Tour De Mont Blanc - Day 10 - Last Day

Everyone was awake and getting sorted by about 6.15am for breakfast at 6.30am. We managed to beat the crowds, and it was actually a really good breakfast, with plenty of choice. We all started making cheese and ham sandwiches for later in the day and had them sitting on the tables in front of us when Victor got “caught” and was told that packed lunches weren't allowed. We all immediately looked away, carefully stashed our contraband and left as quickly as possible!

Our last day today, which is a bit of a shame as this has been such a fantastic trip and we've all really enjoyed it. And this last place, La Grande Ourse, has been a great place to spend our final night. It's such a step up from what we've become used to on the trail that it would probably have given us completely unrealistic expectations if we'd stayed somewhere like this every night!

We set off earlier than planned as we were all ready by 7.40am. We walked through the village until we reached a campsite and then started the ascent. We knew we'd be in the shade for the first couple of hours and could see roughly where we'd eventually emerge at the top.

It was through woodland to begin with and, as usual, I soon found myself falling behind. This was definitely a challenging climb as it was another 900m ascent, but the views were too good to complain about, and we just kept going.

We could see a ridge in the distance ahead of us. There was a building sitting up there, and it seemed a very long way away. With only one proper stop, it took us about three hours to get there, winding and zigzagging our way upwards the whole time.

Eventually, we reached the ridge and, as usual, the view made all the hard work worthwhile.

We were looking down into the valley with Chamonix sitting on the valley floor and Mont Blanc and the surrounding range dominating the skyline. Once again, absolutely spectacular. Even better, we could see the area where we'd set off eight days earlier and realise that we'd actually walked right around the back of the entire range.

We'd completed the Tour du Mont Blanc!

We sat there for quite a while taking it all in, taking photos, recording videos and getting plenty of team pictures. It was one of those moments where you just want to sit and absorb everything that's around you rather than immediately rushing off.

Eventually, it was time to start the descent. We followed the ridge for a while, with the Mont Blanc range providing an incredible backdrop behind us, before heading down into the woods.

The descent was another 900m, and this one felt never-ending. It was steep, rocky and full of tree roots, and as we got lower into the valley, the temperature started to rise again. It was exhausting, but we just kept plodding on.

Nearly three hours later, we finally reached the train station that would take us back to Chamonix. There were plenty of hugs and congratulations all round as we realised we'd actually done it. We then jumped on the train for the 20-minute journey back.

A few final photos outside the hotel, and then we got our rooms, went upstairs and basically collapsed!

We sorted our bags, showered and got ourselves ready before heading out again. Tash, Steve, Victor and I met up with Ching, Ang and Tong for a drink and some fries around 4.45pm. Ang and Tong then headed back to their room, while the rest of us went to the Pont Rose restaurant, which was gorgeous.

Manu joined us, followed by Madeline, Mary-Lou and Kathy, and we had a drink together. I paid for this one. It was a bit of an expensive round, but it felt like a nice thing to do after everyone had been so generous throughout the week.

We then headed to the restaurant that Manu had booked for us. It was another really nice place, quite quirky and very French, although expensive! €12 for a pint was enough to make me decline that particular pleasure, although I did have some of the wine that Steve bought.

The food was excellent, and we'd had a whip-round to give Manu a tip. Steve did a lovely little speech, which went down very well and was a fitting way to thank him for getting us around the TMB safely and making the whole experience so enjoyable.

Once we'd finished, the girls and Ching's parents went back to the hotel, but that wasn't the plan for the rest of us.

We headed towards a fete, although the music was jazz and, to be honest, it wasn't particularly good, so we crossed over to the bar opposite the hotel and settled in there instead.

The music was good, the DJ was decent, and it was full of young people having a great time. It was exactly what you'd imagine an après-ski bar to be like, except it was the middle of summer!

Eventually, we decided we'd better call it a night and wandered back to the hotel and off to bed.

What a fantastic break. Absolutely loved it.

End of Day Summary

And that's it. The Tour du Mont Blanc is done.

Eight days of walking, climbing, descending, sweating, aching, eating, drinking, laughing and getting to know a brilliant group of people. There were some bloody hard climbs, and there were definitely moments when I wondered why I'd thought this was a good idea, but every difficult section was rewarded with another spectacular view.

