Tuesday 9 March 2021
The snowshoe team had to leave their equipment behind for this hike round Lac de Joux, hardly any white stuff was in evidence. Richard led us on a merry saunter clockwise round the lake from position 5 o’clock at Le Sentier. Attending too were Mervyn, Rob, Steve and Peter, with Michael Hempstead meeting at 10.30am at the 8 o’clock position. Peter (el coward) had previously decided that his feet would not sustain a 23 km jaunt and had left his car at Le Pont at the bottom (top if looking on a map) end of the Lac and had biked in the frozen dawn to the start at the top (bottom on map) to chain his bike at the carpark.
A bright and sunny but a little chilly morning saw the team springing passing Jaeger LeCoultre factory and on up the western side of the Lake in the reflected glare of the sun off the lake, frozen at the edge. Pup Rocco had given blood on time and Michael was thus on Swiss time to rendezvous and swing into gear for the amble down (or up) the lake. Politics, Royal Family squabbles, rugby, Scottish independence, Scottish dependence, Scotch, Scottish fish dispute (Sturgeon and Salmond), vaccines etc occupied our conversation and the views were inspirational too.
We encountered few folk, but one fellow advised us of a herd of chamois on the trail up ahead. Sure enough this was the same herd as seen last year and featured in the local press. They were clearly very used to hikers and we were allowed some close up shots.
A sunny slope out of the rising breeze looking out over the Lac above Le Pont catered for our lunch spot and after opening grappa (Richard’s not David’s) we were lubricated with Epesses, Fechy and (red) Fetzer, closed off with Lagavulin. A most pleasant picnic finally had to be ended and we set off again down to the bottom (top) of the lake. Peter then decided that as his feet were (oddly) uncomplaining and that perhaps he should wait to drive, that he would indeed continue and try and complete the circuit, and wistfully eyed his car as the peloton sped past it at Le Pont. Indeed we engaged in absorbing conversations along the speedy second leg of 11km back to the car, passing inter alia, Richard’s fine boats, lashed to a tree high above the water line. The final section of board walk above the marsh gave way to the start and end point with Michael having still another hour to go to his car at the 8 position – he said he would be OK if he kept moving. Peter donned his bike helmet and headed off back down (up) the lake in the chilling air to complete a double circuit to serve him right for cowardice.
A pleasant walk, not as hard as its 23km and 200m denivellation seemed to promise. A pleasant bike ride too. Thanks to Richard for Swiss-clock precision leading of this fine snow-shoe fill-in. The hiking group will now take over unless there is a substantial snowfall in the coming days in March… (it’s in the forecast folks..).
Apologies :- Mark W, Mark W, Thatcher, Drew, John.
