You need to be organised with timings or lifts  as this is a straight walk without easy transport options at each end. There is a bus service from the nearest train station to the start of the walk (Bamford) which is on the Manchester-Sheffield line. At the other end, there are buses from Baslow to Sheffield.

If you come by car there are some free parking spaces in the lay-by just outside Fairholmes visitor centre, with more paid parking in the visitor centre.

This walk can be found in John Merrill’s Peak District End to End Walks

The route

Fairholmes – Lost Lad

From Fairholmes (where there is a café and public toilets), follow the footpath leading towards the Derwent Dam, passing beneath the dam wall and up the steps beside the tower to gain the track leading alongside the reservoir.

After half a mile or so you reach a bench and footpath sign on the right at the foot of Walker’s Clough. Take the path  up beside the steam to a gate where the path curves left and zigzags steeply up the bracken-clothed hillside to a cairn.

Continue ahead following the path signposted Strines via Bradfield Gate Head to cross a wall at a stile and bear right towards the moorland plateau of Green Stitches where the path becomes a broad grassy track.

When the track splits follow the left hand fork which leads to some steep steps up to the cairn on the first summit of the day at  Lost Lad (518 m).

From here the path undulates towards the rocky outcrop at Back Tor (538m), with an outstanding view back across the reservoir.

Derwent Edge

A good path leads along the start of Derwent Edge, passing the oddly named Cakes of Bread, then Dovestones Tor and gently down towards the Salt Cellar, a unique rock formation which lies just off the path on the right. The path continues along Derwent Edge past White Tor before heading down towards the Wheel Stones (also known as the coach and horses).

Beyond the Wheel stones, at a junction of paths, take the left path signed to Moscar which falls gently down the hillside past a line of grouse butts.  The path joins up with a farm track and passes through a gate with a wall now on your right. Continue to a junction and climb over the stile directly ahead of you (do not go on to the farm).  It can be boggy here by a stream but soon the path leads to a broad track past a house, emerging onto the Strines Road. Turn right onto the A57 and follow the road for 1/3 mile to a small lay-by with a footpath leading over a stile towards Stanage Edge.

Stanage Edge

Leave the A57 at a small lay-by where a footpath leads over a stile opposite Moscar Lodge. The path gently rises for almost a mile to the remains of a quarry at Stanage End.  Follow a good path up through the quarry and onto the edge.

The wide path keeps to the edge past Crow Chin to the trig point at High Neb (458m). Continue on, crossing a  ladder stile, and shortly after veer left to keep with the edge at an Open Country sign. (The path crosses the old causeway road that leads up to Stanage Pole here).

From here the edge gradually gains height again. You are likely to encounter people pulling up onto the rocks on this section of Stanage which is particularly popular with climbers.

The path continues on, eventually arriving at the trig point at the southern end of Stanage and then to the Cowper Stone where it crosses over the diminishing edge onto the heather moor.

Burbage Edge

Beyond the Cowper Stone the path descends towards the Sheffield – Ringinglow Road at Upper Burbage Bridge, where in summer months you might find an ice cream van. Follow the road towards the bridge where you have a choice:

• Take the path before the bridge from the parking area which leads over towards Higger Tor and Cark Wark before rejoining the path over Burbage Edge just beyond the pack-horse bridge.
• Or cross the bridge and go through the gate on a wide path which passes under the edge.
• For the third option look out for a path left that diverges from the track and goes across the top of Burbage.

All three paths rejoin and the track emerges onto the A6187 next to Burbage Bridge. Cross the road, enter the Longshaw Estate and turn left to follow the path to the B6054 where you can reach the Foxhouse Pub on the corner of the A625. To continue the route, cross the road and follow the driveway into Longshaw and take the path that leads by steps away from the café and information centre.

Follow the path through two gates, straight ahead on a grassy track through the Longshaw Country Park to reach the B6054 above the Grouse Inn. Turn right at a stile just beyond the pub to cross the field that leads towards to the car park. Follow the path through woodland and down to cross the river, ascending to the road where the continuing path to Frogatt Edge can be found on the other side.

Frogatt and Curbar Edges

The path leads through woodland and the odd gritstone outcrop can be seen glimpsed through the trees.

It continues up onto the Edge where large a boulder indicates you have arrived at the Froggatt Pinnacle. This is a spectacular edge and an another busy rock-climbing area.

The path continues to follow the edge which changes its name to Curbar as it continues for another 2 miles before leading down to Curbar Gap (where there is an ice cream van in summer).

