Thursday 31 July 2008 - An Italian Border Route (IBR) - Day 37 - Arrivederci GTA, Hello Lisa and Joshua

Beside Lago di Ceresole Reale

Plan: Day 38 - Fonti-Minerali to Rif Citta di Chivasso - 15 km, 1600 metres ascent, 7.5 hours.

Actual: Fonti-Minerali to Camping Piccolo Paradiso (1650 metres):
6 km, 100 metres ascent, 3.3 hours including 1.8 hours breaks.

Best bit: Excellent camp site - good pitch by a lazy river.

Full rifugios have dictated a change of plan for the next few days. We will have to use official camp sites and rejoin our planned route on the day to Planaval. This means we will see less of the HRG (glacier route) and more of AV2 (alta via route). It also means a short day today, which is no bad thing after yesterday's adventures with alder bushes.

We have said goodbye to the GTA route until next year. Apart from the Usseglio to Pialpetta section, with all its steep shrubbery and wet rocks, we have enjoyed our days on this undoubtedly fine route. There is hardly any evidence of the English on the route, and after over 5 weeks we still haven't encountered anyone English since getting on the bus to Menton from Nice airport.

We aren't complaining. But those at home are missing out. Be inspired, give the GTA a try! We think you'll enjoy it. No need to camp like we are - a Posto Tappa route would be excellent - you could do it with a day sac.

Anyway, more of that in the next entry.

Today we relaxed, first at Fonti-Minerali Posto Tappa (here's a message we sent from there), then at our picnic spot (where we sent this message) by Lago di Ceresole Reale, then at camp.

We are resupplied and ready for the Gran Paradiso phase of the trip. From now on we have no guide book, just a few notes from 'Walking in the Alps' by Kev Reynolds, and a handful of maps. And some help from Nick re accommodation bookings, as it's now high season in a popular holiday area.

We even expect to encounter some English people!

Today we passed a cash point at Ceresole Reale. Not mentioned in the GTA guide albeit only 2 km off that route. Had we known about it we could have lazed in Usseglio rather than getting stuck in Viu. But then we wouldn't have had the pleasure of meeting Silvano and his clan. Silvano protests 'it was nothing', but it was to us.

The camp site is lovely, so we really are relaxing today. It's not a 'Rest Day' but is turning out to be more restful than most of our 'Rest Days'.

Perhaps we are getting soft.

No, we are on holiday!

And tonight, as we were draining the beer that primes my chef into action, we met our first English for over five weeks, Lisa and Joshua. Lisa's dad is from Piemonte - that's her excuse for being here. Hello, we hope you enjoyed the rest of your holiday.

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