Solo Hiking The Haute Route ｜ Day Three - Champex to Le Châble

The Haute Route, one of the most iconic high mountain trails in the world, stretching for over 200 kilometers, linking Chamonix, France, to Zermatt, Switzerland. Oh my goodness me, what am I looking at? Look at this! Wow! Over two weeks, hikers cross 11 major passes and climb over 1500 meters through boulder-strewn valleys, exposed ridges and peaceful alpine meadows, all framed by sweeping views of glaciers and towering peaks. Oh my goodness, look what we're rounding the corner to see. This just gets better and better. The weather here is unpredictable, but the focus and resilience demanded by the trail give you a rare feeling of being alive, suspended between earth and sky. Oh gosh, what am I doing? But the Haute Route is more than just a hike, it's an invitation to journey inwards and rediscover who you are when everything else falls away. On this trail, lessons come quietly and the mountains become your mirror. The Haute Route isn't conquered, it's experienced step by step, story by story. This is mine and I invite you to walk it with me. Good morning team and welcome to a rainy Champelac. Now the cloud has actually been down to the point where I can't see beyond this balcony, but it's lifted again now and I think this is basically ours for the day, a mixture of thundery, cloudy raininess. I've just had the best night's sleep I've had since I left Scotland. So basically I'm coming at this trip right off the back of some family bereavement. Little Bobby, Robert, Chicken as I call him, my boy, my dog, 17 years old, he passed away just over two weeks ago and it's been a really, really tough time for me adjusting to life without him. And basically I'm just extremely, extremely sleep deprived because of grief and so I'm really doing my best on this trip to give 100% to my trail days but also 100% to getting some good rest. But now I have all of 10 minutes to get out of my room, get packed up and hit the trail basically. So we're heading to Verbier, we're saying au revoir to the TMB, the Tour de Mont Blanc, we're heading into new territory. Day three, let's go. Au revoir, Champer-l'Arc, such a beautiful place, especially with the clouds now actually, it's very ethereal, love it. Hey, what's their names? Haipi. Haipi. Haipi and Rusty. Rusty, hi Haipi. Yes, eight years and he's 13. Oh, 13. Ah, Penny and my Westie was 13. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, a boy too? A girl. A girl? Yeah. Oh, itches. I'm so happy I met Westies and I love Westies and they are just here, my good cuddles. I was feeling super proud of myself for I had accomplished two great things before even leaving Champer-l'Arc. I had made it out of bed and I had had dog cuddles. Life was feeling good, so on I pressed into an easier day's walk, first to Sainte-Branche and then on to Le Chable. Not so many views now, the clouds are just coming and going. Ooh, pumpkin anybody? It's quite interesting actually, because today we stay somewhat low for a trail that's called the High Route, but I've been really looking forward to this day, not least because it's shorter, it's a nice sort of recovery day after sort of picking up the trail for the first time in a while, but also it's a real chance to sort of see normal everyday working Switzerland and how life operates in the valleys with the chalets and preparation for winter coming up and the farmland and just walking here now on this sort of terrace path above this valley, even with the cloud coming and going, it's just, it puts a smile on your face. It's sort of everything you imagine everyday Switzerland to be. So we've arrived, I believe, in Suisse-la-Laye and essentially it's just a really classic Swiss alpine village here in the hills. Got the water trough, yes I'm going to utilize that, and then we just continue along this terrace path. Easy peasy. This is a great walk. Oh, and I've met three people from America and they're doing the trail, which is just a semi-comfort for some of the tougher stuff to come in the next few days. Goodness me, look at this. You know, this really is equally as stunning as being in the mountains, if you ask me. We are really dropping down now quite quickly, just getting closer and closer to the valley floor. First stop, just dropping down into La Garde. Oh look, there's a very, very little church. Nicknamed the Sentinel Village, La Garde peered out over Val du Barne and felt like a place frozen in time. A past many sun-faded timber buildings, each decorated with family heirlooms and relics from their past. I'm heading off trail. There's just a little route here that loops around this little hill to a small chapel. I thought we'd just go and have a little look. Might be a nice picnic spot. Oh my gosh, look at that. That was well worth the detour. It's perched on the edge of this cliff face, looking out over the valley. Dedicated to St John the Baptist, the chapel historically served as a spiritual waypoint for valley residents and travellers moving along old trails and passes. It's an incredible location this, the chapel just domineering the valley. There is an event and it's not quite the scenic view I was hoping for as the noise of the traffic is really blowing up here. So I'm going to walk back to a bench that I passed and have a little picnic there instead. Right, let's get down into this town. Eventually, I made it to St Brunchy and found it to be a sleepy place, though once again home to some stunning buildings. There was also a huge equestrian centre which played an important role in keeping people connected to the mountain landscape through traditional access on horseback. We have joined tarmac and this is the last kilometre now to take It's ridiculous because I can see the mountains ahead shrouded in cloud. It's actually raining as well over there. And that is where we are going up and into tomorrow. Intimidation is real, besides excitement actually. And to begin the day tomorrow, spoiler alert, there's a cable car. I love cable cars. Anyone staying in the valley gets free bus passes and free cable cars. I'm sorry, I am not saying no to a free cable car. So that is my plan moving forwards. Le Chableau is a popular year-round destination with a big church and an even bigger main road. It's a place where town meets river meets mountains meets railway. Look, we get to go on that tomorrow. We've done three days on the Oak Route. I am just in a completely different space to where I was two years ago and the beginning of this year. The trail I did in Sweden in April, I was in such a rough place mentally and physically with my injury. But now I'm feeling good. My back has been on good behaviour. My legs are feeling strong, if a little tired. I'm feeling happy. I'm feeling happy in here and that counts for a lot. Oh, would you look at that? This is where me and my partner April do. And that's where we're staying. Well, me and you guys.