Baslow Edge

Cross the road at Curbar Gap and take the path to Baslow Edge – choosing between the bridle path that leads across the moorland to the Eagle stone, or the path that wends its way along the edge.  Just beyond the Eagle stone you can cut the walk short if you are getting tired by taking the left fork that leads down towards the village at Baslow. However, the route continues, forking right towards the Wellington monument and following the path by a wall where Highland cattle are often grazing to the road. Turn right and walk down to the junction with the A621, crossing it to a stile on the other side.

Gardoms or Birchen Edge

Here, you have another choice – bear right to take the path on top of Gardoms Edge, ignoring a series of stiles used by climbers to access the first rocky outcrops and taking a stile to cross the fence onto Gardoms Edge. Follow the edge then follow the path down to a wall stile on the A619 Chesterfield road, just below the Robin Hood pub

Alternatively keep left to take either the path below Birchen Edge or the one that runs along the top.  The Birchen paths lead down to a stile, where you turn left and pass in front of the pub to the A619 until you pass the wall stile mentioned above.

Chatsworth Edge

On the other side of the A619 follow a concessionary footpath sign to Chatsworth Park. The path leads down steep steps to cross a stream and across pasture to a track that passes beneath the red stained rocks of Chatsworth Edge. Enter Chatsworth Park via a much higher wall stile and descend the grassy fields, where deer can often been spotted, heading more or less straight ahead until you reach an ornate kissing gate (the Cannon Gate) that leads to a track that leads to the end of the walk at Nether Baslow.  If you take the first gate on the left and follow that track it will bring you further along near the junction with of the A619 and A623.

Map

We tackled this walk on a warm spring day – a good weather forecast is essential as it’s a long day and there is little chance of cutting short the route apart from omitting Bowfell, which would be a shame as the views from the summit are outstanding.

The National Trust car park beside the Old Dungeon Ghyll fills up quickly so it’s good to make an early start – when we were there on an Easter weekend by 10 am there were no spaces at all. If that happens you can park back down the valley at the New Dungeon Ghyll, which means adding another 3/4 mile to the start and finish of the walk.

The route heads up the valley to Stool End Farm, where it branches up Oxendale. Most people were heading up The Band towards Bowfell, but we ignored that path and continued up to bridge over Oxendale Beck Although we didn’t have the path to ourselves, at least it was quieter for a while. After crossing the bridge and a first flattish section the paved path climbs steeply up the hillside onto Brown Howe – it’s hard work but it does get you up there fast. From Brown Howe the paths flattens out for a while and contours round, gently rising to another stiff pull up to a huge grassy plateau, in the back of which is Red Tarn lying beneath Pike O’Blisco. Though most people immediately turn right to carry on towards the Crinkle Crags it’s worth continuing on to the tarn where if you’re lucky there will be some amazing reflections of the crags in the water. Heading back towards the stony main path, the way continues up a broad hillside. We took the 1/4 mile detour onto the summit of Great Knott, to admire the first of the views over Langdale from its grassy top.

We retraced our steps to join the path and headed for First Crinkle. It is a bit of a clamber up among the rocks and there is a gully with a steep drop but a wide path circumvents it, so the going is good. This is the most exposed section of the walk, but nothing is really troubling. We stopped on the top to admire the views, the line of ridge tops rippling away into the distance. There is a photogenic view of the route ahead, which looks from here like an exposed ridge path but is actually nothing of the sort.

From the First Crinkle, the path dips down to a col where you have a choice of going right towards the bad step, or left up a steepish but easy grassy rake turning right to gain the summit of Long Top – the second crinkle. The Bad Step is a gully that is blocked by a large boulder (or chockstone) – to get around it requires a pull up to the right hand-side. We decided (like most people on the ridge that day) to avoid the Bad Step and take the alternate way around which is quite eroded but easy. It curves around to summit cairn of the Second Crinkle (also known as Long Top). The views from here are wonderful – to the north west are the Scafells, to the north east the Langdale Pikes and to the south the Coniston Fells.

The path heads on northwards, leading down steeply to the ridge path that turns out to be a broad path, admittedly with drops on one side but there is no need to get close to the edge.

From here it’s easy to lose the path as you make slight detours to climb the summits of the Third, Fourth and Fifth Crinkle, all slightly away from the main path.

