Via @ 70

Julai - Oktober 2023
  • Stuart Kilpatrick
Walking from Canterbury to Rome Baca lagi
  • Stuart Kilpatrick

Senarai negara

  • Vatican City Vatican City
  • Itali Itali
  • Switzerland Switzerland
  • Perancis Perancis
  • England England
Kategori
Mendaki, Perjalanan tunggal
  • 2.0rbkilometer perjalanan
Cara pengangkutan
  • Pendakian2,026kilometer
  • Feri24kilometer
  • Penerbangan-kilometer
  • Berjalan-kilometer
  • Basikal-kilometer
  • Motosikal-kilometer
  • Tuk Tuk-kilometer
  • Kereta-kilometer
  • Keretapi-kilometer
  • Bas-kilometer
  • Camper-kilometer
  • Karavan-kilometer
  • 4x4-kilometer
  • Berenang-kilometer
  • Mendayung-kilometer
  • Motobot-kilometer
  • Berlayar-kilometer
  • Rumah bot-kilometer
  • Kapal pesiar-kilometer
  • Kuda-kilometer
  • Bermain ski-kilometer
  • Tumpang-kilometer
  • Cable car-kilometer
  • Helikopter-kilometer
  • Kaki Ayam-kilometer
  • 87footprint
  • 85hari
  • 768gambar
  • 927suka
  • Penthalaz 17 miles

    21 Ogos 2023, Switzerland ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Bit of a breakthrough on the sleeping arrangements which I feel the need to share. When camping I have this ridiculously small inflatable mat that I sort of lie on. And a small inflatable pillow that rests on the mat and is almost in a state of continuous motion as the combination of 2 inflatable things is incredibly unstable. The mat is only about a foot and a half wide at the most. Now here’s the tricky bit. I like to sleep on my side with one or more legs bent. There is no way a bent leg can fit on the mat if my backside is also on it. Knee ends up on the ground. Uncomfortable after a short while. But the mat has a sort of thicker bit at the end which can work as a pillow leaving the actual pillow free to be used to support the bent leg. Magic. So much more comfortable. The more astute of you might question why it has taken 8 of the 10 nights I’m camping to work it out but that’s just me.

    While lying there this morning I got to wonder about ants. There were many of them just about everywhere in the tent. When I pack away the tent and carry it 15 miles down the road and then unpack it what do the little buggers make of their new surroundings? Won’t be able to meet up with their mates for a couple of bevvies on a Friday night anymore. Do they make new chums? Are they treated like illegal immigrants by the locals?

    Anyway of much more practical concern was the need to get up and the tent packed before the sun hit it and it quickly became the furnace that it was yesterday evening.

    One thing I have noticed about Switzerland that I do like is the provision of benches. Lots of them. Must have passed more today than in over 5 weeks going through France. Elderly pilgrims do like a wee seat every now and again, preferably in the shade.

    Today started well with a breakfast in a supermarket cafe and I had high hopes of a village that was a couple of hours in. Several shops and bars and restaurants all because it was quite pretty. But not on a Monday in Switzerland apparently. The church was open but not much else. Went a bit short of water until a wee cafe in a hospital complex which did the business. Always a little nervous going too near hospitals in Switzerland especially as my language skills aren’t that great and they do have a bit of a reputation for taking things to the end. But this one didn’t seem that type. Made sure I didn’t sign any disclaimers anyway.

    Got my first glimpse of the Alps today. Expect there will lots of photos of them over the next 10 days or so. Tonight’s campsite looks fun. Couldn’t be closer to the railway if it tried and trains seem to run at least every 5 minutes. Doesn’t give much time to nod off between them. Looks like it’s the mainline between Geneva & Lausanne and the rest of Switzerland. Wonderful.
    Baca lagi

  • Lausanne 16 miles

    22 Ogos 2023, Switzerland ⋅ 🌙 28 °C

    Dreadful night. Hot, sticky, noisy, airless. Sometimes camping isn’t as much fun as you think it should be.

    Off sharp as I was due to meet a young lady later. Temperature lovely for walking until the sun came up.

    Then another hot one. Forecast is for another couple of hot days and then start to reduce. By Sunday it might be 14C cooler. Can’t wait!

    The signs have completely changed in Switzerland. No more of the French signs with their Via Francigena symbols or Red and White flashes for the GR145. Even worse is the loss of the red and white crosses to indicate the wrong way. Now I need to know the name of the next place I am going to and hope that the Swiss have decided to mark a route going there. They have nice big signs listing all sort of places. After that they have large yellow diamond symbols to indicate the way. Trouble is they show the way to something. You don’t know it is the way you want, you just know it is the way to somewhere. And if you do go off route there is just a slow realisation that you haven’t seen any signs for ages to give you a clue that things are not going well.

