31.07.2008 Thursday Refuge d’Arremoulit to Refuge de Pombie (2032 metres) We started with a descent to 1392m into the valley leading to Col de Pourtalet. We surprised ourselves by a time of a bit over 4 hours for 8 miles and 800m descent and 600m ascent. The view of the back of Pic de Midi …
Month: July 2008
30.07.2008 Wednesday Refuge de Respumoso to Refuge d'Arremoulit (2285m) An excellent evening was had at Respumoso. This refuge was in Spain and a cut above the refuges we have stayed in in France. There were hot showers (if you let the water run for long enough!) as well as 14 person dormitories all en suite. …
29.07.2008 Tuesday Refuge Wallon to Refuge de Respumoso (2200m) The night was enjoyed by all (especially Jonathan for whom is was a big adventure). After breakfast Karl & Jonathan left us to return to Pont d'espagne leaving us and Ralph to ascend to Col de la Fache. Ascent up an excellent path over streams and …
28.07.2008 Monday Cauterets to Refuge Wallon We left Cauterets by bus this morning to go to Pont d'Espagne (not breaking any of our self imposed rules as we walked here and back earlier on in the week). We are accompanied by Ralph, Karl and Jonathan. Claire & Alex have been left the un-enviable task of …
27.07.08 Sunday Cauterets A day for Karl’s boys to see the mountain tops and experience a cable car and ski lift, weather fine and a great picnic up in the Cirque de Lys. We also had our first sight of marmottes having heard their characteristic whistle in the valley earlier in the morning.We have now …
26.07.08 Saturday. Happy Birthday Tim aka Buster Merryfield. After the arrival of Ralph, Karl and family the weather rapidly deteriorated leading our Scouting heroes to erect the basha from a tarpaulin which had been purchased earlier. A glass of real British beer was very welcome at this stage in that curiously lukewarm state so beloved …
25.07.08 Friday. Cauterets Walk Valley de Lutour. A good night with no more thunderstorms, good if a bit cloudy today, we have another “training walk” just to keep the legs in trim – up on one of the local minibuses at 50cents each to La Railliere. A motley collection of elderly ?locals got on and were …
24.07.08 Thursday. Cauterets to Pont d’Espagne. And back. A brief thunderstorm with about 10mins rain last night just shows how unpredictable Pyrenean weather can be. A gentle day today, we walked up the GR10 trans Pyrenees route from Cauterets to Pont d’Espagne. Neither of us could remember doing the part from Cauterets to La Raillerie, …
23.07.2008 Wednesday. Cauterets Cirque du Lis. A grand day out, up to the town and bought breakfast and lunch, croissants etc on offer (probably yesterday's but tasted fine) and a coffee then waited 10mins for the ski lift to start. It's open July to Sept then closes until the snow starts, less and later each …
Especially for blog addicts, a few extra photos from the past couple of weeks. Where next? Running repairs Camino waymarking This how they really look now! The Harris Butchers bag is still in use every day
22.07.08 Tuesday Ayzac-Ost to Cauterets. Cauterets is a spa/ski town well up the valley du Gave de Pau, walking today includes another 4-5 miles on the flat up the cycle path, converted railway track and then another 6 miles or so up a track in the narrowing valley with a climb of about 400 metres. …
21.07.08 Monday. Lourdes to Ayzac-Ost A damp evening and night, not heavy rain just low cloud, we got up about 07:30 to strike camp having taken our little Laser Competition tents down as soon as it started to rain yesterday. Our ladies' tents are returning with them and can be dried at home, we prefer …
20.07.08 Sunday Lourdes. Again. Still on the Municipal Campsite Domec in Lourdes, this is a pleasant site in earshot of the station announcements but not obtrusively so. we have as neighbours a French couple who have done the Camino and who welcomed us to the site with the traditional greeting: “Do you need anything, are …
19.07.08 Saturday. In Lourdes a true rest day no forward progress. Woke late, got breakfast with jam bread Croissant and coffee, and were joined by Graham and George. We then meandered slowly into Lourdes and had lunch before Graham & George went back up north to Bergerac. Lourdes is the ultimate tourist trap (the French …
18.07.08 Friday. Juillan to Lourdes. Last night we made contact with Graham and went out for a meal at the Argentine grill down the road. We walked out after paying for our pastis, the tapas starters were indescribably bad fast food deep fried breaded mush, never ever done that before but feel it was well …
17.07.08 Thursday. Montaner to Juillan After a good night once the yap dog from the family next door had been put to bed, we were up at 06:15, there has been no one around to pay any fees to so we left, a simple but adequate campsite. No shops and no food so a cup …
16.07.08 Wednesday. Marciac to Montaner via Maubourguet. After breakfast from Rob Robinson at the great little campsite run by him and his wife, and advice as to possible next stops, and being very aware of the distance to be covered in order to meet up with our friend Graham with George the dog on Friday …
15.07.08 Tuesday. Montesquiou to Marciac. Another good day start after breakfast at the Chateau le Haget, then a great walk over field and forest to the little hamlet of St Christaud with its 11th century church – unfortunately closed but with a disused funeral carriage, under a lean-to shed. Just before this we were joined …
14.07.08 Monday Bastille Day. Auch to Montesquiou. A grand day out Grommet. After a slightly noisy night in the campsite, some people celebrating Bastille day a bit early, we started with clear skies and a fresh cool morning. After getting out of Auch, we had breakfast in a lavoir. These are the refurbished public washing …
13.07.08 Sunday. Roquelaure to Auch (rhymes with gosh!) A short day after yesterday's 22 miles, so we planned to stop early in Auch at the Municipal there and shop before 12, Tomorrow is Monday and Bastille day so no chance of shopping in Isle de Noe which is where we hope to be. During the …