Beyond the five Crinkles, the route crosses the summit on Shelter Crags and heads down to the col of the Three Tarns which lie below Bowfell. This is where we meet the path that comes up the The Band, our eventual descent.

Though the ascent of Bowfell can be considered optional – it takes time and can add to tiredness levels, it’s well worth it. It starts with a steep climb up a loose and rocky path to arrive at a broad area – from here people take one of many ways up the final summit cone, but the official path curves around and climbs up the back of the cone.

You probably won’t be alone on the top, but when we were there we were glad of the company. There was a blissful and communal sense of achievement of getting up to one of the high points in the lake district, watching hikers taking their last steps towards the summit of Scafell and gazing out at the layers of mountains, and beyond, the sea. There was a lovely relaxed atmosphere up there as people lay back on the rocks and basked in the sunshine.

From the summit you have to retrace your steps down the first section of an unyielding downward path. Once back at the three tarns the paved footpath down The Band is easy to spot and it continues its relentless, and for the most part paved, descent to the valley floor and back to the Old Dungeon Ghyll.

Map

There is a large car park in Edale – bring plenty of change as it is pay and display and cost us £5 for a day’s parking.

The Route

Take the road to The Old Nags Head Inn and follow the Grinds Brook path. Once on the other side of the river fork away to the right to climb the hill via zigzags onto the Nab. There are quite a few paths from here up onto the edges but it’s best to stay close to the arête that leads up to Ringing Roger. It looks rocky and steep, but actually the path winds its way quite easily and soon you are standing on the rocky formations of Ringing Roger enjoying the view.

Just behind the rock outcrops there is a fence with a stile which leads up to a large cairn on the circumnavigational path, turn right here and follow your nose! This section is a nice level stroll, crossing a few small streams, always with a lovely view across the valley to the Great Ridge.

Beyond Jaggers Clough there is a crossing of the ways, don’t fork left (which leads towards the Mad Woman’s Stones) but keep on going until you reach the eastern apex of Crookstone Knoll. There is sudden change in atmosphere here as the traffic on the Snake Pass road can be heard – in contrast to the quietness of the previous section. There are views across to Alport Castles and the Derwent Edges in the distance.

The path now turns left (westwards) along the top of the small outcrop of Crookstone Knoll. This section is probably the worst for navigation as it is not often used. Most of the worn paths are heading up to Mad Woman’s Stones and the Edale Moor trig point, but we want to keep with edge as much as possible. Soon the path comes more worn and visible again as it follows the top of Blackstone Edge, passing some rock outcrops and small streams. The drop off the edge steepens more and more as you approach Blackden Brook, making for some wonderful walking.

Once past Blackden Brook the path head north for a while before turning the corner at the Seal Stones to follow the top of Seal Edge. Another nice section leads past the climbing buttresses of the Chinese Wall to cross the stream of Fair Brook. Once again the path heads north for a short section to lead to the rocky outcrop and formations on the promontory of Fairbrook Naze. This is a wonderful spot with fantastic views across Black Ashop Moor onto Featherbed Moss and Bleaklow.

The next section follows Ashop Edge westwards and is magnificent walking. It takes the tops of numerous rocky outcrops and the views are always stunning. Keep your eyes peeled for the wonderfully shaped Boxing Glove Rock (you’ll recognize it as soon as you see it!). The height of the edge gradually drops away, but the path continues onwards. Soon you see the path of the Pennine Way coming in over Ashop Head. Stay with the path straight ahead until you meet the Pennine Way at the top of Mill Hill Rocks. Turn left and within a few minutes you’ll be looking down onto Kinder Reservoir above Hayfield.

The whole section from Crookstone Knoll to Mill Hill Rocks takes longer than you think so don’t underestimate it.

The western edge of the plateau is split by Kinder Downfall, and as this feature attracts a lot of visitors this section is likely to be much busier than the previous one.

The path meanders along the edge past Sandy Heys, getting higher as it approaches the waterfall at Kinder Downfall. Depending on the wind it may be an upfall(!) with the water being blown straight up in the air. Having jumped across the Kinder River above the Downfall, the path heads south, still following the edge. As the craggy rim starts to fade, the trig point on Kinder Low comes into view on the left. Navigation can be difficult here, keep to right of Kinder Low heading for Edale Rocks where the Pennine Way again becomes visible. Follow the paved path to the Swines Back, but instead of following it down to Edale Cross and Jacobs Ladder turn left and head straight for the Noe Stool.

