Postcard from Timperley: Pyrenees HRP - 2004

Tuesday, 22 October 2019

Pyrenees HRP - 2004 - Day 39

Sue and Martin's Big Adventure

Day 39 - Thursday 2 September 2004 - Stage 32

Postcard Summary

Well lit campsite to Upper Romedo Lake

Cloud foils bid to climb Pic de Certascan, so we continue east in cool weather – 8.0 hours, 10 km, 1000m ascent

After a storm in the night we got wet feet from the grass during a climb to the uninhabited hamlet of Noarre, then wet heads from the climb through trees! Lunch was pretty cool (had to don trousers) before we reached Col de Certascan. Decided against peak bagging! A hot chocolate at the Refuge was good, whilst a mule tried to nibble our rucksacks! A shower created a double rainbow over our lakeside campsite, where we stocked up on bilberries for breakfast.

Diary Entry (by Martin)

We hadn't noticed the light near our tent when we pitched it. So we hoped that it would be turned off at some point. It wasn't, until morning. So we had a 'WELL LIT' camp, to go with the barking dogs (they did go to sleep) the storms - lots of thunder / lightning / heavy rain - so much for the owner using a sprinkler on the parched grass, and the owls, who were still going strong when we left the site at 8.30 having breakfasted on muesli, cookies and chocolate.

It's becoming harder to get going at 8.15 as it gets light later now. There had been a considerable 'dew' from the rain, and our legs harvested this on the path up to Noarre from Graus. Shorts and gaiters were soon employed, but the large ferns and the low silver birch were a problem all morning. Boots and feet got wet and the 'waterproof' socks didn't really work. [In my case perhaps because they were inside out again!]

Sunny in Spain but cloud over France, the opposite from recent weather, but during the day the clouds built up and eventually rain blew in from Spain. But it was a fine morning, and we had time to note the onset of autumn colours and the fading of summer flowers such as pinks, though the heather is still in full bloom.

The pines are a variety that have lots of pale cones right at the top of the tree. Curious.

We approached the village of Noarre across an old bridge composed of logs (old tree trunks) and rocks, arriving there at 9.30. (See top picture.)

There is no road access but some buildings have been done up smartly. Then we had a lengthy climb through birch woods and up to a high lake - 2355 metres - on Ton Joosten's route rather than Georges Véron's. We were hungry, having had only a brief 'mountain mix' break, and it was a cool 12°C. Sue found a place out of the wind, and the brew and virtually the last of the bread with our respective tins of fish [sardines (S), tuna (M)] was most welcome - 12.35 to 1.05.

View back to Noarre

Wet grass on the ascent from Noarre

Waterfall on the ascent to Coll de Certascan

After the refuelling there was virtually no more scrambling (a feature of the late morning) and we reached Coll de Certascan (2605 metres) at 1.45. Whilst still cool, it wasn't so windy here, so quite pleasant. A decision as to whether or not to climb Pic de Certascan (2853 metres) a one and a quarter hour diversion, had to be made. The views from the col were good - perhaps 30 to 40 miles under a cloud base of around 2800 to 2900 metres.

Coll de Certascan

Pic de Certascan was in and out of cloud. Eventually we decided the views from the top wouldn't be worth the effort, and so we descended easily to Refugi de Certascan, where we found a guardian and some hot chocolate. He was the only person we saw all day.

View to lake below Coll de Certascan

Apollo Butterfly

On the way we had continued to follow the green paint that seems to mark this route, and we passed the site where Dave and I camped in 1994 - it must have been a long day from our high camp above Alos! There was a 'snow pole' - pink/yellow/green/white x 2 on the way down. Lovely views as we went east from Certascans, and over a low col (2250 metres) to reach the Upper Romedo Lake (2120 metres) where we are now camped.

Route to final col at 2250 metres

A shower on the way down brought our waterproofs into use for the first time since Bielsa, two weeks ago, but worth it for the splendid rainbow that followed.