8/28 Le Chalp to Ceillac

Clear skies again for another 25km ( 15 mile) day. And another latish start finally 9am when we walked out the door. The GR5 turns off the main road just by our hotel and goes uphill past the Sport 2000 store through the village and then up the hillside. The climb isn't far and a nice warm up segment traverses through trees for awhile then descends a bit to a un marked junction. There is never a marker when you need one. I read the guide and figured out the GR goes down toward some buildings where we found the markers once again. From there the climbing starts once again up through the dry grassy hillside finally approaching a forested area where cool breezes greeted us. Dark clouds had formed threatening rain during the climb and the sky was grey but it cooled things down. Through a pleasant wooded pick-nick area beside a grass filled lake we passed a col but it wasn't signed. Then the trail tips down and a very steep descent begins and stays steep to the valley floor loosing 1500ft by the time we reached the Fort Queyas. It's another Vauban fort and we had a few photo worthy glimpses through the trees going down . It's open to visitation but we didn't have time with a long day already . We stopped for a quick drink and a slice of tart then continued down through the town at the forts base. Another nice sundial here. We then crossed the bridge over the river and paused to watch people negotiate the via ferrata route in the river chasm - a popular sport here it seems. We started up a steep slope as the wind blew through the clouds making for sun and heat. A few more good views of the fort are to be had on the climb out of the valley. The route is steep awhile the mild along road then steep again on trail. Obviously a cattle route flies pestered us going for our eyes the way they plague the cattle. Sunglasses make the difference but it's still annoying. We stopped for sandwiches as the trees began to thin affording views. I used a trekking pole to keep the flies away from Tammy as she prepped the sandwiches. Then on we climbed through grassy hillsides and the occasional cabin. We crossed the stream and climbed some evidence of cattle everywhere. We can to a water source - Rouge Fountain- which is protected from the cattle. We were good and kept climbing and suddenly above the trees . A huge view opened up with white cows gathered in a gully amidst a large basin of dried grass. Twin peaks in the immediate background of the basin. The camera was busy. Here the trail takes a ridge turn and steeply switchbacks up to ridge then begins a long traverse behind the peaks over to the col. Mountain bikes come through here too - everywhere really no matter how severe the trail! We rounded a bend and the trail suddenly comes to the edge of a sheer drop into an eroded white gully. A bike could easily go over here! There were views ahead to the col and down into the basin as we walked the long traverse. This was my favorite part of the day with easy open walking.
At the col we were passed by a semi running guy who stopped to chat along with three others already there and familiar from the previous day. The fast mover had left Austria in June and had to get back to work so was going to finish in a week! What was amusing is that all these people new Jim and Tammy because the had been reading the notes we had left for the Dutch at the cols!!! So we had a parallel blog going of sorts!
From here we headed down the well graded switchbacks to the town of Ceillac. It is scenic going down finally onto road. We passed an older couple but eventually the route didn't seem correct and consulting the GPS we had missed a turn. Looking back we saw the couple start down a side hill where there is a large wood cross. We we caught up with them they told us last year there was a rock with marker showing the turn but now the rock is gone! We reached Ceillac and bought supplies. The town looks interesting and another good sundial at the church. Our lodging was several kms out of town to we moved on. We past the city campground and later a second private one which appeared much better. Past this we reached our lodge and our room had a great view and sound of a large horsetail cascade for which the hotel was named.
We had a dinner of Raclette which was very satisfying after such a long day. 4280 ft up and around 4300 down.