The
bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
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sunday 20 june
2021 -
Redoing bm310-310bis, visiting railway station Canfranc + N-side railway-tunnel
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Summary:
part of a series of 8 daytrips in june 2021 near Bagnères-de-Luchon and
Col de Somport. This is day 8.
Today: two trips:
- redoing bm 310 and 310bis
- visiting railway station Canfranc and the north entrance of the derelict railway-tunnel.
Weather: cloudy
Basecamp: Camping Le Gave d'Aspe in Urdos
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According to Garmin
Basecamp (uncorrected original track):
Distance: 7,9 km
Max-height: 1872m
Min-height: 1774m
Elevation: +301m -326m
Total elevation: 625m
Start 9:46 Finish 12:43
Total time: 2:57
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| My plan today was to visit bm309 and investigate a new route from bm309 to 310.
But too cloudy and rainy around Col du Somport.
So I drive on quiet Spanish roads (sunday morning) to Col du Pourtalet to redo bm310 and 310bis.
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| First to bm310bis.
Behind the venta-complex a dirtroad heads SE.
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| Red waymarks now and then
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| The dirtroad follows the hillside
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| and becomes a trail.
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| Still the red waymarks to guide me though I have no idea to where they ultimately lead.
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| After traversing a rocky terrain, having lost the red waymarks,
I arrive here.
You can see a distinct dirtroad in the distance.
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Around here, I have to curve to the left (N-NW), partly on trails
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| towards this col (Col de Peyrelue).
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| At the flattenend hilltop in the middle of the col, lies this rock
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| with bm310bis engraved on it.
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| Bm310bis
Until
september 2012, this bordercross on Col de Peyrelue was unknown to the
bordermarker-community. The official treaties do not mention this bm.
See this page for more information.
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| Bm310bis
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| Bm310bis
Besides the flattened hilltop a small lake.
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| In the distance I see a cabane, perhaps meant for walkers.
But it is a shepherd's cabane as I read on this webpage.
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| Overview of the pass with bm310bis.
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| Bm310bis
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| Bm310bis
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| Panorama from the south-side of the lake
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| with this signpost.
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| It shows that the trail downhill to the N is part of a pilgrim's route to Santiago de Compostella.
Enough evidence that the trail downhill is still usable for my GRPdesBF-route.
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| I return on a trail, leading me back on a higher level than how I came here.
This picture: looking back to the col
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| with this zoom-in to bm310bis.
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| This higher trail is apparently the 'red' route.
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| A 'marmotte' stands guard.
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| Further on, back on the track of my outward journey, and looking back.
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| Approach of Col du Pourtalet.
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| I keep following the dirtroad just above the venta's and arrive here at the main road.
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| Having crossed the main road and looking back.
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| Bm310 is the rocky hillside west of the Col.
Easy to reach with some climbing.
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| Bm310
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| Bm310
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| Bm310
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| Bm310. looking south
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| Bm310. looking N with the Pic du Midi d'Ossau covered in clouds.
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| Bm310, looking N
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| Bm310, from the road.
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| Zoom-in to bm310
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| Further zoom-in to bm310
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| From a parking lot, I look to the west.
I have still to investigate a new route from bm309 to 310.
It's too cloudy today for the entire route but I will check the beginning from here.
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This is that route to explore from bm309 to 310. If you are interested: download kmz-file or gpx-file.
Drawing of the route based on trails in OpenStreetMaps and on Google Earth. GE says (when coming from 309):
-distance: 8,5km
-elevation: + 260m, - 622m
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| I try this trail leading W
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| This panoram gives a better view of the beginning.
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| Following the trail
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| which descends
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| to this stream which has to be crossed.
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| After
that, the trail gets vaguer but with the OsmAnd-map on my smartphone I
proceed until I get a better view of the rest of my route to check.
In the far distance,
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| it climbs to the borderridge.
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| Same route on this panorama.
I have seen enough and return
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| and cross the stream at another point, close to the road.
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| Last view of Col du Pourtalet.
I take a lunch at one of the restaurants and drive back.
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On my way back I will visit two spots before returning to the camping.
First the famous giant railway station of Canfranc-Estación.
Second: the northern entrance of the derelict railway tunnel.
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| The giant railway station of Canfranc-Estación
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| with an information panel.
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| The building looks quite new
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| because it has been repaired and painted in recent years.
I read somewhere that it will be converted into a hotel.
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| At the backside of the old building there is a new, much smaller station.
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| Old rusty coach.
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| A picture of the derailment of the train in 1970 which led to an immediate stop of the railway connection through the tunnel.
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Then driving through the tunnel into France and visiting the northern entrance of the railway tunnel.
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| An abondoned
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| train station
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| with the old railway tracks.
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| Further on, where the road goes underneath the railway, I climb to the railway which is overgrown.
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| Railway bridge.
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| The tunnel entrance in the distance.
The undergrowth on the railway tracks is a bit too fierce to struggle through.
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| So I help myself with this zoom-in.
Just inside the tunnel, there is a fence blocking further access.
Return to the camping. This will be my last day in the Pyrenees.
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| This is a picture of the next morning.
I wanted to visit bm309 from the ski-resort of Astún before driving home.
But again it's too cloudy around the borderridge.
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So I decide to return and drive home in 2 days.
Nice weather until Bordeaux but afterwards a lot of rain and thunderstorms. Camping in Beamont-sur-Sarthe.
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