Hidden Earth (Sunday)

After a day's caving in Swildon's (or not in my case, as I forgot my furry suit  :-( ), we (myself and Paul, Keith and Pete, Simon and Mike) headed over to Churchill (with a slight hiccup on the way when I had to pull over and trot huff and puff back down the road to drop the key off).

We arrived to find people milling about looking surprisingly healthy, although when we hit the cafe for a greasy spoon breakfast, Jess was looking a bit pale and tired.  Apparently Big Jim, on the other hand was still in bed 'damaged' - serves him right for starting at lunchtime on Saturday!!

Anyway, we had a look round the sports hall at all the trade stands and displays, and somehow Keith and I found ourselves having a go at the Speleo Olympics.

Start on the floor, up and over, and finish on the floor!

I've never been in a ball pit quite like this before!!

This perspex 'tube' looked extremely straight forward,
but was actually quite tight once you were in it!

Getting into this tube was one thing...

Getting out...

was quite another!!!!

And then I had to help Keith out too

We thought we'd done really well and we stood there congratulating ourselves until the guy timing us (oh yes!), came over and told us we'd not only forgotten the tackle bags in the box at the bottom of the black tube, but that we were supposed to take them back through the other three obstacles.  Bugger that!!!

I had really bad bruises on my arms and left leg for a fortnight afterwards.  I don't think I've got that badly bruised doing the real thing!!!

Walk around Matlock

Having changed my working days, I was able to join Paul Chandler and other friends on one of his midweek walks.  We met at the cable tramway shelter in the edge of the park near Crown Square.  Frankly, if Paul, Peter and Rich hadn't already been there, I wouldn't have had a clue where we were supposed to be meeting, I'd never realised that the funny little building was a tramway shelter, but apparently it used to stand at the bottom of Bank Road, where the tramway used to run.

We waited for a while for Martin and Paul's cousin and his wife, but ended up setting off before they joined, Martin part way up the hill and Mark and Vicky near the top.  From there we turned west along the hill...

View south towards High Tor

climbed a bit more, went along a sports field and dropped down through Hackney to cross the A6 and drop down to the river.  After a pleasant wander across the fields, we emerged between the Square & Compasses pub and the bridge in Darley Bridge, crossed the bridge and stopped by the river for a cuppa (and, in my case, half my lunch!).

We shortly left the road again and headed southeast up and over the hill behind Oker, passing Graces Well on the way.  No-one knew anything about it, which is unusual... research needed!!  [Couldn't find much on the interweb, but it was apparently named after a Grace Greatorex and was, indeed, the water supply for cottages in the area before mains water.]

Crossing the road, we re-entered the fields and emerged on the road again right next to the turn off to Snitterton Hall, which Martin, in particular, knows well.  We took the track that heads up the hill towards Leawood Cottage, the old Op Mole HQ and then straight up the side of the hill, which was pretty steep, and suddenly everything started looking familiar - we'd arrived at Jug Holes.  Most of us went exploring into the main large entrance and had a poke around at the entrance into the lower series, where a large crack has appeared in one boulder above the climb, looking extremely dodgy.

Rich and ?? - I think he was after Paul's sandwiches (the dog that is!)

After a spot of lunch, we continued up the path to Salters Lane, crossed over and picked up the Limestone Way, which we followed over Masson Hill and back down into Matlock.

Looking northwest towards Entoven's

Matlock Bank

Passo Tres Croci Son Zuogo

We packed and left Haus Vallentin after breakfast and headed east up the Falzarego Pass for the last time and down into Cortina.  We ended up going almost completely around the one-way system and had, in fact, been spat out the far side of town before we managed to work out how to get to the road we needed.

We finally arrived where we needed to be and found somewhere to park.  The walk appeared to follow the contours pretty closely, so I was hoping there wouldn't be too much up and down (particularly the down, I did enough of that yesterday!).  We hadn't gone very far when we spotted some old WWI fortifications of some description.

Judging by the bullet holes behind where Paul is standing, they had seen some action!  Access was supposedly not allowed, but clearly people had been inside and I went in a little way (it was pretty wet and slimy) with the teeny, tiny light on my keyring, which was bright enough to show that a passage went off the back of the room on the left and down into the hill.  Very tempting to a caver!!

