Sparkling it was as we biscuited a bonanza picnic together.

By the time the boys arrived however, a huge black cloud had descended upon the summit of Mt.Vettore and thus inside the hearts and minds of prospective climbers.

I beat back all feint hearted appeals to head for the bar instead and led an ever-diminishing number of stout souls upwards and onwards to Foce.

We coffee'd up and headed off with a strip of blue sky following us between the mountain top and afore-mentioned huge cloud which the sun held back, in fact it burned it off for almost the entire climb.

Two of our paltry number flaked off half way up. Bad knee/ vertigo: usual suspects but we made it, Bessy first (see pic). And almost as we arrived at the Lake, the sun was consumed by said cloud and it was suddenly freezing. We un-packed our bags to find that the bad knee/vertigo detractors had run off with the lunch and we had but a dry biscuit and tomato each. And a cupful of water.

The Lake itself was the lowest I'd ever seen it due no doubt to the lack of winter snow.

The water was roughed up by the wind and the shrimps (I do believe) were hiding under rocks.

As we headed back the wind picked up and it began to rain in spits and spots.

That night the rain turned to snow on the mountains, which in the morning were clear and white.

Next year I think we'll take another route. And it will be warmer. And sunnier. And we will play with the shrimps. And the World will be at peace again.