Saturday 29 June 2013 - Pyrenees GR10 - Day 15 - Lescun

We walked about 3 km today, with minimal ascent - basically a couple of trips to a table d'orientation kiosk.                               

Weather: sunny

A lovely warm rest day in Lescun. 

Our last breakfast with John and Paul was savoured, before the two heroes set off on the next stage of their 'Tour Aventure' adventure - to Etsaut.

We had a lazy day, with a couple of trips along to the 'kiosk' and its fine view over the village of Lescun to its eponymous cirque (pictured).

A chat with the owners of the excellent gite - Maison de la Montagne - helped us to plan our route for the next four days. Axe and crampons are advised for the 2185 metre Col d'Ayous, between Etsaut and Gabas, and the 2465 metre Hourquette d'Arre after Gabas, so we've devised an alternative that also requires the day before those sections (ie tomorrow) to be changed. The changes make for a good compromise, albeit involving a tad of road walking. Gourette to Arrens-Marsous on GR10 is no problem, but we'll have to assess the viability of the next section to Cauterets when we reach Arrens-Marsous. 

We aim to stay safe. The scenery will be wonderful regardless of the route taken if this weather holds. 

Also, Jill W has kindly informed us that the Oasis gite at Barèges is due to reopen on Monday, so we have been able to book it for 8 July, though we aren't looking forward to the scene of devastation that will await us there. Jill's information,  and that from Nick and others has been very helpful and is much appreciated. Thank you. 

Dinner was in the local restaurant, just down the road, the Bar des Bergers. A nice meal, similar to last night's at the gite, featuring the usual 'garbure' (vegetable soup, sometimes with ham) and confit of duck, a local favourite featuring slowly cooked duck legs.

We didn't see much of any other HRP or GR10 walkers, apart from one misguided chap who thought the HRP was easier on the knees. He hasn't come to the boulder fields yet, and our experience indicates that both routes average about 1000 metres of ascent a day.  I agreed to differ; he was unwaveringly correct. I doubt we'll meet again. 

(I may of course be completely wrong - it wouldn't be the first time!)

I've failed miserably to catch up with other people's blogs. Never mind.  We did however catch sight of the Tour de France stage finish in Corsica. It looked really strange...

Sent from our GR10 trip - see here for our itinerary

Occasional Pyrenean Flowers (4)

Yesterday we enjoyed passing massive clumps of this milkwort, probably the common 'Mountain Milkwort' (Polygala alpestris) variety. 

Sent from our GR10 trip - see here for our itinerary

Friday 28 June 2013 - Pyrenees GR10 - Day 14 - Stage 11 - Arette-la Pierre-St-Martin to Lescun

Distance: 16 km (Cum: 209 km)      

Ascent: 500 metres (Cum: 10,840 metres)
                     
Time taken: 7.75 hrs including 1.75 hrs stops                                     

Weather: fog, dissipating to 'cloud over France', with high peaks attracting their own cloud

At last, a wonderful mountain day with stunning views from a fine route.

Jean, Refuge Jeandel's eccentric but kindly guardian, gave out quite a bit of route information last night as we slurped our aperitifs. 

All fourteen of us at the Refuge, nine French and five English,  were walking GR10. Of the English, John decided on the taxi option, and he was joined by Roland and Marie, as well as Pierre's quartet.

The rest of us left, as advised by Jean, in a single international group. 

Luckily the mist immediately cleared, and we were able to follow the waymarks, more or less, for a while. It was slow going over limestone pavements choked with snow. Gilles demonstrated how to escape from a snow hole after plunging in up to his chest.

"Can you see me! " he kept shouting as the camera shutters clicked and he sunk slowly deeper. 

We went wrong, ascending to around 1920 metres when we should have stayed a good 100 metres lower. The waymarks had been hard to find as many were obscured by snow. A laborious descent over rough and steep ground saw us back on the path for good.

The wrong route did offer the bonus of some fine views, one of which is pictured above. 

We ascended to Pas de l'Osque up an easy scramble (thankfully free from snow) and spent a while there admiring the multitude of alpine flowers and the fine views in all directions. 

At 1922 metres this should have been the highest point of our trip to date, if we hadn't gone inadvertently higher a few minutes earlier. 

Before us lay the crux of today's walk, described our Cicerone guide as 'cross the bowl to the SE'. That was easier said than done as the steep scree across which the path traversed was inundated with snow. We later discovered that David and John's guide had them roped up for this section yesterday. 

We, however, had Gilles, who stamped his way across, making it easy (if a bit scary) for everyone else. François positively skipped across in her new crampons. She seemed oblivious to nearly tripping and stumbling and getting tangled in the long excesses of the straps.

We soon reached Pas d'Azuns (1873 metres), where the unmistakable profile of Pic du Midi d'Ossau came into intermittent view through swirling cloud, though Pic d'Anie dominated the immediate view. 

Lunch was savoured in this lofty spot where we were safe in the knowledge that there were no significant further difficulties to come. 

Gilles endeavoured to feed the choughs and ants with the remains of some cereal he had bought in Hendaye.  It can't have been very nice or he would surely have eaten it by now. 

The 'magnificent seven' then took a few self-timed pictures before disbanding and taking the easy and enjoyable path to Lescun at their own pace.  Five of us assembled for drinks at Refuge de Labérouat, about an hour above Lescun. They seemed to have just one booking, from Jean-Yves, tonight. We think they were going to pretend that they were full when he turned up, not wanting the hassle of catering for just one guest!

We ate with Stuart, and Pierre's family, at one of the village's gites, but we failed to find John and Paul.  We should see them tomorrow.