I'm particularly pleased that I found my own rhythm. I'm never going to be the quickest up a mountain, and there were plenty of occasions when I was right at the back, but I got there every time. Slow and steady seems to be my mountain strategy!

The scenery has been genuinely breathtaking, and, looking back at where we started and realising that we walked right around the Mont Blanc massif, it's quite an achievement.

And the group has made it even better. Everyone has been brilliant. Manu was a fantastic guide, and we've somehow ended up with a group of people who genuinely seemed to enjoy each other's company.

I'm knackered, my legs have had enough, and I'm looking forward to a proper bed tonight, but I wouldn't change any of it.

We came to walk the Tour du Mont Blanc. We bloody well did it.

Tour De Mont Blanc - Day 9

Not too bad a night's sleep all things considered, mainly because I was in a deep sleep until about 1.00am. Then I woke up and hid under the blanket with my phone, watching the BBC text updates on the England v Norway quarter-final.

Steve was doing exactly the same thing on his bunk.

Unfortunately, the game went to extra time, but thankfully Jude Bellingham scored his second of the match and we held on to win 2-1.

That meant it was now 1.50am, but I eventually managed to fall back into a deep sleep until around 5.30am.

Tash wasn't particularly happy with me.

Apparently every time I moved, the whole bed moved, and she was on the top bunk. She said she wanted to throw things at me and that it was her worst night's sleep of the whole trek.

Ah well. I can't help it if I can't get comfortable!

We were awake bright and early for breakfast at 6.30am, got everything packed and then caught the 7.15am bus. We wound through the hills and lower meadows for about 50 minutes before reaching the end of the line.

Most of us snoozed along the way. The driver was a bit of a character and was really helpful, getting out and helping everyone with their bags.

We got ourselves sorted and then set off.

The first hour was downhill, which made a nice change and was a good warm-up for the day. Then it merged into the uphill slog.

And this seemed to go on forever.

We stopped after about an hour for a drink and some snacks and Manu pointed out where we were heading.

It looked daunting.

And it was.

Quite quickly I ended up at the back and, unusually, even Kathy had gone ahead of me. What I hadn't realised was just how badly Victor was struggling. He was miles behind me, which is incredibly unusual for him.

He clearly hasn't been his normal self today. He seemed to have absolutely no energy, and later he slept in his bed in the dorm for two hours before dinner and then went straight to bed after eating.

Hopefully he'll be okay tomorrow.

Back to the walking...

The second hour seemed to drag and drag. At one point I was a bit worried because there were a couple of route options, but thankfully I'd chosen correctly and Kathy and I eventually made it to the café.

We'd ordered our food the day before, so I had salami and bread, which was great. Although with the heat and the amount of water I'd been drinking, I wasn't particularly hungry.

Still ate the lot though!

The views overlooking the valley were amazing. There was this hidden city sitting down in a huge U-shaped valley and it looked fantastic from where we were.

After lunch we got ourselves ready to move on and thankfully there was only another 15 minutes of uphill before we reached the top.

Then...

Two hours of downhill.

Much more my sort of thing!

We trudged along as normal and, as always, the group gradually split up as everyone found their own pace and rhythm. I was near the back, just ahead of Ang and Tong.

We passed loads of people on mountain bikes, all of them pushing their bikes uphill.

I have to admit I'm not entirely sure of the point of it. Going downhill at any sort of speed would surely be impossible on this terrain.

But it's up to them, I suppose!

After about an hour we reached the shop we'd been told about. Bought a Coke, sat down and rested for a while before cracking on for the final 45 minutes.

Again, all downhill, and it was actually lovely to be in a world of my own for a while and think about all sorts of things. I even tried making some notes on my phone while walking without falling over.

I managed it.

More mountain bikers were coming uphill, along with plenty of other hikers, and before too long we could see our accommodation for the night, miles away down in the valley.

It actually didn't take us too long to get there.

We checked in and found ourselves in another eight-bed dorm, but this one was excellent.

The beds, room, showers and toilets were all brilliant. It was the complete opposite of some of the places we've stayed in.

If only the other dorms had been this quality, the trek would have been absolutely amazing.

It already is, obviously, but this sort of "luxury" would have been the icing on the cake.

Tash and I couldn't be bothered to queue for a shower straight away, so we grabbed a couple of beers and relaxed in the hammocks, taking in the surroundings.

Steve came down and we played Cornhole – the bean-bag throwing game – and he beat me.

