The Upper Zaytal Lakes

I won't mention the weather, except that it's proving therapeutic for Sue, but it doesn't really facilitate a rest day. Some cloud suddenly appeared just now - it looked like a storm was coming.

The cloud has gone - just like that...

This morning we drove to Solda and enjoyed Walk 10 in Gillian's (previously described) book. Her description remains sound apart from - for your benefit, Gillian:

• At the start, after crossing the torrent in Solda, turn R down the tarmac road, then immediately L up a path; when you reach the main road, cross straight over, pass the Car Park for the hut, and join #5. (All the way to the Upper Zaytal Lakes.)

• The wooden bench at the first of the upper lakes was not evident to us, but there was an improvised stone bench. And, sadly, an empty bottle of wine which, to my eternal shame, I failed to remove.

• Paths 12 and 12A are permanently closed due to rock fall, so to reach Kanzel it's necessary to descend down #5 to its junction with #14, which is clearly signed to Kanzel along a broad path with fairly minimal ascent.

• Note that the Kanzel chairlift stops running at 16.50 hrs and costs €8 per person, one way. (It was worth it!)

Gillian reckons 6.5 hours for the whole walk, plus stops. We took just over that to reach Kanzel, our route being about 10km with around 1100 metres ascent. So Gillian's timings are fairly generous as we stopped a lot - flower IDs are getting harder and more time consuming - we seem to have 'bagged' the easy ones.

The views back to the Ortler summits were superb all day. The excursion to the Upper Zaytal Lakes (so eloquently described in the guide book that we couldn't miss it) was stunning. The above picture shows Sue here, at 2885 metres, about to dive in, with (I think) Vertainspitze behind.

Redstarts, Choughs and Sticky Primroses featured today, and Sue very much enjoyed her encounter with a German speaking artist at
Rifugio Serristori (aka Düsseldorfer Hütte) on the way down. Their Italian was of about the same standard; his watercolour was coming along nicely; the Schiewasser was downed in one.

Alan - Italians like to talk! There is rarely any problem with a phone signal! The problem is with finding the time to blog, especially with friendly Dutch and German neighbours on the campsite. (Hence tonight's rather garbled effort.)

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