Our hotel, Hotel du Pic d'Anie, is a fine, wood panelled establishment, where we were greeted by an ancient lady called Matilda Carrafranq, whose family have owned the early 19th century hotel for five generations. Unfortunately she was unable to supply us with a Wifi code and every time we try to find someone we encounter a building with the ambience of the Marie Celeste, with ghostly voices in the background. 

We've heard from David that he and John have had to go home due to a foot problem.  That's a great shame. We enjoyed our week with them. Hopefully when they return there will be less snow and flooding and they will be able to enjoy the GR10 path from Lescun in all its glory. 

Sent from our GR10 trip - see here for our itinerary

Thursday 27 June 2013 - Pyrenees GR10 - Day 13 - Stage 10 - Pont d'Enfer to Arrete-la Pierre-St-Martin

Distance: 16 km (Cum: 193 km)      

Ascent: 1360 metres (Cum: 10,340 metres)
                     
Time taken: 6.0 hrs including 1.5 hrs stops                                     

Weather: blue sky to start with, clouding over by 11 am, becoming the usual thick blanket with cloud base below 1800 metres by lunch time

We took our time over breakfast as Michel needed to dispose of all his other guests from the full hotel before taking us back to Pont d'Enfer. Luckily most of the guests were a group of French cyclists, so dealing with them was no more taxing than dealing with the sole German who didn't understand his bill.

Michel is an endurance fanatic. He has driven buggies in the Dakar Rally many times.  He demands respect for that. The hotel was great.  It has lots of circular walk and other opportunities, and would be a good place to spend a few nights. It was good to explore the village and listen to the swifts.

The church opposite the gite in Ste-Engrâce, with its wooden roof and stained glass windows, not to mention its expectant red kite, was dark inside.  As was the ravine that we soon found ourselves ascending - much like a half hour version of Lud's Church. We'd expected some mud, but today's paths over limestone all seemed well drained. 

Remnants of cast iron pipes gave away the route of a 1950s compressed air pipe to La Verna, further up the ravine. A visit to this site of a hydro electric scheme involves negotiating a 600 metre tunnel before reaching a huge cavern.  Worth a visit sometime, but not today as Sue had gone far ahead. 

Good paths through pleasantly cool woods with giant fungi and a lousewort not in our book, led to a fortuitous pause. Sue spotted a Ghost Orchid. We'd not seen one before.  She was a bit chuffed and left a big arrow for Roland and Marie, who we'd just passed. They saw the arrow, but  didn't understand it...

Soon we reached the ruined Cabane d'Escuret de Bas, with views back over our route and down to Ste-Engrâce. Pierre's team was ahead and Roland and Marie caught up. Whilst a bit cooler than in the trees, this was a great spot - at last we'd found a wonderful wild flower meadow in which to enjoy our cheese and tomato baguettes. 

This afternoon we continued past some delightful wild camping spots to a high col, before descending to Refuge Jeandel, where we have the same bed that we had on our last visit nine years ago. 

The alpine flowers hereabouts are wonderful. With the help of a newcomer to the group, Jean-Yves, Sue has tracked down a number of 'new sightings'. Apart from those, familiar snowbells and gentians have appeared, and whilst the vultures are still around, we have moved into an area where choughs are more common. 

On cresting the 1760 metre col, a very wintry scene greeted us, together with men carrying skis and snow shoes.  Oh dear!

There are fourteen of us here, all on GR10. Jacques and Julian have gone home, and Eric and his nephew Nicholas have continued to Lescun. Everyone else is part of the familiar group. 

It has been a very jolly evening despite some uncertainties about tomorrow.  The conditions are 'unusual' for the time of year. Some taxis have been ordered.  Bizarrely, François is the only one of us with crampons (albeit they are still in their box!).

Sent from our GR10 trip - see here for our itinerary

Occasional Pyrenean Flowers (3)

Today's coup is this Ghost Orchid. It doesn't look much but it's quite rare, and a new 'spot' for us.

Sent from our GR10 trip - see here for our itinerary

June 2013 - Pyrenees GR10 - A Problem

An email yesterday from Robert and Emma, owners of the Hotel du Tourmalet in the village of Bareges, brought home to us the dire straits of Bareges's residents, and some impending practical problems of our own. 

Here's an extract:

Hello Martin, 
I'm very sorry to have to let you know that unavoidably we will no
longer be able to accept your booking at the Hotel du Tourmalet
following the serious flooding that hit the Pyrenees last week. There
is currently no public access to Bareges, as the Tourmalet road and
many of the bridges in the upper valley have been badly damaged. The hotel itself has suffered some undermining of its foundations, and we are awaiting an expert opinion on whether it can be repaired, or if
the decision will be made to demolish. The important thing is that we are all safe and our family has been reunited, albeit in temporary accommodation.  
In terms of your holiday plans, I'm not sure that you will be able
to find accommodation in Bareges, as many of the businesses there
have been affected and the majority of the population has been
evacuated...... I am also not sure whether the standard GR10 route in
the Bareges valley will be accessible, as the bridge across the river to Viey has been destroyed. ...

The state of France has declared the damage to the Bareges valley to be a Natural Catastrophe. 
Once again, I am sorry that we have to bring you this bad news. 
With our deepest regret

Emma

Well, our hearts go out to all in Bareges, including Robert and Emma and their family, who so far as I am aware have spent several years renovating the hotel that may now need to be demolished.

And we thought we'd had bad weather! 

