Day 16: A Lazy Day and Closed Shops
After a big 34 kilometre day, we set off again for a shorter distance. Our day begins with a visit to Haut Koenigsbourg Castle, the only medieval castle in Alsace.
Very quickly, the sun makes an appearance and the heat becomes intense. Near Thannenkirch, we stop at a small inn. What was meant to be a short break ends up lasting two hours, as we have the good, or bad, idea of starting a game of chess. You should know that playing chess with me requires a great deal of patience 😅, especially since I refuse to play with a timer, so you do so at your own risk.
The day continues with visits to many breathtaking castles. With all these pauses to explore these historic places, our pace is rather slow.
We arrive in Ribeauvillé in the late afternoon and realise that it is Sunday. On a hike, you completely lose track of time. And of course, Sunday is the day when most shops are closed. I tell myself it is not a problem, we will resupply in the next village on Monday. I check online and oops, the grocery shop in the next village is closed every Monday. Talk about bad timing. Especially since from tomorrow there will be no resupply for the next four days and we are running out of food.
Luckily, a few small shops are open and we manage a rather creative resupply. Seven hundred grams of bread later, which will be quite the challenge to cut with my tiny Swiss Army knife, and armed with four very fragrant Munster cheeses, at least animals will stay away from us, we head back into the forest towards our bivouac. Marked on the app as a phenomenal bivouac spot, we find ourselves at a four way forest crossroads. Wow. Spectacular 😅. We keep walking to find somewhere more suitable.
And that is how day 16 on the trail comes to an end.
Day 17
On the morning of day 17, after a few kilometres, we meet Mattias again, whom we had encountered a few days earlier in a refuge over dinner.
Mattias reminds me of the main character from the film Into the Wild. You quickly grow attached to him because of his uniqueness. He has no real plan, apart from reaching Hendaye. The only way to contact him is by email. No phone number, no social media, no WhatsApp. He travels in a very minimalist way, always preferring to sleep in caves or castle ruins rather than paying for campsites or staffed refuges.
Later that day, while entering a small unstaffed shelter, I come across a notebook where hikers leave written traces of their passage. I find a little message addressed to me from Guillaume, a HexaTrekker who is one day ahead of me. It warms my heart, and I quickly write a note in return for the hikers behind me.
At the end of the day, Alex and I arrive near Lac Blanc. A few minutes later, we run into Mattias again, walking while eating his evening meal. For him, the day is not over yet. He will keep walking a few more kilometres to climb up to the ridge overlooking the lake.
As my tendons are slightly sore, we decide to pitch our tents at the foot of the lake and enjoy the magnificent view while having dinner.
Day 18: Panoramas, Cliffs and a Rather Unusual Water Fountain
After a peaceful night at the foot of Lac Blanc, we set off again for our eighteenth day on the trail. Alex quickly takes the lead, while I take my time, marvelling at the landscapes bathed in soft morning light. Since the beginning of the journey, this is the most beautiful morning I have experienced.
At lunchtime, we stop at a small restaurant, mainly to buy the essential daily cappuccino. I ask the woman at the counter if she can refill my water bottles. She says no and tells me there is a drinking water fountain outside for that purpose. I do not really understand why she cannot fill my bottles, it would take no more than twenty seconds, but anyway. As I walk towards the fountain, I understand her refusal.
To the laughter of everyone sitting on the restaurant terrace, I fill my bottles. With such a weak flow that I have to stay in that position for a good five minutes 😅. At least I managed to give a few people a smile.
Around 1 p.m., I start walking again and tackle the famous Sentier des Roches, which truly lives up to its name. For hours and hours, I walk along dizzying cliffs, climb over piles of sharp rocks, nearly fall several times and twist my ankle three times, a new word I just invented meaning twisting your ankle without getting injured.
Luckily, the trail passes by three beautiful lakes and I allow myself a short swim. It has already been a week since I last managed to take a shower. After my dip, I feel clean for a good five minutes, just long enough to put my old well aged Munster scented jumper back on.
I then head towards the third lake, my destination for the day, already with a good ten hours of walking in my legs. The trail ends with a steep, rocky descent that draws out many not so flattering swear words. At 8.30 p.m., I finally arrive and can enjoy my famous pasta with pesto, sausage and cheese, a great classic that I literally eat every evening.
Days 19 and 20: Arrival in Thann
Early in the morning, I meet a man who is crossing France with his mare. He has already walked more than 2,000 kilometres with her.
Around 1 p.m., I have the lovely surprise of catching up with Guillaume, whom I had met a few weeks earlier in Graufthal, and of meeting Aude and Maxime, also HexaTrekkers. When I arrive, they are gathered around enormous trays of chips. A dream come true. I start salivating and immediately order some myself, I have been dreaming of this for days 😅.
The day then continues with the ascent of the highest summit in the Vosges and a magnificent sunset near the ruins of an old castle.
As our food supplies begin to run low at the start of day 20, we are very much looking forward to reaching Thann, which marks kilometre 340. From that point on, this will officially become the longest hike I have ever done.
A long 13 kilometre descent begins as we head down towards Thann. Once we arrive, we decide to take a train to Cernay so that we can settle into an official campsite and save some money.
Tomorrow will be a rest day. It is the first time I truly feel the need to rest my muscles, and this time not because of my tendons.
Tomorrow will be laundry, writing, rest, films and naps.
See you soon!