Author Topic: Tour du Mont Blanc trail - July 2017  (Read 3567 times)

bricam2096

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Tour du Mont Blanc trail - July 2017
« on: 19:44:39, 28/08/17 »
I just realised that I hadn't posted a TR or photos from my recent TMB walk so here goes. A full TR with photos can now be seen at my website at

http://brians-walks.co.uk/tour-du-mont-blanc.html

and a video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx-kcWW2-08&feature=youtu.be


I had only ever walked in the UK and decided this year that I wanted to do something abroad and the TMB ticked all of the boxes I was looking for. Although this walk is in the Alps, it was a walk and not a climb on very good easy to follow paths with good directions and on many days there were choices of routes. I walked for 10 days and apart from a scary storm walking over the Italy/Swiss border, the only rain I had was on the last day when it rained the whole of the day and I chose to descend to Chamonix and finish rather than walk through the clouds and no scenery down to Les Houches, the rest of the walk would be done it t-shirt and shorts.

Only one day would be a long day (Courmayeur to La Fouly), the rest would be under 8 hours and 11 miles including breaks. Most days would have lots of ascent but most of those days I chose to walk the higher and more scenic variant routes, taking advantage of the good weather. I lost count of the "wow" moments as I reached Col's and summits and new scenery opened out before me, photos and videos just don't do it justice, you really have to see it with your own eyes.

Mont Blanc, with the entrance to the Mont Blanc tunnel down below it


There were lots I enjoyed on the TMB. Not just the scenery but also the wildflowers and the colourful butterflies that would be seen most days and the picturesque towns and villages that I would pass through and the sound of the cow bells. If you have ever thought about doing a long distance walk outside of the UK, I can certainly recommend the TMB. Although you are up high at times, you also start high up so the ascent/descent each day was similar to days in the lake District fells, just a bit more strenuous but the views help to take your mind off it. Everyone at the shops and accommodation along the TMB spoke good English which was a relief to me  O0

Because most of my days were quite short it was nice to finish early and sit with a beer and take in the fantastic views before me.

Enjoying a well deserved beer outside the Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme, altitude 8015ft/2443m



Here are just a few of my photos, the rest and video can be seen by going to the links at the top of this post.



















LDWs done - 32 in total including 16 National Trails and 3 C2C

Wainwrights 176
www.brians-walks.co.uk

April

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Re: Tour du Mont Blanc trail - July 2017
« Reply #1 on: 13:04:51, 30/08/17 »
Stunning photos bricam, what amazing mountain scenery  O0
I will catch up with your blog and watch the video later.
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gunwharfman

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Re: Tour du Mont Blanc trail - July 2017
« Reply #2 on: 15:32:58, 30/08/17 »
I remember those ladders when I hiked the Tour du Mont Blanc. It was a very, very hot day and when I arrived there were dozens of people waiting their turn to go up. By the time I was ready I was already exhausted, I started off early that morning and I'd hiked all day.

Then an English middle aged couple started to climb, the lady was away first. A few rungs later, she FROZE, wouldn't go up, couldn't come down! Her husband tried to persuade her, even had his hand on her derriere trying to push her upwards. I'll never forget that hand and him flitting from pleading with her to getting angry with her. She eventually did move, downwards and she was in tears. They wandered off to a quite place and I never saw them again. A few minutes later and it was my turn, I dragged myself up rung by rung and when at the top I just craved shade and water! I found a rock, had a drink and then had a sleep!

Really enjoyed you photos. You went to the Fenetre d'Arpette up and over the boulder chaos, I went down it. Memories of good days!

rural roamer

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Re: Tour du Mont Blanc trail - July 2017
« Reply #3 on: 14:54:28, 11/09/17 »
Bricam are you famous now? Is that your letter and photo of the Tour of Mont Blanc in Country Walking?

bricam2096

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Re: Tour du Mont Blanc trail - July 2017
« Reply #4 on: 15:04:54, 11/09/17 »
Bricam are you famous now? Is that your letter and photo of the Tour of Mont Blanc in Country Walking?

 :-[ I literally just saw that an hour ago. It's a bit bigger than I was expecting them to post if they published it, lol
LDWs done - 32 in total including 16 National Trails and 3 C2C

Wainwrights 176
www.brians-walks.co.uk

redeye

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Re: Tour du Mont Blanc trail - July 2017
« Reply #5 on: 10:32:54, 17/09/17 »
Looks fantastic and after going in the alps last January to visit my son who works the ski season, I said I'd love to go back in the summer for a look round. Not sure I'd be fit enough to do the whole thing in a week but tying in walking with the help of the ski lifts here and there sounds good to me. I'll have to check things out as we go back to meribel in January.
Great stuff  O0

sunnydale

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Re: Tour du Mont Blanc trail - July 2017
« Reply #6 on: 18:53:05, 17/09/17 »
Gorgeous photos Bri....and congrats on your photo being published in CW! 8)
***Happiness is only a smile away***

bricam2096

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Re: Tour du Mont Blanc trail - July 2017
« Reply #7 on: 09:34:54, 24/09/17 »
Looks fantastic and after going in the alps last January to visit my son who works the ski season, I said I'd love to go back in the summer for a look round. Not sure I'd be fit enough to do the whole thing in a week but tying in walking with the help of the ski lifts here and there sounds good to me. I'll have to check things out as we go back to meribel in January.
Great stuff  O0

I spoke with many people on my walk who were doing either part of the TMB or using public transport and just doing certain sections of the walk as they didn't have enough time to do the whole TMB

Gorgeous photos Bri....and congrats on your photo being published in CW! 8)

Thanks but the photos just don't do the scenery justice. I also didn't expect my face to take up half a page in a magazine, lol
LDWs done - 32 in total including 16 National Trails and 3 C2C

Wainwrights 176
www.brians-walks.co.uk

 

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