I am jealous wish I was there. sob

Poor wee Conor! Tiz, surely you're not jealous of being in a car with a vomiting child?

Anyway just to make you a wee bit more jealous......

If anyone would like to see pics of my holiday hills (apart from the misty Beinn a'Ghlo!) click below:

Buachaille Etive Beag

Lochaber Corbetts

Never mind Tiz, soon you'll be in Lochaber again!

Cheers
Sheila

Shelia Im really home sick now....................what a week you have had.

I really cant wait to take my place in Scotlands majestic Hills and Glens to breathe the air and to feel alive again.

Jacqui both mine are terrible car travellers but crystalized ginger seems to have worked over the years..........................either that or 1500 odd miles 3 times a year.

Fantastic photos, Sheila and Jacqui!

Sheila - you were at Corran the same day we were driving down the opposite side of the Narrows on our way from Kingussie to Strontian! (If I'd realised, we would've waved!)

Jacqui - have you tried those sea-band wrist bands for Conor's travel sickness? they're only about £5 and as long as they're worn according to the instructions really seem to work - apparently they're for all forms of travel, not just boats. (Well, they worked for my sceptical cousin on the boats on Scilly a couple of years ago!)

Awesome photos Sheila ...looks like you had a fantastic time ...so jealous

Merci Jacqui et Sheila !!! Très belles photos !!!

I hope you can understand this.

Greetings from the Alps,

Lionel

Ah oui, merci Lionel, je comprend - but that's about the limit of my French!

Puffin - how funny that you were in the same area. We were staying at Corran for 3 nights and were actually over in Ardgour and in Strontian on the Sunday (30th). Small world!

Cheers, Sheila

Très bien Sheila !

Today I went hillwalking in the afternoon as the weather cleared up and a beautiful sunshine appeared, however the north wind kept blowing and maintained low temperatures.

I climbed both Pointe du Sanjeon (1445 m) and Pointe de Tréchauffé (1627m). I walked for about 3 hours following a circle. The views over Lake Geneva and Switzerland were fantastic as the weather was sunny with clear blue sky. I saw lots of flowers in bloom, as the snow has just disappeared from the slopes. There was a place full of purple "soldanelles". Beautiful !

http://cpourre.chez-alice.fr/p800/soldanelles.jpg

When I went back to the mountain village of Tréchauffé, I bought some locally made goat cheeses from a farm, for my parents.

I had a great time, though I suffered a bit from my sciatica. But things are improving very slowly.


I hope that some of you had also a great day hillwalking.

Greetings from France,

Lionel

A picture of the alpine village of Tréchauffé : click below.

http://www.valleedaulps.com/images/info_pa...RANETE-0011.jpg

Good to see you're able to get out and walk again, Lionel - hope you continue to improve.

Once again, my paltry little cliff-top walk in Dorset at the weekend doesn't quite qualify as a hill-walk, although to an unfit Puffin who was puffin' well at the top of the path it seemed like one!

On Sunday we went down to Dorset for the day to visit John’s big sister and her family who were on holiday in a caravan above Durdle Door, Lulworth. It chucked it down all morning – as forecast – but by early afternoon it was heavy showers with ever-increasing dry bits in between and eventually (about 4:15!) there was suddenly blue sky and sunshine (not forecast!), with a strong wind (forecast) which had blown the clouds away(not forecast!). Anyway, we’d all gone out for mid-afternoon tea and cakes and ended up at Lulworth Cove, just as the weather was beginning to look promising. Having already overdosed on tacky gift shops (and they were only on the second… ) and having less patience even than John in such situations, my itchy feet led me down to the cove and up to the cliff path… I can’t bear to be stuck inside when the weather is OK and there is a beach/sea calling to me! I opted to walk back to the caravan site (only 2 kilometres, [whatever that is in English] according to the signpost), via the cliff path – John would have loved to come with me but we were all in his truck so he had to drive everyone else back. Me – I was after some sea views, solitude, fresh air and photographs!

A few pics here, taken on my anti-social wanderings!
http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b83/JanD...1%20May%202006/

Gorgeous pics, Puffin, and lovely blue sky! (Am forgetting what that actually looks like here... )

rig

Hi Puffin,

And thank you very much for your good wish about my health and for your pics.

Today I had a great walk and I decided to see how my damaged disk and sciatica would react to a quite difficult and longer walk. I climbed three tops one after the other : first the Passage de Savolaire, 1930 metres, then Pointe des Lanchettes, 1995 metres and at the end of the ridge the Roc de Tavaneuse, 2156 metres. The total ascent was 1156 metres which was completely new this year for me. Gradually I try to take longer walks on higher summits. Walking up the three tops took me about 3 hours and 1 hour 45 minutes to go down.

Here are some pictures of the places I have been :

Passage de Savolaire - 1930 metres





This pass was still covered in recent snow but only big patches (40 cm deep).

View from the top of the pass :



Then the walk on the wide ridge to the top of Pointe des Lanchettes (1995 metres)



Summit of Pointe des Lanchettes - 1995 m



Today I coudn't walk as those people do on the picture, to the left of the pinnacle because there was a huge cornice that seemed quite unstable so I had to take to the right of the Pinnacle and to scramble a hight of 150 metres in a deep snow covered gully (quite diffficult as very slippery and exposed). I was so happy to see that my back, my disks and right leg were completely OK to climb the steep central gully up to the top. I was so happy that I kissed the cairn on top of Rock de Tavaneuse - 2156 m I am just mad... but I don't do that normally.

And then I appreciated the wonderful views (all surrounding summits were covered in snow just the same as in winter).

Some views from the summit :







The lake down at the foot of Roc de Tavaneuse is called "Lake of Tavaneuse" of course. I couldn't see it like that as it was for three quarters covered in ice and snow. I could only see a bit of it. In July and August my father used to walk up there to fish trouts.

I went down so tired but very, very happy to see that I managed to walk something much more difficult than usual without any pain from my sciatica. That's a great "high" for today. Thank God, a good health is something so precious in life.

Greetings from this heavenly place of the Alps !

Lionel



Copyright for the pictures : many thanks to Pierre Alexandre and his beautiful website of my Alpine region.

http://www.randos-montblanc.com/pages/photos.html

Hi Lionel

Glad to see you've managed to get out walking again and that your sciatica and disc problems seem to be getting better.

Annie

Fantastic Lionel!

The words 'exposed silppery scramble' have left me a bit shaky though even though it didn't bother you!

Really pleased to hear you are getting better.

Hopefully we should have some nice ones from Kinlochleven for you!

Hi Annie and Jacqui,

Thank you very much for your messages. Indeed my health is better and better and I keep my fingers crossed. I am very optimistic for the future....maybe without an operation.

I am also looking forward for all your Kinlochleven pictures. I am sure it's going to be a great week-end for all Riggies who are going there. I just hope you will enjoy beautiful weather.

Annie and Jacky have a nice day,

Greetings from France,

Lionel

Another view from my yesterday walk : The Roc de Tavaneuse 2156 metres.



Greetings from France,

Lionel