View from Loriaz*

I simply couldn't face the laptop again today & though the day faded it started so well that I decided I'd recce a couple of next week's walks. It won't be a challenging week - so I was able to do one in the morning & another in the afternoon. The morning was an wander along the petit balcon Sud, all the while over shadowed by the sky reaching point of the Dru - such an iconic scarred ,mountain - but better was to come.
After a fine lunch at the Hotel du Buet I ambled up to the Cascade du Berard - simply spectacular - but realistically beyond my ability as a blipster to do justice to - & then I headed higher heading for the Chalet (refuge) Loriaz. And how simply glorious it was - I must have seen at least 30 different wildflowers (some hopefully in the extra if I can make it work), had a close encounter with a cuckoo & didn't see a soul all day;
My route climbed through forest interspersed with clearings - I passed stunning fields of orchids and cotton grass - bellflowers and lupins were everywhere - and most of the time it was to a soundtrack of birdsong and rushing waterfalls.
As ever that moment when you emerge from the treeline into the high sub-alpine zone at around 2000m took my breath away - it was so beautiful - and I like it when the mountains loom with a sense of menace - telling you they're not to be taken lightly.
I grabbed a coffee at the refuge & quickly turned for the valley - a steep fast descent, with just one fantastic treat left. As I paused in the forest to take a drink my eye caught a movement and a pine marten jumped onto the track with what looked like a baby rabbit in it's mouth. We stared at each other in surprise for a second - and then he left down the hill into the undergrowth and was gone.

* I know some of you really like to know - Mount Oreb left with Aig. de Loriaz to the right.