Euro Walks - 2016

Mountain Walks – 2016

29 May to 5 July 2016
18 walks in 38 days
12km vertical, 185km horizontal

Pyrenees (6), Dolomites (4), Czech Republic (1), Austria (1), Berner Oberland (6)

27-28 August 2016

Rondane, Norway (2)

Click on any image to see a larger version

Pyrenees
1. Flumet, 2. Pic du Midi di Ossau, 3. Pic du Midi di Ossau, 4. Soum de la Pene, 5. Cirque Troumouse, 6. Gavarnie

1. Flumet – 200m and 2km – Sun 29 May 2016

Well, it's in Haut Savoie, but it was a nice warm-up, after a few hours' driving after landing in Zürich

2. Pic du Midi di Ossau no. 1 – 800m and 14km – Thu 2 Jun 2016

This was the third visit to a favourite area, after 2011 and 2013.

We'd intended to go up the wall and into the lakes area, but turned across the river too early, and were swung SE instead of SW.

So we did a 3.5km / 450km sweeping rise up a long valley called the Rav d'Astu, a few hundred metres inside the Spanish border.


Setting out, the Pic looming above	Marvelling at Flower Valley	Halfway along the soggy floor	The first Fritillaria ...

... and Linda taking it	Behind us, the Pic still looms	A Fritillaria beside the path	But it's merely the edge of Linda's Fritillaria Heaven

Looking beyond Heaven, back down the valley	Rising now, but still glancing back ...	... and again	Well off the intended track now, looking back to the lakes

Above the stream	Rising rapidly on a steep transverse slope	And getting to the upper levels	Lunch close up to the ridge

Returning from a summit foray confirming there's a steep, snow-covered 2km cirque in the wrong place	On the way home	Near the place we (I) went wrong	The bubbling stream

3. Pic du Midi di Ossau no. 2 – 700m and 13km – Fri 3 Jun 2016

Linda and I made good for some of the previous day's error, by going directly up to the lakes, and returning.


Leaving the Valley of the Flowers	Through the wood	To the meadows	Roger, unwell, resting

Looking down on The Valley of the Flowers	Rock, daffs, mountains	Pic du Midi d'Ossau	Lunch at Lake Roumassot

Back to Walk 1, right, left, then right behind the ridge	A Picturesque water feature	The upper-level Lac Gentau	The refuge, and the pass above

Back along Lac Gentau	At the ledge with the waterfall	Linda denying a foreground feature by walking too quickly	Back down to the Valley's end

4. Soum de la Péne – 750m and 14km – Mon 6 Jun 2016

This started with a contour walk from our gites Le Chaoutet (North of the pond), via Arcizans-Dessus and Gaillagos. It then went steeply up northwards, then north-west and up to Col de Couret, and finally east along the knife-ridge. The ridge offered brilliant views south into the Pyrenees, and north into the last valley before the foothills.

Then back home eastwards and southwards via a rather nasty path that spoilt an otherwise very good walk.


Looking SW from the contour between the two villages	Beside the road	After rising 550m steeply, we start along the ridge ...	... which turns out to need some hands-work

A little put out by visitors, ...	... a vulture departs ...	... and joins the others, circling	On and up, closer to the peak

Finally a view over the beech-forest on the southern slopes	Pauses for flower-shots	But mainly still climbing	As storms build in the West

Nearing the top, still with flowers ...	... some artistically arranged	The storms held off	Off the eastern end, going home

5. Cirque du Troumouse – 100m and 2km – Tue 7 Jun 2016

We drove as far as the car-park (at 2050m), then wandered further up to the remnant glacial lakes.

The rim is 10km long, and the opening at the northern edge is 2km wide


Lunch	Summer Visitors	Lake	Reflections

Denizen 1	Denizen 2	Tarn	Locals

6. Gavarnie – 450m and 9km – Wed 7 Jun 2016

We climbed the eastern wall to get the mileage, the exhilaration (400 vertical metres in an hour, because it's an unrelenting 1 in 4), but mainly because it provides access to the diagonal walk beneath the rockwalls and a far better appreciation of the cirque that is the world's prettiest (Roger) and/or grandest (Linda).