 

A few hundred metres further on, the track, wide enough for three people to walk side by side, narrowed down to a small path.  The drops on the left hand side became quite hefty and in one or two places it made me sweat a bit as we tiptoed along over roots and loose stuff.

 Treacherous tree roots!

The walk continued to contour along the bottom of the cliffs, into clefts where small streams crossed our path.  In one small valley there was even snow!!!!

After possibly 3km, we reached a short section of via ferrata, which Paul investigated while I was photographing some...

Monks Hood

and...

Wolfsbane

He came back to say that it was more of a handline than anything, but we always knew that we'd have to turn back at some point and so we decided that it may as well be now.

The view across the valley on the way back

Gardena Pass, Rifugio Puez and Vallunga

Down for breakfast and I made sure I had extra this morning, seeing as it’s a big walk. Because I was till aching, I also popped some Ibuprofen - Boyd swears by them!! Paul realised that we’d forgotten to order rolls last night and I mentioned it to Ruth, who very kindly went and made us some. We got our stuff together and drove out through La Villa, stopping off at a place on the way to finally post the postcards. Drove up the Gardena Pass, which seemed fairly familiar and then on down in Selva, which definitely wasn’t.

We found the road easily enough and somewhere to park, just down the road from the cable car station. The fact that this wasn’t the P on the map completely escaped me until later, but actually it didn’t matter. We needed to pay E4, but neither of us had any change at all, so we drove up to the cable car station, paid for our tickets separately, and used the change to pay for the parking. Then we walked back up the road and caught the cable car up to the top + a bit of the Gardena Pass. We saw a couple of marmots on the way, which was a treat.

The view back down the Gardena Pass

Headed off along the path that runs below the VFs and then took path 2, up and through a rocky valley, up and down a bit and then up again to a fence line.

Looking back through the rocky valley

It was a very cold wind at this point, so I put my waterproof on and rolled up the sleeves. Through the fence line was the ‘escape’ valley, but I felt absolutely fine and still strong, so I said I’d like to push on to the Rifugio and the main Vallunga valley.

The view down the 'escape' valley

Looking across the head of the 'escape' valley to the highest point of the walk

We headed off around the head of the ‘escape’ valley and then up again to a cross, the highest point on our walk at over 2,500m.  From there the terrain was positively lunar, with so much rock exposed that it almost looked like snow.  Part way across this area, which was fairly gently undulating, we stopped for a bite to eat and ate our rolls, which were a bit messy (tomato everywhere!), but lovely.

From there we continued on and initially I thought we were going to have a very steep drop and rise into a valley that appeared on our right (kind of south east),

The valley to our right

but then I realised we were going to follow the ridge in between this valley and Vallunga.

A preview of Vallunga - they don't call it the long valley for nothing!!

From there it was a fairly steady rise to Rifugio Puez – saw another marmot, whistling as it ran down the edge of a cliff - and although it was by now quite cloudy, it was still sunny, although still a cold wind, so we sat inside.

I discovered that I’d caught the sun again because I hadn’t been wearing my hat. The Factor 30 is fine as long as I keep my horrid hat on. We discovered afterwards that we’d only missed the others by about 15-20 minutes, as they left about 1:45pm and we arrived about 2pm.

I was still feeling pretty good at that point, but now the bit I’d been vaguely worrying about as I really wasn’t sure how my knees would hold up.

Down and down and down, right across the head of the valley to

join the path that comes down in the far corner.

In fact the path was quite long, but because of that it was also a bearable steepness, so we contoured around

the head of the valley, over a big lump and met with the path that went straight from the col we’d crossed earlier. Wouldn’t have fancied coming down that way, it was all scree and looked horribly loose.

From there we followed a lot of scree alongside water worn gullies and kept dropping steeply until we got into the trees. From there it started to level out a bit and I suggested a second stop to give my knees a rest. Paul pointed out that it was 3:40pm and we had about three miles to go, so we continued... we didn’t really have much choice.