    Reached Lake Geneva. Looked lovely with the Alps on the far side. Long walk along the lakeside, feeling very hot and sticky, carrying that damn great bag, passing all the young things lying about, wearing not a lot and looking a whole lot more comfortable than I was feeling.

    Reached Lausanne and then started walking uphill to get to the hotel. Passed a chemist where I got the temperature confirmed. Because the footprints automatically show the temperature for the time and place that I post (usually after 10pm) it has been suggested that I have been exaggerating the heat. Believe me I can tell the difference between backpacking in 26C and 36C.

    This city must be about the hilliest I have ever been to. All up, down and then back up again. Managed (just) to get to the hotel, drop the bag off, quick shower, change of clothes and off to the train station to meet the gaffer. By the time we got back to the hotel, via a wee ice cream halt, I needed another shower and change.

    Basic, but pricey Vietnamese dinner to follow. One course and a bottle of water got rid of £70. Of course, paying for two doesn’t help.
    Baca lagi

  • Rivaz 10 miles

    23 Ogos 2023, Switzerland ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    For complicated reasons today was a bit different. We walked the next 10 miles of the Via and then got the train back so we had 2 nights in the one hotel. The first time in the last 6 weeks that I have stayed more than 1 night anywhere.

    First we opted for the hotel breakfast but as this cost 15SFr each we had to go some to justify the cost. Took an hour and we did our level best.

    Felt really strange to start walking without the big bag. Could really get used to it very easily. Very gentle walking along the lake-side, stopping repeatedly at benches when they were in shade. Very chilled out but it seemed to take ages to cover just 5 miles for the first half. And it was anything but chilly. You might have thought that the lake would have kept it a little cooler but it didn’t seem to.

    Despite passing many restaurants full of folk enjoying fancy lunches we settled for pilgrim fare of tart, bananas and water from a supermarket. At 5SFr probably better value.

    In the afternoon the route headed up the terraces for even better views.
    Lovely air-conditioned train back to Lausanne. Spot of sight-seeing up the tower of the cathedral and back to the hotel.

    After 6 weeks virtually tee-total it didn’t take long to fall under Glynice’s influence and have a couple of pints of lager for tea together with some sort of Swiss tapas. So much better than last night. Might get used to it I suppose.
    Baca lagi

  • Territet 11 miles

    24 Ogos 2023, Switzerland ⋅ 🌙 28 °C

    After stockpiling another 15SFr breakfast it was off to get the train to where we walked to yesterday.

    Sweaty hoof up the slopes beside the vines and a very pleasant, if hot, walk along the terraces. Dropped down to the lake-side at Vevey where we have tonight’s hotel. Left the bags at the hotel, (getting a complementary glass of wine as we did so), bought 6 litres of water to make up for what we sweated in the morning, a couple of bananas for lunch and wandered along the lakeside, feeling like we were off on a holiday stroll. After a couple of hours very pleasant walking, checking out the big fork, Charlie Chaplin’s statue and Freddie Mercury’s statue on the way, we reached the station at Territet. Train back to Vevey.

    The reason for all this faffing is because I had originally planned to have a rest day in Lausanne to let Glynice talk for a day uninterrupted by walking, and then have two 15 mile days. Decided we didn’t need the rest day (she is more than capable of talking and walking at the same time) and we could spread the distance out into 3 short days. But the hotels were non-cancellable so they couldn’t be changed. Makes sort of sense I hope.

    Hoping that today is the last of the very hot days. Forecast tomorrow is a max of 29C, dropping on Saturday to a max of 21C. By Monday the max is a scarcely believable 16C, colder than Edinburgh. Cooled off this afternoon with a dip in Lake Geneva. Portobello beach it wasn’t. Much less sand but a shade warmer.

    For dinner tonight we checked out the restaurant attached to the hotel but couldn’t cope with the prices. A pizza for two coming to £45 or about £30 each for pasta. So off to the local supermarket for a Bonnie & Wild type of offering. Not at all bad for £35 including a couple of beers.
    Baca lagi

  • Aigle 10 miles

    25 Ogos 2023, Switzerland ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Nice view from our room but noisy until about 2am with neighbouring bars and restaurants. Very hot in the room even with the fan going full blast. You either shut the windows and bake or open the windows and get the din.

    Final train journey. Again to where we finished yesterday. Very easy walk along to the end of the lake. Supermarket lunch, and then afternoon walk alongside the railway. Doesn’t get much flatter. Managed to go slow enough that we were able to check in when we arrived.

