This week saw a heat wave that really started to sap energies so it was not surprising, also given the number of members travelling in far off places, that only three and a dog turned out for this hike. Here is the flyer :-
“It will be hot this Thursday, so I am planning high and shaded, and beer at the Barillette. Maybe 400m – 500m up and not arduous except for the heat. The walk will be Taylored to the attendees.
And we shall have a picnic after the beer, a little higher up.
Meet at 9.30 at Divonne or at 10 am at St Cergue parking lot (W3W ///outer.dupe visits) at 10 am. (Note – this is 50m down the second road on the left entering and just before the roundabout in St Cergue, after ascending the hill from the Nyon exit. It is NOT Tancouez.)
Bring a picnic and water and sun gear.”
Attending : Nathan, Chris, Kobie and me.
Apologies : Mervyn (sipping Liffy water), Richard, David, Markrrs and Philip (keeping powder and foreheads dry), PeterSt (in the big hills), Marktts (in west Wales), Rudolf (sidetracked by the Walking Group scheduling), Rudi (golf), Thatcher (sailing the Cyclades), Ross (repatriation admin), etc etc.
The road up to (but not down from) St Cergue was closed and we had to deviate up through Arzier but we arrived shortly after 10am with heat beginning to build. The higher 1040m start point reduced the heat level a bit, and the final denivellation a lot.
Perhaps because of this heat we had to halt after only one minute because Chris’s left hiking boot came apart when the heel-sole came unstuck. He went back for his trainers. Nathan recommended the boot repair shop in La Combe and I can endorse this.
We set off again up the Beatrix trail turning right to ascend beneath the ruins of the Vieux Château and up past Guinfard, through the Bois de Guinfard. Nathan was keen to keep right but we kept left to the ridge and actually later descended down Nathan’s path.
Although the sun was high, there was a nice cooling breeze from the north, not quite a Bise but almost and the temperature was very pleasant all day.
The sun blazed down on us as we headed up the final stony slope towards the Barillette restaurant, which was open and not crowded on the terrace, and we were appointed a semi-shaded table for a most welcome beer – thanks Nathan for the beer!
With Kobie chomping on a meaty chew, splendid cold beer and good company, fabulous views across to the Alps, the question could have been asked, is this as good as it gets?
A decision was made to eat our picnics at the outside table at the Chalet des Apprentis, and we charted a course on the main trail avoiding the steep drop to the Bent Tree. Sadly however the outside table must have been inside, so we ate our lunch on a bench in the porch with superb views across the cliff face of La Dôle.
Fortified by a small tot of Lord Richmond whisky, (lord knows where that is from (and we missed Richard’s Bottle)), we took the courageous decision not to summit La Dôle, nor track up to the Col de Porte but instead wind our way back down the 5 Jura Crest Trail.
It was not long before we found ourselves down at the Bent Tree where it was comforting to see that it is still partly alive.
Kobie spent most of his time lurking in the shade of the mountain trees that we passed but it was not long before he found his true heaven.
The trail back down (slightly up in one place) was pleasant and enjoyable in the cooling breeze and it was not too long before we found ourselves heading down the slope into St Cergue.
This was a fine medium-grade hike made more enjoyable by the company and the good (not too hot) weather. Kobie enjoyed it too.
Back down in Divonne it was 6C warmer (30C) and dusty like Texas.
12.65km and 623 m denivellation (but Nathan had recorded 510m up and 570m down (!), Chris had 580m up – so I’ll go with mine).