Good fun.

Had another drink, then eventually went and showered and got ourselves sorted.

Back downstairs, I bought a round for those who were around and we sat chatting and relaxing in the shade of the trees. It was a lovely hour or so, just chilling out and gradually finding out more about everyone's lives away from the trek.

At 6.45pm we went in for dinner.

Another drink.

Four pints for me tonight.

I don't mind though!

Dinner was excellent – probably the best yet – and once again we all chatted and enjoyed the evening.

Except Victor, as I've mentioned already. Such a shame he's not feeling himself.

After dinner some people went off to bed, but it was only 8.00pm and far too early for some of us.

Steve and I renewed our Cornhole rivalry.

To absolutely no avail.

He thrashed me.

Meanwhile Manu, Tash and Ching had gone off for a wander to the pink church.

When they came back, we played the two girls against me and Steve at Cornhole, with Manu sitting there watching us all with amusement.

We won the first game, but the last one was 10-9 to us.

Very exciting.

Very competitive.

And completely ridiculous when you think about it. It's amazing how even the simplest game can bring out everyone's competitive side!

Eventually we called it a day and went to bed around 9.30pm.

I stayed up for a while doing my diary and listening to music before finally turning in at around 10.30pm.

End of Day Summary

What a great day.

The ascents were really hard work today. That long climb in particular felt like it went on forever and I was struggling towards the back, but I got there.

And that's becoming the thing I'm taking from this trek.

I might be slow. I might be right at the back sometimes. I might look like I'm about to collapse when everyone else seems to be strolling along happily...

But I get there.

And once you're standing there looking down into these enormous valleys and across the mountains, you realise it's completely worth every sweaty, painful step.

The downhill sections are definitely more my thing, and being able to just wander along at my own pace for a couple of hours today was actually really enjoyable.

The other big thing is the group. We're now properly comfortable with each other, and the evenings are becoming as enjoyable as the walking. The Cornhole rivalry is getting slightly ridiculous, but it's brilliant fun.

Hopefully Victor is okay tomorrow because he's definitely not himself today.

And we've now got just a couple of days left.

We're getting there. 🏔️

Tour De Mont Blanc - Day 8

Not the best night's sleep, but clearly I got some shut-eye so no complaints. Victor's alarm went off at 5.00am, but we didn't need to get up for another 45 minutes, so I closed my eyes and made the most of those extra few minutes I'd been given.

Got my bag sorted and went down for breakfast, which wasn't particularly good. To make matters worse, those fucking flies were all over the food. So it was Coco Pops and coffee for me, then outside to wait for everyone.

We set off at 6.40am. Manu was concerned about the weather and wanted to get us moving early to avoid the afternoon storms that his weather app was predicting.

We started with a steep slope to warm us up, followed by a long traverse for an hour or so. We then descended about 300m, walked a few hundred metres along the bottom of the valley and then started ascending again – another 300m or so – towards the refuge where we were stopping for drinks.

This was quite hard and, unsurprisingly, I ended up at the back and was left behind. It was exhausting.

Got there eventually, as I always do, and had 15 minutes to recover before we set off for the 800m climb.

Fuck me, that was hard.

Thankfully it wasn't as hot as it has been, but it was still incredibly draining. By this point it was me and Kathy at the back by some distance, but there was no pressure and no particular pace that we had to maintain, which is good.

We made it in about 70 minutes, despite the expected time being 90 minutes, so I was actually pretty pleased with that.

We sat at the top of the rise – the highest point of the entire trek at 2,500 metres – and took in the views while we rested.

Then we had to hit the trail again and, within about 10 metres, we were in Switzerland!

The change in scenery as we crossed the pass was amazing. On the Italian side we'd had these rough, rugged mountains and glaciers, whereas Switzerland suddenly opened up into lush green meadows.

There were still enormous mountains towering above us, but somehow they didn't seem quite as harsh and rugged.

We continued for another hour or so on a steady downhill until we reached the next refuge, where we had a milkshake made from milk from the local cows and a cheese and ham "toastie", also supposedly from the local cows. It was excellent.

Then the predicted rain arrived.

We decided to wait for a while, the temperature dropped and it became quite chilly. I was writing this at the time, waiting for the green light to continue and hoping the rain would ease off.

It didn't.

The heavens opened and we had proper thunder and lightning. Everyone piled into the food hall to wait it out.

