Blue Tractor

Relatively easy walk today so took it slow - sat by Echallod Bridge over the Dora Baltea river, a Romanesque hump back bridge with old remnant frescos in the alcove. Sat on a nice cool granite bench and had a lovely long chat to Max. We covered a lot of ground as life is full at the moment … I needed that chat. Beside the river I lunched on local cheese and ham and a boiled egg - great hiking food.
At Bard I bought a ticket for the castle, including the lift. There was no way I was including a steep 1.2 km climb in my day. Bard Castle, originally constructed around year 1000. In 1800 with 400 soldiers and 20 cannons Bard Fort was able to repel Napoleon’s army which had journeyed over the Great St Bernard’s Pass, without artillery of course.
Movie nurds: Avengers Age of the Ultron was set here and Pont-Saint-Martin and Aosta, which were transformed into the fictional city of Sokovia. The Fort was chosen as the headquarters of Hydra, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s archenemy, where Baron Von Strucker was able to count on the assistance of the super-powered twins Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver.
More importantly, and moving on to wine again: Terraced vineyards ascend the steep eastern side of the valley. These Carema vineyards lie on terraces at 300 to 600 meters, supported by dry-stone walls and cultivated with the traditional pergola system known as topia, held up by stone pillars called pilun - these help create a favourable microclimate. Vineyard work is entirely manual and increasingly threatened by abandonment and the loss of traditional skills. Only 13 hectares are planted and all grapes are vinified locally as Carema DOC, made from the picotener biotype of Nebbiolo. As it happens, it like Nebbiolo.
Had dinner with Belgian besties Philippe and Louies and had fun with a combo of French Italian English Dutch and Africaans. They were not good map readers and arrived had late and bedraggled after climbing a mountain somewhere they were not meant to be. They want to walk with me tomorrow. How nice.
Tomorrow is a day!Read more