This last section of the walk is also very popular, although it is likely that by the time you reach here (if you’re going clockwise from Edale) you will have most of the hill to yourself.

The patch continues on from the Noe Stool to the Pagoda by a path that is paved in sections to reduce erosion. There are nice views down the vale of Edale with the Great Ridge opposite. Once past the Pagoda you enter the wonderful region of the Woolpacks. Known locally as Whipsnade, this is a scattered collection of fantastically eroded gritstone tors (or boulders), shaped by the harsh weather and wind to resemble animal, human, or abstract shapes. Walking though them in the evening light, when the shadows are longer and more prominent and you’d swear that some of them move!

Leaving the Woolpacks behind, you come to Crowden Tower and the path descends steeply to cross Crowden Brook. From here the way becomes paved again and heads across to the left of Grindslow Knoll straight to Grindsbrook Towers at the top of Grinds Brook. The Pennine Way alternate route descends straight down to the bottom of Grinds Brook, but we turn left and follow the edge to a flatter crossing point.

Once over Grinds Brook the finally section is reached, a nice flat sandy path that proceeds across the top of Upper Tor. The views are great across to Mam Tor and Ringing Roger soon comes into view. As the path crosses the top of Nether Tor the path leading down beyond Golden Clough is seen. There are a number of small paths here which all join together, take care over which one you choose as some of them are steep and rocky.

Leaving the rim behind descend the path to the Nab and retrace the start of the route back to the The Old Nags Head Inn where a well deserved pint awaits you!

Map

The route climbs onto the Iron Age hill fort of Castle Naze and hugs the edges of Combs Moss, crosses streams, passes by rocky outcrops and  has great views at every twist and  turn. And if you time it right and arrive in Combs before 2pm you can stop for lunch at the Beehive Inn.

Though Combs Moss is open access land there are only a few access points so there is no chance of bailing out half way. Note that dogs are not permitted on this grouse moor. The path can be wet and boggy in places, so good footwear is a must.

Route description

The walks starts from platform 2 of Chapel-en-le-Frith railway station. Go through the gate beside the crossing point and take the right hand path through trees emerging onto an unmetalled road at Bank Hall Lodge. Turn left and ascend with the road  with views of Combs and the reservoir below.

The track leads  up to Bank Hall farm and via a gate to a field, bringing you out at a stile onto Cowlow Lane. (There is a small lay by with space for a couple of cars).

Cross the lane and go over the stile following the path ahead up onto Castle Naze. There may be climbers on the rocks here but when we walked this route a we didn’t meet another soul until we arrived in Combs.

Stop to admire the views over towards Kinder Scout in the distance and the hill fort which lies behind a dry stone wall before taking the path to the right, wending your way around the edge of Combs Moss, keeping to the outer side of the wall for a good way. The farms that border Combs village can be seen below. The path crosses a stream and more rocky outcrops before reaching an awkward stile where the wall has fallen.

Go ahead on a track that rises from the valley – the path may soon peter out but continue ahead towards the shooting lodge, keeping  the wall on your left.

The lodge is a great place to stop and take in the views.

Continue on with the wall now on your right, across increasingly an peaty grouse moor, still twisting and turning with the contours of the hill. There is a path that leads down beside a wall that rises up from the valley, you can take this or continue to reach a  metal gate that is often locked, in which case scramble over it and take the broad path that leads downhill to a stile and onto Old Road.

Just before the White Hall Centre, take the stile on the right that leads through fields and over a plank footbridge to the lane at Allstone Lee. Join the road at Rye Flatt farm and turn right to head into Combs village where you can stop at the Beehive Inn to quench your thirst. From the Beehive, follow the road signposted toward Chapel-en-le-Frith, taking the path that leads off right just before the railway bridge which follows the train tracks back to Chapel-en-le-Frith railway station.

Alternatively you can miss out Combs village by taking the waymarked path over fields towards Chapel from the other side of the road at Rye Flatt farm.

Map

view larger

The Tour of Mont Blanc is an incredible circuit – if you have the weather on your side you might risk falling because you can’t take your eyes off those snowy mountains. Even if you don’t get the views (and this is the Alps so you have to expect some rain) there is usually something to grab your attention – there are masses of Alpine flowers to test your botany knowledge, and if you’re lucky you’ll spot wild animals including marmots and Ibex.

Many of the mountain refuges are friendly, some are to be avoided, and if you don’t fancy sharing a dorm you can often plan your route to take advantage of rural hotels or camp sites.

