anything so difficult before. 
The reality of the descent ahead of us then loomed large after a short break on the summit. We were to descend by the SE Ridge (the ‘normal route’ up from the Mönchsjochhütte, the most popular climb and when observed earlier in the day, there had been quite a few people on it). The beginning of the descent is an almost horizontal ‘walk’ along the crest of a snow cornice, about two boot width’s wide with drops of over 500m on either side. It has to be seen to be believed. Moreover, in all the photos that you can view on the web, it doesn’t look very long. Not true…it’s about 250m long…and the exposure and narrowness never let up. Never before have I concentrated on foot placement so much in my life, especially as you need to be very careful to not catch the crampon spikes on a trouser leg or the straps on the other foot in such a narrow channel. Things went very quiet for a while. You know the seriousness of the situation when the guide ignores the request for a photo stop (yes, I did ask) with a short response ‘I took one already’ (he did). I will never forget the exposure on that path, ever. 

Setting off along the SE Ridge 

SE Ridge of the Mönch

Middle section of the ridge

The challenge continued. The next step of the descent is to climb down a rocky section, not particularly difficult in itself, although Richard abseiled a short section, but made more tricky as were climbing down steep rock in crampons (more snow sections ahead). As before the guide asked us to stick to the crest of the ridge to avoid the loose, unstable eroded rock to either side, and this needed good balance. 

Lower section of the SE Ridge 

Richard on the descent of the SE Ridge 

Progress, by now, had slowed somewhat, as tired, anxious bodies fought to retain balance and sure footing. Gasp.
Another narrow, and steeper snow arête followed, then another rock section and easier snow slope, before crampons were removed and the last half an hour or so was spent scrambling down the final section of the ridge to emerge just right of the Mönchsjochhütte at 3627m. We reached the base of the mountain at 1700, after a two and a half hour descent. 

Almost down!

Cracked it!

Elation, relief, excitement, and litres of nor-adrenalin. We had been really lucky to have shared the mountain with only two other climbers that day, our later start meaning that we had missed all the early starters from the Mönchsjochhütte and the traverse starting on the more difficult SW Ridge also enabling us to avoid the numbers. This was key…it would have been a horrendous proposition having to step off the summit arête to allow climbers coming from the other direction to pass by.
Without being too over-dramatic, the traverse of the Mönch was one of the most demanding days of my life…the physical exposure and the relentless mental concentration required throughout.
An easy descent back across the glacier to the station, where we just managed to catch the last train back down.
A dinner and a few beers, but exhaustion meant an early night.

Day 7
A lazy day, as the weather broke overnight, as predicted, with a major thunderstorm in the early hours. A great excuse for a big lunch and a few more beers, ready for the return home the following day. We had our treat at the restaurant at the top of the long Männlichen cable car at an altitude of 2222m. 

The Mönch viewed from Männlichen

Great views all around, with huge clouds billowing over the mountain tops today and adding real character to the scene. We enjoyed a few (well, actually, a lot of) moments of real satisfaction when the Mönch revealed itself in the clouds high above us. 
A good week’s work!

Mönch: the summit arête

For a full description of the climb on the Mönch, ascending via the SW ridge and descent via the SE ridge, please click here

Mönch summit 4107m, Colin Stump & Richard Pratt

View along SE Ridge of the Mönch from the summit  

First steps along the ridge...

Middle section of SE ridge

Lower section of the ridge

Almost down!

Base of the SE ridge and ready for a beer!

Haut Chablais

Morzine, another trip for the Brewery ol’ boys

Map: IGN Carte de Randonee, Morzine 1:25000 (3528ET)

Route selection made with the help of Headwater, who offer an independent walking trip (High Alps Walk) in comfortable hotels with luggage transfers each day.  

Morzine from Mont Chéry

Day 1

Started the day with some great vignettes from the previous evening in my head. I particularly enjoyed our host Bill’s advice to his partner’s question ‘you’re leaving me all at home alone, what do I do if the smoke alarm goes off?’ The answer? ‘Take the batteries out!’
Smiling as we approached the Télécabine du Mont Chéry in Les Gets (comfortably ahead of the hordes of mountain bikers we were to see on our return later the same day), our ex finance director Paul bought 4 tickets, using exemplary French, only to realise that this precluded him from ascending in the lift with us. Trés amusing.
A short ride over the meadows above Les Gets, and, with Darrell navigating, we quickly managed to electrocute Bill on a cattle fence before finding the right path which took us steeply up to the summit of Mont Chéry 1826m, with fine views southeast to the whole of the Mont Blanc Massif and the rocky peak of le Roc d’Enfer to the west.

On Mont Chéry, the brewery clan gather again!

