Days 19 – 21 Catching up

DAYS 19 & 20

These two days can be dealt with by a short, 2 word précis:

Did nothing

Reality is that we did quite a lot of nothing. Washing clothes and bedding etc. It’s been 3 weeks. Definitely time for a change of underwear. Went shopping and bought lovely ingredients. Cooked nice ingredients, ate average dinner. And that dear reader just about sums up my culinary skills along with days 19 & 20.

DAY 21 – Klettersteig Day

Better known to some as ‘Via Ferrata‘ these are Climbing routes protected by a single steel cable. The cable is fixed to the rock every 1 – 10 metres by steel staples. Climbers use a Via Ferrata Kit to remain safely attached to the cable at all times.

A website providing a brief fascinating insight into the history of Via Ferrata covering early routes in the late 1400s to modern times via 2 World Wars Can be found at; guidedolomiti.com.

An inaccurate and not well researched (I think I may have dreamt it) explanation of the German name ‘Klettersteig ‘ suggests it is derived from the noise made by a falling climber having failed to clip correctly to the cable. Klettersteig/Via Ferrata are graded from A to E. A being easy, E being extremely strenuous, exposed and all round hard. I have never done a grade E. Until today.

We decided to do one called the Lehner Wasserfall Klettersteig which has a new and optional section graded E. Completely overhanging, about 30 metres long and right next to the waterfall so no one can hear you scream. Mrs. P opted for the easier route (sensible girl) while Mr. P decided to go for it (muppet). Now I’m no longer scared of heights. The height, though hugely exposed, was not so bad. It was the fear of letting go as the effect of gravity on my grip strength was definitely beginning to show.

The only way is up.

At the top of this section I met up With Mrs. P for the pièce de resistance…

Met a lovely couple from Sheffield at the top who had rented their house and had been traveling around in their van for more than a year with no end in mind. Lovely but a bad influence.

NOTE: This is the first time I have attempted to load video. Let me know if it works.