Nathan organised this excellent hike warning us however, in view of the uncertain weather forecast, to “be prepared”. He recommended us to refer to Philip’s description of the terrain, from his 30 March 2023 blog. See below in blue. (Philip also reported in 2023 that his search of the “dusty GIN blog archives” revealed that a similar hike was organised in June 2018 by David Colledge. There were three participants then, an indication of the significant increase over the last 5 years in GIN hiking interest.) I note that David wrote – Lunch in La Cave de la Ferme in nearby Frangy – highly recommended with 4 course lunch at €16.50.
Further research into the dusty GB archives showed that David organised another hike up the far end of the Vuache in May 2019 from Chevrier with 4 attending. David wrote “altogether about 3.30hrs followed by a very reasonable lunch at Restaurant du Vuache.”
Philip : “The Vuache is a long lean mountain. Not at all a Fujiyama. Not even a Môle. But I see it every morning from my kitchen balcony. And it tells me what the day’s weather will bring. Geologically it’s part of the Jura range. Good Jurassic limestone, no doubt riddled, like the Salève, with water-filled cavities. And maybe bottomless potholes that nobody has explored. But physically it’s an isolated mountain, cut off eons ago by the melt waters from the immense Rhone Glacier that filled the whole Lemanic basin. And it holds secrets known only to those who explore it in early Springtime.”
On that hike in March 2023 hike we were 11 : two Marks, PeterT, Nathan, Rudi, Richard, Mike M, Ralph, Drew, Mervyn and Philip and hounds Kobie and Nessie. On this hike we missed Mark 2ts, Rudi, Richard, Mike M (and Nessie) and Mervyn. We added on this occasion Mike H (and Rocco), Stephen and Ross and were thus 9.
(I was told that several absent members have poor knees – at least they gave that as an excuse to Nathan. I can only recommend daily taking Pernaton tablets – they have saved my knees. )
https://www.pernaton.ch/en/produkte/produktubersicht
Unhappily the timing this year was different, it not being early Springtime. So we missed the wonderful display of daffodils (that we had seen two weeks ago on Mark’s Dôle hike). And unhappily too the warm sunshine we had enjoyed two weeks ago was missing and we experienced instead a cold dry and windy day almost exactly as per 30 March 2023.
It did not start that way as there was some weak sunshime as we ascended the ridge from Chaumont attempting to catch up with Philip who had started 15 minutes earlier.
We caught Philip up after about 300m of ascent. He was gayly and gently elevating himself up the ridge, stopping to take close-up photos of the plants he loves (not daffodils though).
Philip writes : –
Thursday’s ascent was the first time that I had seen wild orchids actually in flower on the Vuache. Having given myself a 15 minute head start on the peloton, I had time to photograph them (and have a breather!). The GIN plant enthusiasts, of which I’m sure there are many, will no doubt welcome this botanic addition.
I have given the relevant plant names to the photo files. I’ve also added one non-orchid, Sainfoin, the reason being that it’s a real beauty, whose identity had me initially confused until PlantNet put me right.
At one point Ralph kindly offered us all a cup of his hot strong black (and good value) coffee. Excellent! I almost did not miss Mervyn and his milk.
At a large green field two chamois (or deer according to Mark) broke cover and Kobie went off to investigate but soon came back. It was not long however before he found a leg bone of a deer (or chamois) left by hunters and he and Rocco spent some time arguing over who should eat it. Both won.
We wandered on up along the woodland path which traces the spine of the hill, in places steep and rocky. I spotted only 3 daffodils still in flower, but there were many other flowers (Philip will tell us).
On the way up we had noticed a picnic table at the top of the green field and members retraced steps back to it, keen to tuck into some warming sustenance and whatever wines were on offer. In this case a Nero d’Avola and a Rasteau. Drew of course had his flask, but we missed Richard and his abominable bottle.
Philip wrote 2 years ago :- There was no handy auberge nearby, so we ate our picnics (in a particularly windy spot) with extensive views over the Rhone Valley and in the distance the Plateau de Retord. This time we had the same wind and views, but the advantage of a (slanting) table that sat 8 of us, albeit we were 9.
All too soon it was over. No time or inclination to discuss Scottish independence. This was a time of Trump Tariff madness.
On the return, we initially retraced our steps but then Nathan again deviated down the steep western slope of the Vuache, fortunately relatively dry and unslippery. This took us through the hamlet of Chaumontet and back to the village of Chaumont. (most of this para was copied from Philip’s 2023 blog).
We passed some very young climbers about to start out on the training rock slabs.
Another enjoyable hike on the Vuache, despite somewhat inclement weather and gone daffs. About 10km and 546m denivellation. Thanks Nathan.
Attendees – MikeH and Rocco, Mark2rs, Drew, Stephen, Ralph, Philip, Ross, PeterT and Kobie, Nathan (Leader).
(I’ll post other pics if folk send me any – or do it yourself if you can. PT)
