Blog

The weather forecast seemed not unreasonable with clearing skies for this Thanksgiving hike. The question was – it was cloudy and threatening light rain – were we a little too early for the sun ?

Eight brave Gintlemen and two dogs turned out, eventually meeting up at the Parcours-vita parking (at 600m) on the Rte de St Cergue above Trelex at 9.45am. At least it was not actually raining. Attending were 8, Nathan, David, Stephen, Mark2ts, Nicolas, Rudi, Mervyn and me; hounds Kobie and Onyx. We had packed a picnic to allow for a promised return to our firesides by 3.30 pm, this timing would be helped also by a descent on the train from St Cergue to Givrins.

It was particularly good to see Rudi back in our ranks. Sad that Philip was not quite fit enough, others had good excuses. We set off in good spirit, the dogs were behaving, and so were the gintlemen with neither side having a full dip in the initial lake in the Bois de Ban. Underfoot was damp, perhaps wet at times, with fallen leaves aplenty, so we had to be careful to watch our footing all day.

Steady progress was made up through the woods lit up in orange and yellow, the final leaves of the year. We descended some 60m down to cross the bridge over the stream (called La Colline – I have always called it the Trelex River). Turning left the path steepens up to the level of the track that leads to the gorge that lies below St Cergue. A pleasantly level track allowed for chats and banter as the dogs hunted about left and right.

Near to where the gorge ends and the path turns back up right, there is a source – a little cave from which water emerges from under the Jura – but it was dry on the day. We were soon trending back out of the gorge and then up left towards the Parapente Seat (at 980m). Nicolas asked me who I thought were the greatest rock groups of all time, so the time passed quickly for me. I don’t think I would have chosen The Who though.

Just before the Seat below the parapente field, I slipped on a wet slanting rock and almost knocked Mervyn over. This happily was the only slip of the day. No damage done. Views from this seat are normally amazing, today less so as there were clouds on the Jura tops and over the alps. But we could see the Jet d’Eau.

Dogs were now put on leashes as chamois frequent the cliffs hereabouts and the path traverses above some steep and loose drops. Drops of light rain had begun and we had donned waterproofs, but there was still a hint of sun in the sky. Just after the Pilar Chinois (a bolted sport route on the limestone cliffs below the railway) the steps lead up to a picnic area with two benches just big enough for the 8 of us to sit, nicely dried by Nicolas with a towel (nb memo to self to pack a towel in wet weather).

While we were enjoying out picnic the light rain turned to sunshine ! With no Richard we were without strong liquor, but some pleasant reds from Italy/Puglia and Monastrell/Spain were in the offing. At least one spare bottle remained unopened. Kobie and Onyx were not forgotten either (re food not wine that is). Mark came round with his usual excellent hot, strong, black fluid and paper cups.

Checking the watch it was likely that we would make the 1.32 pm train from St Cergue as it was only a short stroll across to the station. It was here that we had the Problem. Several members attempted to acquire tickets from the machine – most of us used the SBB app on our phones. The train came in from La Cure, we all boarded and the doors suddenly closed and the train left. Wait a minute – there were only 7 Gintlemen and two dogs settled comfortably. Where is Nathan? Oh no! He had missed the train, he had been waiting to obtain a ticket from the machine and was last in line. The train did seem to leave all of a sudden, with no audible warning, and none from Nathan either. I did sort-of feel responsible, but I had a big dog to look after and sometimes leading Gintlemen is a bit like herding cats.

We sent Nathan messages with the intention to meet him at the coffee shop in Givrins (of biking fame). The train ride provided some fabulous views out over to the alps. The sun had come out in full and we enjoyed some pleasant caffeine in Givrins while waiting. Rudi stayed on the train to be picked up by his chauffeuse in Trelex. He had cruised the hike just fine. Nathan showed up 30 minutes later seemingly none the worse for wear, bearing no obvious grudges.

There remained the short stroll back down across the Trelex River and up into the forest back across to the cars. A pleasant hike, and one that apart from one incident, turned out just as I had hoped (sorry Nathan). We even got back on time! I clocked 8.7km and 606m denivellation. The dogs had a fine time too and behaved well (imho). Thanks to all for the great company and fine wines.

Apart from the marathon (well, 24 km) hike around the Lac de Joux 2 weeks ago, this was my first GIN hike for 8 months, mainly due to open-heart surgery during the summer. So it was with some apprehension that I offered to organise a mountain hike in the French Alps to the east of Annecy. I felt sure that the ascents were going to slow me down, so I made sure that I went in front on the narrow tracks so that none of the greyhounds on my heels could streak ahead.