Once we got onto flatter ground in the grassy sections, Paul set a furious pace, which I managed to keep up for a while – we still had more than two miles to go – but eventually we had to slow a bit. After another brief stop we just kept going, meeting more and more people who were walking up from the car park that we meant to park in. Actually I’m glad we didn’t because we’d probably have walked back along the road to get the cable car and the way we ended up doing it was much more pleasant and took us straight back to Biscuit Tin at 5:15pm, a total time of 6½ hours, with a total stoppage time of probably nearly an hour. Not bad considering the book suggested a time of 6 hours, particularly after the fiasco yesterday. Weird how completely different two days can be.

We got back to Pedraces in about three quarters of an hour and had time for a shower and a start on the packing before going down for dinner, which was fish and chips. Waggy had seconds of nearly everything, it’s a wonder he doesn’t explode. Sat with them for a while after dinner while they worked out what they’re doing tomorrow and then headed upstairs to read.

Around Sas de Putia

The usual breakfast routine over, we hopped in Biscuit Tin and drove north, for a change, to San Martino and then left (west) to Passo della Erbe. It was very busy when we arrived and it looked as though you could only park between 7:00am and 2:00pm, but then we realised that you have to pay if you park between these times. There were even coaches pulling up disgorging hordes of walkers; Paul likened it to Pen y Pass and a walk up Snowdon. Sadly this proved to be true.

Where we were meant to be headed (to the top!).

Unfortunately it proved to be one of those days when I just wanted to wee all day (or I would have done if I’d continued drinking!) and there was NOWHERE to go.

The first part of the walk was quite pleasant despite the hordes, but then we turned a corner entering the valley up to the pass and the view did NOT inspire me with motivation or confidence. Well I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later.

Looking back down the valley.

I basically put my head down and plodded all the way to the top, reminding myself of how I'd managed on the Inca Trail. We reached the col and decided not to try for the top, but to do the circuit of the peak.

By two-thirds of the way round what was probably only about 8/9km, 10km at the most, I was completely knackered. My legs are still aching like hell. At times, it was as much as I could do to put one foot in front of the other, my muscles were so tired.

Needless to say, I didn't have a late night!

Sass de Roccia

Still not sleeping brilliantly and having all sorts of quite vivid dreams. I blame too much food, too late in the day. Must try to curb my snacking when we get back (she says with a large packet of crisps at her side!!).

Drove out through Corvara, the Campolongo Pass and Arabba this time, which made a very pleasant change from the Falzarego Pass. Down the valley from Arabba, we dropped down to the valley bottom and up the southerly side, to a dead end road up the hill from Laste. Parked up and walked about 200m up the hill to some large pinnacles of rock that have lots of bolted climbs on them, though all high grades, sadly.


Found the ‘gash’ in the rock, a very tall, narrow rift, that leads up to the start of the VF (1A) and headed off up the stemples.

At the top of the pinnacle we crossed a small bridge and continued up the wires to finally cross a second bridge across the main rift and reach the top of the crag.













It wasn’t very long or very difficult, but it was fun, which is more than can be said for yesterday’s effort. 


We had a poke around the hut at the top and wandered about the top, stepping over some very deep looking cracks in the rock, then we headed back down.

When we got to the bottom, we continued down the main gorge to the bottom where we found another set of stemples, with a very thin wire leading to the top of them and then... nothing. We re-traced our steps back up the steep slope and aborted, leaving by way of the initial gash in the rock. We then stopped and had lunch.

After that we started heading down to where the gorge comes out, but it got very steep and awkward, so we again retraced our steps and headed out along the side of the valley past where some people had been climbing earlier.

I then came over all knackered, so we decided to call it a day and headed back to Pedraces, with a stop in Corvara for coffee.

After the usual shower / rest, it got to 6:45 and Paul got hungry so we walked down into the village to see if anywhere was open to eat. There was no sign of the other four either, so we went back to Haus Valentin, jumped in Biscuit Tin and headed off up the road to La Villa, which was open. By chance, the pizzeria that we chose was the one that Boyd and co were at. He thought we’d recognised his yellow car, but it was pure fluke. My appalling lack of Italian was again highlighted when it came to ordering food and drink – it’s pretty embarrassing frankly, but a bit late to worry too much about it now! – but the food was good and it was the others who got a lecture from the waiter on how to say please and thank you – how embarrassing.

