Goat Appeal

Wow. That was quite some walk. After the production line had made everybody's sandwiches, we went to the cable car station, repeating a walk that we had all thoroughly enjoyed last year. The walk began with a short scramble up a slope to the top of a ridge, which revealed some brilliant panoramas, and where we had a drink and a quick snack, whilst taking many photos. We then processed along a ridge, with craggy rocks and a steep decline on one side, and a steep decline covered in flowers on the other, walking through a six inch wide gully that twisted around rocks and generally threatened to twist ankles. Luckily, no-one was hurt (except for perhaps their pride) and after a time the path flattened out and moved off the ridge, leading to some more pleasant walking.

As we descended into the valley, we arrived at the fabulous lake, on the way scrambling past old trees, rotting roots, and even seeing a fox at one point! More menagerie mayhem to follow. We walked half way round the lake to a lovely clearing where we had lunch last year and quickly ate our rolls. Entertainment was provided by much discussion of Lake Placid, what to do when attacked by sharks or crocodiles, and the best way to kill an alligator; accompanied by Caz taking a quick dip (having brought her bikini all that way).

Note from Caz: Cold!!

Lunch over, we recommenced the walk, heading through the small skiing town of Bretaye. This is where the fun starts. On the way out of the deserted village, we passed a group of goats, outside a farmstead bedecked with enormous cowbells. However, one goat was separate from the others, and, somehow, free. She came over to say hello, and we fussed over her for a minute or two, before heading off. She dutifully followed. Now, this was amusing at first, until we got to the first cattle grid, where we thought we'd lose her. However, it was a particularly ingenious goat, and she figured that she could walk under a fence and round the side. This was when we started to worry.

A few hundred metres later, she strolled up a hill, taking a right where we took a left, and we thought that that was the end of our goat friend. Not the case. A few moments later, when we'd given up, we heard the tinkle of her bell and there she was again, catching up. Houston, we had a problem. Running didn't work - she just started trotting, and then a sort of misaligned gallop that allowed her to keep pace. At every turn, she followed us, and always managed to sneak around the cattle grids. We were beginning to despair by the time we reached Auberge Col de Soud, which was the start of yesterday's walk. Various plans involved fashioning a harness from grass that would take her a while to eat through, and leaving Paul behind to hold her while we went off, with the idea that he could outrun it. A rebel faction even wanted to just carry on, and see if the goat would follow us all the way back to Villars. These dreams were crushed though when a passing car stopped and asked us what we were doing with a goat, and told us in no uncertain terms that it was illegal.

We then got to discussing the possibilities of a delegation returning the goat to it's home back in the hills, but no-one was ecstatic over the idea. Stuck for a solution, we returned to the hotel and tried to get help. Fortunately, due to Robbie's incredible french-speaking skills we managed persuade the owner to call the farmers, who heroically came to the goat's rescue in a jeep. The goat turned out to be called Finesse, and we had a bit of laugh about the whole situation. After we bid her goodbye we were soon skipping down the mountain side, following a path we took the previous day, our five hour excursion complete.

- Gillian.