THE TOUR OF MONT BLANC

The Tour of Mont Blanc (TMB) is a circular trek around the Mont Blanc massif which is dominated by Mont Blanc itself (4807m) and is surrounded by some 400 peaks and 40 glaciers. It carries the frontiers of three countries - France, Italy and Switzerland. The guide book recommends a period of 10 to 12 days to complete the 170km trek which has some 10000m of climb and is recognised as one of the worlds 'classic routes'.

In between in World Masters (28th August) and the World Mountain Trophy (4th September), 18 'athletes' from Newcastle AC, ACKC, Salford AC,Sparta and Dublin and led by Dermot McGonigle's Scottish Mountain Runners, completed the course in 4 ½ days. Starting in Courmayeur we went anti - clockwise through Switzerland to Chamonix and back to Courmayeur. To achieve our target time we completed 1 ½ to 2 stages per day running most of the run-able terrain but taking the climbs quite easy. With day sacs only and staying at mountain refuges (booked by phoning ahead each day) bodies were tired and weary with many sore and blistered feet by the time we returned to Courmayeur.

I have had many foreign trips for various sporting occasions but I would have to say that this ranked with the best if not THE best of all time. The group were sensational with a great mixture of characters, ages, style and humour. The scenery was spectacular with Mont Blanc surrounded by a large number of aiguilles, savage rock walls, ridges, valleys and tumbling glaciers. To cap it all the weather was amazing with blue skies and warm temperatures for the entire week. A classic which could not be repeated under the same circumstances.

Wes Kettyle, October 2004