Day 11 - Wednesday 2nd September 2015 – Zinal to Gruben

Total distance walked:	16.3 km	10.13 miles
Total hours walked including stops	7 hrs 25 mins
Total hours walked excluding stops	6 hrs 43 mins
Height at start	1675 metres	5495 feet
Height at finish	1822 metres	5978 feet
Total Height Gain	1386 metres	4547 feet
Total Height Loss	1242 metres	4075 feet
Maximum Height	2858 metres	9377 feet
Average speed excluding stops	2.43 km/hr	1.51 miles/hr

I was down to breakfast before 7.00 am having rescued my rucksack from the boiler room.  My rucksack was dry but my boots were still slightly wet.  Breakfast of orange juice, muesli, bread with rhubarb and strawberry jam and café au lait.  I also managed to download Google Calendars to my phone – not so many people using the Wifi at breakfast – not the same as my Samsung App which had disappeared but it works and syncs properly.

I was away at 7.30 am, thick cloud but no rain.  I walked with John, an American, who had joined us a dinner the previous evening with Patrick and Veronique.  John had been delayed as he had lost his wallet but luckily it had been found and someone brought it to Zinal on the bus for him.  The rest of his party had gone to the Hotel Weisshorn so he hoped to meet up with them that evening in Gruben.  It was a nice steady climb for an hour when we stopped briefly and then continued on a contour path gradually gaining height until we reached small stream near Barneuza Alpage (2211m) where we stopped briefly and then again near a stream at Alpe Nava (2340m) at about 10.30am.  John and I saw a couple of Black Grouse in an area of Juniper and Myrttle bushes.  We then had a steeper climb but never too arduous, just occasionally getting a glimpse of the sun.  We reached Col Forcletta (2863m) at about midday and stopped to eat some bread and chocolate.

It was very cold on the col and we soon headed swiftly but not too steeply downhill.  After about an hour, we reached an unmetalled track where we rested for about ten minutes.  The sun had come out giving us relatively clear views of the Grand Gendarme (4331m) and Weisshorn (4506m).  WE also saw a couple of paragliders, some vultures and an eagle.  I saw and photographed a Yellow Alpine Pasqueflower before entering the forest, the first one that I had ever seen in flower.  Then a gentle walk down through the forest with the sun shining brightly.  I reached Grube at about 3 o’clock, had a small beer (CHF 3.30) on the veranda whilst sitting in the sun and sending a text to Pam.  The sun went in after ten minutes or so and I went in to check-in, wash some socks, shower and have a shave.  Back down to the veranda at around 4.30 pm to write my diary and had another beer (medium sized at CHF 3.800.  I then read for a while and had a glass of red wine before dinner.  Dinner at 6.30 of cèpe soup, mixed salad, chicken and mushroom with rice and a crème caramel all with a glass of red wine.  I also had a glass of Genepi after dinner.

I went up to the dortoir – on the 4^th floor of the Hotel Schwarzhorn – a long climb and read until 9 o’clock.  Unfortunately one of the two American girls sleeping close to me, had a cold and was sneezing and blowing her nose all night.  It didn’t particularly keep me awake but hopefully I won’t catch it from her – I didn’t.  Total cost for dinner, bed and breakfast and two glasses of red wine was CHF 72.00.