We got going early because we wanted to take the shuttle to Barmsac and get one good hike before Giulia et al. had to go back home to Liguria. But before getting started we had to stop at the panificio to buy some rolls, prosciutto, and cheese to have a midday lunch up in the mountains. In this neck of the woods the valley has a north-to-south orientation, with the massif of Monte Rosa to the north. The shuttle was going to bring us high on the west flank of the valley from where we were going to start our hike.
Agnese was excited and had packed her backpack with care, including water, a blanket, and a book. She is a really wonderful girl, full of good spirits. She is thin and similar to Ronnie seems to be always hungry. And she is not only hungry, but every couple of hours she is "dying of hunger" and then becomes very active finding shortcuts to get to the picnic spot.
From the bus stop at Barmsac, where at least 15 hikers disgorged from the shuttle, we climbed for half an hour until we got to the Ru Cortot irrigation canal, which was excavated between 1390 and 1430, to bring water 25 km from a spring in Monte Rosa down to the lands cultivated for the feudal lord down in the valley. It is not a very big canal, maybe a meter wide and half a meter deep, but you have to admire an engineering work that has persisted for 700 years. From a more selfish point of view, it has the charm of being nearly horizontal so walking along its levee makes for very easy hiking.
Walking along it we heard the concert the cows play as they climb the slopes of the valley to find the best grasses, as well as clusters of sheep munching away at the herbs. Giulia found a clump of wild thyme with small blue flowers that smelled heavenly. We walked along the canal for maybe 4 km until we reached a farm that has set out tables and umbrellas for the visitors as an agrotourism business. We had brought our lunch, but you can always buy food and drink at the farm and enjoy a few hours basking under the sun. After having satisfied her ravenous hunger, Agnese took out her little blanket and book and was the image of happiness for an hour or so. We followed her example and took naps on the green grass, but the sun was bright and hot so we quickly gave up.
But everything that goes up has to go down, and we all know I don't do down very well. We followed the dirt road down from the farm, so the surface was reasonable smooth, but we were all hot and tired by the time we reached the paved road. Fortunately, we landed close to one of the stops of the shuttle and were quite happy to wait for only 20 minutes for the next bus.
Once in Champoluc the ladies got busy packing and getting ready to go. It was a bit sad to say goodbye, but there is always the hope that we will meet again soon, maybe in California.
My first task after becoming
lord of the manor was to go down to the supermarket to get some essentials, and
to plan what to do over the next five days. I know I want to go back to Barmsac
and follow the Ru Cortot to its start at Monte Rosa, but tomorrow I think I
will take the funicular up the east side of the valley and contour until I get
a good view of Monte Cervino (aka Matterhorn by the Swiss). Then I have to take
the funicular to the top of Monte Bianco and visit the town of Aosta. I am
pretty sure I won't run out of things to do.
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