Mettlen - Neugaden
21 km
Elevation: up 553m, down 527m
Min altitude 795m, max altitude 1050m
Active hours: 4h46m
Steps: at least 33632

I took it easy this morning, enjoying some extra tea from a real kettle and typing out another log on the tiny smartphone screen. Yes, I know I said I wouldn't do that, but it took me so long to copy only five of them in Belfort that I now do write them on the smartphone, to save time later. So I left at 9.00 again, which used to be late but seems to be becoming a rule at the moment.
I accidentally took the car road instead of the hiking trail up the slope, but as they met again later and there was no traffic yet, that was okay, and it meant less steep climbing to start the day with, which was welcome. I keep seeing cats up the slopes in the fields. The cats I see here look in much better health than the ones I saw in France, and those that live here must have enormous territories.
I also saw a strange lizard, black and shiny; at first I thought it might be plastic, because it looked like it could be and didn't move. I took pictures and a close look and then I saw it was breathing. It only started moving when I was a few meters away, but slowly, and then I realised it must still be cold and that's why it hadn't darted away at my approach. And apparently its defence is to look fake.
I got to a top after an hour of walking, apparently I had already climbed 250m. Didn't think it was that much. The road turned into another of those crest trails that I love, though not for very long, as it dipped into forest and pretty soon started to descend again. Partly through a field where the trail was the line of slightly flattened grass, so steep sideways that it was hard to stand on it. But that wasn't long either. More forest, and when I got close to Trubschachen the trail descended steeply, but also through forest. I only came out of the trees when I stepped right into the village, where I arrived at 12.30.
I had planned to buy some bread for lunch at the bakery - which was closed from 12.15 to 14.00. Then I wanted to ask if I could use wifi anywhere at the information desk - which was closed from 12.00 - 14.00.
So I bought lunch at the small grocery store that was open and decided that I'd spend some money on data because I really needed internet to check if my idea for the coming days was realistic. But I ran into a problem: my work phone won't pick up any networks anymore. No idea why, but nothing I do changes it. And without the information, I just couldn't go on. I was starting to think that I'd have to take a train to Langnau to find a tourist info, but then I might as well wait till 14.00 and ask at the information desk first.
They gave me access to their own wifi. So I did a lot of research. My idea, to climb the Hohgant, sleep in the mountain hut there and continue to Interlaken was actually realistic. But then it turned out the hut was full and it was impossible to sleep there. And there was nothing else between Trubschachen and Interlaken where I could sleep, not even a hotel. I was thinking I might even have to go home from where I was (which is a really stupid way to end a vacation), when it occurred to me it might be possible to go east after tonight's campsite instead of south. That turned out to be the case, puts me in Luzern instead of Interlaken, but it least allows me to continue for a few days more.
So, I started off again, at 15.30 (all of that took forever), taking the boring and shorter way to the campsite, as the one over the crest wasn't feasible anymore time wise. And yes, it was boring. For a flat and mostly straight route it wasn't too bad, as it followed small paths alongside first the Ilfis and then the Schonbach rivers, but still, not what I'm here for. The last hour was a very long one.
Now I'm on one of the least attractive campsites I've ever seen (and I've seen a lot of them), full of mobile homes and nothing else. The note in the sanitary room talks about their 'residents', it has a small pizza place that smells of old frying oil and is full of chatting grey-haired people, and the toilets are clearly mostly for the pizza place visitors as all those 'residents' will have their own showers and toilets. It's a sorry excuse for a campsite. I don't have a choice so I'll sleep here, but I already can't wait to leave.

Geschreven door Jewaontheroad