February was off to a bad start but ended up being quite a varied month when it comes to hiking.

After being down with minor health issues in the first part of the month, I went for the first hike of the month on the 15th – quite a late start. The hike started in a village where a local citizen created a collection of garden tools as a mini-museum.

The village also had a spring of mineral water that was done in quite a disturbing way. Magnified by the fact it was shut off in winter.

The lowlands were almost free of snow, and the clouds came and went, turning it into a pleasant walk, easy enough after a three-week break.

At the end, the final village’s gardening shop hosted an exhibition of orchids and tropical butterflies in a heated tent, so that was a pleasant bit of unexpected variety. As far as I’ve heard, it’s a regular event.

The following week, a cold wave arrived. The mornings dropped as low as -15°C, even though the days were only barely below zero. I decided to take two days off and go hiking mid-week, knowing that the only place with a decent amount of snow left would be crowded during the weekend and that the frozen-through snow would make things easier.

Given my early start, even the ski slopes were still empty, which also made my way out of the resort where I started easier. The gusts of cold wind had me pick up my pace to warm up, though when I was in sections with sun but sheltered from the wind, it was quite pleasant. It was also quite visible that the snow lasted only around the higher peaks.

Past the main resort, the trail was quite empty, which allowed me to enjoy the winter scenery in peace. On the dry, frozen snow, my progress was quite fast.

Before noon, I reached the pass with another ski resort, at which point, some people were still arriving while others were heading for a lunch break. I had, at this point, turned to the trail leading downward, toward the town below, glad I might catch an earlier train and be home before it got dark.

My last hike of the month followed on Saturday, though this one was mostly through the woods. During the first part of the trail, I walked a forest road following a stream that was still frozen. Gaps in the ice were frequent and the strange bubbling accompanied me for quite a while.

Given the trail I’ve chosen, views were few and most of them still limited by the trees, though it was a pleasant hike. This was in an area where the snow was already reduced to ankle-deep at most, so it was also easy-going. And after the three-week break I mentioned before, I was glad to be out again.

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So, that’s a quick look at February. I’m hoping to avoid any major setbacks the next month, which might bring out some early flowers and some other joys of the early spring. Until next time.