    Temperature down a little and no nearby bars or restaurants so you would think we would get plenty of sleep. But no, there is an historic tram that rumbles past outside until midnight and starts again at 5am apparently.

    As you would expect more beer again tonight. You would think madam was on holiday rather than sharing a deeply meaningful pilgrimage. Tonight it was washing down a very pleasant Thai.
    Baca lagi

  • Saint Maurice 11 miles

    26 Ogos 2023, Switzerland ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Tram not that much of an issue. Only 2 per hour late on but didn’t stop until 1.30am according to the gaffer. I decided to sleep rather than count the trams. Each to their own.

    Lovely day when we set off. Much cooler than of late. Just right for walking. After a while the rain started. Gently to begin with. Could be classified as refreshing given the recent heat. Got silly later. Just solid rain. But a lot more pleasant to walk in than excessive heat, believe me.

    Coming upon a restaurant at lunchtime was just too inviting to pass by. In for lunch and strip off the wet jackets. Very nice too.

    Rain had not relented by the time we had finished but less than an hour to go. Arrived at the hotel pretty much bang on the earliest check in of 3pm and by 4pm we had showered, changed, done the washing and fully recovered. Amazing how easy it felt to walk in normal temperatures, rain or no rain.

    Glynice hit the town while I had domestic duties - accommodation to arrange further down the line.

    Then time to celebrate. Half-way in both days completed and distance walked. Lovely Swiss meal of fondue and rosti with a half litre bottle of the local wine.

    A very pleasant day indeed.
    Baca lagi

  • Martigny 11 miles

    27 Ogos 2023, Switzerland ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    Amazing how each hotel has something different to keep us from getting a decent sleep. Last night we had church bells. Amazingly loud. Every quarter of an hour with extra helpings on the hour. No rush to get up as another short day and the weather was meant to get a little better during the day. Unfortunately, it meant that the locusts, ie our fellow guests, had been at the breakfast buffet before us. Slim pickings left.

    We got going as late as allowed and the rain had indeed improved from heavy to lightish. Over the first hour it went off completely. Ended up being quite a nice day for walking which itself was pretty average. Would have been better if the clouds had lifted but the temperature was so much better than previous days. Bit of a shame that we have gone from blue sky and 36C to raining and low cloud at 16C. Somewhere in the middle would have been perfect. I’m thinking blue sky with white fluffy clouds and 26C.

    Transitional day for scenery. Away from the lake but not really into the mountains yet. “Cascade de la Pissevache” sounds much nicer than the English translation of “Cow’s piss waterfall” don’t you think?

    Arrived at the next hotel early afternoon without feeling the need for lunch. By the time we had got ourselves organised it had started raining again. Dithered about for a bit hoping it would stop. When we did hit the town we found it was pretty dead. Switzerland retail doesn’t really do Sunday afternoons.

    Booked an early meal at a place recommended by our hotel for raclette which I had taken a notion for after the fondue of the previous evening. Better to spend 28€ on a Swiss speciality in Switzerland than 23€ on their take of an Italian pasta dish. Very nice it was too.

    Back to the hotel for another early night.
    Baca lagi

  • Orsieres 12 miles

    28 Ogos 2023, Switzerland ⋅ 🌧 8 °C

    Heavy rain all night. Didn’t encourage an early start. And we couldn’t get to our next place, a BnB, before 5pm anyway. The book had various warning comments about this morning’s walk. “The most difficult stretch of the entire Via Francigena”, “precarious footing”, “scramble among boulders”, “slippery stretch among rocks and tree roots with an abrupt drop-off down to the river 20m below”. The train was recommended and Glynice happily took it. Spending a couple of hours sitting in a cafe knitting and blethering to anyone remotely in earshot while consuming coffee with lemon meringue pie seemed a better idea than a very wet scramble. In truth it did live up to its billing, helped by 24 hours of rain, plenty of mud, lots of fallen leaves, and wearing shoes with very little tread left. Nearly 3 hours of very focused hard work. Almost every step had to be carefully placed. Luckily the “route” was very well marked out because in amongst the boulders I wouldn’t have had a clue where to go otherwise.

    Finally reunited with the lady, grabbed some lunch and did the last 5 or 6 miles in almost dry conditions. Much easier walking in very alpine-like terrain. Checked out the station ready for Glynice’s departure tomorrow and then reached the BnB bang on 5pm. Quickly got organised and back into the village for a very acceptable dinner.

