Camino 2018/2019

So yesterday we got to Aosta, Italian gateway to the north and met Ray the mole who had burrowed neath Europe’s highest mountain to meet us on the station platform.
We then met the nice young lady who let us into our lodging for the night. Two bedrooms a sitting room and a kitchen in which cat swinging would be impossible. But which was perfect for our needs.
This morning Tim was up first and got cornetti and little jam tarts from the pastilleria down the street at 7.10 and later bread from the panaderia. Curiously pastilleria (pastry shops) and panaderia (bread shops) don’t necessarily seem to be the same thing. Or open at the same time.
It is not quite raining when we set off a short distance down the street to our first deviation of the day. To the church and Collegiate of St Ordo, this is worth a visit for anyone but especially Betsy who has heard is has some good misericords. They are very good as is the rest of the wood and stone carving in the church and cloisters.
The day however gets steadily damper as we ascend up the side of the very gently descending valley. Though it’s not as bad as the Met Office forcast would have us believe. -12 Deg and snowing. Although there is quite a bit of snow 2000m above us down in the valley it is about 11 degs+ Vines are starting to get going , new ones are being planted, iris are in bloom as are wisteria and a whole load of wild flowers. The irrigation system alongside the paths is full with melt water and bubbles over in one or two places.
We pass the Castle Quart not heavily fortified up here it doesn’t need to be and it was a farm for centuries after being the main feudal center of the area.
The rain gets heavier we find shelter under some trees and eat our sandwiches and trudge on down into Nus were a beer awaits and a little later our lodging a warm two bedroom apartment.
More tomorrow.

Link to where we are on Google Maps

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So we leave Naples. An interesting week seeing many relics of the past from early Rome onwards. Joined by Freddie and Marcia for a few daysThe history of Naples is complicated and very bound up with the rest of the world. The Museo Archeologica was very goo and had an extensive collection of bits of naked Roman stuff. We got up Vesuvius and unlike today (raining) it was reasonably clear. But it is similar to a slag heap and only has a couple of smoking bits of rubble.
What else did we do? Pompeii, very big area not too crowded but difficult to properly appreciate, Herculaneum much smaller more compact and accessible with its tragic skeletons hoping to be saved on the then shore.
A tour of the oldest (if it had not burnt down) opera house in the world and opposite through the magnificent Galeria Umberto 1 Umberto was a king of Naples But history here is complicated.
Also one of the several underground visits to the cisterns/air raid shelters/rubbish dumps and one of the best ham and cheese toasties ever from a tent stall in Piazza Dante.
Food. Many pizzas of course,there was an excellent pizzeria (some guide books say second best in Naples) certainly very varied types and topping/fillings.
And then quite suddenly up at 6am to go to the station and climb aboard the sharp pointed red train to Turino, after waving off Jane to go home. Two more trains after that and we should be in Aosta to meet Ray who was in Geneva last night and start where we left off last year on our way to Rome. We are staying tonight on a street named for At Anselmo who was born in Aosta but became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1093 thus was contemporary with William Rufus. And would have travelled the Via Francegena certainly to Canterbury and probably to Rome.

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Or maybe that should be transported. We arrived in Naples the land of the Romans today with little effort on our part beyond getting up at 3am. A touch before even Tim’ early rising habits.
The flight left and arrived on time and at the right airport. It was quiet most other passengers stunned by their hour of rising. It was raining at Bristol Airport as we stood on the tarmac waiting to board.But it may be the last we see for a while. Who knows.
We arrived in Naples and found the Ali us to Statione Centrale and got on the metro underground never found a ticket sales and got of near the museum. Found the place Tony had booked on the net and got taken somewhere else in the area where our apartment was just being cleaned and dumped stuff and went for a biera and pizza what else. The Stone Rose nearly a rock band was outside.
More at the end of the week in Naples and when we restart the Via Francegena for real.

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To the cathedral in Aosta for a last tampon/stamp in pilgrim passport.
Pleasantly down past a parish church dedicated to our hero St.Roche patron saint of pilgrims and plague! To catch the bus back up to St Bernard, a final beer while waiting for the bus from the Swiss side. On time of course, and over to Ostiers and then train down to the good campsite in Martigny. Tomorrow a train and flight home from Geneva.
The cathedral in Aosta has an impressive front door and lots of paintings inside.