We went in mid-July 2004, and did the walk in the classic anti-clockwise direction. Earlier in the season there is a likelihood of encountering snow as we did in a few places. We were lucky enough to see the highest point of the route, the Col des Fours, covered in snow.

More information

Over the past few years there has been a proliferation of walking guides so it’s worth spending some time browsing a good bookshop to find the one you like. There are a number available on Amazon if you can’t find them in the shops.

We found the Cicerone guides pretty useful, and if you want to do the Tour in the clockwise direction, it might be worth getting your hands on a copy of the Kev Reynolds’ Two-way Trekking Guide, but it’s thicker and a good deal heavier than other versions. Weight is an issue on any multi-day walk, so ask yourself if you want to be carrying all those extra pages for nearly a fortnight.

We took the older and in our opinion more informative TMB book by Andrew Harper used by one of us in 1991 and still pretty accurate – you’d need to check on the accommodation info as places come and go over the years but the route description doesn’t change much. The book is smaller and lighter and Harper’s writing style is more immediate. He’s not afraid to give his opinion:

“The (Col de) Balme refuge is run by a lady who has changed little over the years. She rules the procession of her customers with a firm hand: arrive after one o’clock and you get no lunch.” He describes the toilet as “best seen by fumbling torchlight … you can experience at first hand the facilities generally endured by your forefathers.”

The book was published in 1988 – in 2004 when we were there, nothing had changed.

We also used the French Topoguide Tour du Mont-Blanc GR +10 Jours de Randonnee – which is great if you can read French – it even has the IGN maps included.

The weather in the Alps, like any high mountain environment, is varied and changeable. You’re unlikely to have the sun beating down on you every day, and you’ll be unlucky if it rains on you the whole way but it can happen, so you should be prepared.

It goes without saying that you need to be pretty fit to do the Tour of Mont Blanc – the cumulative effects of all that ascent and descent shouldn’t be underestimated. But though we did try to get in some training beforehand, in 2004 we were living in Holland, the flattest country in Europe, so the chances for getting our legs conditioned for the hills were minimal. But if you want to keep going to the end it is important to have some stamina and to keep your rucksack as light as possible.

A lot of the people we met were doing a section of 4 or 5 days, which is another option. You can start in Les Houches and stop in Courmayeur, taking the cable car back over to Chamonix via the Aiguille du Midi.

And lastly, you don’t have to follow the stages as they’re laid out in the guidebook – half of the fun is planning your own route, deciding on what you want to see and then making it happen.

We didn’t book any accommodation before we left, but it’s wise to phone the day before to book if you want to be sure of a place. We missed out on a stay in the Bonatti hut because we didn’t book in advance, but we were more than happy with our second choice in Lavachey. Remember to take an up to date list with phone numbers with you so that you can phone ahead to the more popular huts or if you are arriving late. There are details in the guidebook, but it’s worth checking that they  haven’t changed.

The Office de Haute et Moyenne Montagne (the Walking and Mountaineering Office) in Chamonix keeps a complete and up to date list of accommodation on the Tour of Mont Blanc.

Our list

This is the list of hotels and refuges we stayed at or have stayed at in the past. We’re not saying they’re the best, but we can tell you what they were like when we were there.

We stayed at the Hotel Grizzli, but it appears to have closed down after a fire in 2009. There are other hotels in Les Contamines.

Refuge de la Col du Croix du Bonhomme. Apart from the brilliant location, the guardian made this place special by friendly service that included phoning ahead to book refuges, hot showers, and even a trumpet serenade for another guest’s birthday. Telephone number : +33(0)4.79.07.05.28

Elisabetta Soldini refuge. The location is excellent, and though it makes sense to stay here (and we probably would next time around) it’s hard to recommend this place because of the regimented approach, the measly portions at dinner and breakfast, and the unbelievably cramped dorm. Telephone number: +39(0)165.844.080

Hotel Lavachey. An absolute find.  It was great value, the rooms were good and the food was brilliant and plentiful, including fresh milk from the cow at breakfast. Telephone number: +39(0)165.869.723

Hotel Edelweiss. We were probably spoilt rotten at Le Vachey, so this place had no chance of coming anywhere close. But the food was good, even though the hotel and the service was a little stuffy and old fashioned. Telephone number: +41(0)27.783.26.21

