Tour du Mont Blanc

After our refuel we move on in the worst weather we have had to endure during the whole trip. The wind is strong until we traverse around to the Col Du Bonhomme. The path here is in difficult terrain and is laced with snowfields and ice. Everyone is wrapped up in winter-type clothes. When we reach the Col the weather gets better and the cloud is spectacular, weaving its way through the mountains with sunlight dancing around it. There are countless shades of white and grey clouds dotted with sunrays here and there. Lots of people are gathered at the col and one of them recognises Graham and did indeed work with him several years ago. Lee and I take advantage of a photo shoot on a large snowfield. I show Lee a snow slide on my belly, the kind you do when practising ice axe arrest. This is the last thing you want to have to perform on a mountain for real but for fun it is great. Keith lends me an axe-like stone and I proceed to slide then drag the stone in the snow to stop my slide. Lee's go and instead of gracefully sliding his body to the ground he full on jumps and knocks the wind out of himself which was hilarious to all enthralled in watching whilst devouring their lunches.

The weather is getting a lot better by now. A group of five or six mountain bikers follow us down the large and steep snowfield. A couple hit the ground but no one is hurt. Soon the snow is gone and the sun is back out. It is amazing that you only have to drop few hundred feet or so for such a dramatic change. For people who are not use to mountain walking or climbing this is where most are caught out. Ill prepared for bad weather with not enough of the right clothing and without a compass or map. Senseless! You need to respect the mountains but understand they have no respect for you.

We stop at the Chalet de la Balme 1706m for refreshments. This chalet is of fantastic quality and is very popular with walkers as an overnight must stop. It is all too clear why the chalet is popular as it sits at the head of the most beautiful valley bursting with spruce trees and wildflowers. We sit and chat in the warm afternoon sun. There are tired legs but nothing that a rest day tomorrow will not fix. I sit on a large boulder on my own for a while and eat a sandwich then doze in the ever increasingly warm sun. It is quiet here and most are taking in what the valley has to offer. I feel like I have sat here for days before Grahams voice pipes up "five minutes gang". The walk down this valley is one truly to be savoured.

Our next stop is at the beautiful chalet de nant Borrant still three hundred metres higher than our destination campsite at Le Baptieur. Most have a cider drink brewed locally which is sparkling and refreshing and is served in the most wonderful garden. We learn that Spain beat Italy four nil in the European cup. I was hoping the Italians would win but this was not to be. This is a lovely spot and I could stay here a week and sit and read and watch the day go by.

Onward, and we fall steeply down the valley now with steep forest hillsides and the river has cut spectacular high sided gorges out of the soft limestone rock. Eventually the road levels out and we are on the valley floor. Soon we reach our campsite which is probably the most comprehensive site we have been on. It has its own boating lake, a zip wire for the kids (steady Ted) and a clubhouse restaurant which incidentally is where we will be eating tomorrow on our rest day. But tonight Lewis is cooking Spanish chicken with the aid of his slightly merry sous chefs. We are also waiting for Lewis's year end results from Leeds Uni. It could be a good night tonight.

After a few more light ales the cooking is going well and Lewis gets carried away and cooks all the chicken legs he has purchased and we are slowly running out of pans. We end up having to split the dishes into two massive pans and one thing is for sure we are not going to starve tonight. It's a good job we have a fine large Irishman in Frank with a huge appetite. Amazingly, we manage to eat the lot and washing up is going to be a slow task tonight with those rather full bellies.

Later that evening we managed to pick Wi-Fi up and we watched some hilarious video clips on YouTube whilst we drank a lot more wine. Well Lewis did manage get seventy three per cent although I feel he must try harder in future. It was late to bed that night but a day of rest tomorrow.