The forecast for Thursday 1 October looked wet, our first rain since 9 September. Being unused to wetness I emailed around to see if members agreed to a change to Friday when it looked to be a bit dryer. Sadly some could make only Thursday for which apologies. Mervyn and Andrew agreed and the three of us set off from the parking above La Rippe, with Kobie in tow. Quite a number of apologies and excuses came in (mostly valid and thanks to all for every one) and we missed you all.
My plan was a mainly forested hike starting to ascend sharply from the parking at 620m trending up the French border in the forest to the Faoug plateau then crossing and topping out at 1285m at the field of La Gerle. The descent would be meandering and easier on the knees.
The conditions underfoot were extremely dry despite the mild rains of the day before. I mentioned to Andrew that we would reach Level 2 (at 770m) of Kobie’s regular hike around the Petite Côte, but when suddenly it got steeper as we turned S to the French border he commented “well I didn’t know that we would be moving on so soon from Level 2 to Level 5”. I told him not to worry as the border(line) path would soon reach Level 8.
The border path rises steadily until it reaches the Level 8 steepness gradient.
Happily the trail becomes easier and rises steadily through dappled forest on the French side of the border. After rising 440m, at about 2/3rds height (in just about an hour), we stopped for some hot coffee (and of course milk) that Mervyn had kindly carried up. This was a real pleasure because in another 30 minutes or so we were to have another coffee break, this time cold coffee from the Volg in Founex.
Most of the hard upward graft now done, we can relax a bit.
On up we went.
As we levelled off we heard cowbells in the field to our right at Combe de la Faoug, and we passed through the herd with only a slight commotion until they began to follow us closely. Were they following us because of Kobie (who does not care for cows) or because of Mervyn’s red jersey? I for one will celebrate when all the beasts are down from the hills for winter (see lunch comments below) and the electric and barbed wire fences are removed.
It was not long before we crossed the mountain road (of bike fame) and moved up through the woods to the top of our hike at La Gerle 1285m, where the iced coffee was taken. This was the place that Kobie had found two cow legs (L and R) lying around some 2 years back, evidence of wolves.
The cloud had come in and it had got a little cooler. The trail heads down across this open field, thence into the very green and pleasant woods of Combe de la Joie, named the Bois Badis d’en Bas.
Within 40 minutes or so we were down at the lunch spot at the P’tit Bard at 1060m, occupying the picnic table on the decking constructed by Daniel Lüthi of La Rippe in 2003. We arrived at 12.40pm.
Mervyn extracted a bottle of Swiss red from his sack which helped to stop me from choking on my wrap from the Volg, and Kobie enjoyed some French sausage. We had a good chat for 20 minutes or so, remembering to toast absent friends (of which there were many).
The views today were much less limited than in August, but we did get to see Mt Blanc in the sun, in between two layers of stratus cloud.
The friendly and garullous lady biker entertained us for a while until all of a sudden a white flat-bed truck arrived and two famers jumped out and joined us at the picnic table with a bottle of chilled white wine! Only one of them seemed to be drinking and it became clear that they were heavily involved in the des-Alpes of the local herds (hurrah!). There are still several thousand head up there, coming down over the next few weeks.
After much French banter it was time for us to pack up and descend, starting on the road for one zig and one zag, before heading off into the leaf again for the meandering forested route back to the cars.
A fine walk which I have done quite a number of times solo with Kobie. It was nice to have GIN company along with two (!) coffee breaks and a proper sit down picnic meal with a glass or two of red with no choking, topped off with French banter. My knees seemed OK too afterwards. I hope Mervyn and Andrew were OK too. Kobie did not need his normal evening walk in the Founex vineyards. I was home in good time to collect my car from AMAG after a dent repair.
12.5km and 715m.
Next hike – I’m away in the Auvergne – thanks to Nathan’s advice – so I will cast about for a leader on 15 October.
