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squiz Member Member#: 6644 Location: Registered: 27-05-2007 Diary Entries: 2889 |
7th March 2016 Hiking - Walking: Les Huskys, Menthieres Wind Direction: Wind Stength: Surf / Sea State: Air Temperature: Sea Temperature: Weather: sunny Max Speed: Distance Covered: Friday 4th March -work then travel late. I worked on traffic management, leaving the house at 7 while Mag spent the day packing the bags etc.. I got home about 3.30 and we loaded it all in the van and in the top box. We were ready by a good time so were able to relax a bit, have paella for tea and ring rob. We set out just after 7 and had a good journey down to dover but it is a drag and we were knackered. We did half the drive each. The ferry was amazingly good, didn’t even feel it move, just read and dozed all the way across. It is over a hundred pounds cheaper that the shuttle so good all round if it isn’t going to make us feel sick!! We drove up to the Cap Blanc car park for the night – arriving at 2.30 French time!!!! Saturday 5th March – travel – sunny periods We had a good night and read for a while before getting up and having breakfast. We had a quick walk around the top of the hill we are parked on and although it is a bit of a murky day and no views of the white cliffs it was very lovely. We went to drive off and ………………………… we were stuck in the mud again!!!!! Can’t believe it – we thought we had been lucky and managed to get off as we realised that it looked a bit soft when we got back from the walk. But then we slithered a bit and were stuck. I got the track things I bought after getting stuck in the mud at point clear and put them under the wheels but it just wasn’t happening:( Then I tried the snow chains but they wouldn’t go on because of all the mud and how soft it was. Then MIRACLE 4 mountain bikers appeared and I went and asked them if they would give us a push and they were amazing. I drove and they and Mag all pushed and the mud was flying out everywhere but we got it onto the track things and it went back a long way before skidding to the side again. After going forward and more pushing we got off - We would never have done it without them – we were completely stuck and terrified of having to ring the RAC for that again!!! Drove out through Boulogne on the coast road and then it was a surprisingly easy ride down to Briare. We stopped at Pont de Larche for a break and Iwashed the mud off the tracks and spade! Slipping down the bank on my arse, getting very muddy trousers!! We have now got a lovely stone chip in the windscreen which has started to crack along the bottom – hopefully it will stay like that until the MOT!! Briare as gorgeous as ever and we got a walk around the town and canals in before it got dark – there was even a fair!! Sunday 6th March – travel- sunny periods We had 10 hours sleep which was unusual for us! Read for a while then after breakfast we set off and drove out along the actual river bank road nearly as far as the motorway which we haven’t managed before. The scenery on this part of the journey is always better than yesterday. Sancerre vineyards and lots of green fields, cows and birds of prey. Soon we were at Decize where we have stopped for lunch before. We parked near the castle which we didn’t even see last time and walked down through the town, buying some bread and a pain au raisin. Had a short walk along the river bank and through the avenue of trees then back to the van. Stopped at Digoin for our lunch, the same spot as before – still lovely place but lots of dogs pooh! Nothing has changed in a year on that front! Once you get past Macon and Bourg en bresse it starts to get a lot hillier and when we got to Nantua for a cuppa it started to sleet. Before we started going up to Menthiere it really started to snow and it had laid on the road – before long we had started to lose grip with the tyres to get up on the steep road so had to stop and put the snow chains on! We got there about 6 and it is as beautiful as ever:) Spoke to a man near the lift pass office who said it was only open at weekends and on Wednesdays (we heard this last year and have only skied here ourselves on a Sunday quite by coincidence). Having read the notice on the actual office it looks like it should be open so we will wait and see what tomorrow brings and if it is shut we will walk in the morning and then move on up to the next Jura resort. Had a read and then… a pot noodle for tea!! Monday 7th March – Snow shoe ***** Les Huskys, Menthieres – Sunny (3 n/miles ) We had a good night and although it was really freezing outside, the inside of the windows were frosted, our tap was frozen with an icicle coming out of it and the water in the kettle was frozen – we slept well:) Had a lie in and read then Mag went for a walk down to the lift pass office – not a sign of anyone so it is definitely closed to the public. They did have some school kids in and got them up the mountain on the lift then turned it off again! We decided to snow shoe so set off about 11 with a picnic and it was absolutely glorious. Sunny with fresh snow in the trees and a good path. We started off up the middle of the learner piste then it turned into a track across to the trees, called Les Huskys. Up through the woods until we reached a panoramic view over the next valley – towards Lelex. We stopped here for our picnic then headed up a bit further into the woods until the path came to an abrupt halt. Although other walkers had turned back and gone down the way we had come we made our own tracks and came out on the plateau back down to the village. There were lots of rabbit prints but we didn’t see any. They had done a crazy heart shaped track in the middle of the plateau. Back to the van after 3 hours and amazingly only 3 miles! It seemed so much further but it is uphill all the way!! It had turned from a glorious day to quite cloudy and as we reached the van it started to snow again. We had a cuppa, read and doze then decided to pack up and go on to Lelex with the plan to ski tomorrow. As we drove along the snow got quite heavy and the roads started to get quite tricky for the second day running, we didn’t have to put the snow chains on this time but it was close! We found a good place to park with only one other camper a bit further up. Spent the rest of the evening reading, eating and playing cards. Photo Gallery here |
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