The Pyrenees

The Pyrenees is my favourite place.  In 2005 we walked along the whole length, something we had always wanted to do.  It was an incredible, but exhausting experience (I hope to post my diary from the trip here, one day!)  En route we visited many special places, one of which was the Anisclo Valley in the Spanish Pyrenees.  This weekend we decided to go back so we packed the camping gear and headed off to CampingValle Anisclo.   

We had hoped to do some high-level walks from the refuge Viados, but there were lots of storms forecast – tormentos sums it up nicely!  Having been caught out in one too many storms in the mountains we opted for a relatively low-level walk instead! 

For our first walk, we parked on the main road just after San Juan de Plan and took the green and white marked path (S7) towards the refuge Viados in the Posets-Maladeta National Park.  The path followed the course of La Cinqueta, a tributary of the Rio Cinca that runs through the town of Bielsa.  The route was easy going.  We immediately crossed the river along a narrow stone bridge high above a narrow gorge, we could just see the river tumbling far below us.   We have never seen so much water in the rivers in summer before and there was still snow on the high peaks.  The path led up through a forest, where tiny wild strawberries were just beginning to ripen.  The fields were full of deep purple Iris and other wild flowers.   The path led back over the river passing the Puen Molin and then uphill.  After 45 minutes it swung back again crossing the river at Puen Micale, over a concrete bridge, which had been partially washed away.  I was a little nervous walking over this bridge, but it turned out to be an easy scramble over some boulders.  We returned by the dirt track to our starting point.  A 3 hour round trip.  We wished we had carried on further up the valley as there was no sign of the impending storm – it arrived that evening.

Half a bridge!

Tella

It is a beautiful area.  We were last here four years ago when we explored the Anisclo Gorge and the Escuain Gorge in the Ordesa National Park.  They are not as well-known as their neighbour Ordesa, which attracts huge numbers of visitors, but I think they are far superior.

On Sunday we took a diversion on our way home to visit the village of Tella high up (1200 mtrs).  From here we took the Circuito Ermitas walk, an easy 1 hour walk.  The views were stunning, although I would hate to live up here in the winter! 

We stopped off for a picnic at the Dolmen de Tella.  Then it was back in the car and through the Bielsa tunnel to sunny France.

Costa Brava

This weekend we ended up in Begur on the Costa Brava courtesy of a French Air Traffic Control Strike.  Hubby had been due to fly from the UK to Toulouse, but all flights were cancelled so the crazy man took a flight to Barcelona, which meant me driving to pick him up.  We met in Girona for lunch! As we were down that way we decided to stay for a long weekend.  Girona is a lovely city and we would have liked to linger (we will go back), but the sea beckoned.

We haven't visited Begur for a couple of years and it was nice to be back.  In previous years we have stayed at the family run Hotel Rosa so that's where we headed for.

Our first day we walked (downhill) from Begur to Sa Tuna only an hour.  Sa Tuna, an old fishing village, is located on a small bay with white-washed houses clinging to the hillside.

We took the costal path towards Tamariu intending to carry on walking, but we spotted a private bay so clambering down we found a shady spot and sat awhile.  Hubby even had a dip in the sea.  In fact we sat so long we didn't make it to Tamariu!

The next day from Sa Tuna we walked the opposite way in a northerly direction to Sa Riera - beautiful. The walk took about a couple of hours.  I even managed a swim in this lovely cove, albeit a quick one!  The intention had been to follow the costal path back, but we spotted a  green and white marker for the GR92 and an inland path to Begur so we followed it back (40 mins).  We feared some of it would be along roads, but it was a wonderful leafy route.  Dinner at Rostei  (the strawberry gazpacho starter was sublime) was a perfect end to our impromptu Spanish trip.

Jebel Sahro, Morocco

In February 2009 we went walking in Jebel Sahro, Morocco with KE Adventure Travel.  Our Trek leader was Hajj, a tall smiley Berber man.  There were 16 in our group and I was the youngest member, the oldest being 73.


We set off from Marrakech by mini bus driving across the Atlas mountains to Ouarzazate where we stopped for lunch.  Oarzazate is a bustling town in the middle of the plains.  We passed oasis areas with palm trees and lush green vegetation surrounded by arid nothingness.  It took all day to reach the town of N'Kob, a village on the fringes of the Sahara and our accommodation for the night - a wonderful Kasbah (fortified town house).  

N’Kob was also the start of our trek.  A wander around the town led to us being surrounded by groups of children chorusing "merci pour un stilo," a phrase we would hear often en route.  

We set out into the foothills of the Jebel Sahro on a bright sunny Monday morning with six muleteers, a cook, eight mules and Hajj.  The walk, which was paced very well, took us through farms and villages in the Hanedour Valley.  Our first night’s camp was near the village of Tiguiza (1210m/3970ft).  Hajj walked with an easy long stride, almost as if he was just out for a short stroll, while we huffed and puffed behind.  