Back at the hotel, I went straight up to our room, but Paul went down and had a tea with the others. I think the beer was still run out.

Averau & Nuvolau

Another not brilliant night’s sleep and I awoke looking like a panda, with bags under my eyes. Went down for breakfast just before 8 and wasn’t surprised to find Waggy and Paul already getting theirs. They have an early start today as they’re planning a long walking day with some easy VF thrown in. Waggy asked us to save them some dinner if they’re late back. Doesn’t sound as though Boyd’s joining them, he said he’d probably find something else to do.

We drove back up the Falzàrego Pass and part way down the other side towards Cortina. Stopped for a wee break and then at a large parking, where I was dismayed to realise that the chair lifts weren’t working, until we worked out that we weren’t far enough down the valley - phew! We continued down to a second car park situated quite a way off the road, parked up and had a very pleasant ride up the chair lift to Rifugio Scioattoli (2,255m) at the top. We then followed the track up to Rifugio Averau (2,416m).

The Cinco Torris

After a quick drink and another wee break, we headed north onto the path leading up to the Averau VF. It was an easy path for most of the way, apart from the ubiquitous chossy scramble up the last bit. There was a nice big area where you could safely get into your harness and whatnot.

M. Averau

We heard a Scottish chap coming back down, just as a German couple arrived with their daughter in a carrier on his back. They caught us up as we stood chatting to him and I then set off on the VF. I don’t quite know what happened, but it was all awkward and off balance, and I guess if I’d just grabbed the cable and hauled myself up to each change over it wouldn’t have been so bad, but I was trying to climb properly.

The view from M. Averau to M. Nuvolau.

It didn’t help having an audience who didn’t want to come past, so in the end I backed off it and then spent the rest of the day kind of wishing I hadn’t been such a wimp. The audience definitely didn’t help, but it was mostly about the fact that the cable was at foot/knee level and I really didn’t like that. I’m sure once I’d got around the corner I’d have been OK, but we had to down climb the darn thing anyway, so we headed back to Rifugio Averau and on up the ridge to Rifugio Nuvolau.

It was quite a climb and took some time, but it was definitely worth it. Yet again the views were gob smacking and we sat and ate our packed lunches and drank it all in. With the binoculars we could clearly see people on VF Averau and also the ledge where the tunnel path comes out on the other side of the pass, a clearly defined fault at that level.

The view across the Falzarego Pass to the cliffs above the Lagazuoi Tunnels.

After a look out the back where the VF goes off (where my second camera battery died – this is going to become a major problem shortly), we headed slowly back down to Rifugio Scioattoli, which by this time (about 2:30) was crammed with Italians getting in some rays and watching the climbers on the nearby Cinco Torris (five towers). The ride down on the chair lift was initially quite hairy, but when I realised that there weren’t any violent drops I relaxed and just enjoyed it.

I then drove us back to Pedraces and we stopped at the supermarket and went to visit the sports shop near the chair lift, and then headed back. Finally got around to writing my postcards and then had a shower.

Went down for dinner, which was a rather strange almost vegetarian affair, with salad again (!), veggie soup (v nice), stuffed tomatoes (with sausage meat), roasted courgettes and mealy bug potato croquettes (Morphy would have liked them!!!). Then we had grapes for pudding – seemed odd and we speculated later that maybe pudding had gone wrong! – I couldn’t finish all mine because I was SO stuffed and Waggy polished them off.

Went through into the bar and got into a conversation about Long Rake and carbon-monoxide, which began to descend rapidly into an argument, so I decided that I couldn’t eat or drink another thing and it was probably time for bed, so I disappeared. Paul came up about half an hour later and again the light went off soon after 10:00.

Lagazuoi Tunnels

Woke up still pondering the thought of how to not do the walk that the others did yesterday. Hadn’t slept very well and was feeling pretty groggy. Maybe I shouldn’t have had that little nap in the afternoon after all!

