(Sophie at a little refuge hut on the walk)
Last week I, very spontaneously, joined in Toby's sister Sophie's 2-day trip to the monastery at the Col de Grand-Saint-Bernard in Switzerland. It was FABULOUS. Sophie had organized a guide to take her on snowshoes (most people do it as a ski tour) up to the monastery for an overnight stay. Toby's other sister, Kate, and I joined in.
The monastery is at the highest point of the pass between Switzerland and Italy, and is where they began using St Bernard dogs (hence their name) to rescue pilgrims from perishing in the snow as they crossed the path into Italy on their pilgrimage to Rome. But while monks still live there and offer a spiritual community to 'pilgrims' (distinguished from 'guests' who are people who make the trek for other reasons, like us), the dogs are no longer there. The breed has been 'retired' as mountain rescue dogs since they are now too big and cumbersome to fit in helicopters. On our return though we did go to the St Bernard Dog Museum in Martigny for lunch and a good cuddle with the St Bernard's that are still kept there.
The tour was challenging - the ascent and the altitude made sure of that - but we were blessed with blue skies, sunshine and a TON of snow. It is really remarkable how much snow there is for this time of year - Ian, our guide, had been doubtful that we would be able to snowshoe up at the end of April, but lack of snow was not an issue. Avalanche danger, on the other hand, was. The day before had been very snowy and foggy, which would have made navigating the walk rather treacherous. We were lucky with great weather, though, and the way through the valley (including the rather ominously named 'Valley of Death' - no doubt because quite a few pilgrims perished in avalanches there) was clear.
The monastery was also a delight - very clean, very calm and very peaceful. After our three hour ascent I spent my time reading in the silent lounge in the sunshine and enjoying the mountain views. The monks (and employees - the community has other workers who are not monks to cater to the tourists) prepared a three-course meal in the evening for their guests, and there was home baked bread with butter and jam and hot milk and coffee for breakfast the next day.
Sophie and I and our guide, Ian, did an extra walk the next morning down to the lake on the other side of the monastery, and were sure to put a foot over the border into Italy, just to say we did.
The pictures best show the beauty of the mountains - it was absolute bliss being up amongst them.
Sophie and Kate, setting off
Sophie sent me some more pix of the trip - so I can add a few that actually have some pictures of me in them! The conditions made for a lot of putting on and taking off of kit - there was a cold wind but it got amazingly hot in the sunshine. (See if you can spot the baguette we brought along for lunch.)
