Le Bettex

View along the path

We are in the Alps, staying with our friends John and Anne. The weather has been poor: rain and low cloud. However, it has finally stopped raining and we decide on a short level walk from the Le Bettex ski lift. Last year we went up by the ski lift to walk to Mont Arbois in bright sunshine. Oh well, we are where we are. It is still pretty cloudy.

At least there are plenty of wildflowers to take my mind off the lack of butterflies. The first one to catch my eye was this beautiful Viola tricolor.

Nearby was this lovely Bellflower. I am not entirely sure which one it is.

There were still clouds ahead, but both sides of the path had a good crop of wildflowers.

Now we started to see some orchids. I think this may be a Heath Spotted.

A bit further on there was a decent alpine flower meadow on the left.

After this the path narrowed, but the left hand hedgerow offered up this wonderful Water Avens

And in the field to the right there were numerous specimens of the striking Trollius europaeus, Trollins.

The next open area had a great number of orchids. This, I think, is a Broad-leaved Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza majalis).

Further on, at a bend in the track, was something new: a Mealy Primrose.

We had now reached the point where it was time to retrace our steps. I rather liked this view through the trees.

Conditions: cool, cloudy.

Distance: a couple of miles.

Rating: four stars. Lots of lovely flowers. But if only the sun had been shining and there were butterflies too!