So far as I can see, the place we have booked in Cauterets is still taking bookings for the period we are there. This despite us being told that the town is cut off and being supplied by helicopter. 

Our two nights after Cauterets - in Luz-St-Sauveur and Bareges - look blighted.  We've heard that the Spanish side has also been affected - a Spanish route being a possible option. But we have no Spanish maps or guidebooks with us.

Something of a dilemma. Suggestions as to how to resolve it, perhaps by a route through Spain from before or after Cauterets, to after Bareges, would be most welcome (by email to mobile@topwalks.com).

(Currently we will be charged a lot if we cancel our Cauterets booking.)

The photo was taken shortly after we set off from Hendaye, before the deluge.

Sent from our GR10 trip - see here for our itinerary

Wednesday 26 June 2013 - Pyrenees GR10 - Day 12 - Stage 9 - Logibar to Pont d'Enfer (staying in Montory)

Distance: 19 km (Cum: 177 km)     

Ascent: 1120 metres (Cum: 8980 metres)
                     
Time taken: 6.75 hrs including 1 hr stops                                     

Weather: dark and cool under a leaden sky - cloud base 1200 to 1400 metres

The forecast 'blue sky' day didn't transpire. 

I've been busy with 'stuff' so here's a dictated version of Sue's diary entry:

Another day without waterproofs, but a cool 12 degrees at the high point, and the thick blanket of cloud lingers. Shorts all day but fleeces on and off. It had been a promising forecast, but we woke to cloud with faint blue patches. 

Packed before breakfast, so got away at 8.15, after trying to keep our belongings separate from those of François who had arrived at 6.50 pm last night, and had the fourth bunk in our room.   From Logibar, a circular walk of the Holzarté gorge can be done, and this was the path now followed by GR10.  The river was close by at the start, a torrent of steely blue water.

Flowers were also good, growing on the limestone crags.  An open section led to a superb suspension bridge, built by Italians over the woods and river a long way below. 

The track climbed gently and was wet and dark in places. Long slugs were the most prolific wildlife. Stuart, who we'd walked with up to the bridge, soon motored off.  At the top of the gorge the path did a switchback over a small bridge, then traversed an open hillside where my (Sue's) camera battery was further drained by the Rampion, Fragrant Orchids, Broomrape, etc. 

After a particularly wet section we climbed again before meeting the other path at Plateau d'Ardakhotchia. The cold wind prevented a stop there, but a little further up the hill we had half an hour in the lee of the wind.  Here we received an email from Bareges, to be referred to in a separate posting.  

From our vantage spot we watched Gilles climb up to us, then we all watched over twenty vultures wheeling about the sky - below there must have been some prey. 

The path continued to climb, then joined a track that, again, contoured around the hillside.  

(Sue is pictured here. )

The rocky wall next to the track was covered in flowers, notably a few dark pink orchids, a clump of Trumpet Gentians, Butterwort,  and Birds-eye Primrose.  We got a 'fly past' from vultures just above.

After passing some farm buildings, the path again climbed, past a clump of trees under which much Round-leaved Saxifrage was growing, then up to today's high point, Col d'Anhaou, at 1383 metres. 

Lunch was eaten just down the road - there was a good view, apart from it being cool, and blanketed in cloud!  (Really!  -Ed)

Much of the descent was on small roads and tracks, but grassy shortcuts were available.  There were also some sunken green lanes leading down, one coming out at an attractive gite, with several more immaculate gites in the vicinity. 

The 'pont' at Pont d'Enfer took us over a very blue river and up a steep lane to meet the road. Due to the GR10 gite at Ste-Engrâce (only 55 minutes walk onwards) being full, we had booked the Auberge de l'Étable at Montory, about 12 miles away by road. 

Our spirits rose as we saw a car park for the Kakuetta Gorge.  Our intention was to hitch, and a couple who were just returning to their car were duly accosted and agreed to take us as far as the road junction to Logibar as they were staying in St-Jean.  Luckily a second car stopped almost immediately. A couple from Paris with their grown up daughter.  They were staying on t coast but kindly went out of their way to deliver us to Montory village.  Aren't people kind.

Remarkably, after stopping walking at 3 pm we arrived in this small village at 3.30.  Being next to the shop, provisions were stocked up, and then we checked in to this Logis establishment.  Fortunately, the proprietor, Michel, speaks English so hopefully we can find a solution to the problem of getting back to today's finish point. As usual the washing is done. Now it's time for a beer.  (Pictured)

That's five minutes dictating and an hour editing!

Later: it's pleasantly warm down in the foothills in this pleasant village, and we've enjoyed an excellent meal.

That's all - I've had enough and I expect you have too.

Sent from our GR10 trip - see here for our itinerary

Tuesday 25 June 2013 - Pyrenees GR10 - Day 11 - Stage 8 - Col Bagargiak to Logibar

Distance: 17 km (Cum: 158 km)     

Ascent: 430 metres (Cum: 7860 metres)
                     
Time taken: 5.75 hrs including 1 hr stops                                     

Weather: we started in cloud and finished in sunny periods

Although it wasn't raining, my jacket was needed at the start of today's walk, though by the end, after a very gradual transition, t-shirts and a yearning for a beer were the order of the day. 

The paths were excellent, with very little tarmac. Even before dispensing with anoraks and gloves, we noticed an 'improvement' in the flora. Butterwort and Round-leaved Saxifrage lined the banks of the narrow lane we set off down, and numerous species were observed during the course of the day. I think we must have moved into a limestone area.

The cloud has hung over nearby peaks all day, so although the local views have been fine (indeed, very pleasant) anything distant has been obscured. But it hasn't rained!