Chalet du Club Alpin Suisse, Champex. We’ve stayed here several times in the past (though not when we did the Tour) and we love this place. It does excellent fondues, has a choice of dortoir or rooms and has a garden on the lakeside. Telephone number: +41(0)27.783.11.61

Relais D’Arpette. Perfect to make a head start if you’re heading for the Fenêtre D’Arpette, but though the relais is comfortable it is large and impersonal, in contrast to many other places on the TMB. There is also a campsite here. Telephone number: +41(0)27.783.12.21

Hotel de la Col Du Forclaz . A good place to stay, with good food and comfortable rooms. There is a dortoir, but the camping is best avoided unless you like sleeping in a car park. It can be busy with day-trippers, but when we were there only a small group and a few other TMBers were staying overnight. Telephone number: +41(0)27.722.26.88

Auberge de la Boerne. This is a series of buildings arranged around a courtyard that is a great place to wind down after a day’s walking. The food was good and it had a friendly atmosphere. Many of the rooms are in the converted barns and outbuildings – there is also a dorm in the main building. Telephone number: +33(0)4.50.54.05.14

We passed a few small ski cafés but they were only open in the winter months. At this point the rain came back with venom, so we took shelter under the roof awning of the Chalet du Terrain and ate our picnic lunch while we watched the mist roll in across the valley. It wasn’t a place to linger – we were soon engulfed by cloud and the temperature dropped, making us colder by the minute.

After lunch the weather started to clear and when we could finally see our noses in front of our faces we realised that we were actually quite close to the Col de Voza.

A quick walk got us there in increasingly better weather. The hotel was almost deserted – not surprising given the rain.

An easy short climb alongside the Tramway du Mont Blanc took us to Bellevue cable car station. The forecast for the next day was not great either, low cloud but at least there would be no heavy rain, so we decided go for it and start the TMB.

We returned to Chamonix, bought a 2 week car parking ticket, set the alarm for 6:30AM and went out for a fondue. The late evening weather forecast at the Bureau des Guides warned of early fog but later the cloud level would lift to 2500m – higher than the Col du Tricot, so we decided to stick to our plan and take the high variant.

Bellevue – Bionnassay Torrent - Col du Tricot – Chalet de Miage – Chalets de Truc – Les Contamines-Montjoie

We got up at 6:30AM so that we could make an early start. There was low cloud again but we assumed it was early morning fog so it didn’t deter us. We took the train to Les Houches and went back up the cable car to Bellevue. The higher we got the more the fog thickened until suddenly the pylons of the cable car  were looming out of the mist at us. We began to realise that this wasn’t fog at all but that we were in the clouds. As we got to Bellevue the clouds cleared for a moment and we could see the route ahead. The cloud was swirling around us, and the hanging valley (the Combe de Tricot) leading to the Col du Tricot was nowhere to be seen. We mused on what to do for a few moments – it wasn’t too late to change our plans and take the low variation – but we decided to stick to the plan and trust the forecast.

We crossed the tracks of the Tramway du Mont Blanc and slowly wound our way around the hillside onto the moraine of the Bionnassay glacier. The Himalayan-style suspension bridge that crosses the Bionnassay Torrent soon loomed out of the mist. We bounced across it as it started to drizzle, and worked our way up the moraine on the other side. It was atmospheric in an eerie sort of way, with swirling mists and sudden fleeting views of the mountains.

After about an hour we reached the start of the Combe de Tricot which rises to the col. Here the path opens out and we were surrounded by wild flowers – alpine rhododendrons, mountain orchids and alpine ladies-mantle amongst many others, all covered in dew.

All we could still see was cloud but optimistic as ever, we pushed on, hoping that it would lift but it only got thicker. Sometimes it was hard be sure that we were in a u-shaped glacial valley, but we had fleeting glimpses and we could see the snow that lay on the slopes around us but not on our path as we continued the flog up to the col. Though it was definitely harder work without the views to push us onwards, it was quite enjoyable, if a little cold.

The cloud brightened in front of us as we reached the Col du Tricot. We opened a celebratory bar of chocolate and as we munched the cloud started to break and we caught a glimpse of the Chalet de Miage way below us.Thankfully the cloud was thinner in front of us.

The descent is down tight zigzags, but the path is not too steep and in a surprisingly quick time we found ourselves amongst the cows at the bottom. We stopped at the Chalet de Miage for lunch – soup and a cheese sandwich (note that here, sandwich is a loose term for a loaf of bread with half a kilo of cheese in it). Even better that that, the sun came out. It was just a small patch of blue but at least we could see the mountains and the Glacier de Miage and feel some warmth on our faces while we ate.