Setting out	After the 400m climb	Entering the overhang run (A metaphor for the whole trip?)	The cirque appears

The cirque from above the hotel	The eastern mountains	The line of falls on the SE	Europe's longest cascade

437m, and striking from near ...	... wide ...	... and far	Drinks on the way back

Dolomites
7. Boce, 8. San Pellegrino, 9. Torre de Pisa, 10. Baita Segantini

This year we picked out the Val di Fiemme, SE of Bolzano and S of Moena, staying in a hotel up the slopes East of Predazzo. That gave us access to the San Martino massif and the Rollo, Valles and San Pellegrino passes in the East, and to the Latemar massif in the NW.

7. Boce – 900m and 14km – Wed 15 Jun 2016

E of Predazzo, with 300m of forest, 300m through mixed forest and alpine meadows to a lake, and 300m of rock – the perfect mix! (Okay, there was a bit too much cloud for perfect photos, but it was still pretty decent). At the recommendation of Hotel Zaluna, we started at 1640m, along path 626 up the Rio Boce to Lago de Boce, then on up the ridge to the junction with path 629 at 2550m. The views are mostly to the South at the range that includes the Cima di Cece at 2700m, but partly to the East and SE at the very striking Pale di San Martino, which includes a number of thrusting peaks either side of 3000m.


The forest segment	Into the meadows, looking SE to San Martino	San Martino's main peak, telephoto'd	Malga Boce (= alpine dairy)

Bridge in the second forest segment	Transition from meadows to rocks and trenches	Lago di Boce	Rio Boce, back down our track

Up the ridge right (E) of the lake, looking back to Malga Boce	Around the 2300m mark	1915 trenches in remarkable repair ...	... with views SW towards Predazzo

Atop, cold, windy and threatening	View eastwards to Russell and Karen's walk ...	... and detail	Back down through the trenches

Dull light on Lago di Boce ...	... but still photogenic	Back down the Rio	Still patchy, still threatening

8. San Pellegrino – 260m and 4km – Thu 16 Jun 2016

A brief warm-down, fitted in between driving up a cloudy Passo Rollo in the morning and catching up with Bob and Lucia in Penia and watching England v. Wales in the afternoon. The 260m up a ski-field access path took 33 minutes - much better than the 300m per hr we've been averaging. It was the first 40% of a walk we did some years ago.

9. Rifugio Torre de Pisa – 925m and 9km – Fri 17 Jun 2016

On the recommendation of Bob and Lucia in Penia, we drove to Pampeago (1750m ), and walked up 200m of forest, 350m of alpine meadows / ski-field and Passo Feudo, and 370m of rock, to a viewing-point high in the Latemar group at 2675m, with 360-degree views. And the cloud cleared for us when we needed it! The first 450m we did in an hour, the remaining 470m in 1h40m, i.e. little better than half the rate. The return involved only 1h40m. It's a very popular walk, with lifts from two valleys up to the 2200m level, and the path was well-made almost throughout. But it was very steep – 925m in 4.5km is an average of 1 in 5 (some 1 in 1, much 1 in 2 to 1 in 4).


The Start-Point at Pampeago	Preferring forest to chairlift	Up to meadows ...	... and a ski-field

A first view back to the start ...	... and again	The path above Fuedo, at top-centre	And back to the start

The upper path begins	A first glimpse of the Rifugio	The path and the crags ...	... and an alternative view

The beginning of ...	... the serious walk	The wall	Wallflowers

An illustration of the verticality	Another check that the car's still there	What we came for: the Torre di Pisa	Immediately to the left, looking WSW

To the East, Boe/Pordoi left, Marmolade right	Marmolade, highest point of the Dolomites	The rest of Latemar, to the North ...	... with visitors

With better visibility, the view back up ...	... and the crags	Predazzo left, our half-way point right	The path down

10. Baita Segantini – 250m and 5km – Sat 18 Jun 2016

A stroll E of the Passo Rollo and beneath the San Martino group, at 2000-2250m, specifically to check out a flower area recommended in one of Linda's books. It began sunny, but gradually clouded over, and we were entertained by snow-showers around lunch-time.