A troupe of 17 of us exchanged places a few times before settling down into a sort of running order. It's maybe like being on an Exodus or Explore trip with an incompetent leader. Eventually we all made it to Logibar, where some of us had booked accommodation and some hadn't. The auberge is full, and everyone seems to be here.

We are sharing an annexe with Stuart, who we found languishing outside the auberge, having been laid up for a day with a stomach bug. 

Pierre's party took their time, but I suspect his comment about his mother in law - "she's very noisy today" is good news and means that Chantal is managing well.

John and Paul are delighted with their room, which is a little more private than ours, from which we have had to evict some freeloading campers (they claim they had permission to use our en-suite as a public convenience, but we aren't so sure!)

Today's image shows Pierre leading his team past at our lunch stop beyond Cayolar Mendikotziague, not to be confused with the nearby Col du Middleraynerton.

Later: a half decent half board meal at the auberge has been consumed. Our room for four is now full. The auberge is full.  There is a big group of canyoners here as well.  François got the last bunk. There are now 17 GR10 people in our little group.  As already mentioned,  we picked up Stuart this evening - he has spent all day at Logibar with his tummy bug. Other new additions are  Gilles from south of Toulon, a refugee from the HRP who is going to Banyuls, Eric and Nicholas from near Paris who started yesterday from Estérençuby (just as well they missed the rain, judging by the look of their kit), and we now know the pair with the huge rucksacks with bits hanging off to be father and son, Jacques and Julian.

Ron (we are going back a few days - we didn't expect to hear of him again) is reported to be a day ahead, with John and David's contingent! 

Tomorrow - we will be straying from GR10 on a mini adventure. ..

Sent from our GR10 trip - see here for our itinerary

Occasional Pyrenean Flowers (2)

After yesterday's complaint about the flowers, today has brought a welcome improvement. 

This Lesser Butterfly Orchid seen beside this morning's path will no doubt be the first of many of that variety we will admire.

Sent from our GR10 trip - see here for our itinerary

Monday 24 June 2013 - Pyrenees GR10 - Day 10 - Stage 7 - Kaskoleta to Col Bagargiak (Chalets d'Iraty)

Distance: 20 km (Cum: 141 km)      

Ascent: 1480 metres (Cum: 7430 metres)
                     
Time taken: 7.25 hrs including 1.5 hrs stops                                     

Weather: heavy cloud, slowly clearing but returning later, with a cold NW wind - temperature as low as 4ºC before taking account of wind chill

We expected sunshine today, but woke to heavy black cloud, down to about 1200 metres. At least we got our first day without the need for waterproofs, but three layers of clothing and warm hats and gloves were the order of the day. 

The rustic gite provided breakfast from its fridge, with no sign of the guardian, who took our money last night. I think Pierre's team must have made the coffee, and they were thoughtful enough to make sufficient for the four lazy Brits, with Chantal restraining François from scavenging our baguettes! 

It wasn't the best breakfast ever, but it served its purpose. 

By 8.30 we were strolling up the road, admiring the remnants of the Spring Squill that carpeted the Apennines in April. The flowers on this trip have so far disappointed us, perhaps because of the nature of the soil, perhaps because of the late spring. We have observed quite a bit of Love-in-a-Mist, which is probably appropriate given the conditions. 

A man with two paint brushes was tarting up the waymarks at Col d'Ithurramburu. We stopped for a chat whilst he took a break from his red and white daubs. He shook his head when we told him we were heading for Luchon. "Too much snow" he claimed. However, he also expressed reservations about our ability to get to Iraty today. (We arrived here at 4 o'clock.)

We passed Roland and Marie, from Bayonne, who have been quietly in attendance since we started at Hendaye. Like Pierre and Yolaine they are aiming for Banyuls. 

John and Paul soon shot past with their day sacks, and we overhauled Pierre's Annecy contingent. 

Above Col d'Irau (Sue is pictured near here with a view back towards St Jean) we entered a zone of lovely stone waymarks. Stone circles and the remnants of old buildings were just visible in the mist. Skylarks tried to cheer us with their melodic song. The birds on this trip haven't disappointed - it's disappointing though not to be able to identify more of them. Today I'm sure we saw several different types of lark, but I can't say more than that. 

After visiting our highest point to date - the 1466 metre summit of Occabé - we headed down some revolting forestry tracks to Chalet Pedro. The old tracks have recently been gouged by huge tree trunks being dragged down them, leaving horrid muddy grooves. 

John and Paul were lunching at the bottom, where Simon, a new member of the cast, made a brief appearance. He's hoping to complete Georges Veron's version of the HRP. We may not see him again as he has continued beyond Iraty to camp. He looks well equipped, apart from his footwear.

Soup - a massive bowl - and hot chocolate went down well at Chalet Pedro, setting us up well for the last two hour ascent to Iraty, where we have a more than adequate room with two bunks and a scary notice about bed bugs. I'm itching at the thought!

Reception is 700 metres back down the road, and they didn't give us any shower tokens. This blow was resolved when Roland and Marie turned up and immediately (seeing Sue's distress) gave us one of their tokens. It gave enough time in the shower for both of us, and Roland and Marie were rewarded with a cup of tea. 

Of the thirteen of us who left Kaskoleta this morning, all* are now here and only François was absent from the restaurant at Iraty tonight - the rest of us were all, so far as I could see, tucking in to their €14 randonneurs' meal. Very tasty it was too.

