{"id":7235,"date":"2012-12-28T16:36:14","date_gmt":"2012-12-28T16:36:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/?p=7235"},"modified":"2018-12-18T13:21:25","modified_gmt":"2018-12-18T13:21:25","slug":"on-top-of-mount-etna-and-the-start-of-a-new-saga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/on-top-of-mount-etna-and-the-start-of-a-new-saga\/","title":{"rendered":"On top of Mount Etna and the start of a new saga"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dave the motorhome has taken refuge in a picnic spot further down Mount Etna, below the snow line (N37.69924 E15.05389)<\/p>\n

Last night we slept very badly. Jay has the man flu, so was shivering cold despite being under a duvet, two sleeping bags and a blanket – and fully clothed! We watched the sun set and the clouds cleared as the twinkling lights of the town of Catania grew brighter. We were treated to a free fireworks display down in the bay, which looked even more impressive than usual viewed from above. All was good until around 11pm when outside the wind started to pick up. Soon it was gusting and rocking Dave – not\u00a0conducive\u00a0to a good nights kip.<\/p>\n

\"Sunrise<\/a>

Sunrise over Catania as seen from Mount Etna<\/p><\/div>\n

This morning Dave was still being\u00a0buffeted\u00a0and we were woken by it around 6am, opening the curtains we watched an incredible sunrise, the orange glow making the world seem a much warmer place – that and the fact that we had cranked the heating up to full. Wide awake and in a rocking van we got up, dressed, had breakfast, walked Charlie, left Charlie in Dave and were first to the gondola when it opened. The weather forecast was for thunderstorms in the afternoon so we wanted to get up and back sharpish.<\/p>\n

Jay was still feeling poorly so we decided to take the gondola then the off-road bus up to the highest point you can get – it can be walked in a couple of hours, but we didn’t fancy that today. At the gondola office the ticket man broke the news that the bus wasn’t running, but as we were there we figured we’d go up and have a mooch around, so we coughed up \u20ac58 for both of us, and with a quick phone call to make sure things were OK at the top we were off.<\/p>\n

\"Cable<\/a>

Gondola, Gondola!<\/p><\/div>\n

Swinging in the breeze is never a good thing on a gondola, but at least it was a covered in one. We looked out at the lava flows below us as we slowly crept up to the top. Arriving we took the advice of the Helens and went up the stairs to the gift shop where there was a display of Etna images from throughout the ages – we were so early, the lights weren’t on and a woman was sweeping the floor.<\/p>\n

Walking out of the cable car station a sign reminded us that we were on a volcano and must stick to the paths – the only problem was that the paths weren’t that clearly marked, well actually not marked at all. With no map or clue where we should head we followed footsteps in the snow and tyre tracks of the off-road buses up towards the top of a button lift. Yes in the winter crazy people come up here to ski, but there’s not enough snow right now.<\/p>\n

\"Jay<\/a>

Jay and the off road bus!<\/p><\/div>\n

The biting cold wind was howling and my fingers were going numb even though I had my gloves on. As we climbed up to the button lift station it got harder to stand up as the wind gusted around us. We hid behind a hut to get a break from it and catch our breath; a combination of altitude and fighting the wind (coupled with man flu for Jay and general unfitness for me) had us both gasping. Next to the mound we were sat on was another one, this time much higher – well it would be rude not to climb it, so off we went. This time the wind was behind us so we breezed up the slope, but had to take care not to fly off the ridge on the top – I resorted to sitting down just to be sure.<\/p>\n