On Day 4 we ascended Jebel Amial (2,450m/8,038ft) and it was a hard, long day - 10 hours of walking.  We did have fresh donoughts in the mess tent when we got back to compensate!  

Day 5, described as one of the best day's walking was amazing and my favourite.  The walk took us to the high plateau of Tadaout ‘n Tablah via Bab n’Ali (reminiscent to Monument Valley).  The sky was blue, the rock formations stunning.  We even got to see a nomadic family with camel and baby camel.  It was another long day of walking, but mostly flat.    We lunched in a dry river bed under the shade of a palm tree.  

For the next two days the walking was easier, but we had the option to climb a few of the nearby crags, which we did.  There then followed a longer day as we climbed to cross a high pass and high ridges via an old French fort to the foot of Bou Gafer.  The next day we had the option to trek to the summit of Bou Gafer (1978m/6490ft).  We then descended from camp following a stream through green valleys and deep gorges to the village of Oulili where we camped.  The next day was a short day as we climbed out of the Oulili Valley towards the settlement of Tanemlalt.  

Almond Blossom

The last day's walk up Amalou n Mansour (2,712m/8898ft), the biggest peak in the Jebel Sahro range, was a fitting finale with views showing the route we had trekked, with views of the snow-capped High Atlas and the Sahara.    

We ate well.  Haji always carried a bag of “trail mix,” which he would offer at intervals during the day.  Lunch was usually (unless we were up a mountain) a huge salad with fish, pasta or rice, sometimes there was lentils - a group favourite.  Dinner was fiery Harissa soup with freshly baked roti bread (they cooked the bread on hot stones - amazing), followed by boiled vegetables and tinned fruit.   We were usually up between six and seven and two nights we camped in the same spot, which was good.  Most afternoons we managed to have a wash with water from little streams or communal wells.  The locals were a little reserved, but a smile usually did the trick. The children were great and on one particular day I found myself surrounded by a group practicing the verb Etre!  In total we walked 200kms.

Some Berber words:-
Sahar - thank you
Layal - goodbye
Salam - hello
Mahaben - welcome

A walk down the Aveyron

Summer seems to have arrived overnight so taking advantage of the good weather we headed off on one of our favourite local walks.  The starting point was Pont St Blaise the ancient bridge over the river Aveyron below Najac.  The river was very swollen because of the week of rain.  We headed along the right hand bank for 15 mins (passing by a house and hydraulic generator).  Then we took a zig-zag path straight up the hillside through woods.  We joined the GR36 at the top of the hill on a broad track & followed it south through Mergieux (holiday village) and down to the river.  If you turned right here on the GR36 it would eventually lead to Laguepie, but we turn left and come off the GR36 following the river back to Najac.  Halfway back you need to head up to the railway bridge and cross the river continuing the walk on the left hand side.  Then it's a pleasant flat walk back to Pont St Blaise.

We were the only people walking, but did see six canoeists shooting the rapids (looked fun but scary).  The highlight of the walk was spotting an otter, our first sighting in the Aveyron. The walk is about 10 miles in length and took us four and a half hours including a stop for a picnic lunch and otter admiring time!

(This is the view of Najac from the top at the beginning of the walk.  I took this photo last Summer - yesterday the sky was bluer, but of course there were not so many leaves on the trees!)

Pech Merle, France

This week we visited the cave paintings at Pech Merle in the town of Cabrerets in The Lot.  www.pechmerle.com.  

The caves were discovered in 1922 by a young lad aged 16.  They had been remarkably preserved for some 25,000 years.  The first tours of the caves began in 1926.  We were lucky that the season has just started and we ended up having our own personal tour.  Clementine, our tour guide, spoke excellent English and her enthusiasm for the caves brought them to life.  The highlight for me was seeing a footprint preserved in the clay where someone had trod 25,000 years ago.  Clementine told us that the caves were the wettest she had known in her ten years working there because of the very wet winter they have experienced. The caverns were filled with gigantic stalagmites and stalactites.   We watched rivulets of water running down the rocks forming the next layer of calcite before our very eyes.  Unfortunately I wasn’t allowed to take any photos, but you can see some of the paintings on the website.  Well worth a visit and good value at 10 Euros, but better to go out of season.    

We also had a delicious lunch in La Roue in Cabrerets – 13 Euros for four courses for the menu du jour.  

Australia January 2013

On Friday 18 January we arrived in Melbourne, collected our hire car and headed off to Bendigo, a major regional city in the state of Victoria where we were staying with friends for the weekend.  We spent a lovely afternoon sat on their "faux preau" catching up.  Saw parrots and Galahs golore in their garden.  Amazing to see such exotic birds.  Bendigo is notable for its Victorian architectural heritage and gold mining history.  (http://www.bendigotourism.com/).  It is also famous for the Bendigo Tramway and we took a tour around the workshop and had a ride on the tram - a great experience. (www.bendigotramways.com)

All too soon it was time to say goodbye to our friends and head off to Paynesville, a small town in Victoria on the coast.  The main reason for stopping here was to see the Koalas on Raymond Island.  We took the chain ferry to Raymond Island and began the Koala walk (you follow the signs and it's all very low-key).  (www.raymondisland.net).  My expectations were low, it was 5pm and I really didn't expect to see any.  Just five minutes later we spotted our first Koala - I'll never forget it!



