I left at pretty much the same time as yesterday, shortly after 7, wearing almost all the clothing I had with me. Even so, I kept wishing I'd brought a hat and gloves. It was freezing, literally, and it took hours for the sun to reach places where I could feel it. So I was cold for a while. Though I did notice there were significant differences in temperature between different places. Maybe because of altitude? But that can't be all.

After some vague descriptions and going through tiny villages I passed through a beautiful forest, with all frosted leaves. And I saw a couple of deer sprinting away, higher up the slope.
I got hungry pretty quickly, so I ate a second breakfast. I don't think I've ever before eaten pizza at 8 in the morning (leftover from last night).

Somewhere in a valley I passed a very cute little stream, with a tiny bridge; the sort of thing that makes me happy. Shortly after, there was the first steep climb: 50 vertical meters in 200 m of path. Ending in Grihanster, where for a moment I was afraid I'd lost my sunglasses and would have to go back down. But they were on my head...
Some walking through fields with splendid views (insofar as they can be splendid at 200m) over the valley. Which I had to descend into, as Nessonvaux was down there. So that was my first serious descent. I figured that next time I'm going hiking on the GR5, I want trekking poles, for balance. But it was very pretty.

In Nessonvaux I got a bit stupid. I wanted to find a supermarket and thought the left side of the T, where the trail didn't lead, looked more likely to have one. So I walked that way for over 500 m, then not finding anything, asked google maps. The supermarket was about 20 m from that T where I had turned left, on the right side. Yeah.
After Nessonvaux there was a very pretty path halfway up a frosted slope, with a little river down below. Shortly after came what was described as a 'serious climb'. I have to agree. Pretty steep at first, and in total over 200 m up. This was when I finally, after 11, started to feel warm enough to begin taking off layers of clothing.
Then there was a long stretch through woods, nice and sunny, so I decided to wear my sandals again. But less than an hour later, there started to be a cold wind - or maybe I simply walked into its affected area. Either way, I got cold again, so back on with the shoes and the coats.
Some more nice forest, some fields, and another bit of a climb later I reached Becco, and with a very steeply down-sloping path (again, I want poles), La Reid. I though this had the last bus stop before Spa, so I had to decide whether to walk on or take a bus. I had 10 km to go, it was not yet 3, and I am nothing if not stubborn; so after checking the altitude profile of those 10 km, I decided to continue. Which meant two more steep climbs, of ~100 and ~130 m (though not all of the 130 were steep). Turned out there was another bus stop in the next village, but by then I had decided to reach Spa, so I would, because stubborn. I passed a very nice little stream that I got to cross over a bridge, and some more pretty forest. And the last hour or so towards Spa was mostly gently down-sloping through a beautiful, beautiful forest. Full of fallen leaves, and following a sort of riverbed that might hold a stream in spring.
It was getting cold, and dark, so I did want to get to Spa quickly and didn't linger in the forest - but I did enjoy it a lot.

I arrived at the train station in Spa around 17.35. Reaching that means that, with all the detouring I did yesterday, I walked over 100 km in 3 days. And mostly not over flat, level terrain, either. Maybe pretty crazy. But having done it, I am a bit proud of myself.

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Thanks for reading all this! I like comments or other reactions, so let me know what you think! Also about my writing. I'm not saying I'll change anything because of your feedback, but I might, and I like to know anyway :-)

Geschreven door Jewaontheroad