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We had a very peaceful night where thousands have slept safely before after far more trying ascents. We get jam and bread and coffee at 8am and start our descent. The statue of St Bernard who founded the rescue abbey on the pass on the edge of the lake shows against the light of the rising sun on the mountains to the west. We start down there are snow patches even now where the route is tricky in summer shoes and lower down a not easy footpath. But we descend again through the high alpine meadows surrounded by mountains past numerous little streams feeding the rivers in the valley. We are crossed by several local parties of walkers coming up to escape the heat in the valley and eventually end in Etroubles. A place with a name that may resonate with many UK people. We have a pizza there at a reasonable price. No more excess Swiss prices and continue down though forests following irrigation channels on the path 103. These eventually lead us to Gignod and a good café and little store with a campsite that has seen better days but is very welcome.
Tomorrow we head back into expensiveland to go home from Geneva. More posts next Spring.

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We start with 4 Pain au Raisin delivered to the campsite by the bus driver. Followed by another coffee in the nice café opposite. There is nothing else till the top.
Steep down and up just out of town annoys all. With 800m to ascend, descent is unwanted. Soon though we are up in alpine pastures. Cows with bells, butterflies and lots of different flowers some like the Martagon lilies seen in gardens some alpines sold in garden centres. The way is very well marked and flowers get better as we ascend those gone over at lower altitude are at full flowering further up. We reach a large hydroelectric reservoir, the route after a small descent traverses round it and then heads up again close to the small road to the top. The main road has dived into a tunnel. We have lunch near a curious structure that Tony realises, when it makes a noise and steam issues from it, is a ventilation shaft for the tunnel. The second major tunnel we have had lunch on top of. For those not paying attention, the first was the channel tunnel on the beach near Calais. We start to encounter snow patches but battle on up.
Eventually we reach the top and are greeted by staff of the hospice of St Bernard where we will stay the night. Opposite is the St Bernard dog museum and kennels. This time the Barryland theme park logo is less in evidence, we had declined to pay 12francs per visit down in Martigny. But this time is good a dog is out with a young English speaking handler and in the museum we learn that Barry 3 was an excellent rescue dog who died falling off a cliff on a search. He is immortalised in two ways. The name Barryland for the museum and organisation breeding and presenting St Bernards and he is stuffed in the museum!

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When we leave Martigny with full packs again it is on the little train that nearly ran us over, grandiosely called the St. Bernard Express. It is a different driver who knows nothing of our history.
After an excellent breakfast at the Terminus Hotel. We start up steeply out of town, packs already feeling heavy compared with our minimalist weight of the last three days. After some sweat we sit on a bench with great views over Orsieres.A meadow of butterflies is nearby.Soon we push on shade is ok much of the time and views into and above the valley of the Dranse river are superb we spot an uncommon plant Toothwort a semiparasitic plant on tree roots last seen by us in the Pyrenees.
We go up and up over the Dranse at one point deep below in it’s own gorge.There are some very steep ascents. We emerge into alpine meadows surrounding the village of Liddes with its little church with some fine stained glass dedicated to its patron Saint George and a particularly fine example of alpine raccards or grain stores designed to keep out rats similar to the Gallician Oreos we have seen on Caminos.
The up is a little less steep in the final section to Bourg St Pierre and we spot some wild Martagon lilies as well as a mowing machine worthy of Terry Pratchett’s Cohen the barbarian hero! We arrive hot and sweaty but soon cool and clean on the nice little windy campsite.

