The Ardèche, The Pyrenees, London, Poole, The Cotsolds, Cinque Terre all featured as possible destinations for this week’s hike from our dispersed members, away on October breaks. Promotion even including free beer by some. However, the reality was that 4 stay-at-homes decided against excessive travel and joined a gentle, local hike on a pleasant autumnal day, with only a short shower on our exit from lunch and as we arrived back at the cars at the end of the walk.
Stephen, Andrew, David and newcomer Nathan, a Tannay neighbour to David, met at the Divonne car park near the old station. On this occasion, Andrew was not left waiting at the incorrect three words location used on a previous occasion. Nathan avoided any potential confusion by hitching a ride with David. The plan was to walk up through Divonne to Mt. Mussy and onto Mt. Mourex, then passing through Mourex and to Vesancy for lunch at the Ô Château restaurant. After lunch, time permitting, walking up to the Riamond chapel and maybe up to the Riamond (881m) before returning to Divonne via the golf course.
Not all the paths were known so there was a certain sense of adventure as we checked maps and signs along the way. However, it transpired that Nathan was taking his first outing with us seriously, not only having prepared with a walk up the Dôle the previous day but also fully equipped with a satnav. He was able to identify our exact location and the most likely direction to arrive at the planned lunch spot. Credibility was somewhat tarnished when he informed us that there would be a building 200m further up the path, only to find no trace of one.
Undeterred, he then questioned the leader’s proposed route suggesting that there was a more direct way to reach Vesancy from Mt. Mourex, by-passing Mourex. Without the usual multitude of differing route suggestions from various brands of hiking software, the group had no choice but to follow this lone advice. Certainly, it was a very pleasant wooded path, and it did avoid Mourex, but as we gazed at Vesancy receding behind us across the valley, with a scarp rock face between us and it, several thoughts crossed the leader’s mind:
• Our usual GIN Hiking leader would have led us down the scarp face and across the valley to lunch
• He should have done his homework better and/or he should have used executive privilege to dictate the route
• Newcomers to the group should have a probationary period (but not possible due to the GIN “only one rule” rule, the one rule already being used up)
• Where else was there a restaurant nearby for lunch?
Happily, a path not previously identified eventually took us down to the valley with a corresponding path up the other side, backtracking towards our luncheon destination, vindicating the choice of route. I should also add that the leader had taken the late precaution of checking that the restaurant was indeed open and happy to accept us. David had seemed particularly concerned that he might not get lunch.
All’s well that ends well. We arrived only marginally behind the original timing plan and were greeted warmly by the restaurant, pleased to have their clientele boosted by 300%. Lunch was well up to standard, all of us taking the menu du jour of salmon, shrimp and jellied guacamole starter with leg of duck and vegetables as the main. The house red, Vacqueras, was also more than acceptable, as were the introductory beers. Discussion did not cover Scottish independence, which is now seen as inevitable.
The after-lunch planned route was amended to ensure a timely arrival back at the car park in Divonne. Unfortunately, this meant that the visit to the Riamont chapel had to be postponed to a later date. So, we followed in reverse direction the original, scarp free, plan from Mt. Mourex to Vesancy and then a known wooded path from Mourex, along the base of the Mt. Mussy hill, directly back to our parked cars.
Another memorable day out, great to have Nathan with us and, no, we’re not envious of those absentees in far-flung places.
Statistics: 18.8 km, 430m elevation climb, max elevation 760m, total time (including lunch) 6h5m, walking speed: gentle.