As it turned out, we were incredibly lucky. Manu's food order had been delayed by half an hour, so we'd already been sitting there waiting. Had it arrived when it was supposed to, we'd have been caught right in the middle of the storm.

Phew.

We eventually set off around 2.45pm, meaning we'd spent nearly three hours at the refuge because of the weather. During that time quite a few of us had actually fallen asleep – we were absolutely knackered.

We put on our waterproofs, both jackets and leggings. I have to admit I was a little jealous of some of the proper rain jackets people had, but I had my trusty poncho.

And I'll be honest – I was absolutely delighted with it.

It covered my backpack, kept me completely dry and worked an absolute treat.

The storm had abated to constant drizzle by the time we set off, which continued for about an hour. Manu took us along a different route to the one most people normally use. He really doesn't like walking along pavements and roads, and we benefit from that because we're generally taken along proper trails, mud and all.

We went through an area with a load of cows that seemed to be fighting, which wasn't particularly enjoyable, and then continued on to our accommodation.

It was actually a nice hotel/hostel and we ended up in a room with four bunk beds – eight of us in total. Tong and Ang went into another dorm. They really don't care about anything, as would become apparent shortly afterwards!

We got ourselves sorted and went down for showers.

There were four shower cubicles, but they were mixed and the only privacy was provided by a very thin shower curtain. One of them didn't even have a curtain.

Tong took that one.

Ang was wandering around naked too.

It was absolutely mental and surreal.

I managed to have a shower while maintaining what little modesty was available and then got myself sorted back in the room.

Lewis and Charl called while Charl and Miles were up there visiting him, and we had a lovely FaceTime call. They've got it incredibly hot over there at the moment and everyone is suffering, so it was great to catch up with them. It'll be nice to go up and see them when we get back.

After that I had a wander around some of the shops underneath the hotel. I was very tempted by a couple of T-shirts, but things are expensive over here in Switzerland so I decided against it.

Hope I don't regret that decision.

Back upstairs and the group were already downstairs. Mary-Lou bought me a drink, which was lovely and very generous, and I stayed down with them.

Tash came down, then Manu joined us and eventually the whole group was together again.

We had another cheese-tasting experience and today's was easily the best. Manu had bought quite a hard cheese which was absolutely delicious.

My favourite by an absolute mile.

We then had a lovely dinner – salad, chicken curry/casserole with rice and then chocolate mousse for dessert.

The chocolate mousse was to die for.

Absolutely amazing.

We had another drink and then, one by one, people started heading off to bed. It was only 7.30pm!

Tash and I were pretty much left behind, so we went for a walk through the village. There wasn't really much there, so we came back and were upstairs in the bedroom by about 8.15pm.

I would have happily had another beer, but that wasn't happening.

So I got a few things sorted and then started writing my diary. It's now 8.45pm and almost the entire group is asleep.

There is, of course, the England v Norway quarter-final tonight, but over here kick-off is 11.00pm.

That's too late.

Not sure what to expect anyway. Hopefully England will do it and we'll get to watch the semi-final next week, but I'm not expecting anything.

It's been a good day today. The climbs were painful, I have to say, although it seems that some of the others who didn't show it and got to the top without too much fuss found it just as hard.

That doesn't actually make me feel any better because I know how much I struggled.

I can do it, but I can't do it at anyone else's pace. It has to be my slow and steady pace.

Which, let's be honest, is basically a snail's crawl!

Tash and I keep giggling about Tong and Ang wandering around naked without a care in the world. They're such a lovely, friendly couple. Hopefully we'll all be that comfortable with each other by the end of this.

Early start again tomorrow. Breakfast at 6.30am and the bus at 7.12am.

We can't miss that one.

End of Day Summary

Another bloody good day, although definitely one of the harder ones physically.

That 800m climb was a proper test for me and I was really struggling towards the back, but getting to the top in 70 minutes rather than the expected 90 minutes is something I should probably give myself a bit of credit for.

And then crossing into Switzerland at the highest point of the trek was a brilliant moment. The change in landscape was spectacular and probably one of those moments I'll remember for a long time.

The weather certainly made things interesting. The storm was incredible and we were very lucky to be sitting safely inside when it really kicked off. The poncho proved its worth too – probably one of the better bits of kit I've brought with me.