However, problems arose before we even reached the hike start. After passing through Thorens-Glière, Usillon and the hamlet of Nant-Sec, we came across a “road-blocked” sign. Since there was no deviation possibility, we optimistically drove straight on. A kilometer further was a second road-blocked sign, which looked a bit more serious. Since this was only some 700 m short of our intended stopping point, we found a verge-side parking spot for the three cars and set off on foot up the road. The reason for the signs quickly became apparent – trees were being felled just above the road and one of the lumberjacks advised us that if we continued we would face hefty fines.

Undeterred, the eight of us – Mark 2tts, Mark 2rrs, Richard, Andrew, Nathan, Mervyn, David and me, Philip – set off up the narrow path crossing the slope above us  while keeping a close look-out for falling trees. The path zigzagged up the slope at a pleasant gradient and after 1 hour we reached a steeper, more rocky section – the Pas du Roc. Here the path had been cut out of the cliff, which reared hundreds of meters above our heads. On the outer side of the 2m-wide path the cliff plunged vertically to the forest below. The recent rain made some sections of the path quite slippery, and one slip here could have proved fatal. Fortunately, hand holds had been provided, in the form of cables and chains, to avoid touching the void.

The explanation for the human engineering of this bold path is that in 1830 it was decided to build a glass factory on the plateau above. The high-quality glass was to be made from Salève sand, but also needed substantial quantities of wood to fuel the fires. The cliff-carved path was the only way of bringing in the timber, presumably on horses or mules. In fact the glass factory only operated until 1860.

Above the delicate passage was a cascade, swollen by the recent rains and crossed by two bridges. Richard nobly climbed up to the higher bridge to photograph us on the lower one. From here the path wandered across the Champ Laitier, a huge plateau of boggy ground.

It was around this point that an interesting discussion arose concerning the whereabouts of a mountain called the Sous-Dine. I told the group that the mountain over to the left must, from its profile, be the Sous-Dine, a mountain that Richard and I had climbed a few years earlier. Richard replied that it was impossible, as a sign that he had just spotted announced the Sous-Dine by pointing to the right. To the right there was indeed a mountain but it was forested to the summit, which the Sous-Dune is not. I pondered for a moment then brought out my trump card: “my IGN 1:25000 map indicates that the Sous-Dine is to the west of our present position. Unless my compass has inverted, west is over to the left, whereas that sign is pointing eastwards.” Faced with this irrefutable logic, Richard graciously admitted defeat. We could only explain this strange situation by assuming that either the sign had been erected the wrong way round or, more likely, that it wanted hikers to take a “scenic deviation” across the boggy ground.

Up ahead was a large building, the Chalet de Plan, which looked as though it would be a good picnic spot since it was now well past midday. It proved to be the perfect place, with steps and a bench to sit on in the warm sunshine. The blog writer notes that GIN outing accounts traditionally mention conversation items covered during lunchtime. Given the erudite nature of the group members, it is no surprise that the conversation between bites covered such learned topics as 1) the relative merits of cooking techniques for eggs – hard boiled, soft boiled, sunny side up or easy over; 2) the resignation of a bullying UK cabinet minister; 3) the quality of the alcoholic beverage that Richard brought, which allowed us to toast absent friends. Scottish independence was deemed not to be a worthy topic as there was nobody present to defend it. We probably need an eloquent Scot to revitalise this once-popular topic.

Having eaten well, we decided not to continue further over the Champ Laitier but to head downwards via a deviation across boggy ground sloping down to the river that fed the cascade. Since we were well equipped with torches and head lamps, we fixed as objective a goufre (pothole) marked on the 1:25000 map. With Nathan keeping a constant eye on his GPS, we soon came across what might have been a pothole. There was certainly a depression in the ground, surrounded by a feeble fence that would have posed no problem to a determined warthog. However, the height of the nettles around the hole was enough for even the most enthusiastic cavers among us to be put off any further investigation.

As we descended, the pleasant sunshine gave way to thick mist, which provided a suitable atmosphere to the 200m-long delicate cliff-cut path. No one spoke. It definitely needed 100% concentration to avoid a dangerous slip. Once past this hazard, we could relax and enjoy the contrasting autumnal colours of the beeches, oaks and conifers. Back at the cars we discovered David’s pair of clean shoes lying undisturbed on the ground outside the car where they had been all day!

In the Thorens-Glière bistro where we stopped for a well-earned drink, it was generally agreed that the Pas du Roc hike provided an interesting variation to the more usual Jura walks. Now, while we await the first snows that will allow us to get moving on raquettes, there might just be time for one more autumnal hike.

