Attending : Marks W and W, Richard, Steve, David, Peter.
Apologies : Rob, Drew, Mervyn, Philip (apologies for missing any)
According to Janet and Pam’s guidebook (with our experience in brackets):-
” CRET DE LA NEUVE – Alt. 1494m
Difficulty : Easy undulating walk along the top of the Jura
Map: Nyon-St Cergue, TopoRando 1:25,000
Height gain : 348m (450m)
Length : 10.5 kms (12.5 km)
Time : 4hrs
Start/Finish : Col du Marchairuz, 1447m, where there is a hotel (shuttered)
Signposting : Good in parts –yellow diamonds and arrows (confusing)
Observations
On a clear day (it was hazy) the Crêt de la Neuve has one of the most magnificent viewpoints in the Jura. There are three display panels (were useless to us) giving the names and heights of the alpine peaks on the horizon, starting from the Bernese Oberland on the left, the Mt.Blanc and the Dents du Midi ranges ahead, the mountains round Lake Annecy and finally the Chartreuse in the Savoie on the extreme right. Below is Lake Geneva (hardly discernible) in its entirety with Geneva and the jet d’eau clearly visible to the right. The flowers in late May are glorious. “(The February snow was marginal but it was worth taking the snow shoes).
Blog :-
A team of six started from the Col at 9.30 am on a bright and sunny day, albeit there was a haze reminiscent of Delhi on a clear day for Delhi. Peter had chosen the Cret de La Neuve after suggestion from Mark Wn and directions from Janet/Pam. There was in fact little choice left in the Swiss Jura after such a warm spell and in truth we held low expectation for snow, indeed some were loth to even carry snow shoes. Only Steve outlasted the day without using them (but he lugged them around). We saw only three other people all day and the trails were deserted in the fine weather. Underfoot the snow was spring and firm to soft, but plentiful and the going was steady with no ice.
Ignoring the ladies’ instructions (anticlockwise) we opted for a potential clockwise route albeit it did not quite turn out that way. After a pleasant two hour saunter following disconcerting and very fresh wolf tracks, we cut up the steep final slope (but not the mustard) to the summit, offering the gift of a bottle of water to the gods.
On the fore summit we were greeting by very friendly labrador “Milton”, the nefarious wolf, and his owner who had skinned up on skis. They soon both hared off leaving us the summit stone wall ring for our bar and picnic circle, safe from any remnant wolves. We could have been on an ocean liner in the mist with Swiss flag flapping very gently and the sun shining down above us. The views above the forest were very hazy.
The normal temperance meeting started with some aperos from Richard, mine was a Marc, before we move on to Luins and Fechy white. There followed some truly excellent grappa from David, and a fine but mysterious English whisky from the Watts’ collection, and also hot coffee therefrom. We toasted absent friends and Deborah Powell who was entering hospital that day for surgery. As per our rules, the lunch conversation was fulsome but private and will not be put on record. I believe we did solve a number of world problems as well as airing grievances while admitting blessings.
Richard had to get back home early to change ovens so he hoofed off leaving us to chew the fat a little more. Time to go and Steve did the honours and visited the summit cross for us. Peter then led the tribe back through the wilderness, turning unknowingly in the haziness of the lunch, in almost a circle, but oddly following the trail of a lone snow-shoer that could only be Richard.
We had found ourselves back on the incoming trail. There was nothing for it but to retrace our steps along the pleasant forest trail, following the trail of Richard. We made it back in the heat in time to match the guidebook, but having completed 450m deniv and 12.5 km. Not bad, memorable and enjoyable. Incredible weather for February.
Steve and David sensing our luck