The group continues to get better and better. We're laughing, eating, drinking and generally taking the piss out of each other now, which is exactly what you want on something like this.

And then there's Tong and Ang.

Still can't get over the nakedness. 😂

Tomorrow is another early start and another day on the trail. I'm definitely aching tonight, but we're getting very close to the end now.

One more big push.

Tour De Mont Blanc - Day 7 - Wedding Anniversary

It’s our 33rd wedding anniversary today! Just wow!

We had a bit of a lie-in this morning as we didn't need to get up until 7.15am, which felt very civilised compared with some of our previous starts. Got sorted, had breakfast, checked out and then gathered in reception ready to go.

We set off through the town and, to be honest, it felt like we were only just waking up for the first few hours…which was probably because we were!

It seemed particularly hot today, even though we were walking through woodland for much of the morning. Before too long I found myself at the back and decided to just let everyone get on at their own pace. There was no point trying to keep up and burning myself out.

The amount of sweat pouring off me was ridiculous. I was absolutely drenched by the time I eventually reached the top after about two hours. Everyone was waiting for me, but it was fine.

And the views from the top were absolutely stunning.

I got some great photos and videos, hopefully, although as usual there's no way a camera can really capture what you're seeing. Manu then took us on a detour around the side of the mountain which I suspect not many people get to see. It was a brilliant little diversion and gave us some completely different views.

It was also lovely because everyone wished us well for our anniversary and I shared some photos from the day. It's really nice how much we've all started to bond as a group.

We then made our way to a café for lunch where we shared some pasta, and Steve bought it for us as an anniversary present. That was really kind of him. He's a great lad.

It was hot again when we left and, before long, we were heading uphill once more. Eventually it levelled out but we still couldn't really pick up the pace.

We were walking through a huge U-shaped valley, which I found fascinating from a geographical point of view. Manu kept stopping to explain things and give us some context about what we were seeing, which makes such a difference.

But most of the time I was just looking around and trying to take it all in.

There were glaciers everywhere in the rocks and terrain on the other side of the valley. It was simply mesmerising. You could walk for hours and still be discovering something new every time you looked up.

We eventually stopped at a bridge where we could paddle our increasingly weary feet in the water. It felt bloody lovely.

Unfortunately, there was quite a lot of cloud building and we could hear thunder in the distance. Manu assured us it would miss us.

It didn't.

As the occasional drops of rain became more persistent, I stopped and put the rain cover over my backpack before carrying on. With about 20 minutes left, the rain really started coming down and, as we got closer to the refuge, it turned into hail.

That was bloody painful!

Eventually I made it under cover and we all got ourselves sorted. We're all in the same room again, with the girls on one side and the boys on the other. It's such a funny setup when you think about it, but everyone just accepts it as completely normal.

Shower, clothes changed and then we sat outside with a beer. Thankfully the rain had stopped by then.

Gradually everyone came down and Manu talked us through tomorrow's plans. There's rain forecast around midday, so he wants us to get away early – 6.45am departure – which means another long day.

There's also quite a big ascent which I'm not particularly looking forward to, but that's what I'm here to do!

We had dinner and, honestly, it was probably the best meal we've had since starting the trek. Celery salad, tomato pasta (again!), beef stew with puréed potato and panna cotta for dessert.

They also gave Tash and me a toast for our anniversary, which was a lovely touch.

It's such a good group. We're all getting on really well and there seems to be a genuine affection developing between everyone, which makes the whole experience even better.

After dinner everyone gradually disappeared off to bed. I got some fresh air for a while before coming back upstairs and spending about 45 minutes writing this diary.

And now I'm done.

End of Day Summary

Another brilliant day, and one that's been made particularly special by our anniversary.

33 years of marriage is a pretty amazing milestone when you stop and think about it, and to be celebrating it together in the middle of the Alps, surrounded by these incredible mountains, is something we'll certainly remember.

The hiking was tough today, mainly because of the heat and that relentless uphill section, but the scenery more than made up for it. The glaciers, the valley, the mountains and then getting caught in a proper Alpine storm all added to the experience.

And the group really have become a proper little team now. Everyone wishing us well, Steve buying us lunch, the toast at dinner and just generally everyone looking out for each other made today feel quite special.

Tomorrow sounds like it's going to be a proper day in the mountains, though.

Early start, big climb and rain forecast.

