.............not all those that wander are lost..............

Tuesday 11 January 2011

Watching woodpeckers........

Writing this while watching two Greater Spotted Woodpeckers pecking in the tree outside the window. It's beginning to snow again - I'm in the Alps.

Despite heavy rain and 'dubby' weather for the last couple of days we have managed a bit of downhill skiing. Fortunately the rain fell as 10 cms of snow in the mountains and covered the pistes with a nice creamy layer of new but slightly wet snow. Hard work for the old legs!

{Ceillac - fresh snow but low cloud}

We arrived here on Friday night after a long slog down through Britain visiting various relatives on the way. Everything in order in the house we set off to collect our season's ski passes, take a couple of runs (yipee, we can still do it!) and celebrate with a late lunch of coffee and cake.

Sunday was miserable with thick mist and flat light. So Monday we headed off into the new snow for a couple of hours.

And I was wearing my new ski helmet - yes, I know, but it is comfortable and John has been nagging me for a while to get one. Bashing my head, not only on the ground but on various metal objects in and around ski tows, is always a risk, and now I'm not so nimble getting out of the way of others, more and more likely. Last season the major risk was definitely John, wearing his helmet, bumping into me and doing me damage with his head! A risk only narrowly avoided several times. I have long held the belief that humans are magnetic and dangerously attracted to each other, particularly when there are only two around!

{More Ceillac, with a view this time - and John}

We made the most of the empty slopes, though the legs were really tired, but finished just after 3 o'clock.

Now I'm going to try and complete my TGOC route.

I'm at the tweaking stage now!

 

4 comments:

Louise said...

Jealous? No. Hats don't suit me... More photographs please!

Alan Sloman said...

I have done my route but somehow I can't seem to send it off. Something must be wrong with it but I haven't figured out what yet...

It will all become clear when I'm plugging up some hill, I suppose.

Nice piccies, L.

Laura said...

Louise - the thing about the helmet is - I can't see it!

Al - just tweaked mine to go via Auchallater and then over to Glen Muick - descending past the Dubh Loch - seems ok but I'll keep my original as a fwa. I probably should have sent it off sooner!

Phreerunner said...

Laura - have fun skiing - Sue and I have just booked June/July flights to Nice for a Maritime Alps trip so hope the snow will have gone by then.
Noticed your message board posting re Taynuilt.
'Poor Michael' and I are going that way - we'll be having a meal in Taynuilt after a hilly diversion from the 'trade route', then camping a little way up Glen Noe. We'll see you in Oban, no doubt. (It's all new ground for us.)
Take care.
Martin B