We reach the summit of the St Bernard Pass

4th June 2017

Bourg St Pierre to Col de Grand Saint Bernard - 17kms

It rained all night last night and it was still drizzling this morning when we left. Soon we met with the first obstacle! The path was closed and a detour was in place. Unfortunately we read the signs wrongly and landed up on the wrong side of the mountain. This cost us both in time and kilometres!

Finally we were on the right track and about an hour later we reached our first objective, a dam. This is where the climbing started! Up to the top of the dam and then a long trek along the side of the reservoir. All this time the weather was closing in, with heavy fog rolling in from the mountain tops into the valley. Our friend Bart had told us there would be a thunderstorm near mid-morning. We reached the point where we had to decide whether to continue along the mountain track or take to the road. As the weather worsened we took to the road. This was the old Gt St Bernard road which in part runs parallel to its famous "tunnel". When we reached L'hospitalet we considered re-joining the mountain path as the weather seemed to be clearing but there was a lot of snow still on the ground and we felt it would be dangerous. So up and up we went slowly climbing and climbing and climbing and climbing. It seemed as if we would never reach the summit. Eight or ten Porsche cars having some sort of a rally zoomed past us downhill only to come back the other way twenty minutes later. Near the top we met with a family walking on the road with four small children! Mad! I can't begin to tell you how many times we had to stop to take our rucksacks off and have a breather. By the time we got to the summit I don't think I could have managed to walk one more kilometre! Imagine our joy when we arrived to be met by our friends Peter and Johanna, who had been waiting for us. It was one of the nicest things that have happened to us on this trip. Thank you so much for welcoming us quite literally with open arms.

The Italian border is a mere 100 metres away and so tomorrow we will reach Italy. We still can't believe we've made it all the way here. What's more we're only half way through. With that thought in my mind we have retired to get some sleep. Tonight we sleep in the St Bernard Hospice, which has been in continuous use for over 1000 years welcoming pilgrims. We feel so privileged to now be part of that history.