Bring it on. 😁

Tour De Mont Blanc - Day 6

Woke up to a message on the group from Mary-Lou, sent at 1.30am asking Manu to come and see her. She'd been even more ill during the night and had decided to stay with us, but take it easier on the next leg and use the bus rather than hike the whole way. I honestly thought she might have decided to jack it in completely, so it was good to hear she'd be carrying on.

We had a nice breakfast, made some sandwiches for later and then jumped on the minibus to the rafting place.

We sorted out all the preliminaries and then had our safety briefing. Wetsuits, helmets and life jackets on, followed by a practice run of all the instructions we'd be getting shouted at during the trip. Down, position, forward, back and a couple of others that thankfully we didn't need!

Then we were hosed down with cold water before getting onto the boat. Basically a baptism in freezing glacial water before we'd even started!

And then we were off.

Because of the hot weather and all the melted snow and ice, the river was absolutely flying. It was a proper torrent – wild, fast and full-on – and it was fantastic.

Our boat had me and Ching right at the front, Steve and Victor behind us and Tash and Manu at the back. Ching and I got absolutely soaked from the word go. There was no escaping it!

It was crazy and exhilarating. It was also bloody hard work. You're paddling constantly, trying to stay balanced while the boat is being thrown around all over the place. But that was what made it so good. It felt like we'd done a proper white-water rafting experience rather than some gentle tourist version.

Everyone was absolutely buzzing.

We must have been going for about 40 minutes before reaching the end, where the pickup crew were waiting. They'd been getting ahead of us during the descent and were standing on bridges taking photos, which we were able to buy afterwards.

Then, about 10 metres from the bank, we all jumped overboard and experienced the proper freezing water. Bloody hell. It was unbelievably cold and I certainly wouldn't have wanted to stay in there for long!

We loaded the three boats onto the trailer and drove to another location. Then came one of those moments where you think, "Are we actually supposed to be doing this?"

We pushed the boats over the road railings about 15ft down, climbed over ourselves, somehow levelled everything out and then Manu and Victor split us into two groups of four before we headed off for another run.

This second section was shorter but somehow even more intense. The instructions changed rapidly from "get down" to "position" to "forward" and back again, so we were working really hard to keep up.

It was one hell of a workout.

We eventually reached the end, loaded the boats back onto the trailer and headed back to base.

There we showered and cleaned ourselves up, then sat down with biscuits and cold tea while we watched a PowerPoint presentation of the photos they'd taken during the rafting. Victor bought them and we all chipped in. They're actually really good and will make a great additional memento from the trip.

We grabbed some fruit from the local supermarket and then walked the short distance to the spa.

And what a fantastic place!

There were loads of different areas and pools, rooms with jets of water acting as massages, plunge pools, hot and cold pools and all sorts of other things. We found ourselves a base and just wandered around trying everything out.

It was baking hot, so I didn't fancy sleeping in the heat, but eventually found a pool that was more lukewarm and absolutely perfect. I sat there for about an hour listening to music and just enjoying a bit of solitude.

Exactly what I needed after the rafting.

At 5.30pm it was "happy hour", so we showered and got changed before heading into the restaurant/bar area where the food and drinks were included.

There were some nice little snacks and Prosecco, so me, Tash and Ching made the most of it and had about three glasses each. Why not?!

The minibus picked us up and took us back into Courmayeur. The Canadian ladies were already in the bar where we'd arranged to meet, so I went over and chatted with them for about 15 minutes about the day. They were very interested in the rafting and wanted to hear all about it.

I then went back to the hotel, got myself sorted and came down again shortly afterwards.

Dinner was at the same place as the previous evening. There was far too much food again, but it was good and we certainly weren't complaining.

Afterwards we went for a walk, partly to show Mary-Lou where she needed to catch her bus the following morning, and some of the group stopped for ice cream.

As 10.00pm approached, we headed towards an Argentinian bar because it was the only place showing the France v Morocco game. The owner looked remarkably like Maradona, which amused us.

There was absolutely no chance of getting inside – it was rammed – so Steve bought the round and we stood outside in the street with loads of other people watching through the windows.

It was fine, but we were tired and couldn't really see the TV anyway, so we finished our drinks and left Manu with all his guide mates to enjoy the rest of his evening.

On the way back to the hotel we passed Tong sitting on a wall enjoying the cigar he'd bought the previous night.

And that was pretty much it.

Back to the hostel and off to bed.

