Friday June 28th

Les Plans-Sur-Bex and Le Trou à l'Ours

This was another walk suggested by Patrick; David found a route for it on a hiking app but it turned out to be quite simple, in terms of route-finding. It did have some entertaining aspects, though! Although the hiking app suggested starting at Pont de Nant, we took advantage of the parking at Les Plans-Sur-Bex and extended the walk by a couple of kilometres, taking us up beside the cascades of a river.

The first leg of the walk from Pont de Nant was along a fairly "normal" forest track- embellished by the alpine views. The second leg would be back along the other side of the river. Jacinta asked where the path would be, and David made a rough gesture towards the wooded wall to our right, thinking that too much detail might be a little intimidating.

The return would be along one of the rising treelines opposite!

Eventually, we began to gain some height though still on a track.

Once we had crossed the river (more a stream at the crossing point) we began to climb in earnest, through the trees and bushes.

As we approached Le Trou à l'Ours, the path became a little more precipitous. You can see the party in front of us on the left of the picture below.

David didn't take any pictures of the immediate approach to Le Trou à l'Ours. The passage up and through was assisted by a chain to pull on and, once through, we stopped to relax a little and to have our lunch.

Le Trou à l'Ours- from above

Le Trou à l'Ours- the hole a little more clearly

The path onwards was much more wooded and shady but pleasant, even so.

The return to Les Plans-sur-Bex was back along beside the river- ducking under a boulder on the way.

A walk of 6.5 miles with around 600m ascent.


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