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We discover the little Co-op Pronto petrol station at the end of the campsite bakes its own bread and pastries and is selling by 6am. After breakfast we start walking up the Dranse. This is a tributary of the Rhone which disappears over to the east somewhere in another valley. Our route is tortuous and we marvel at the determination of Hannibal’s army in getting elephants and troops up what was unknown territory. There are two right angle bends in our route both look far from the obvious way forward.A few km from the site we are following both road rail and river and the valley is narrow. We end up on a path that points us at the railway line with no crossing. We had missed the signpost hidden by the tourist information board! We scramble across the line looking for a way up to the path above us. Tim slips, a train is coming’ Tony hurts his hand helping Betsy down a wall. Ray always the fall guy gets told by the train driver to go back to the station to cross.
We retrace our steps licking our wounds wondering if the police will be sent to pick us up.
An hour or so later there is no pursuit we are high on the walls of the valley deep in steep woodland with many butterflies.
Towards a village we see a sign Pedibus, this seems to be a system of supervised walking to school of small children. What a good idea!
After dropping back to the road in Semirancher we get coffee or beer or both in the case of Betsy. She is trying avoid repeating yesterday’s nap by taking coffee with her beer. To be fair she has tried this before but usually been thwarted by the bar staff who know better than stupid foreigners how many people are in the group. Or by whoever is ordering who cannot quite bring himself to order both. This seems to work and she and Tony race ahead up the route Napoleon took on the way to Austerlitz. Ray and Tim are again distracted by a meadow of dozens of butterflies including at least 3 possibly 4 species of frittilaries.
As eventually get together in the Hotel Terminus opposite the station in Orsieres. This place should do us breakfast about 7am tomorrow ready for the push up to advanced Basecamp with all gear tomorrow An excellent walk today up a lovely alpine valley. Gy

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Today we arrive in Montigny where we have been sleeping on the convenient campsite for the last two nights! It is a pleasant walk up the Rhone in the rain and would be shady if the sun was out. Before leaving St.Maurice we have a croissant and coffee with Mme.Lafarge at Café de la Gare. Also spotted in a shop window the book we should have bought as we entered Switzerland.
We wander up unfrequented lanes in intermittent showers. Ray has learnt his lesson in our battle with the rain god. Tim tries to bluff him but soon retires, there is low cloud and light near continuous rain but it’s warm, no problems. We reach various small towns independently having become separated and note the notices of Fermé en vacances in the windows of at least three cafés. We guess this is holiday prior to coming back for high season.
Shortly after reuniting in the Relais des Copains a good truck stop charging primarily in euros and with a well priced menu de jour,we get to the fine waterfall we have noted from the train, Cascade de Pisse-vache we then enter the woods at the side of the valley which described on signs as forêt humid and are a last stronghold of the Crappaud Sonneur variously translated as the firebellied toad or the bellringing toad. Sadly we fail to find one but get a few mosquito bites.
Near by the waterfall we meet a fantastic beetle on a purple water hydrant! a bit Lewis Carrol this.
We finally ease our way back into Montigny over an ancient wooden bridge well looked after with modern bolts and braces. In town Tony leads the way to The Brit Pub. This is not misplaced patriotism though England is still in the world cup. We have BOGOFF coupons from the campsite. Betsy drops off over her beer and her second is drunk by the rest.
The rain has stopped time for quiet washing and resting back on the campsite.
Betsy says we have walked 1001.9km since starting so she is entitled to a quick nap!

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We pile out of the tents at 6.30 to be greeted by a double rainbow up the valley towards the GT St Bernard Pass. It must be raining somewhere, it is in Villeneuve when we get there. A good Petit Dejuner in a café near the station. Bread jam croissants coffee OJ. Much better value than yesterday in Montreux
The walking is flat and easy alongside the super Swiss trains and then up the bank of the swift full flowing Rhone. There are lots of industrial units but they are not obtrusive and we progress quickly to Aigle.
We decline the route up through the vineyards and stay on the valley bottom. Apart from cafes and bars Aigle has a weird little park of moving sculptures and old railway stock. Strange mixture with eagles thrown in for good measure. Tony nearly gets a haircut from his namesake but thinks his usual one back home offers be better deal. (Jane)
After cool cloudy comfortable walking we get rain just as we restart after lunch. All don waterproofs it is expected. It stops after a few hundred metres! Waterproofs off Water proofs on it’s started again. Ray rebels it rains harder he looses. We have a few km in nice cool rain.It stops just before we reach St Maurice with it’s 600CE abbey. We get pilgrim stamps for our collections and admire the glass, mosaics and paintings in the church
The swift efficient Swiss train whisks us up the valley to Martigny. Where quite obviously we have not arrived yet.

Link to where we are on Google Maps