Inveterate dabbler in business, travel, gadgets & life
Made it the Med at 6pm and threw my stick in. Must say the Nice people keep it well hidden took ages wandering the streets, thank goodness for GPS. Now for a beer and somewhere to stay.
Fly home Wed arrive midday..
Cheers to all
Sent from Geoff’s Treo650
The weather is not at all nice on my Nice day. Its been raining cats and dogs with the odd roll of thunder and flash of lightening since I left Utelle 3.5 hours ago with most of the track converted into a watercourse
Currently I am holed up in a Rapido cafe in Levens with a cheese sandwich, still over 6 hours of walking before i get to see and feel the sea.
My RAB event jacket must have a leak as I get a little river down the inside of each arm. Otherwise as dry as can be expected. Maybe it will brighten up soon……..
Sent from Geoff’s Treo650
Interesting 8 hour day covering the 16 miles and just under 3000ft of elevation in around 6 hours of walking.
Spent most of the day with my head (and body) in thick cloud with visibility only at 5 metres or so, great for vertigo sufferers as most of morning was walking along a ridge.
I met by first party of VTT (mountain bikers) also in the morning, fortunately on their way up. One of my little fears is meeting up with them when they are bombing down.
At Les Granges it turned into a lovely forest stroll complete with mushroom pickers.
Imagine my surprise on turning a corner to be confronted with Bréche du Brec an impressive lump of limestone with a 500ft climb along ledges with those vertical drops I so hate. The path twists and turns across flimsy bridges etc eventually dropping 2200ft into Utelle. Utelle had a full blown street party complete with accordion and choir happening. Eventually I found someone who took me to the Gíte’s guardian to extract the key. However, no food tonight I weasled a baguette and fromage from the bar but it looks like the grand opening of the sardine tin later.
Tomorrow is about 2000ft of climbing and then toes in the med 🙂
Changed my flight so that will be in Stansted on Wed lunchtime.
Sent from Geoff’s Treo650
Yesterday was another long day, 23miles with over 5500ft of ascent due to me being told that one refuge was closed and the other full.
I started with another piste, going up the hard way, to Col du Blainon then a lovely descent to Roya (whose gíte apparently has the best chef on the GR5) it then turned into a hard slog upto the Col de Crousette where you then have to continue climbing upto Stele Valette at 2590m (the last time over 2000m!), couldnt see The Med as it was to hazy, after which a further 5 hours of walking bought me to Roure, where Karen had booked me into the delightful Auberge Le Robur (003393020357) which literally clings to the hillside overlooking the 2000ft drop to St. Saveur- sur-Tinée. The chef rustled up a masterpiece veggie meal for me. A good ending to a hard day.
Today was lets take it easy day with a mere 10miles and ‘only’ 2600 feet of ascent mainly on tracks with several bar stops on the way.
Only two more days left now tomorrow should be Utelle and the then its Nice on Monday. Each day having around 2000 feet of ascent.
Sent from Geoff’s Treo650