*That's me and Sue, John and Paul, Pierre's team of four, Roland and Marie, François, and two men - possibly father and son - who appeared last night with huge packs, which are a puzzle to the rest of us. It's a pleasure to be on holiday with such a friendly group of people. 

Sent from our GR10 trip - see here for our itinerary

Sunday 23 June 2013 - Pyrenees GR10 - Day 9 - Stage 6/7 - St-John-Pied-de-Port to Kaskoleta

Distance: 18 km (Cum: 121 km)      

Ascent: 950 metres (Cum: 5950 metres)
                     
Time taken: 5.5 hrs including 1.25 hrs stops                                     

Weather: cloudy with drizzle at times

It has happened before, and it'll happen again. Our rest day ended on a downbeat note when we discovered that Sue's new camera takes a different battery to mine. They look the same, but mine is thicker. So the charger doesn't work with Sue's battery. Neither of us checked. Duh!  Efforts to get Sue's charger sent to Lescun had not borne fruit when yesterday's posting was drafted, hence no mention then. Today, Julian Next Door and 'Stay at Home Hazel' (aka 'The Fixer') have come to the rescue. The charger will be posted to us tomorrow. In the meantime we will just have to share my camera when Sue's battery depletes.

This incident brought back memories of our Italian Border Route, when I thought I'd fried Sue's new i-pod in the heat of our first rest day.

We set off today in a light drizzle that came and went all day.

Mainly on country lanes, we steadily rose to Col d'Handiague (587 metres - not high enough for our heads to disturb the clouds). On the way we passed François, who has started her walk today.

Wheeling kites seem to be taking over from the vultures, but the latter were seen circling high above a nearby summit. 

Then we descended to Estérençuby, where John and Paul, a pair from Yorkshire who are having their luggage transported every day, were enjoying their lunch. On the way down we had passed Pierre and the lovely Yolaine, whose parents, Joel and Chantal, have now joined the party. Chantal is a real character and spent a while in Leigh - she should keep us entertained this week. 

Tea at the auberge in Estérençuby fortified us for the climb to Gite d'etape Kaskoleta, where John and Paul were installed.

The guardian was absent but had left details of the rooms which the pre-booked customers should occupy. Our name was not on the list. Others, also pre-booked, were not on the list. There is room for 14.

'Interesting'.

Meanwhile, Pierre and his family, pre-booked since February and allocated a room, sat outside in their down jackets (at 600 metres in the south of France) enjoying a beer (pictured).

We keep hearing about possible problems further east. Late snow could be blocking our way - that's been clear for some time - but now it seems that some of the places we plan to stay in have been subjected to flooding and may even have been washed away.  We'll find out in due course.  

Eventually the guardian arrived. "I didn't know what sort of bed you would want" was her excuse for not allocating us a room. We are now ensconced, with François, in an outdoor chalet. It's a bed for the night. 

Later: quite a comfy bed, all the better for our finding a heater.

Half board here is a reasonable €32 per person, including as much wine as you can drink. For starters we got a luxurious omelette with mushrooms and chillies, etc. Then sausage and pasta, with mushrooms and a creamy sauce, followed by fruit salad in kirsch, with Basque cheese and cherry jam.

We certainly can't complain!  The company was good as well - we ate with John and Paul, and Pierre and his family - all very jolly. 

Tomorrow's forecast is fair - will it be our first dry walking day?

Sent from our GR10 trip - see here for our itinerary

Saturday 22 June 2013 - Pyrenees GR10 - Day 8 - St-Jean-Pied-de-Port

We walked about 6 km with 200 metres ascent during the course of this rest day.                              

Weather: warm and sunny - John and David appear to have taken their rain cloud with them. 

We enjoyed a lazy day in this lovely old town. The sun shone to dry our washing and the forecast is set fair.

It was a shame to have so much rain over the past week - about twenty of the thirty or so hours of walking were in rain - but it did no harm to the sense of cameraderie.

We very much enjoyed our 'not so much an encounter, more a sort of holiday' with John and David, and our encounters with Bruno and Christof, Stuart, Dave, Pierre and his lovely wife, Panos and various other itinerants. We may meet some of them again if they have a 'day off' before reaching Lescun; if so it will be like meeting old friends.

What a contrast to last year's E5 trip, and this year's Apennine trip,  when we met hardly anyone on the trails.

I wonder who we'll encounter tomorrow. 

St-Jean is full of pilgrims about to set off along the Way of St James towards Santiago de Compostella. Ranging from decrepit old stumblers to spotty dreadlocked youths they are a rag tag group that look just like those depicted in the film 'The Way'.  Whilst we know some folk relish that sort of trip, we are glad to be walking the less popular but more scenic GR10. 

We enjoyed a fairly comprehensive tour of the walled town this morning, but I'll leave the detail to a slide show in due course. The top picture today was taken from the top of the Rue de la Citadelle, near where the pilgrims get their 'passports'. Below that is a view over the town from the 17th Century Citadelle, looking towards the Iparla ridge that we traversed in cloud and rain a couple of days ago. 

Sent from our GR10 trip - see here for our itinerary

Friday 21 June 2013 - Pyrenees GR10 - Day 7 - Stage 5 - St-Étienne-de-Baïgorry to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port

Distance: 21 km (Cum: 103 km)     

Ascent: 950 metres (Cum: 5000 metres)
                     
Time taken: 6.25 hrs including 1.25 hrs stops                                     

Weather: rain for five hours then slowly improving

We set off before 9 am after a filling breakfast at Gite Mendy.  This was our last day with John and David, as they aren't having a day off tomorrow. 

