Saturday 13 July 2013 - Pyrenees GR10 - Day 29 - Stage 23 - Lac d'Oô to Bagnères-de-Luchon

Distance: 20 km (Cum: 437 km)      

Ascent: 1070 metres (Cum: 24,200 metres)
                      
Time taken: 8.5 hrs including 2.0 hrs stops                                      

Weather: high cloud, then sunny, before late afternoon rain

A 7am breakfast gave us a prompt start on what promised to be a longish day.  It was a quick breakfast. Two pieces of stale bread with a bit of butter and jam, plus a cup of coffee. A far cry from last night's repast. 

Woods shaded us from the early sun as we made our way up towards Lac Espingo, with ever improving views down to Lac d'Oô.

Two walkers with axes and crampons passed purposefully by on their way to a more demanding target than ours. 

The weather had a rather sullen look, with high cloud from France eclipsing the sunshine from Spain. 

Soon our path doubled back to provide good views down to Lac d'Oô. 

We overtook yesterday's sandal clad pair, who would actually have managed fine today, as any difficulties were minimal and had perhaps been exaggerated in yesterday's conversations. The 'snow' situation is no doubt improving by the day. 

Our first of the day's three cols was reached at around 9.25.

The route then contoured around to another minor col, crossing difficult snowfields on the way. 

See carefully composed image. 

Well, perhaps they weren't too difficult. Not as hard as the final barrier that we negotiated a few minutes later, after some kindly Dutch backpackers showed us the 

way. 

Once this little impasse had been negotiated we romped down to Superbagnères for a lunch of chips and coke (how did that happen?) in the company of the four jolly Dutchmen.

Then it was all downhill, through the woods to Luchon, arriving at 4pm at Mike and Annette Jones' s splendid B&B, Villa Portillon, where we are happily installed for the next three nights. 

Celebratory drinks and meal have put paid to anything more lucid tonight, but I'll add some more about today on our day off tomorrow. 

Goodnight from the end of a successful 'Phase 1' of this trip. 

Sent from our GR10 trip - see here for our itinerary