Having finished lunch we got up and started zigzagging up the steep slope towards the Chalets de Truc. After we’d taken about 5 steps up the slope it decided to rain and within seconds it turned into a torrential downpour. All around us people were stopping to put on their waterproofs and as it didn’t look like it would pass any time soon, we did the same.

It was still raining as we passed the Chalets de Truc, but soon after it stopped and as we paused to look down into the valley of Les Contamines-Montjoie our rucksacks gently steamed in the weak sunshine.

The descent into Les Contamines-Montjoie follows forest tracks that can be slippery and steep in places, but are not too bad. An alternative could be to walk the forestry gravel road but this is much longer and is probably less fun. Finally we emerged at the end of an asphalt road that marked the edge of the village. The road zigzags, but a footpath goes straight down through the middle of it, taking you to the centre of the village in no time.

We opted for the first hotel we came to – the Hotel Grizzli. It was cheap compared to Chamonix prices and the rooms had jacuzzis (ok, baths with water jets) which was the best way to warm up after a rainy day. The hotel owner was incredibly friendly and offered to dry our boots out overnight.

We went out in search of beer but les Contamines is a strange town – though there are some nods to the tourist trade, it’s not geared up for tourism, and bars and cafés are few and far between. We settled for a beer in a crêperie, which turned out of be full of locals all with the same idea.

That evening we had a fantastic pizza in a restaurant that, to be honest, didn’t look so good from the outside, and the skies cleared ..then it rained, ..then it cleared, ..then it rained….

The forecast was for good weather tomorrow but could we believe it?

Les Contamines-Montjoie – Notre Dame de la Gorge – Nant Borrant – Refuge la Balme – Col du Bonhomme – Col de la Croix du Bonhomme – Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme

The early morning alarm woke us to find blue skies and not a cloud in sight. It had snowed overnight and there was dusting of powder snow on the hillsides. After a quick breakfast – which was served from a cupboard in the dining room, we retrieved our almost dry boots, shopped for some bread, cheese and fruit and off we went.

The path walks alongside the river and is essentially a flat 40 minute stroll to reach Notre Dame de la Gorge. This is a beautiful little church, well worth a look inside.

Beyond the church the path follows what the guidebooks describe as a Roman road paved with stones. But there was more concrete than anything else, where the damage made from vehicles going up to la Balme had been repaired. Though the path was unpleasant, it’s worth remembering that the jeeps are taking up refreshments that were welcome by the time we’d got to la Balme on a warm and sweaty morning.

The paved section gave way to forestry road winding its way steeply in places through the trees. The forest disappears at Nant Borrant and soon opens into a beautiful valley / alpine meadow. Here it was time to strip down to shorts and t-shirts to make the most of the sunshine. We soon reached the Refuge de la Balme and made that welcome drinks stop. After this there was a steep rise to a power pylon and beyond where we walked over the first patches of snow we’d encountered.

The path forks at this point, and we were happy to find that most of the walkers on the path turned off towards the Lacs Jovet for a picnic lunch, leaving the main path more or less to ourselves. Another wind up a hillside took us the Plan des Dames where we decided to have lunch. It was a beautiful spot with great views looking back to the Aiguille du Bionnassay and a view in front of the last 400m that lead to the Col du Bonhomme.

This climb to the col was quite steep, much of it on patches of snow, but it was all quite easy. The views from the col were fabulous, but the strong wind we found there was not so welcome. There is a little stone shelter on the col which gave some relief from the chill. We didn’t stay long as we were getting cold, so we pushed on across the snow on the col and traversed around to the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme. This path rises slightly and goes over a couple of rocky sections, but soon we were at the stone cairn on the col. From here you can see the Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme slightly below you. We took some quick pictures and headed to the refuge for warmth.

The refuge is large but even though it seemed pretty full we had a room for 4 with bunks that we had to share with ony one other person. The guardian is happy to make a daily telephone call ahead to both Refuge des Mottets and Refugio Elizabetta to book rooms for walkers on the TMB. We booked ahead to the Elizabetta and also ordered a packed lunch for the next day. The dinner was a four course meal: soup, main (omelette was the veggie option), cheese, and cake. We we were on a table with a party of 14 Germans also doing the Tour. They were amazed and jealous that we’d managed to get a space at the Elizabetta as they had tried to reserve in May but were told the refuge was full.

