Best

Day 42: 17 July, Refuge Plan du Lac to l’Arpont

We took a slow morning, made breakfast outside the refuge and started walking. We continued to walk in the Vanoise national park

After about half an hour we left the track to buy cheese in a farmers house.

5 minuits to buy cheese

Then we started climbing. The sun was shining and we were really hot. We took a break at the end of the climbing and ate bread with cheese and some sausage.

Anna and Ýrr walking and talking

Anna and Christer climbing

Lunch

Then we continued and the landscape changed it became more stony and there was a lot of snow. Also the weather changed, it started raining, we stopped to put on a raincoat (we hadn’t had need for that for more than a week). A fox stopped by and said hi.

We continued and the landscape became more and more beautiful. We walked on striped stones and looked at the glaciers de la Vanoise.

Stripy stoneman

Anna, Christer and Ýrr posing in front of Glacier de la Roche Ferran

 

It stopped raining for a while and then it started again. We came to refuge de l’Arpont (2309 m) in the afternoon and found out it was full. It was raining quite a lot by now. We decided to make food and then look for a spot to put up our tents. We made couscous with satay sauce and vegetables. We ate and then we left in the rain. We didn’t find a good place for camping, the grass was high and very wet. But we found a chapel, we decided to sleep on the floor. We ate some chocolate before we went to bed.

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.

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.

 

 

Trekking in Time

Ystads konstmuseum
3 September – 13 November 2016

Trekking in Time is an international group exhibition that gathers and presents art works by artists that have worked with hiking from different perspectives. It shows works that are both historical and contemporary. It can be works where the artists have used hiking as an action, artistic expression or as a performance.

Participating artists: Marina Abramovic/Ulay, Kerstin Ergenzinger, Hamish Fulton, Gittan Jönsson, Christina Kubisch, Juha Pekka Matias Laakkonen, Richard Long, Tisha Mukarji, Hrafnkell Sigurðsson, Fredrik Strid.

Curators: Yrr Jónasdóttir and Anna Kindvall

Where: Ystad Art Museum, Sweden or visit www.kindvall.net

Image: Hrafnkell Sigur∂sson, Untitled, 2000, photo

Day 1: 12 August: Henday to Col de Lizuniaga

It is a tradition to start with a swim in the Atlatic sea before you begin you hike on the HRP trail in the Pyrenees.

I had a lovely swim about 8 a clock in the morning, quite empty beach, just a few more early birds. When I was ready just all the surfers started to come, I was lucky. I didn’t stay long at the beach, eager to get started.

Before leaving I had some problems getting some money from the cash machine. They where all empty, a helpful lady told me that is often the case. I gave up and turn my back to the ocean and left the village.

During the walk I meet a really nice couple, Keith and Lesley, who also are following HRP, we have since then meet several times.

Later in the day it became very hot, about 35 degree, to hot for walking, I had to move slower and I did take a short cut in the end. I started to get some frictions between my toes, needed to be careful, I probably was to sloppy in rinsing of the sand and salt in between the toes after the swim.

I pitched my tent at a campsite in a green field, crossed the road of a silent restaurant/hostel. There was no facilities accept for some fresh water. I made dinner at the tent, had a chat with Christer at home. The nice couple arrived just after I gone into my tent.