2013

Day 74: 22 August, Bagni di Vinadio to Cuneo

It was cold in the morning, the sky was blue but the sun was hidden behind the high mountains. We had breakfast, packed our stuff and walked to the small grocery store to buy some bread before we started climbing up to Colletto (2241 m). It was about 1000 m zig zag climbing up the mountain mostly in forest. The sun was shining and it was pretty hot. The climbing was supposed to take 3 hours but it only took us 2 hours, climbing 1000 m was a common-thing for us by now. 

Group picture at the top Colletto 2241 m

t was beautiful at the top, big green area with a military ruin and a wonderful view with  mountain tops in all directions. 

Colletto

We sat down in the sun, spread out wet cloths and tent around us in the grass. There where different kind of grasshoppers all around us and on our things, we didn’t mind, we thought they were cute. After almost an hour of relaxing. We decided to eat some lunch before continuing. Anna looked at her merino wool sweater and realised it was filled with holes, like burning holes from a cigarette. I looked at my sweater and saw how the grasshopper was eating it! There where also holes in Annas silk towel but they didn’t eat our other things made of synthetic materials. We skipped lunch, packed our stuff quickly and left the place, sad for our destroyed sweaters. It was a chocking experience! 

This grasshopper (or what ever it is) and its look alikes ate our cloths!

Annas sweater  

We walked down the mountain to Sambuco, it took us about 1,5 hour, and had lunch on a bench in the village. 

We took a bus down from the mountains to Cuneo where we found a wonderful bed and breakfast in the centre. This was my last day in the mountains, I’m moving on to new adventures. This has been a wonderful, exciting, terrific, beautiful and unforgettable trip! I’m done with the mountains for now, but Anna will continue climbing Alp tops a little bit longer. Follow her adventure here, I will!

Bye, bye mountains! Ýrr at her last top of this trip Colletto.

Two days in Cuneo

We spent two days in Cuneo. I had to prepare for my last hiking week, among things picking up a new tent that my dear friend Kirstin sent to me via poste restante. Yrr made me company before turning back home.

We stayed at a very nice bed&breakfast run by a sweet old lady. We had two really nice night their. The room was very pleasant and relaxing. Exactly what we needed. 

Street in Cuneo

Another street in Cuneo

Our room

Saying Good buy! Me going back up to the mountains, Yrr heading home!

Day 75: 25 August, Pontechianale to Lago Fiorenze

I woke up at seven as all other mornings. The sun was shining. It felt nice to pack down and leave the not so nice camping. The track went along side the lake, Lago di Castello.

I reached the little sweet village Castello at the end of the lake. From there I started to climb upwards. I meet many others on the track, mostly day hikers, popular as it is in the area around Monviso with many trails around it. I meet a sweet old couple, that i talked a little bit with, they where going to Rifuge Q. Sella as also was my plan. They had big backpacks, looked heavy and she was wearing a dune jacket the first part, I assume they where carrying a lot of clothes.

I came up to a open flat area. I decided to take break, to eat something and dry the tent.

 

After an hour I continued, the climb was steep and very stony. I came up to a small lake, it was still very stony and rocky, people had made a habit to play with the stones, it made the place look even more strange. I took some photos with my pinhole camera.

The walk from here to the Passo Gallarina was really nice, almost no green, just stones, very rough.

At the Passo it started to be misty, from a distance I could hear some music, sounded like someone had a party or a big concert. It felt very wired and disturbing. I realized that the sound came from the Rifuge I was heading for. I decided to pass it as it still was early and the place felt very crowded.

The band taking down their gear

It was very misty so I could not see Monviso but it still was a very nice walk. A bit crowded with people from the concert heading down.

I pasted a nice lake and decided to stay the night there. I made some pasta with pesto. Had an early evening as it was a bit cold, but it also started to rain a little bit, there was also some thunder, but further away.

 

In the middle of the night I woke up and it started to rain more heavily with a strong wind. Thankfully it did not last long. I went outside and made sure the tent was ok, I have used the tent many times before but never in this kind of weather. I adjust some parts, went to bed and went back to sleep.

 

 

Day 76: 26 August, Lago Fiorenze to Rifugio Barant

I woke up, it was clear sky but very cold, I finally had a view of Monviso. Unwillingly I left my warm sleeping bag. The tent was very wet when I packed it but I didn’t want to wait for the sun to arrive and dry it.

I left the nice camping place and on my way down I meet two nice hikers/climbers from Belgium, who had camped a bit further up.

Monviso

Down at the Rifuge Pian del re we had some coffee and tea together. They had done some climbing around Monviso for ten days and this was their last day.

I took farewell and continued north and left the more well visited area around Monviso. I choose to follow another trail, V12, up to the col, as it looked nicer than the GTA. The trail went trough a more green landscape, it was nice to leave the rocky paths for a while. Behind me I could now and then see Monviso through the clouds.