Five of us (Peter, Philip, Mark 2rrs, Nicolas and the writer) met early at the usual parking spot by Divonne lake and set off in high spirits for the Lac de Joux despite temperatures of 6 degrees and misty conditions.  Our progress was somewhat thwarted by ominous but ambiguous signs in Longirod suggesting deviations – but were they just for lorries?  We pressed on regardless and entering St George it became obvious that the signs were to be taken seriously, but Peter knew a small byway which took us around the town which brought us into a car park surrounded by road works.  We had unknowingly caught up with Nathan and the three cars managed to circumvent the holes in the roads and after taking a slightly illegal route, managed to get back on the route to the Col du Marchairuz.  Up there, the weather was bright and sunny, but on the descent to Le Brassus we could see a thick layer of fog above the Lac de Joux.

We had intended to leave the parking lot at Altitude 1004 in Les Bioux at 09.30, but Drew called and told us that his GPS gave him an ETA of 09.50 due to the deviation.  Knowing that we didn’t have that much leeway in order to reach our lunch stop some 14kms away at 13.00, the Famous Five plus Kobie set off around the lake in a clockwise direction.  Rob called and cancelled due to a medical issue.  I waited for Drew to turn up as scheduled and we drove to L’Orient at the southern end of the lake to wait for the guys to appear through the fog.  They had already walked 2.5kms along the excellent boardwalk which traverses marshy ground.

Reunited, we continued around the bottom of the lake and carried on past Le Sentier and its many watch factories, and Le Rocheray where four hardy souls had just finished swimming in the lake.  For a time we were on minor roads, but were rewarded by the sight of many pretty lakeside properties.  Reaching Les Esserts-de-Rive, the sun finally broke through the fog and confirmed that there was indeed a large lake on our right-hand side!  We then entered a wooded area and enjoyed the peace and tranquillity of a rocky path right by the water.  The level of the lake has been very low – more than 1 metre below its normal height of 1,004 metres, but the recent rains had restored the level to its “working” height.

The low level path soon ended and we had to climb a series of switchbacks to reach Le Lieu where we thought that we deserved some light refreshment.  Some limoncello shots and an excellent Riesling revived us in true GIN fashion and we set off on the last leg of our pre-lunch journey. Outer layers of clothing were discarded in the warm sunshine and absent friends were of, course, honoured in the usual way.  Entering a new wooded area, we hadn’t gone many metres before we encountered a small herd of chamois which spooked Kobie somewhat and required some frantic whistle-blowing by Peter.  Order was restored when the chamois headed down a steep bank and our canine companion returned to his master.  Shortly afterwards, those of us leading had to restrain him again as we came across another herd.  Our chief wildlife photographer, Nathan, managed to take some fine shots of the animals who did not appear to be particularly perturbed by our presence.  

Following the prescribed path to Le Pont, Nicolas and I were startled by a huge chamois crossing our path at speed pursued by Kobie who had taken a higher route with Peter.  Fortunately, our furry friend gave up the chase and was once again reunited with his master.  Our timing wasn’t too bad as we reached the Relais de la Truite only 5 minutes after the time that we had been instructed by the management to arrive by.  

Plats du jour had been ordered in advance without any knowledge of their composition but moules frites were gratefully accepted by 6/7, with the seventh opting for croute forestière.  Beers and a modest bottle of chasselas were enjoyed and we repaired to have our coffee outside in the glorious sunshine.  Serious conversation subjects during the meal and whilst hiking covered many topics, including the state of UK politics, global warming and energy storage, as well as more lighthearted bantering.  The “douloureuse” when it arrived was noted to cost each participant half of that paid by some of us earlier at a well-known resto below the Dôle, although in fairness, there was slightly less alcohol consumed!

Reluctantly, we had to face the fact that we still had 8kms to return to our starting point, so we set off at varying speeds passing “toblerones” and the Breguet building at L’Abbaye.  Curiously, most of the towns around the lake have rather simple names, the Bridge, the Path, the Place, the Abbey, the East, showing perhaps a surprising lack of imagination when such beautiful time pieces are created in its many watch factories.

Nine pairs of tired legs (including two of Kobie’s) reached our vehicles safely and Peter, Nicolas and Nathan decided to head off to try to avoid the rush- hour traffic, but Mark, Philip and Drew accepted my invitation for beer and crisps at our pad.  Drew was then returned to his car and the three of us remaining took an circuitous route past Les Pralets which avoided the blockage at St George.

Distances were estimated at between 22 and 26kms depending on which Apple Watch, iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, GPS, website or map measuring tool was used, but we seemed to agree on a mean of about 24kms and a modest 200 metres ascent.  In any case, it was more than a half-marathon! We wish Rob well and hope that he can rejoin our group asap. This, of course, applies to other GINvalids as well!

Sorry –a bit long, but it was a long hike!

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.