Driving towards the pass	Boots on a short distance above it	Southern end of the San Martino group	Cima della Vezzana

The northern end	Further left, with the alp	Happy strollers	Summer snow-shower on funnelled limestone

Czech Republic
11. Deve¹t skal (Nine Rocks) – 150m and 5km – Sat 25 Jun 2016

A pleasant hill-walk with Russell and Karen NW of Brno, complemented by walks in Brno itself, and in the surprising city of Znojmo, near the Austrian border.


Starting out	Through open forest	Very windy at the top	The lunch-spot

Austria
12. Tuxertal (Tyrol) – 1100m and 20km – Tue 28 Jun 2016

We walked from our Pension at Madseit (1450m), SW via the AlmBichl (1700m), the Schleier waterfall (2000m), the Weitental, and the Tuxerjochhütte (2300m) to the Frauenwand peak (2540m). It was a far better walk than we anticipated (because we're always suspicious about valleys that have glacier-skiiing at the end of them). The sparkling light helped of course, but the fact is that it's both beautiful and highly varied, as you rise from valley-floor, via alp, into a hidden valley with waterfalls, and up onto the rocky mountain-tops. The 1000m cleft between the Frauenwand peak and the glacier-ridden 3300m ridge to the East adds to the drama.


Soon after the start, looking back to Madseit	Farmers were making much hay ...	... too much hay, as it turned out	Looking down on the valley-end, and up to glaciers, and our target above Roger's hat

The Schleier waterfall ...	... and the twisted strata at its head	The view from the top back over the alp	The rapids above the falls

The hidden valley, the Weitental ...	... and its brooding peak	Now above the Tuxerjochhütte	Flowers with valley views ...

... and with mountain views	The German-Austrian border, with glider	The length of the Tuxertal	The peak to the north

From the Frauenwand the cleft is evident	Undeterred, Linda captures Primulas ...	... and Gentians	And again on the crumbling peak itself

And another on the very edge	Yes, that edge just there	The tarn edge, looking northwards	Marmot, on sentry duty

Marmot, on PR duty	The upper Weitental again	The upper falls, the lower Weitental	And at the top, in afternoon light

Looking back to them	The slopes above	Afternoon light, cows, a beer at AlmBichl	Finally, a short, steep cut back home

Berner Oberland
13. Kleine Scheidegg, 14. Above Mürren, 15. Sefinenfurke, 16. Blümlisalp, 17. Lämmerenhütte, 18. Sunnbüel

6 straight days' walking, SW from Grindelwald to the Gemmi Pass above Leukerbad.
This was the only time we've ever attempted to string such big mountain-walks together.
The walks totalled +5500m and-5000m vertical, and 83km in distance.
(For comparison, the Tasmanian Overland track is +1340m / -1460m, and 65km).


An area map	A contour map	The walk profiles

13. Kleine Scheidegg – +1250m/-1450m and 16km – Thu 30 Jun 2016

We walked from Grindelwald Grund (940m), up to Kleine Scheidegg (2060m) in 3-1/2 hrs, lunch, then around the shoulder of the Lauberhorn (2160m), and down via Wengen and Lauterbrunnen (740m) in 3 hrs. We then caught the cable-car and train to Mürren. We consider this walk to offer the best all-round views available anywhere in the Alps (maybe the world?). The day was less than perfect, but the cloud was sporadic and never closed us in, it often enhanced rather than spoilt the view, and the late-afternoon storm was short.

We've had the pleasure of being at Kleine Scheidegg multiple times, incl. 2010, 2004 and 1999.


Walk 34 up to Kleine Scheidegg	The start at Grund, showing expected times	The view of Grindelwald and the Wetterhorm above	The well-made path soon afterwards

After coffee at Brandegg ...	... and above, the Eiger	Grindelwald and the Wetterhorn from Kleine Scheoidegg	After lunch, K.S. and the Eiger

Walks 40, 43 and 48 down to Lauterbrunnen	A brooding Jungfrau occasionally looked down	Wengeneralp, beneath the Jungfrau	Map of the Lauberhorn Downhill that we were on

First view of Mürren, with our two-night stay on the very edge	Wilderswil and Interlaken down on the plain	View down to Wengen	Männlichen hanging above us and Wengen ...

