This is a delightful walk in Russin in the Canton of Geneva that we last did four years ago. We did about 4.5 km of it with a height difference of some 80 metres.
Nine people, Anthony Barrow, John Burley, Philip Jenkins, Mike Müller and Nessie, Robert O’Riordan, Richard Saynor, Paul Sochaczewski, Nicolas Ulmer and Mark Warren duly met in the Vignoble Dorée at 10:00 where coffees were drunk and pains au chocolat eaten. Unfortunately, the weather had not been listening to the forecast so the rain expected at midday had already started. This caused a problem for one of our members who had become so used to the dry weather that he had no rain gear and took the prudent decision to remain in the bar.
The rest of us set off down the steep hill, over the level crossing and down to the banks of the Rhône which was flowing strongly. It was generally thought that this was due to snow/glacier melt. A black woodpecker was seen, and heard, flying across the river to perch on a tree. We then visited successively the teppes or gravel pits, each with their own hides. Our bird spotters’ sightings included seven swans a swmming (interestingly two of the cygnets were white – the “Polish” variety), coots, mallards, a cormorant and red-crested pochards.
Bypassing the mouth of the Allondon, we took the direct route back up the hill which required negotiating works and cement lorries related to the maintenance of the railway bridge over the Allondon.
And so to the restaurant where we were joined by Norman Eatough, who with our latest recruit Anthony had the game menu (selle de chevreuil), which looked excellent. The menu du jour was also very good and cheaper!
Mark Warren