Summer trekking: 50 Reasons to come!

Well it's finally hot and sunny here, as I believe it is in much of Europe this weekend. Elsewhere I don't know, but I hope you're all enjoying a wonderful spring.
The daily news is hardly inspiring though, is it? It seems to be there are many reasons why you might decide to stay home this summer and not come trekking in the Alps with me. Let's take a look:
The Economy: what a mess! Each day seems to bring more bad news, with the odd glimmer of hope when one world leader or another suggests a short-term solution to what are clearly long-term problems. But will this change in the next few years???
The Ash Cloud: quite where we are with this I don't know, they say that the planes can fly and that hopefully better legislation will be introduced so the flights are only cancelled if really necessary. And actually there are other very straight-forward ways of getting the Alps, at least from other European countries, notably the train, which is very efficient and not expensive if reserved in advance. Driving is also a good option, not difficult and actully pleasant if you make a journey out of it.
The Exchange Rate: Well after the last few months I'd like to say this can only get better - the Euro has certainly weakened these last weeks and the Dollar has gained strength. Sterling seems to be sitting on the fence with that one. Could get worse, could get better, but in the end it's just a holiday and the extra cost doesn't amount to that much, honest!!
Fitness - you're not fit enough for these hilly Alps! Nonsense, this is the perfect time to start an Alps trekking Fitness Programme.
It might be a sunny summer wherever you live - well there's a chance of course!!
I have 3 treks that still have places available:
Chamonix Zermatt Walker's Haute Route meet 21 July trek 9 days - amazing alpine journey with big mountain scenery.
Tour of the Grand Muveran meet 7 August trek 6 days - big adventure trek.
Tour of Mont Blanc meet 28 August trek 7 days. The classic Alps trek.
Take 5 minutes to click this link, sit back and dream: here are 50 reasons to come trekking with me this summer http://picasaweb.google.fr/Hilaryalp/SummerTrekking50ReasonsToCome?feat=directlink

Springtime?

So it's springtime - flowers, sunshine, grassy meadows, frollicking lambs and all that.....

Well not exactly! The mountains are plastered in snow and rain has certainly won over sun these last days.

That didn't stop us having a great time last week exploring the hills around the glorious Annecy Lake. This is the first time I have offered a trip there and although the weather did not play game it is clearly a great place to hike. Limestone summits abound and the views would be superb out over the lake and also towards the surrounding massifs.

We did enjoy some beautiful spring flowers and the beech forests were delightful, all the leaves being pale green at this time. Birds were plentiful and we even spotted an ibex.

Back here in the Land of Snow it really is snowy - not in the valleys thank goodness, although snow is forecast at 1300m in the next days, but the mountains sadly look like this:

Hoping that the ash cloud will clear off and the sun will shine for the next 6 months!