We enjoyed our stay at Hotel Melini,and was looking forward to todays walk as the books says this stage marks an exciting change in scenery, which means we must be leaving the tree’s behind at last.

Hotel Melini

I was a bit concerned about tonight’s Rifugio as it says open from mid June, so phone calls were made and we were assured someone would be there to let us in at 6pm. So we happily set off on our way, in beautiful sunshine, expecting a great day.

It was a tough hilly start but before long and for the first time in 11 days we actually left the tree’s behind and had the WOW feeling for a short while.

We made good time, even enjoying a long lunch in the sun, reading our books at the closed Rifugio Montanaro, where we caught up with our French friends once again 🙂

Shortly after lunch the mist came down and the sun went in making the last of the walk cold and windy. We arrived at Largo Scaffaiolo and Rifugio Duca degli Abruzzi at 3pm, so we had 3 hours to kill before it was due to be opened for us, it was not going to be an enjoyable wait !

The French guys had set up camp nearby at a very cold and damp hut, they gave us tea and helped pass away some of the time then an Italian cyclist arrived at 5pm hoping to see the Rifugio open too.

By 6.30 I was beginning to worry,but the Italian guy made some calls and we were assured the Rifugio would be open, luckily the Rifugio owner turned up at 7.30 pm, by which time I was shivering with cold and very hungry but soon there was a roaring wood burner, lovely hot water,food, wine and all ended well.

Our walk today took us high enough to come across traces of left over snow…