    While getting organised I realised that tomorrow’s campsite also had a small dormitory for pilgrims. Managed to convert my tent booking for a dormitory one which meant that I could send my tent, sleeping bag and mat home with Glynice as it was the last night I was hoping to have to camp. Really happy to get that weight out of my rucksack. Of course it does mean that if I can’t get accommodation at any stage I don’t have any back-up. Cross that bridge when I get to it.
    Baca lagi

  • Bourg-Saint-Pierre 9 miles

    29 Ogos 2023, Switzerland ⋅ 🌫 6 °C

    Up fairly sharp as Glynice had a train to catch. Actually 3 trains to catch with only a 2 minute change-over between them. Would be considered a bit risky in the UK especially with a flight to catch at the end but here it is just taken for granted that it would all work. The only hold up with the whole journey was an hour delay on the EasyJet flight and an hour and a half waiting for baggage reclaim in Edinburgh.

    Once the lady was helped onto the train and silence descended I headed off into the hills. Last time I did the whole climb to the Col de Saint Bernard in one day but it was a bit of a slog. This time I opted for 2 days but it did mean they were pretty short days although they do each have about 1,000m of climbing. The rain seems to have much reduced, just the occasional flurry now and again, but the increased height I’m at now (about 1,600m) makes it quite cold. About 3C this afternoon, with a bit of a breeze as well. As these few days are the only ones when I am likely to be cold I opted not to bring any cold-weather gear. No gloves, warm hat, fleece etc. It seemed logical not to carry these things for months just for the sake of a few days but that doesn’t help when you are in those cold days.

    One thing I have learned in life is that I feel the cold much more if I have not eaten enough so I was very keen to check out the food options as soon as I arrived at tonight’s digs. Everything was very spread out in this village and again it seemed that Tuesday is not a good day to be hungry in Switzerland. No food shops here at all and only one restaurant open. Luckily it was pretty good as well even though it meant yet another burger and chips. At least in Italy I am hoping to get pizza/pasta. What worries me slightly is that it is only a couple of days since I was complaining about being too hot and now I’m freezing so how long is it going to take me to get fed up with pizza/pasta?

    Tonight’s dormitory is another strange affair. One large room with kitchen facilities, dining tables and chairs, settees etc and 4 mattresses laid out on a mezzanine floor above. Anyone using the campsite seems allowed to come in and make themselves at home. A couple did just that and had the longest and loudest meal I have ever suffered through. I now need to get them out so I can get the lights out and get to sleep. I hate communal living.
    Baca lagi

  • Col du Grand-St-Bernard 8 miles

    30 Ogos 2023, Switzerland ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    I managed to get the other couple out at the back of 10pm. They were in no hurry as they were camping, undoubtedly in a freezing tent. And trying to charge everything while inside of course.

    Just so glad I had managed to change my booking from the tent to the dormitory. My very thin sleeping bag would have been totally inadequate as it was barely above freezing. As it was I borrowed another duvet from the next mattress so was quite cosy under both duvets. No rush to get up but as I had locked the dorm after I was alone no one else could get in to have their breakfast inside until I had done so. Decided 9am was civilised. As there were no shops I hadn’t got much for my own breakfast. It doesn’t take long to eat a small Snickers bar with a cup of instant coffee. Provisions for the 4 hour, 1,000m climb was a small packet of peanuts.

    Waited until after 10am to start in the hope that the cloud would lift and it would get a little less freezing. Luckily the walk was almost all uphill and carrying a bag uphill does help to warm you up. The cloud didn’t improve much but even very hazy sun was better than none at all.

    Got quite excited as I approached some buildings as I noticed from afar that there was a board outside one of them of the type that usually advertises a cafe or bar. Mulled over what I would have but when I reached it the message just said the Relais was closed. Bother.

    Turned into a lovely climb. Not unlike Munroing in Scotland. Just a bigger scale. The last hour was a bit of a slog especially with the lack of fuel. Goodness knows how I managed to do both yesterday and today’s climb in one day last time round. I know I was just a youngster but even so.
    Reached the cafe at the top for a celebration hot chocolate (fab) and ham sandwich (dire doorstop).

    Checked into the hostel. Massive affair. Been a pilgrims’hostel for 1,000 years but I don’t know how much of the building dates from then. There is a much newer building attached by a bridge where you can book private rooms (over £110 a night) but here we are in 4 bedded rooms. At least they are 4 beds , not like the mattresses on the ground of last night, and not bunk beds which I hate. I think the hostel is used by a lot of walking groups as there are loads of folk wandering about with all sorts of walking gear.
    Did a quick check at “dinner” and I reckon there are over 200 staying here. I might well be the only pilgrim although there is a guy cycling the Via.

    Dinner was as bad as expected. Communal eating of watery soup, meat stew with couscous and a small dod of sponge cake. Full I am not. Still, it is a reasonable-sized town in Italy tomorrow so I am sure I can make up for it.
    Baca lagi