Black salamander

Further up it got cloudy and soon I walked with out views. At the top, Col de Gianna, it was quite cold, so I just had a very quick early lunch, some leftovers from the evening before.

Once again I took another trail as the GTA was longer and seemed not so interesting as the one I took.

I reached the Rifugio Barbara Lowrie, it was still very early in the day and the next Rifuge wasn’t that far away. And I also have to say I didn’t get a nice impression of the place so I was happy to leave.

I continued up, followed a small road. I stopped for some bread and cheese on the way. It started to rain and I hoped that the Rifuge was open and not closed as the women at the other place had told me. As I still had not been able to dry the tent I was a bit nervous.

I came up to Barant and found the place open, I was the only guest, strange feeling but I felt welcome. I had a warm shower, hanged my tent up to dry at the fireplace

The owner served me some warm tea while I wrote on the blog. I was felt a bit cold, even though I had all most all my clothes on and there was fire in the room.

As I was the only guest I could decide when I wanted my dinner. Otherwise it is allways on a fixed hour. He made me some really nice food and I had some red wine to it. The food made me stop freezing.

I had an early evening.

 

Day 77: 27 August, Rifugio Barant to Villanova

I woke up early after a good night sleep. The sun was shining, I went quickly up to get a view as I did not get one yesterday and I also new it would soon disappear again. What I saw was magnificent, the colors, the mountains hiding in the clouds, undescribable. I dressed and went out to take some pictures. I felt very privileged to be there, to see it.

 

Outside of my window

Behind the refuge

 

I had some breakfast, which I rarely have at the refuges, to my surprise and which also made me happy, he offered me some cheese and salami, you normally only get bread with marmalade in Italy and France. But I have to admit I have gained a habit, so I also had a sandwich with Nutella.

 

The nice owner infront of his refuge (I wish I got his name)

 

I packed my things and sad good buy. The refuge and the surrounding was again covered with clouds with no views around it. I past the botanic garden, Giardino Botanico Peyronet, but it was late in the season to see many plants, so I decided to continue.

 

Walking in the fog (clouds)

 

Some cows in the mist

 

 

At first i followed a small road and then I took another trail than gta down to Villanova, by suggestion from the refuge owner. The trail seemed to be an old road made with stones. It was a great walk down. I also noticed that the colors have changed, it started to turn to autumn.

 

 

 

The old track

 

I took it slow as I all ready new I have to stay in Villanova, two hours down, because their would be thunder later in the afternoon and the following etap is about 6 hours and going up to almost 2500.

Villanova is a quite small village with a posta tappa and a restaurant. They charged me extra, 5 euro, for cooking my own food, with my own stove. Very strange. But I got my own room and I felt that I could have nice an quite afternoon their so I was still happy.

Villanova

I took an afternoon nap, made some planing with Claudia and went for a glass of wine before making my dinner.

 

 

 

 

 

Day 78: 28 August, Villanova to Ghigo

I went up very early, at 6.20, My plan was to start walking at seven. This was my last day alone. Claudia and I didn’t find a way for her to join me in the Italian alps so I decided to visit her for a few days of hike in the Swiss alps instead, before heading home. 

The morning was crispy cold with blue sky. The climb started threw hassle forest but soon I came up to an open and green landscape. I past several old farmer houses on my way to the top. Half way I took a break and eat an apple, The last one I got as gift at Barant. 

After three hours I reached the top, Colle Giulian. It felt a bit strange, this was my last col in the Italian alps, at least for this time. My three mounth hike had started to come to an end. I ate some lunch, pasta with pesto before starting my climb down to Ghigo. 

My last col in Italy 

I reached the village at one a clock, long before my planed arrival. It was good as I could take a much earlier bus, I had a long journey in front of me. 

At 14 I took a bus to Torino and from there a train via Milan before I reached Lugano at 21.30. Claudia picked me up at the station and she drove me home to her lovely house up in the mountains. We had tea and a salad and talked about what have happen since Menton.

Day 79: 30 August, Campo Blenio to Capanna Scaradra

Claudia and I had decided have a few days hike together in Switzerland as we couldn’t find away for here to join me in Italy. This would be my last days before heading back home to Sweden.

We parked the car in Campo Blenio. On our way up to the lake, Lago Luzzone (1603 m) we had some lunch in the slope. You can take a bus up to the lake but it only runs in the morning in the late afternoon and we where to late and to early for this.

Claudia in the tunnel at Lago Luzzone

Claudia in the tunnel

At the lake you had to walk in a car tunnel for about one kilometer. It was ok as there were not many cars. If you take the bus it will stop right after the tunnel. I would recommend you to take the bus and use the time up in the mountains instead!

