A day of mixed fortunes on account of 65th birthday celebrations stretching beyond midnight and into the wee hours, coupled with the emergence of a nasty cough and the development of a blister. Not forgetting the after effects of 14 miles or so yesterday.

Nonetheless we awoke to a beautiful scene looking down the valley in the sunshine.

After paying our substantial bar bill….we took the only bus available at 10:45 which transported us back to the nearest spot on the trail.

We were then confronted with a devilishly difficult decision. Four euros to ascend hundreds of feet on a single seat chairlift or struggle up on foot. John Rose solved the dilemma by giving me the birthday gift of elevation.

We dismounted with difficulty and hit the trail. For the first time we were surrounded by other people, this being a very popular spot for the weekend. At first the path was well trod and easy but after a while it became a rock strewn boggy morass which was taxing and tiring in equal measure.

We arrived at Mummelsee to see the beautiful lake besmirched with pedalos and litter louts. We left equally quickly on a tedious three mile track to our lodgings for the night at Zur Grossen Tanne, a biker hut in Untersmatt with idiosyncratic bar meals.

We each had a ‘Brizza’ and John also curried sausage. I was expecting the würst, but it made him happy.