... and the path to the village	No-waste policy at work in Wengen. Mist courtesy of the quick storm	The steep drop to Lauterbrunnen, beneath wall and fall	And a better view of the classic glacial valley

14. Above Mürren – 350m and 8km – Fri 1 Jul 2016

As a loosener, we walked from Mürren (1640m) up to Suppenalp, along to Sonnenberg (1835m) and Maulerhubel (1960m), and back. (We'd been told that the walk up to the Schilthorn (2970m) was closed due to avalanche danger, and that even Birg (2680m) was awkward and inadvisable due to remaining snow). That was fortunate, because the light day was to prove a blessing during the following four, successive hard walks.

We've had the pleasure of being at Mürren before, in 2010.

This map shows all of the day's walk, plus the path taken the following morning:


Alpine Meadows at 1650m	Eiger, Mönch, Jungfrau, with the deep cleft beneath	Blumenthal, as cirque ...	... and in more bucolic mode

Early Marsh Orchids competing for attention	Walking couple competing for attention	A small figure in a large landscape	The precipituous view from our hotel-room balcony down to Stechelberg

15. Sefinenfurke – +1000m/-1200m/+350m and 13km – Sat 2 Jul 2016

From Mürren (1640m) gently up to Spielboden (1790m), then steeply up a ridge-line to 2050m (40 minutes = 390m per hr), then along contours to the Rotstockhütte in the Boganggen valley (2050m), then up and along, and steeply up the last 150m over the Sefinenfurke (2610m). The last section was very slow because of the deep snow (1 hour!). Then down to the path-junction below Bürgli (1490m), and finally up to Bundalp (1840m) – the last part slowly on account of tired legs. Until we were over the pass, we had interchanging good visibility and frequent heavy cloud. That was then replaced by moderate rain and mist, so we arrived as wet outside as we had earlier been inside. Thank heavens for wet-weather gear.

We've previously walked on the Mürren side of the Sefinenfurke, in 2010, 2004 and 1999.

We've previously walked up the Kiental side of the Sefinenfurke, in 2004.


The pleasant, Yorkshire Dales stroll to Spielboden ...	... with the ridge looming above	Linda approaching the top ...	... giving her a view down to Gimmelwald hanging above the valley

View along the contour towards Rotstockhütte with the pass centre-top	Linda getting the low- down from the locals	Walking the contour	Rotstockhütte in the Boganggen

After Birnenmost, the path to the pass	Looking back up to the Schilthorn	Practising snow-crossings	For now, a clear view up to the pass

From bottom-right, to the post centre-half-left, up the muddy scree, then up the snow to centre-top	Glancing back to the start: Wetterhorn, Eiger, Mönch, Jungfrau	They knew amateurs would be coming	'Swiss Lunch' at the top (i.e. chocolate)

The other side, improved since last time!	"I thought this was the easy bit"	"Ah, better this way"	Kiental in deepening cloud

While there's visibility. back up to the pass ...	... and across to tomorrow's walk (The ridge centre-right, with the pass being the low point on the horizon)	Thank heavens we didn't have this up on the pass ...	Streams fed by melt and rain

16. Blümlisalp – +1000m/-1200m/+40m and 13.5km – Sun 3 Jul 2016

From Bundalp (1840m), we went up a spur to Hohtürli and the Blümlisalphütte (2840m). It was the most tiring and the most direct approach to any pass that we've tackled (1000m in 3km, i.e. 1 in 3). We then went very steeply down to the path junction above Oeschinensee (1970m), then above the wonderful path above the lake to the top of the gondola (1680m), via the gondola down to Kandersteg (1150m), then 2.5km along to the end of the valley at Eggenschwand (1190m).

We've been up the Oeschinensee side of Blümlisalp before, in 2010.