As has become the norm, it was raining hard, with the cloud right down to the valley. I'm pictured in a normally sunlit café.

We formed part of a bedraggled group of walkers, many with only ponchos or umbrellas for protection, stumbling up the muddy paths towards Col d'Aharza. There's a new and very good variant to GR10 that now has the main route markings, contouring to the east of Oylarandoy; we commend that path. 

Soon after the col, our companions took a lower path, but by a strange dint of fortune (we can't seem to get rid of them) John and David reappeared like a couple of bad potatoes at the next col - Col d'Urdanzia. After a few hundred metres they found another excuse to ditch us, by declining to ascend to the 1021 metre summit of Monhoa. We followed geordie Stuart (Inov-8 Man - if his Roclite shoes last as long as mine did he'll need three pairs to get to Banyuls) towards the summit but he threw us off his scent by taking an unexpected contour. 

There was no view from the summit.  Not until a few minutes after we had left. Never mind, views down to St Jean and beyond soon opened out in profusion. The 'below the gloom' picture above captures the essence.

Far below was the Belgian support car for two ageing walkers in shorts and ponchos, with a splash of red and yellow next to it. John and David had parked their bums near the support car but it hadn't taken the hint. 

Anyway, by a strange dint of fortune (they can't seem to get rid of us) we reappeared like a couple of bad eggs just in time to snaffle their excess lunch before the vultures got it.

After that it was downhill all the way to Lasse, where we poured into a hapless auberge and demanded tea and coffee with a menacing clarity. Dave and Stuart joined us, possibly to their regret.

St-Jean turns out to be a quaint bustling place, full of pilgrims (it's at the start of a famous pilgrim trail), trekkers, bikers and 'ordinary' tourists. Our accommodation, on which more tomorrow, is excellent. 

The evening was again spent with John and David, who have become firm friends during the course of the past week. We enjoyed another gourmet experience, this time at Txitxipapa restaurant, which once the corked wine had been dealt with provided a fine repast.

For the first time since Sunday, we emerged from the restaurant under a clear sky, the rain having finally moved to pastures new. An almost full moon grinned as we paid our final farewells to John and David, who have made such fine companions; we've never before walked with complete strangers for so long.

Good luck and bon voyage, gents...

Sent from our GR10 trip - see here for our itinerary

Thursday 20 June 2013 - Pyrenees GR10 - Day 6 - Stage 4 - Bidarray to St-Étienne-de-Baïgorry

Distance: 16 km (Cum: 82 km)     

Ascent: 1300 metres (Cum: 4050 metres)
                     
Time taken: 7.25 hrs including 0.75 hrs stops                                     

Weather: fine for an hour, rain for five hours, fine after that, but hills still shrouded in cloud

Breakfast at Barberaenea restaurant set us up for a gentle plod up to Pic d'Iparla. The path took us over and past boulders that looked like huge lumps of concrete. Twenty five vultures circled menacingly above us.  It was just about not raining, with a bit of blue sky, and some distant Pyrenean peaks poking out in the distance to the east.

Today's image is the view back to Bidarray from this morning's ascent. 

The rain started as we rose to the splendid Iparla ridge through beds of clover littered with milkwort and crosswort. Ancient cromlechs and old sheep enclosures were passed as we steadily gained the crown of the broad ridge.

After rising above the wooded valleys our views were negligible. Those with gloves donned them. The 9C temperature was considerably diminished by wind chill. 

We soldiered on to the 1044 metre summit, conscious that we were as well equipped as anyone else on the path today. Especially the fell runners. Where did they come from! 

After a brief pause at the summit, and a photo taken by a French couple, we descended through thin mizzle to Col d'Harrieta, where a luxurious beech wood offered some lunchtime shelter. Others were brewing up in a corrugated iron howf, illuminated by head torches.

After lunch we climbed sharply back to two more summits above 1000 metres. John's ankle hurt. David heroically provided a bandage from his first aid kit. It looked more like a snotty handkerchief from his trouser pocket.

After the final col, from which we descended to our lodgings, Sue and I went ahead to deal with the gite booking, etc. This was new ground for us, as we had previously continued to Col d'Ispéguy to camp. It was a lovely descent through asphodel meadows, past clumps of White Stonecrop, under wheeling vultures.  We encountered Dave, who is spending a couple of weeks on GR10. 

Gite d'etape Mendy is different from the others we've stayed at. Tea bags are no use here, unless you have a stove. The kitchen is reserved for the chef's team. So we have gone half board. Others are camping. The gite is full.

Later: for €10, I suppose the meal was quite good, though most of us would probably have preferred more than just butter with our spaghetti. At least there were three filling courses, plus wine and coffee. 

We rounded off the day with a visit to the village, a pristine sort of place where nothing was open. 

I'm sure this will contrast significantly with Conrad's recollections, and Conrad may also be entertained by our notes on our 2004 HRP trip, the postcards from which have been transcribed onto

 

http://www.topwalks.com/pyreneespostcards.html

Sent from our GR10 trip - see here for our itinerary

Wednesday 19 June 2013 - Pyrenees GR10 - Day 5 - Stage 3 - Ainhoa to Bidarray

Distance: 21 km (Cum: 66 km)      

Ascent: 900 metres (Cum: 2750 metres)
                     
Time taken: 8.0 hrs including 1.75 hrs stops                                     

Weather: forecast rain all day, and we started under light rain, but waterproofs were soon stashed. More rain for an hour or so after lunch dissolved into warm, sunny periods. Heavy rain returned at 5.15, soon after we arrived at gite Aire Zabal, but had abated by beer o'clock.