Cloud obscured views directly eastwards, denying us a perspective on the week’s walking ahead.
We descended on a steep muddy path, some 400m, down to Col de l’Encrenaz for a rest stop at Auberge l’Encrenaz. Fine, sunny and very hot!
A small ascent north eastwards up through the woods before a lunch stop at les Praz and then a contouring path with easy walking took us into the forests above our destination, the attractive hamlet of Essert-Romand. A long descent, so weary knees for all!
An easy stroll to start the week, about 13km.


Day 2

Another day enlivened with another of Bill’s funnier remarks over breakfast, thinking back to the previous day’s ascent when fellow walker Hugh had to take an urgent rest break on the first stage of the climb to the summit of Mont Chéry. Bill’s observation: ‘didn’t know whether to dig a hole, or call the rescue services’, delivered in such deadpan fashion that you actually believed this went through his mind…!
Anyway, on with the day. Rain. Clouds down on the hills. But, a break around 0900 got us off and out for the day. Dropping our car near Lac de Montriond, we walked along the east side of the lake looking down on to the aquamarine waters of this attractive stretch of water, finally serenaded, somewhat unbelievably, by a Scottish piper who was determined to have some practice at the head of the lake before the somewhat incredulous looks of the locals. An easy track then led us to the waterfall of Cascade d’ Ardent and then on through the hamlet of Les Albertans to the steep path up the ski slope to Les Lindarets.

Lac Montriond

Upwards through the forest towards the Col de la Joux Verte, narrowly avoiding death by reckless mountain bikers descending at speed on our path. Note: the whole Morzine area is a mountain biker’s paradise and they descend many of the paths at a speed where they will ‘total’ you simply because of the speed they are travelling on the steep muddy paths. Be warned.
We joined the easy path along the Super Morzine ridge, ignoring our navigator Paul’s call for a lunch stop, until we reached the high point of the ridge, called the Aréte (1764m), albeit with views to the north impeded by thickening cloud.
Two of our compatriots then baled out and took the chairlift, then the Télécabine back to Morzine, whilst Darrell, Paul and I descended through the forests, again narrowly avoiding death by mountain biker, back to l Élé, just north of Morzine, to be collected by Hugh and Bill in the car. Pub.
A good mountain day, with some decent ascent and some tantalising views through the clouds.
19.2 km, unless you were the two wimps who descended by mechanical means.

Day 3

A longer day beckons, but with a good weather forecast we all set off in good spirits, having dropped a car off in our final destination across the mountains in la Chapelle-d’Abondance the previous evening.
We arrived, fighting our way through a herd of belligerent goats, at les Lindarets, in time to get the early chairlift on the Télesiège de la Chaux Fleurie. This took us from ~1500m to our start point of around 1900m, and we headed off on to the narrow ridge of Tête de Lindaret, reaching the summit at 1930m on a narrow muddy path before a somewhat awkward descent (for those in our party with dodgy knees) to the Col de Bassachaux at 1778m.
There followed a bit of imprecise navigation by yours truly before we headed down the boggy start to the GR5 path which eventually took us to more solid ground towards the farmsteads of les Covagnes and Lenlevay, where an unclear map (nothing to do with the navigator) took us up through the woods on a muddy forest track to the real start point of the climb to the summit of Mont de Grange, the highest mountain in the Chablais Alps (shared with les Cornette de Bise).

Track to the summit of Mont de Grange 

Here we left Bill and Hugh to enjoy lunch and an easy descent, and Paul, Darrell and myself powered up the steep, initially muddy, path northwards on to the Crête de Coicon, a narrowing and lofty ridge below the mighty slopes of our main objective of the day.
Grunt work all the way to the summit, arriving after one hour twenty minutes compared to the signpost time of two hours for ascent. I’ll spare Paul’s blushes, but he did beat the signpost time too ;). A good path throughout, with great views in all directions, including Lake Léman to the north.
The summit was magnificent, with marvellous 360 degree views to the Swiss Alps and the wall of the Dents du Midi to the south. An atmospheric top, with clouds enclosing us for a while before revealing the secrets below us,
including a lone and pregnant chamois, gripping a narrow ledge on cliffs below us. A fine top, not exactly secluded, but worth the effort.

Summit of Mont de Grange

Down we dropped, with the prospect of a 1400+m descent before us, with the summit at 2432m and our destination in la Chapelle-d’Abondance at 1029m. Actually, the descent was more than that, as we found out as we descended the tortuous and little used GR5 path northwards.
From our climb start point we first descended to the farm at l’Etrye (grumpy sheepdogs), before the unpleasant ascent of almost 300m to the col at les Mattas at 1930m.
Then the real descent started, with zig zags on slippery paths and steep sections down isolated river valleys. The GR5 on this section is remarkably overgrown, with bushes and flowers encroaching the path on most sections – it’s as though the French authorities were trying to discourage its usage.
And, I for one wouldn’t blame them. An unpleasant and challenging path at the end of a long day, with unrelentingly steep forest tracks all the way to le Moulin, before a short walk along the D22 to collect our car at la Panthiaz.
But, as always, a good feeling for all at the end, topped off by Bill’s excellent paella and a few beers back at the chalet in Morzine.
About 19km.