The Koalas were introduced to the island in 1953.  By 2003 there were around 600 so they had to introduce a program of sterilisation to keep the numbers down. The Koalas and residents of Raymond Island seem to live happily together.  In the end we spotted 12 Koalas in all.  We also spotted some amazing birds.  Raymond Island is paradise.
We stayed at the Mariners Cove, which was ideally situated with a patio overlooking the water.

Next stop was Eden an easy drive from Paynesville.  The scenery changed as we went over the border to New South Wales.   We were now driving along the Sapphire Coast and it was stunning.  We stayed in the Seahorse Inn just outside of Eden. (www.seahorseinn.com.au) It's located in a great area overlooking Twofold Bay.  


The next day we drove to Pambula and Merimbula.  Merimbula was a bit touristy, but it did have a calm beach in the mouth of the river/inlet, which meant great safe swimming.  We stopped off at the lovely fishing village of Tathra and walked through the memorial garden and then down to the wharf where there was a great cafe/craft shop.  Whilst there we saw huge stingrays. (www.southcoast.com.au/tathra).  We drove on to Bermagui and it's stone rock swimming pool.  Then on to Tilba Tilba, which was a small  historic town.  In fact, it was so small we drove through it and ended up in Central Tilba, which was like stepping back in time.  Tilba Tilba and Central Tilba are surrounded by rolling hills, which I was expecting at all.

We arrived in Narooma in time for dinner.  (http://www.narooma.org.au)  Narooma is ideally placed for a boat trip to Montague Island, where you can see penguins.  However, the sea looked a little rough and there was no guarantee that we would see penguins so we decided to give it a miss.  Instead, we visited the tourist office and a very helpful lady gave us a map with the walking routes.  After a coffee in the Quarterdeck, a great place overlooking the Wagonga Inlet, we went walking.  (http://www.narooma.org.au/quarterdeck.html).

On the walk around the coast we saw seals on the rocks below so stopped and watched them.

Later the same day we saw another stingray as we were taking a walk along the boardwalk.  So much wildlife!  Narooma had another safe beach in an inlet, which was ideal for swimming - beautiful turquoise sea.

Next stop was Jervis Bay, where we stopped to sit on the beach before driving on to  Shellharbour a little coastal village where we found a lovely motel - The Shellharbour Village Motel.  From Shellharbour it was a very easy drive to Sydney airport the next day.   We were lucky to be arriving in Sydney on Australia Day.  The place was packed with people celebrating.  In the evening we went to a free concert by the Australian Symphony Orchestra in The Domain - great.  The weather deteriorated for the next couple of days courtesy of a tropical cyclone further up the coast in Queensland so we spent a lot of time in the local museums where we learnt a lot about the early settlers and the indigenous population.  On our last evening we managed to get front row tickets at the Opera House to see a performance by Meow Meow.  A fitting end to a great trip.

Vevey, Switzerland

I’ve just got back from a wonderful weekend in Vevey, Switzerland.  I caught the train from Geneva airport (about an hour – 62 CHF return), a very pretty journey along the lakeshore.

Vevey is a lovely town situated on Lake Geneva.   The Alps loom up in the distance.   It is the home of Nestle.  Charlie Chaplin spent the last 25 years of his life here and there is a monument dedicated to him that stands on the lakeshore. 

We stayed at a small guesthouse called Le Charlot (www.lecharlot.com).  The rooms are located above a café/boulangerie.  The rooms are spacious and modern and some have a lake view.  Just around the corner was the Yatus tapas bar where we sampled some Swiss wine!  Great tapas and lovely white wine – the Torpa is especially good!  

On Saturday we walked from Vevey to Montreux.  It was a pleasant walk, mostly along the shores of Lake Geneva (about 7 kms).  At the Brasserie Bavaria we ate the local speciality of Rosti – tasty and extremely filling.  Now all we needed was a hike in the mountains, but instead we visited Chateau de Chillon (http://www.chillon.ch) about 1 km beyond Montreux.  There is plenty to see at Chateau de Chillon and the location is stunning so well worth a visit (CHF 12).  We caught a train back, which was free with the Montreux Riviera Tourist card.  The card entitles visitors to free local transport and up to 50% off the entrance fee at museums/places of interest in Vevey, Montreux and Lavaux.  On Sunday we visited the Vevey Alimentarium (CHF 12) in the old Nestle headquarters.  The building is in amazing location, but the museum itself was a bit disappointing, especially as I was hoping for free chocolate samples and my husband was hoping for free Nespresso coffee – we got neither!  It is about human nutrition and has various bits of equipment for interaction - I think children would enjoy it.  A quick coffee and baguette at Le Charlot then it was time to take the train back to Geneva airport.  

All in all a very nice stay, but next time we’ll bring our walking boots and head up into the mountains.