(The local news headlines seem to highlight a few local weather issues! )

As their gite didn't provide breakfast, David and John, still replete from last night's excellent meal, and smug now that they had been able to dry their wet clothes in the gite's industrial drier, joined us at Chambres d'Hote Ohantzea, where Jean prides himself in being multilingual. 

Breakfast was not exotic, more sort of 'continental', with good coffee. 

Suddenly the atmosphere changed. My companions had noticed yesterday's entry. "Bimbo!" exclaimed one; "It's all lies!" observed another. David came to my rescue as the lynch mob was about to descend, "Actually that pork belly really was the best I've ever had! "

Then Ron arrived and I was able to deflect the rabble into enjoying a 'mock the naive North American' session. 

We set off around 9am and strolled up to Col des Trois Croix, passing at least fourteen crosses and la Chapelle de l'Aubépine on the way.

The beautiful countryside reminded me slightly of mid Wales. Except that in mid Wales you don't usually see gatherings of Griffon Vultures. They are very common hereabouts and we enjoyed their soaring company all day.  When not soaring they perched in nearby trees drying their wings.  

By after 12 noon we'd reached the friendly gite at Ferme Esteben. Just in time for lunch - tasty omelettes all round, apart from Panos, our new Greek friend, who managed to consume an enormous baguette. 

It was here that David again produced a drenched shirt from underneath his waterproof jacket. 

"See how it leaks!" he exclaimed. 

"But it hasn't been raining" replied a chorus of voices.

David's jacket warranted closer inspection. 

"Nylon shell, 100% polyamide" reported Sue, adding "otherwise known as a 'Berghaus Mobile Sauna' jacket." 

Three sniggers emanated from a trio of nearby RAB Drillium jackets.

So David's jacket is waterproof but not breathable. He's wet but not unhappy, as his weight loss plan is clearly working, judging by the amount of fluid being produced from inside this non-breathable jacket. 

After a brief shower, we enjoyed a lovely afternoon on the fine path where the HRP and GR10 routes coincide before reaching Bidarray. 

We followed the border for a while. Sue is pictured above beside a border post, before the long descent to Bidarray that had some interesting steep rocky sections. The vultures were particularly attentive above this part of the walk, where they seemed to be paying particular attention to John.  But I think they we just visiting the area 'on spec' whilst waiting for Ron.

One gite is full; this one (Aire Zabal) is quite busy.  But we have a cosy room for the four of us and we'll no doubt find a suitable restaurant. 

If coming this way, bring some basics - tea bags, coffee, etc, as the gites don't tend to provide them.  Today we had to make do with some discarded cocoa. 

Later: the restaurant was indeed good, and miraculously Ron turned up with Bruno and Christof, the gentlemen from Tours, moreover they were able to reunite me with part of my rucksack lost near Biriatou! 

Sent from our GR10 trip - see here for our itinerary

Tuesday 18 June 2013 - Pyrenees GR10 - Day 4 - Stage 2 - Olhette to Ainhoa

Distance: 22 km (Cum: 45 km)      

Ascent: 730 metres (Cum: 1850 metres)
                     
Time taken: 7.25 hrs including 1.5 hrs stops                                     

Weather: rain, torrential at times, easing early afternoon before returning later.

Breakfast was at 7am. It had started to throw it down outside.

We left at 8 with John and David, and splodged our way along GR10, which we followed scrupulously all the way to Ainhoa. 

As yesterday, the 900 metre summit of La Rhune was hidden from view under a thick tarpaulin of cloud. 

David and John (pictured with a passing bimbo) tried to admire the views from below their dribbling visors.

"I'm wet" announced David from above his back to front overtrousers.

"I'm homesick" blurted John from his blood red anorak.

"And me" admitted his bedraggled companion, "but we've started so we'll finish this thing."

John said nothing,  and failed to remove a chunk of rock from his boot, in a vain attempt to cripple himself and thereby extricate his worn out body from the clutches of his old friend, who then asserted "failure is not an option".

Later we encountered Ron, from north of Toronto, who has taken five days to get to the end of stage two of GR10. That made John and David feel like supermen and cheered them up no end.  Ron is aiming for the Mediterranean.  (I had a quiet word with him and suggested he really ought to purchase a map!)

Sue found a leech under the trees near our high point of the day beyond Col des Trois Fontaines. It seemed appropriately 'rain foresty'.

A dilapidated train rumbled past on its way to the summit of La Rhune, very much like the cog railway up Snowdon.

By mid morning we had reached the pretty village of Sare. We dripped for nearly an hour in a friendly café. Sue found some tasty croissants for us to share before stocked up at an epicerie ando headed off again past the usual avenues of plane trees and into the rain.

Lunch was under a farm awning, where a bedraggled group of French walkers seemingly clothed in umbrellas nonchalantly strolled past.

The afternoon passed uneventfully, apart from our encounter with Ron and a rather muddy episode next to a boiling river, and on the approach to Ainhoa we were even able to discard our waterproofs.  David tried to jettison his into a nearby skip, but John restrained him, offering those immortal words - "Failure is not an Option."

Sue and I soon settled into our luxurious room at Maison Ohantzea,  where Ron pinched the last 'chambre' before David could open his mouth. So he and John sloshed (it was raining again) off to share a crowded dormitory in the gite at Camping Harazpy, which contrary to the information in our guide book is open.

"Fantastic wine" enthused David - the Navarra Piedemonte Gamma 2010 stocked by La Maison Oppoca went down a treat when we reconvened at its Michelin rated restaurant.  The wine was matched by the meal, which we all agreed was absolutely delicious. Certainly the best meal out that Sue and I have had since Juniper changed its name to 21212 and moved to Edinburgh. 