End of Day Summary

What a bloody great day. The white-water rafting was absolutely fantastic and probably one of the highlights of the whole trip so far. It was exhilarating, properly hard work and just a brilliant experience to share with everyone. We were all absolutely buzzing afterwards.

The spa was the perfect follow-up too – completely different pace and exactly what we needed after getting battered around in a glacial river.

The group is getting on brilliantly now and there's a really nice atmosphere between everyone. Lots of laughs, lots of shared experiences and everyone looking after each other.

Only downside?

We've got to walk again tomorrow. 😂

And after today, I'm not sure my legs have received that particular memo.

Tour De Mont Blanc - Day 5

Cold night's sleep last night. The door had been left open and it got bloody cold, but at least it was a quieter night than the previous one!

We got up and set off down through the woodland trail, with the glacial waters rushing down the gorge alongside us. It was a really pleasant walk and, as usual, there was a fantastic view around practically every corner. Even when you stopped and turned around, there was something else worth photographing. You could spend the whole day just taking photos.

We settled into a nice rhythm, chatting to each other for a while and then putting our headphones on and listening to music. It was a fairly easy walk too, which was very welcome after the previous couple of days.

We were due to be picked up by a bridge at the end of the trail and had about half an hour to kill, so a few of us dumped our bags and went down to the water. We got our feet and legs into the glacial water.

Bloody hell, it was cold! But it actually felt really good, especially on the feet and calves. A natural ice bath!

The minibus arrived and took us about 20 minutes to Courmayeur, where we checked into our hotel for the next two nights. It was very nice to have a proper room, a proper bed and our own space after the last two nights in dormitories. Luxury!

Had a shower, caught up with the internet and then created a PhotoCircle group so we can all share our photos from the trip. I also had a call with the kids (well, not Charlotte!) downstairs in the foyer.

Then Tash, Steve, Victor and I went for a wander through Courmayeur, stopped for an ice cream and eventually found a bar where we settled down for a drink.

Manu happened to walk past, so we persuaded him to join us. Then Ang, Tong and Ching found us too, and suddenly we had a decent little group together having beers and chatting.

We then headed off to the pizza place that Manu had organised. Tong had paid for the drinks earlier, which was incredibly generous of him. 

The pizza place was really nice, and we had a great evening. Steve somehow managed to get Tong and Ang talking about their relationship and how they'd actually met when they were four and six years old in their village. It was fascinating listening to them talk about it, and really fascinating to get to know more about their lives outside of this trip.

It was just a very relaxed evening. No rush, no trekking, no worrying about the next climb – just good food, drinks and conversation with a really nice group of people who are definitely getting closer as the days go on.

We paid up and headed back to the hotel. By then, the three Canadian ladies had returned from their spa day and seemed to have had a great time. It's a shame they're missing out on the meal and the evening with us, but they seemed perfectly happy with their decision.

Tash and I came back to the room, did a bit of social media scrolling, and I got on with writing this before finally calling it a night.

It's only 10.00pm, and I'm tired, so that's probably a good sign!

End of Day Summary:
Another really enjoyable day, although very different from the first couple. The walking was relatively easy, the scenery was spectacular as usual and it was great to get into Courmayeur and have a proper hotel for a couple of nights. More importantly, the group seems to be getting on better and better and we're having some really good conversations. A chance to relax, wash some clothes and recharge before the next couple of days of hiking. A very good day.

Tour De Mont Blanc - Day 4

Oh my goodness, the guy in the opposite bunk snored so loudly all night. Thank God for earplugs! The lodge came alive from about 5.00am by my reckoning, with people getting up and going to the bathroom, and because it was a wooden structure, every little movement seemed to resonate throughout the whole building.

I didn't sleep particularly well. There was always that concern about bedbugs (thankfully, no need to worry!) and then just being in an unfamiliar bed and strange place. I think my brain was probably more awake than I realised.

Got up around 6.15am, sorted the bedding and tidied everything away, then went down for breakfast. It was simple but good enough – coffee, croissant and cereal – and then we sorted our bags and were ready to leave around 7.30am.

We knew what was ahead of us today: walking uphill all morning until around 1.00pm. Can't say I was particularly looking forward to that, but it's hardly a surprise and it's exactly what we're here for!

