The heart of the Alps

A day trip to Italy today - out of season the usually crowded but always spectacular Val Feret was our own private wonderland. Showing C my favourite places has been great fun - but even I hadn't seen the valley looking like this - on the Southern slopes of the range the Larch is the predominant tree - and the valley was a technicolor wonder of orange and yellow with flashes of red & green - all set off by a moody sky and the bright white of fresh snow and the cold blue of ancient ice.

We parked here under the Glacier de Frebouze and wandered up to the shut for the season Elena refuge - the views to Mont Dolent only surpassed when we turned around and looked along the length of the Grand Jorrasse (C has painted the other side of the range before - but I suspect a new painting might now be in the offing).

Returning to the car it was apparent that we'd been drawn to pull up at a special place - in this Blip you can see right to the central spine of this part of the Alps - Pointe Walker is just out out view - but the high skyline contains the Hirondelles, Febrouze & Petites Jorasses - needles of rock that make any mountaineers thoughts soar and hands itch.