Walking with Giants, Tour de Mont Blanc

David Tolcher

An enthusiast who enjoys having photography as an excuse to get out in to the wilds.

Introduction

I recently wrote an article discussing the range of options available to the serious walker & landscape photographer (Travelling Light). In the article I extolled the virtues of the current crop of mirrorless cameras and their suitability for long distance walking. I recently completed the Tour de Mont Blanc (TMB) over a 2 week period covering a distance of approximately 200km and 10000m of ascent (and descent !) staying in a mixture of huts and hotels. It has a reputation of being one of the toughest long distance walks in Europe but also one of the most scenically enjoyable. In context, Ben Nevis is 1344m high so we would average a Ben Nevis every day & half of walking ! The opportunity to walk through France, Italy and Switzerland around the Mont Blanc massif excited my photographic instincts but also gave a conundrum as to what to carry. Did I follow my own prescription ? What worked and what would I do differently next time ?