Mont de Grange, seen from the ascent of les Cornettes de Bise

Day 4

Another fine weather day prompted an early start and drive around to Châtel for a ‘rest day’ involving the Telécabine de Super Châtel and the chairlift (Télésiege du Morclan) to the ridge that defines the French/Swiss border. Great views again, although cloud inhibited views to the massive bulk of the Swiss Alps to the east.

Team on the Swiss border ridge at le Morclan

A short walk to the high point of the border ridge at Pointe des Ombrieux 1978m, on a narrow but easy path, before we beat the retreat for our planned ‘long lunch’.
Back down the chairlift and cable car to the thriving but overly touristy town of Châtel, followed by a short ride to the calmer environs of Abondance, an attractive valley base with charming feel and imposing abbey.
Based on a recommendation from good friend and colleague Catherine Crone, we settled down to enjoy a spectacularly good lunch at the Hôtel de l’Abbaye, with some good beers and fine wines helping us to consume a marvellous table d’ hôte lunch on the attractive terrace overlooking the river d’ Abondance. Highly recommended!

Lunch venue in Abondance...an excellent spot!

A drive back over the Col du Corbier to Morzine and a lazy finish to the day. Feel’s like we’re on holiday!

Day 5

Another bright day dawns, and with the easy day had yesterday, we were raring to go. The long drive around to la Chapelle-d’Abondance always seems excessive, but it’s a great valley base ringed by the highest mountains of the Chablais Alps. Parking the car just north of la Chapelle-d’Abondance at the Chalets de Chevenne 1217m we were soon off on our travels, heading straight up the hill on the GR5 before contouring up the valley of the Ruisseau de Chevenne, a steep river valley with hard gravel track alongside to condition the feet at this early point in the walk!
We made good progress to the Col de Vernaz on the Swiss border, breaching this in just under two hours. Good views into Switzerland were grabbed before we headed north on the steep and unrelenting zig zags up to the huts at la Calaz 2065m, where a rest stop was welcomed by all, enjoying the views in bright, hot sunshine.
On again, taking a narrow contouring path high above the steep slopes below the south face of our objective, les Cornettes de Bise, which at 2432m is the highest peak in the Chablais, at exactly the same height as our summit two days before, Mont de Grange, which, incidentally was clearly in view for almost all of our day.

Final approach to the summit of les Cornettes de Bise

Wisely, Hugh and Bill decided to descend at this point, with the prospect of a steepening path up through the limestone landscape immediately south east of the summit. It would have been purgatory for their knees if they’d proceeded further as the day was basically 1200m up then 1200m down.
Darrell, Paul and I made quick progress to the summit from here, summiting at 1330 (just inside the signpost guide time, despite the stops we’d had on the way up).
A great top, with quite a few people enjoying the stupendous views in all directions, north to Lake Léman, south as far as the Mont Blanc Massif and the Dents du Midi, and west to the tumultuous Swiss Alps, where some of the ‘greats’ like the Matterhorn, Eiger and the Dom were in view…at least in my imagination…
A fine top, highly recommended.

Summit views from the Cornette de Bise

Descent after taking lunch immediately below the summit, though the steep limestone slopes was easier than expected, but the zig zags from la Calaz were hard work for tired knees. Stopping for a short break at la Calaz we were enthralled by the sight of a golden eagle being repelled from a nest by three swifts…an impressive spectacle.
Down, down, down…another Alpine descent, with a loose gravel track back to the car park needing a particular reward.
Yes, you guessed it…a few beers ;)
Hugh and Bill had done the gentlemanly thing and sourced a suitable hostelry, where we thoroughly enjoyed a couple of beers (Pelforth Blonde) in the beautiful setting of Les Gentianettes, a hotel with fine garden at the bottom of the road down from the Chalets de Chevenne in the centre of la Chapelle-d’Abondance.
Distance today 11km with 1200m up and down…good for the soul!

Day 6

Our last day, so a decision made to walk up the nearby Pointe de Nyon, which although only 2019m, towers over Morzine and is a fine looking peak, with steep pyramidal shape and sheer cliffs to the north. We started from the bottom of a well-used chairlift, and via a series of big zig zags reached the summit in under one and a half hours (the signpost time), a total ascent of some 627m.