This map shows most of the second half of the walk:


Morning light at the Bundalp	A sign of things to come	A glance back at Bundalp	Initially, easy enough

But 2.5km like this changes your mind	And as the snow is reached, you start fighting your way up	Cloud-layers you hope won't consolidate	And, finally, above all of that

A ground-ladder over the scree	Time off for a flower, at 2560m	Looking back at the group behind us	And looking back at the Sefinenfurke

Hohtürli (the pass), and the other side	From the Blümlisalphütte 50m above, views SW (Thun on the right) ...	... and again ...	... and back NE to the Schilthorn and Birg ...

... and down our track, SSW to Kandersteg	Setting off down the first section ...	... awkwardly, due to snow conditions + gradient	The glacial lake ...

... the glacial plain ...	... and them what dunnit	20 minutes ago, those ants were us	The path junction before Oeschinensee

The lake emerges	The wall towering over it	Further along the high path	Over Kandersteg towards tomorrow's walk

17. Lämmerenhütte – +1400m/-100m and 18km – Mon 4 Jul 2016

We ignored the cable-car and walked up from Eggenschwand (1170m), up the Klusschlucht into the hidden Gasteretal, then up the 500m forested wall called Gürnigel, to 40m below Sunnbühl (1920m). We then went along and up to the restaurant above the Gemmi Pass (2340m), then turned right along the glacial valley, and up onto the glacial shelf and the Lämmerenhütte (2500m).


The gorge wall at the start of the walk	The torrent	In the Gasteretal, ...	... three falls come straight out of limestone walls

The 500m wall up out of the valley	And the higher and steeper wall beside it	Looking back down into the valley	Higher, seeing back to Kandersteg

Above Spittelmatte, looking back to the top of the wall	At the dairy, teddying, with goats	Arriving at the lakes, Gemmipass ahead	Along Taubensee

Spring Gentians demanding attention	At the restaurant above Gemmipass, Monte Rosa top-left	Westwards along the snowed-in glacial plain, Wildstrübl at the end	Looking back to Gemmipass

Starting the steep 180m track to the Lämmerenhütte	A Steinbock lording it over the cliffs above	The Lämmerenhütte in late afternoon light	Looking back to Gemmipass

18. Sunnbühl – +100m/-680m and 15km – Tue 5 Jul 2016

We returned from Lämmerenhütte (2500m) back down through the snow, along the glacial shelf, and up to the restaurant above the Gemmi Pass (2340m) , then down, along and finally up to the top of the cable-car at Sunnbüel (1920m), down the cable-car to Eggenschwand (1190m), and along to Kandersteg station on foot (1150m).

We were pleased to do the main part of the walk in 3-1/2 hours (plus a 15-minute coffee at the Schwarenbach Bergrestaurant), as per estimate, at 4kph. The early parts weren't easy, and our legs and bodies really could have done with a day's rest first. We trained back to the car (Kandersteg-Spiez/S-Interlaken Ost/IO-Grindelwald) and were in Grundbach in time for a great dinner with Robert and Jenny Portner.


Back down the wall	The corner of the Windstrubel glacier	The lake on the northern side of the glacial plain	In the Sunnbühl cable-car, looking into the Gasteretal towards the Lötschenpass

Rondane, Norway – Sat-Sun 27-28 Aug 2016

Lee Bygrave hosted me at his hytte in the Rondane National Park, 350km north of Oslo.

The hytte is at Raphamn (first of the two maps):


The very comfortable hytte	Sub-alpine vegetation at 930m ...	... mainly Heath/Erica ...	... but with rich diversity

Saturday afternoon, we walked 965m up 2015m Veslesmeden (see the second of the maps):


The start of the 6km flat-track walk, with Veslesmeden top-left, in cloud	The vegetation and light, the target centre-right	Lee on the track, lake and huts in view	Rondvatnet (lake), Rondvassbu (huts)

Now up 750m, looking back SSE over our track	Rondslottet (2178m), and its cirque	Looking up at the last 150m	And at the last 20m

From the summit, NW	And Northwards	And SSE to our start-point	The last sunlight on the huts