The belly pork that David and I enjoyed for our mains was 'the best ever', matched by the rest of the meal.  If you come this way you shouldn't be disappointed - www.oppoca.com. But if David's there you may have to put up with his bare feet, and sweaty socks drying over a radiator! 

Sent from our GR10 trip - see here for our itinerary

Occasional Pyrenean Flowers (1)

David's comment has triggered this posting. 

I had debated a 'flower of the day' section, as on last year's E5 trip, but decided against it. 

Instead, I'll post occasional flower images.

This orchid was pictured yesterday morning on a trackside verge above Hendaye. It was about 30-40 cm tall. The leaves were spotted. I'd guess at Common Spotted. What do you think, David? 

Sent from our GR10 trip

Monday 17 June 2013 - Pyrenees GR10 - Day 3 - Stage 1b - Hendaye (Campanile Hendaye) to Olhette

Distance: 20 km (Cum: 23 km)     

Ascent: 1100 metres (Cum: 1120 metres)
                     
Time taken: 7.0 hrs including 1.25 hrs stops                                     

Weather: sunny, then cloudy, then light rain

Mainly tarmac to Biriatou, where Sue is pictured below the church,  then lovely forest and mountain paths to Olhette, with a good refreshment stop before Col d'Ibardin.  Ancient sunken lanes and old paved routes to Spain were delightful, though Sue found the strawberries to be inedible.  Near the 486 metre summit of Choldokogagna (how did it get that name?) a red kite flew past and a family of young vultures were receiving hovering and landing lessons.  It was fascinating to watch. Nearby the skeleton of a horse had been picked clean. Lots of wild horses were seen today - they are a feature of the Basque countryside. 

We had started by stocking up at Lidl and then taking a lane to rejoin GR10 just as Bruno and Christof were arriving at the same point from the beach.

We bumped into these two chaps from Tours a few times today, but they don't appear to be staying in our crowded dormitory at Gite d'etape de Olhette. Sue booked half board but all that seems to be available is breakfast. Had we known we would have brought supplies. And tea bags.

Never mind, there's a restaurant down the road. 

A few people were seen on today's paths but it's generally pretty quiet.

Later: we enjoyed another delicious meal with John and David at the Trabenia restaurant, where Bruno and Christof are staying, which luckily was open. And as expected it was full. Apparently it's not always open. There may be a takeaway delivery service from another establishment, but my advice to those coming this way is "Buy some ingredients at one of Col d'Ibardin's many shops." 

The rain has stopped, but more is forecast.

That's all for now from a very sociable day in the Pyrenees. 

Sent from our GR10 trip - see here for our itinerary

Sunday 16 June 2013 - Pyrenees GR10 - Day 2 (2) - Stage 1a - Hendaye Plage to Campanile Hendaye

Distance: 3 km (Cum: 3 km)     

Ascent: 20 metres (Cum: 20 metres)
                     
Time taken: 0.75 hrs plus 2.25 hrs stops                                     

Weather: sunny until dusk, then a lovely evening

We were planning to start tomorrow, but since we had arrived at the start, and our hotel was about 3 km along the route, we decided it made sense to start today.

We managed about 100 metres before succumbing to the temptation of beer and food.

John and David soon joined us, and after our meal at Bar Epsilone, they took a five minute stroll back to their room with an Atlantic view, whilst we staggered off along the GR10 route as far as Campanile Hendaye, a Travelodge sort of place which we hope is near to a café and food shop from which to stock up before we start walking more seriously tomorrow. 

Or should that read 'hobbling' - Sue still has a sore achilles and one of my knees is still swollen and sore from too much kneeling down on the TGO Challenge. 

Anyway, we've started, in perfect weather if a bit dark, even if we still need to convert our luggage from flight mode to backpacking mode.

Thanks go to John for managing to take the above picture despite the blinding sun.

Sent from our GR10 trip - see here for our itinerary

Sunday 16 June 2013 - Pyrenees GR10 - Day 2 - Elsenham to Hendaye Plage

Weather: sunny periods and warm in Stansted; hot and sunny in Biarritz and Hendaye. 

A very relaxing 9.30 am start from Mariola's B&B, in the company of Jane - who had arrived from Bari in Italy at 3.30 am after some Ryanair technical problems, on her way to Haslemere - saw us through Stansted security after dropping off a bag a good two hours before our flight to Biarritz.                           

A smooth journey with clearing skies and fine views through a heat haze to snow-clad mountains, and a baggage collection within 15 minutes of landing would have seen us on the 4 pm number 876 bus to Hendaye on a weekday.  But that bus doesn't operate on a Sunday, so we made a temporary home in a bar at the airport before catching the 4.50 bus for the scenic ride to Hendaye. 

We noticed floods from burst river banks during our descent, so perhaps the weather here hasn't been great. It's wonderful today but rain is forecast from tomorrow. 

Having met John at the bus stop, we walked with him from Hendaye's station to Hendaye Plage, a splendid beach full of Sunday afternoon sun worshippers. 

Sue enjoyed half an hour in the Atlantic surf and John disappeared to find his hotel and his walking pal, David. They are planning to walk GR10 as far as Cauterets.

We soon met up with them both for a pleasant meal at Bar Epsilone.  Our beer cost as much as the food. Ouch. It's wine from now on.  Sometimes. Maybe!

Then Sue and I set off on GR10.

Sent from our GR10 trip - see here for our itinerary