The German girls’ alarm went off at 6 o’clock and John kindly leapt off his top bunk to go to the bathroom and leave the three of us to get dressed. We’d had breakfast and were ready to leave by 7.10. I had to have a go on the swing and have a photo at a wooden heart, before we headed off towards Val Civetta.
The path headed downhill for sometime, over rocks and through shrubs, before passing through green pastures. We passed a pen full of animals… sheep, goats and even a donkey… protected by lots of dogs barking loudly. I rushed past leaving John to take a photo!
After about an hour and a half we reached Rifugio Vazzoler (1714 metres), where we had coffee and cake, and used the loo… another hole in the ground!
We continued downhill for a while longer before leaving the gravel track to head steeply uphill through beech woods… another path covered in boulders and tree roots that seemed determined to trip me up!
The views of Civetta’s soaring towers were magnificent, and thankfully they provided shade for much of the morning.
We eventually reached Forcella Col dell’Orso (1823 metres) from where we could see Rifugio Carestiato (1839 metres), where we planned to have lunch. John later suggested this was a mirage because, as we hiked, it either hid, or didn’t seem to get any closer.
The scenery was beautiful again, and the path was varied, at times, relatively easy to walk, but at others through boulder fields or through woods with more dreaded tree roots. There had been quite a few recent rock falls where the path had been covered. John kept worrying me by suggesting more lumps of rock might drop of the mountain or we might trigger a rock fall!
Finally, we did reach the refuge and I quickly grabbed a table, jumping in before a man who was slowly sauntering towards it. I think I needed the seat more than him! After a lovely pasta lunch, we headed down the track to Rifugio Passo Duran where we’re staying.
We have a room with an en suite bathroom… a bit tatty but comfortable… and we’ve done a bit more washing. Now we’re having a beer while we wait for dinner… pastin which we tried and enjoyed in Valle del Mis.
Ramblings 
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