Decided to try the muesli this morning and wasn’t impressed. Can’t work out whether it’s the muesli itself or the weird tasting milk, or just me having a cold (although that seems to be drying up nicely – I think Paul’s got it now!). Gave up with it half way through and got some pseudo Coco Pops instead. Then had two rolls instead of one. I’m determined not to be hungry today as early as I was yesterday. Watched the cats from next door playing together and with pine cones (which Paul christened beaver pooh yesterday - don't know why!).

Over breakfast, I suggested that we should maybe do ‘that walk’ later in the week and do something a little easier today, like the tunnels walk and I was surprised when I got no argument from Paul, so we’ll see what happens later in the week.

Drove Biscuit Tin down into the village and parked up to get batteries for Paul’s head torch and my postcards. Then headed back out the way we’d walked back yesterday, the way we’d driven in two nights ago, back to the top of the Falzarego Pass. We parked up a bit prematurely and then moved on to the bottom of the cable car, where we managed to find a space to park and caught the cable car. Cool!!

Up at the top I was stricken with a sudden attack of wobblies because of being so bloody high so quickly. It doesn’t help when my ears won’t pressurise properly and my head swims. Add that to jaw dropping drops and no hand rails and I felt a bit freaked.

We had a wander along towards the top of the troop path (which looked really scary) to a cross at the highest point of the ridge we were on. By that time I was beginning to get used to the height.

We then headed back along the ridge, past the refugio, to the top of the path down to the Lagazuoi Tunnels. The path was actually quite wide and by clutching the cable it was quite possible to trip along nicely. We passed a section where you walk between two walls (which felt very safe) and then through the crater that Waggy was on about last night

... and so to the door at the top of the tunnels.

It was very steep inside, but there were plenty of places to explore off the main route, windows to spectacular views and rooms where there was stuff left behind (and lots of tissues – eeyoou!).

This underground bunkroom was scarily reminiscent of a caving cottage bunkroom!!!

These tunnels, which are all over the place in the Dolomites, were built by the Italian and Austrian soldiers during the first World War.  They were constantly discovering enemy tunnels and blowing them up. It’s really hard to imagine what it must have been like for the soldiers living in these tunnels, particularly in the winter. It wasn’t exactly sweating in September.

We did drop quickly, but it seemed to take quite a long time before we were suddenly spat out and tottered along more ledges, before thinking that we’d got some ‘real’ via ferratering to do. We kitted up and then watched as a family came trogging past us with walking poles at the ready and shot up a short climb into another tunnel – we didn’t have to climb over the top after all.

Once through there we came to a natural shelter and de-kitted and then had a bite to eat because by that time – about 1:30pm? – I was starving. We then continued down the last scrambly bits to the ruined building that we’d seen from higher up, where the world and his neighbour seemed to appear from all directions, just as I decided that I simply couldn’t go any farther without a wee.

The zigzag paths far below.

That done, we headed off down the zigzags and back to Biscuit Tin.  After changing our boots we went off to find a bar to have a drink so that Paul could go to the loo. We then went and looked at the naff souvenirs in the shop nearby, not forgetting the whistling marmots – aagh!

Then it was back in the car and about a half an hour drive back to Pedraces. We stopped down the bottom and had a brief wander about, but nothing really seemed to be open, so we headed back to Haus Valentin.

Paul picked another couple of via ferratas for tomorrow, which are both easy, so that sounds fun, and more chair lifts to get to the top (woo hoo!).

Went down to happy hour and checked out some stuff like the Vallon VF is now open again and the chair lift to get us up the second part is running. Also the protected path just north of Cortina is the Barbara one, only a couple of hours long and follows the river, so could be good for on the way back to the airport.

The view from our bedroom window.

Dinner was interesting again. Prawn cocktail (no thanks), gorgeous pasta again and a sort of beef stew and pollenta (?), some sort of liquidised corn stuff that looked like sloppy mash. It was OK as long as you mixed it well with the stew, which was good, apart from a lack of veg. Ice cream for pudding was definitely a hit. Didn’t last long after the food. Hit the sack early and lights out at 10:05. Blimey, this high-level walking lark is good for getting you to bed early, but then we do get up fairly early too.