The bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
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- 10 may 2010 -
Connecting two bordermarkers

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 esfr-trip-track-20100510.kml
(click to open in Google Earth or copy link to Google Maps;
click right on this link to download gpx-version
)

Another return-trip with Jan-Willem from the Gîte d Etappe in St-Étienne-de-Baïgorry. We explore a possible direct route from the hamlet of Gainekoleta near bm197 to bm198 high up the mountain. And look again for bm196 at the venta near Arneguy.
For explanation of the gps-coordinates and other cartographic backgrounds:
see my cartography page


esfr-trip-track-20100510-trip1.kml
(click to open in Google Earth or copy link to Google Maps;
click right on this link to download gpx-version
)

TRip 1: we drive to Gainekoleta, a very tranquil hamlet where nowadays pilgrims to Santiago de Compostella pass through on an alternative route to Roncevalles.
Main target: exploring the hiking possibility from Gainekoleta directly to bm198
For explanation of the gps-coordinates and other cartographic backgrounds:
see my cartography page


According to visugpx
- distance : 15.2 km
- cum. elevation gain : 1197 m
- cum. elevation loss : 1194 m
- total elevation:  2391 m

- altitude maxi : 1287 m
- altitude mini : 398 m
- altitude average : 699 m
Since last year a hiking-trail of 2,5 km has been waymarked starting and ending at the hamlet.
This plan shows a trail dat crosses the borderstream Gorritchoneka Erreka twice and returns south of it to the hamlet.

Move the mouse over the picture to see the trail more in detail.


See further on for for some outlines
We follow the country road which climbs zigzag through a forest to a sort of plateau with meadows and barns. Continuing on the country road which goes on and climbs gradually. Navigating is straightforward: following that road as long as it climbs.
When the meadows and barns are getting sparse and a long grassy hill-ridge comes in sight, the road (having become a grassy road) starts to descend. At that point leave the road and continue on the hill-ridge, remaining left under the ridge itself. It’s tough walking on the grass but navigating is easy.



Move the mouse over the picture to see how you should walk towards bm098
It's splendid weather, Jan-Willem is enjoying the landscape.
Still climbing.
Later on a forest appears down to the left hillside, stay half way down between ridge and forest.
Don’t follow an obvious trail into the forest as we did,  you’ll end op too low and will need to climb in the final part.
Eventually (about 2 hours and a quarter since the start) you’ll reach a fence with on the other side: bm198, a mountain road and the beginning of the borderstream Gorritchoneka Erreka which connects bm198 and 197.

Move the mouse over the picture to see where bm098 is.

Bm198 was surrounded by snow caused by late snowfall last week.
A footstep helps you to get over the fence as Jan-Willem shows in the background.
We return to the hamlet and try a different approach to bm197. Last year I simply crossed the river la Nive d’Arneguy in front of the bm.

The new (green-white waymarked) trail leads you to the highest house of the hamlet and beyond it the trail crosses the borderstream on a brand new footbridge.
On the French side of the stream we walk back along the stream on a trail which goes underneath the steep rocky hillside and ends at a meadow besides the river.

An outline of the map mentioned above. The wooden bridge is at nr. 2.

Move the mouse over the picture to see our access to bm197.
Once arrived at the meadow, go a bit to the left and there is the confluence of the borderstream Gorritchoneka Erreka with the river la Nive d’Arneguy and bm197.
Bm197
Back at the footbridge I continue on the green-white trail to explore it. It is a nice path on old trails. Further on it crosses the borderstream again, makes a u-turn and climbs back to the plateau and meets the road we walked before.
But I go back and explore halfway between stream and that meeting point an old neglected track - visisble on this picture on the right - which climbs to that same road but more to the south-east.  It's a shortcut in the direction of bm198.
Via the road I return to the hamlet where Jan-Willem is waiting.
Another outline of the above mentioned map.

Move the mouse over the picture to see the shortcut I explored.
esfr-trip-track-20100510-trip2.kml
(click to open in Google Earth or copy link to Google Maps;
click right on this link to download gpx-version
)

Trip 2: looking for bm196

We drive to the venta's near Arneguy.
More accurate maps (on cadaster-level, found on the internet) show that bm196 should have been approximately at the spot where the balustrade overlooking the river has its corner.

But that's not true, I will learn later: see esfr-html-markers-184-196.html
Last year I have searched the site thoroughly, including the overgrown shore.
This picture is taken from the other side of the river.

Move the mouse over the picture se see the supposed place of bm196 and the approximate borderline.
Now I just make some pictures of the supposed place of.

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