The atmosphere in the refuge is relaxed and friendly and the guardians are happy to offer advice as to the state of the route. The guardian even treated us to trumpet solo as it was one of the guests birthday. As the sun set Ibex came out and grazed the slopes next to the refuge.

The Mottets refuge makes a good stopping point and is worth considering if the Elizabetta is full, though it would be a short day. The Elizabetta Refuge is a necessary evil – it’s in a great location but unless things have changed you might want to make sure you have some extra food to supplement the meagre dinner.

Diary – Thursday July 15

Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme – Col des Fours – Chalet des Tufs – La Ville des Glaciers – Refuge des Mottets – Col de la Seigne – Rifugio Elizabetta

Thankfully, there was no snoring in the night from our roommate, and we woke to another clear blue sky – perfect weather which dispersed any negative thoughts we had had about going high over the Col des Fours. We quickly packed and went down to breakfast to find the party of Germans had eaten all the food at our table. They’d even used our breakfast bowls! But the guardienne came to our rescue and though we had to fight to hold onto our food she made sure we had enough to eat and drink and soon we were on our way.

We headed off quickly, going back up to the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme and branching off from there – it took us 40 minutes to zigzag and slither up snow slopes to reach the Col des Fours. It’s best to get an early start to take advantage of the frozen snow. The views of Mont Blanc, Aiguille du Glacier and Col de la Seigne were magnificent from here, even without the optional detour up the Tête Nord des Fours. There was a lot of snow on the descent, and though Kev Reynolds advises against it in these conditions, we found no real difficulty, but if you are planning on doing it ask at the refuge for advice.

We made sure to keep away from the edge at the start of the descent and didn’t mind the occasional sitting glissade as we we kicked/ran our way down a large snowfield. 200 m of running down steepish snow is great fun. Lower down, it was quite marshy in places, with plenty of chances to slide over in the mud. The path soon levels out and becomes a pleasant meander alongside a small stream where there are masses of wild flowers including geraniums and orchids to stop you from keeping an eye on your feet.

It was a fairly easy descent along a winding path to the Chalet des Tufs from where a farm track runs all the way down to La Ville des Glaciers in the valley floor. Don’t expect too much from Ville des Glaciers – it’s really just a handfull of buildings and a small church that was locked when we were there. But a stroll alongside the river, over a few bridges and past some curious cows took us to the Refuge des Mottets. While the hikers who’d eaten our breakfast that morning checked in to the refuge we sat outside. The guardian was happy to sell us a beer and let us eat the lunch we’d brought with us.

After lunch it was one long climb to the Col de la Seigne. It starts with steep zigzags above the refuge, then the steepness reduces as it traverses around, but it never stops climbing. There are many false summits, but just keeping our heads down got us to the cairn on the col which marks the French/Swiss border (a line of stones has been laid across the col give more impact). The view of Mont Blanc, the Peuterey ridge and the Val Veni are magnificent from here and we enjoyed them as we took a break. The descent down the Val Veni offered no real obstacles – there were some snow patches at the top, but soon we were on an easy path heading for the hut.

The Rifugio Elizabetta sits on a little knoll which requires one last short climb, not so great at the end of a long day. A hot shower is included in the price of an overnight stay (make sure you take the token when you sign in). The are showers upstairs and downstairs (the ones below might have less of a queue) and the token gives you 20 litres of hot water – which is enough, but you have to be quick.

Dinner is in 2 sittings – we were on the first at 7:00PM -minestrone soup, pork and packet mashed potatoes (cheese for the veggie option) salad and peaches.The food was not the best we’d had in a refuge, and there was definitely not enough for hungry hikers, but we weren’t surprised as the hut does have a regimented but commercialised air. We took the opportunity to drink red a glass of Italian wine which washed the food down quite well.

At ten to eight we were asked to leave to make way for the second dinner sitting, so we bought some beers and went upstairs. After 15 minutes or so, we popped our heads back round the door and saw our dining table was not being used, so we back moved there and studied the maps for the next day. Somewhat unusually there was no weather forecast available at the refuge, but it looked settled so we were confident of another good day.

Don’t expect a good night’s sleep in the upstairs dorm if you are tall – there is not enough room at the end of the bunk where the eaves come in, even for pair of a size 39 feet. And let’s not mention the snoring. Added to that, there was a large organised group who had no concept of the need to be quiet while others sleep, so we didn’t get a good night’s rest.