We had a fairly steep rise for about 10 minutes and then settled into a steady walk through the meadows on a gravel path. We were accompanied by the sound of cow bells, which was actually really nice. Manu explained that the bells allow the farmers to locate the cows when it's time to bring them in for milking twice a day.

Because of the mountains to our east, we were walking in the shade for much of the morning, although it was a bright, clear and sunny day, and the mountains catching the sun on the other side looked spectacular.

We settled into a slow and steady pace. Tash had forgotten her poles after one of our breaks and had to run back for them, but thankfully, we'd not got too far when she realised, and then the gradient became steeper as we started crossing sections of snow - that was really cool (literally) as we had to traverse glacial snow. There were plenty of stops along the way, partly because of the flowers and fauna that Manu kept pointing out, but also because there was no reason to rush.

Eventually, we reached the top overlooking another valley. I honestly don't think you can get bored with these views. They're just amazing.

We even spotted some ibex, which was a real bonus, and then carried on towards the summit. We were still going upwards, but it wasn't painful, and I felt like I'd managed my pace really well. Slow and steady seemed to be working.

Actually, I really enjoyed today. It was hard work, but the reward at the top and the scenery all around us made it completely worthwhile. You can walk through these landscapes for hours and still find yourself stopping to look around because there's something new to see.

We then dropped about 100 metres down to the lodge for lunch, where we had pizza and sat outside taking it all in. The only downside was the flies, which were becoming increasingly annoying!

After lunch, we headed downhill for about an hour, eventually reaching an abandoned farmer's hut where we stopped and listened to Manu explain more about the meadows, farming and how the cheese is produced. It was really interesting and gave us a much better understanding of how important the whole landscape is to the local farmers.

Another hour or so of walking and we eventually reached the bottom of the valley. There was a restaurant there which is run by some of Manu's former students – he was a teacher before becoming a guide – so we stopped for some well-earned beers.

Manu also bought some cheese for us, a really nice Beaufort from the summer co-operative. There was plenty of chat about where the cheese is made, how it differs depending on which part of the valley or town it comes from, and all the various traditions around it.

The group is getting on better and better as well. There are loads of chats now, and everyone seems much more comfortable with each other, which is making the whole experience even better.

At around 5.00pm, the buses arrived, and we had a short transfer to the local hostel. We were high up on the road and could see the building below us, joking that surely that must be where we were staying.

It was.

We walked down a short way and discovered our accommodation for the night. We knew we'd all be together, but it was still a bit of a surprise when we realised it was basically a converted cow barn!

There were slatted beds and mattresses running down either side of the room. The boys took one side and the girls the other, with at least a mattress-width between each person. It was certainly going to be another interesting night!

Got ourselves sorted and had a much-needed shower before heading outside for another drink in the sunshine. We then got into a game of pétanque (boules), which turned surprisingly competitive.

The boys won 3–2. Obviously. 😂

Dinner was at 7.00pm, and there were loads of people staying here. The food came out and, once again, it was really tasty, and there was plenty of it.

There was loads of chatting around the table, and then, during dessert, the host brought out a wind-up organ and played a number of tunes for us. It was brilliant and added to the whole experience.

Once dinner finished, most people headed off to bed, although a few of us stayed up to charge our phones. Steve and I played Scrabble while Tash and Mary-Lou played some sort of shapes game.

By about 9.40pm we'd had enough and decided it was time to call it a night.

There's absolutely no phone coverage down here, which feels very strange but, at the same time, it's actually quite nice to be completely cut off from everything. No notifications, no messages, no work – just us, the mountains and a converted cow barn!

I'm definitely aching more tonight than I was yesterday, although today wasn't anywhere near as strenuous. Hopefully, I'll wake up tomorrow feeling okay. We've been told tomorrow is even less strenuous, but I'm taking that with a fairly large pinch of salt!

End of day summary

Another brilliant day in the Alps. Today was hard work but much more enjoyable for me than yesterday. I found my pace, didn't push too hard and was able to properly enjoy the scenery rather than constantly thinking about how much further we had to go.

The mountains, valleys, snow, meadows, cows, ibex and endless views are just spectacular. It's difficult to explain quite how impressive it is when you're actually standing amongst it all.

The group is also really starting to gel now, which is making a big difference. There's plenty of laughing and chatting and we're becoming a proper little team.

The accommodation tonight is certainly going to be an experience, though! Let's see whether the snoring situation improves tonight... I'm not holding out much hope.