Valle Scaradra

Valle Scaradra

At the end of the lake we continued deeper in to another valley, Valle Scaradra, we picked eat some sweet tasting blueberries on our way. The last part before reaching the refuge Capanna Scaradra (2173 m) was steep and stony.

Claudia walking up the Valle Scaradra

Claudia walking in the Valle Scaradra

The refuge was placed very nicely on a plateau with a magnificent view over the surrounded mountains and the valley.

 

Evening view over Valle Scaradra

Evening view over Valle Scaradra

The refuge had well-equipped kitchen with a gas stove and fireplace that we could use to heat up the place. It was needed, as it was quite chilly as soon as the sun had gone down. We had a nice evening, talking and eating some pasta with tomato sauce. The refuge also offered you some wine, beer, panache or other soft drinks. You simply add what you took to the bill yourself. But I was happy that I had brought some of the nice Merlot from Tucino that Claudia served me the evening before as I am not so happy about tetra wine.

 

View from the Cabanna Scaradra

View from the Cabanna Scaradra

Before going to bed we prepared some hot water bottles to keep us warm in bed.

 

Day 80: 31 August, Capanna Scaradra to Capanna Scaletta

The morning was sunny but cold and the morning view was even more beautiful than the evening before.

Morning view from Capanna Scaradra

Morning view from Capanna Scaradra

We had a slow start, ate some breakfast and cleaned up the place. Before leaving we registered in a book  and payed for our stay  in the hut. We also had to pay for the gas and wood we used. It is pretty amazing that it works with this self-pay system. Off course I think that some misuse this but I want to believe that most people don’t, as they are interested in the existence of this kind of places to proceed. In Ticino there is quite many of unstaffed places.

Morning view from Capanna Scaradra

Morning view from Capanna Scaradra

Capanna  Scaradra

Capanna Scaradra

We were ready to leave around ten. We had to walk down the valley again, back down to the lake. By the lake we continued up to Cap. Motterascio. The path was pleasant with green slopes with nice waterfalls.

Waterfall

We had a break at the refuge, refilling our water bottles and looking at the view. The refuge has cows and you can buy some fresh-milked milk and home made yogurt. 

Claudia and I at the Capanna Motterascio

Claudia and I at the Capanna Motterascio

 

We left the refuge and entered the area of Greina. A very beautiful area and one of Claudias favourite places to visit, so we decided to take a slow walk through it.

Claudia walking in Greina

Claudia walking in Greina

Greina is a very nice green high plateau with black and white stones which makes it to a very special place.

Claudia also told me that there were two rivers beginning here one running north (Rhine) and one to the south. I realized that this was good ending point for my hike, like being in the middle of the alps.

 

Greina with som autumn colors

Greina with som autumn colors

You could see by the colours of the vegetation that the autumn was all ready on its way. All most one month earlier than normal.

We reached the refuge Capanna Scaletta in the early afternoon. This was a place Claudia have been visiting many times but since last time she could tell there had been some renorvations and also the former welcoming atmospair was gone. Maybe this was temporary and it was only because the place was full booked with two big groups.

We was still lucky as we got offered a room for our self’s in the attic. We had to climb a lather to get up there but otherwise the room was really nice.

Before dinner we played some memory with pictures from hiking in Ticino and on refuges. Two nice girls made us company during dinner. One of them happened to live in the same village as Claudia. It was a nice evening except that one of the groups obviously wasn’t so use to refuge behaviours and was a bit to loud, singing even in the dormitory. Ones again, we where very happy about our little nest, up under the roof.

 

Last images from the nice afternoon in Greina

Last images from the nice afternoon in Greina

Day 81: 1 September, Capanna Scaletta to Campo Blenio (last day)

My last day of hiking, our long three-month hike had come to an end also for me. The evening before, I had a strange feeling of being tired both in my whole body and also in my mind, tiredness I had not felt before on this hike, like I was ready to go home.

Morning view at Capanna Scaletta

Last morning in the moutains

We decided to have a slow but short walk this day. Actually just a walk down to the car, a two hours walk. We ate some breakfast, the two other girls they where really pist about the noisy group as they have not been able to sleep.

The morning was really cold, so we had to start wearing both a wool sweater and the raincoat to protect us from the wind. But the sun was shining so rather soon it started to warm us up.

 

Anna in the mountains

A happy Anna

We walked slowly downwards, looking at Marmots. Further down we past a farmers house where I bought some alp cheese to bring home with me. By noon Claudia and I reached the car.

 

Last image, time to go home!

Last image, time to go home!

Here mine and Yrrs story about the three-month hike we did together in summer 2013 ends. It has been a great walk with a lot of nice and exciting memories.

We all ready have some future hiking plans in our minds. More to come on this soon.

Thanks for following us!

Anna and Yrr

 

 

Yrr and Anna

Yrr and Anna