Mont Blanc from the Pointe de Nyon

Darrell, Hugh & Paul on the Pointe de Nyon

The summit is easily gained from the top station of the chairlift and afforded great views in all directions, with Mont Blanc in the middle distance to the south, the Dents Blanche to the west and the whole of the Haute Chablais to our north and east. Superb, and good top for spotting future trails for us all!

Descent from the Pointe de Nyon

Descent via the same path in less than an hour, before a quick visit to have a look at the ski village of Avoriaz (ultra modern, bland and hardly worth visiting in the summer), before dropping back to Morzine for a well-earned beer.
Very hot weather, particularly down in the valley. A gourmet meal was enjoyed by all on our last evening together.
Another week in the Swiss Alps follows for me, rather pleased that I’m not driving back to the UK with the others.

And finally…

Thanks to Bill McCosh for the use of his new chalet above Morzine…his customary generosity and good humour prevailed throughout the week, in spite of dropping the sofa on his big toe, almost chopping his finger off with the bread knife, and generally buggering up his knees again on some steep descents, without a single complaint.
And thanks to Paul (for book-keeping the kitty, keeping us amused with his running commentaries on most matters, and his attempts at cooking … Roma you still have a job!); to Hugh, for his steely determination to continue clambering up mountains despite breaking legs last year and his vertigo; and to Darrell, for his eye for detail on the map when I was attempting to navigate, and for his constant support when I fancied another beer.
Well done all.

Perth and Freemantle, June 2009

With an early start into the cool morning air of a winter's day in Perth, with bright blue skies and a little dew on the grass, this was the opportunity to cram in the sights of Perth and the nearby port of Freemantle.

Perth

Working from the eastern end of the CBD, along the shores of the Swan River, there are marvellous cityscapes to be enjoyed, along with brightly coloured birds enjoying the nectar of the flowering trees which promenade the shoreline.

Swan Bell Tower

Past the Barrack Street Ferry Terminal, under the magnificent Swan Bell Tower (a very contemporary structure that soars into the sky, but surprisingly houses the 14th century bells from St Martins-in-the-Fields) and then a yomp up to the superb Kings Park, accessed by a steep climb up the steps of Jacob’s Ladder which brings you to the modern Bali Memorial. Quiet at this time of the morning apart from the throngs of intense young things seriously engaged in the process of getting fit. Some good scenery!
Great views east to the Perth skyline, counterpointed by the waters of the Swan River. A fine spot, and one I’d return to later in the day for better light for photography.

Perth from Kings Park

Another quick walk to catch the 1100 ferry to Freemantle, 19km to the mouth of the Swan River, passing some spectacularly expensive properties and boats along the way. Freemantle is a small port town on the Indian Ocean, locally known as Freo, and a classic old port with some fine museums, historic architecture and a population that booms at the weekends as Perth dwellers flock to savour the relaxed feel of the fine little town.

Fishing Boat Harbour, Perth

I headed straight for the pub, a huge drinking and eating establishment of renown called Little Creatures, situated in the busy Fisherman’s Wharf, and enjoyed a fine Pale Ale and a good wood-fired pizza. Then a brisk walk though increasingly crowded streets to view the market area, the fine Victorian buildings and the Round House, out on Arthur Head, a local prison built back in 1831 and a good place to look down across the town.

No time to stop though, so a quick return to Perth on the overground Transperth train, in time to visit Kings Park more comprehensively. Starting at the Kokoda Memorial, just next to the First World War Memorial, with dominating views back over Perth in the low afternoon sunlight, then passing through the cleverly presented botanical gardens, I the walked the Lotterywest Federation Walkway, which takes you high above stands of eucalyptus trees, before taking the Kokoda trail, a steep path down to Mounts Bay Road, where a final short stroll took me to the Old Brewery Restaurant for a beer and excellent steak.

Views from Kings Park, Perth

Back to the hotel, exhausted, but a very satisfying day. What a nice city!

Western Australia

A brief visit to the beautiful and empty space of Western Australia, June 2009.

Although it took a 650km round trip with Pinnacle Tours, a worthwhile day was spent travelling north from Perth to visit the Cavendish Wildlife Park (koala, kangaroo, and wombats) before a long pull up to the Nambung National Park, home of the famous 'Pinnacles'.

Koala at Cavendish Wildlife Park

A moment with an old wombat...

These are eroded stubs of limestone, probably formed from tree stumps from an ancient drowned forest, which are now appearing through the sandy base of this area.

The Pinnacles, near Cervantes

Great views out to the coral sea of Jurien Bay Marine Park, situated in the warm currents of the Indian Ocean.

Then a bit of 'dune bashing' in a large 4WD vehicle amongst the huge white sand dunes of Lancelin, back towards Perth. An atmospheric spot with a fine sunset to the west and a full moon to the east. Happy days.

Sunset over the Indian Ocean from Lancelin

Huge dunes at Lancelin