A lake above the clouds
An inversion day: we climbed out of the fog at 1,600 metres and walked the last hour in sunshine above a white sea.
Distance14.1 km
Climb820 m
Time5 h 05 min
High point2,040 m
The forecast promised fog in the valleys and clear skies above 1,500 metres, and for once it was exactly right. The first hour was damp and grey, the kind of walk where you only see the next three trees and the back of your companion's rucksack.
Then, a little above the first shepherd's hut, the light changed. The fog thinned, turned gold, and dropped away below us all at once. The lake sits in a small cirque just under the ridge; on a still day it holds the whole ridge upside down.
We stayed longer than planned. Coming down, the fog swallowed us again at almost the same height, like walking back into a room.
Practical notes
- The path is clear and well trodden, but steep and slippery on the roots after rain.
- Swimming is allowed; the water was 11 °C, which we can now confirm by experience.