New Zealanders on the GR1

A Guest Blog from Rob and Debby McColl

A GR1 adventure 28 April – 17 June 2016

We surprised ourselves in 2012 by completing the 3000km Te Araroa Trail from top to bottom of New Zealand just a few months before Rob turned 70 and Debby turned 60! Everyone kept asking us what’s next, so we felt obliged to keep going.

Rob and Debby

Trekking in the Dolpo - September/October 2016

Some plans go better than others. We had a great trek in the Dolpo, enjoyed it immensely, but got home with the distinct feeling that it could have been even better. There are definitely lessons to be learned although I'm starting to that I'm getting to the stage in my trekking career when lessons have diminishing returns!

Phoksundo Lake

Trekking in the Dolpo - back in Kathmandu

After camping in Jumla last night, the last one under canvas, we're now back in Kathmandu and getting ready for our flight home tomorrow. To be honest after the delay to the start of the trip, the horrible extended stay in Nepalgunj, it's a relief to be here. The weather last night wasn't good and we really thought that flights this morning were going to be delayed. It was all very stressful but in the end the flights went without a hitch and after leaving Jumla at 8 we were back in Kathmandu in time for lunch.

Trekking in the Dolpo - Dunai

Today was our last proper trekking day, a day blessed with great weather and a heroic goat.

It was really hot and again the route seemed a lot longer than our memory suggested.

An hour or so from the campsite there were prayer flags on the path. BB told us they marked the spot where, a few weeks earlier, Thinlen Lhonlup, the star of Eric Valli's film 'Himalaya' had died. He had fallen with his horse into the ravine below and had died in a helicopter on way back to Kathmandu. Thinlen was a huge Nepalese figure and BB, who with Summit Trekking had worked on the film, was clearly moved to be at the spot where his hero had died.

Trekking in the Dolpo - south of Rechi

The plan is to get down the valley, almost all the way to Juphal, in two days. After the 2 day delay in Nepalgunj, BB wants to get Juphal in good time for the return flight to Kathmandu as we only have 1 day there before catching our return flight to London. This feels right although hanging around in Juphal for half a day won't make the next day's flight any more reliable.

We were slightly disturbed last night by a bongo bashing group of American doctors who were camping on the side of the lake. There was a huge crowd of them, at least 30, and they are on a tour of the Dolpo dispensing medicine. They certainly enjoyed themselves, staring up at the Milky War, watching the sparks from campfire join the stars in the sky and endlessly singing/chanting a limited repertoire of Beatles songs. As I've said before, lying in a tent listening to other people enjoying themselves is not much fun.

Trekking the Dolpo - Back to Ringmo

I've learnt a number of things on this trip which, taken together, make me think that if I ever came back that I would do it differently.

Approaching the Phoksumdo Lake

Trekking in the Dolpo - Back over the Kang La

Despite losing 2 days in Nepalgunj at the start of the trek, we are now back on schedule. The weather, however, is cold so rather than stop at High Camp again on the return leg BB suggested going further and getting down to main valley north of Phoksumdo, much lower and back into the forest. This made for a big day with over 1000m of the climb and nearly 2000m of descent. Although Christine was nervous about it at the beginning of the day, given how hard the first crossing of the pass was, it went really well, was a huge confidence booster, and confirmed that we still have what it takes.

The long slog up to Kang La