The bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
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- monday 13 september 2021 -
Redoing bm320

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Summary: part of a series of 11 daytrips in september 2021 in the western half of the Pyrenees. This is day 6.

Today: from Lac des Gloriettes revisiting bm320 at Port Neuf de Pinède and checking the routes to it.
Why? I want to have 'done' every bordermarker at least twice. I visited bm321 for the first time on 28-8-2010.

Weather: cloudy/sunny

Basecamp: camping La Hounta in Luz-St-Sauveur.

track-20210913.kml
(click to open this trip in Google Earth or copy link to Google Maps; click right on this link to download gpx-version). The gps-track has not been manually  corrected which explains the inaccuracy and misalignment at some points. For cartographic backgrounds: see the cartography-page

Gps-waypoints of all bordermarkers (most recent version):
kml:  esfr-bordermarkers-all-waypoints.kml
gpx:  esfr-bordermarkers-all-waypoints.gpx (with elevation added by gpsvisualizer.com)
According to Garmin Basecamp (uncorrected track with elevation added by Gpsvisualizer.com):

Distance: 23,1km
Max-height: 2478m
Min-height: 1648m
Elevation: +1622m -1620m
Total elevation: 3242m

Start 8:00  Finish 17:16
Total time: 9:16
From Luz-St-Sauveur I drive to this parking, close to Lac des Gloriettes.


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The waysigns tell me that Port Neuf de Pinède (bm320) is a 3:45h walk.


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The Lac des Gloriettes is a barrage lake.


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Beyond the lake


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the trail passes this bridge.

That connects also to the parking.


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Gradually climbing with in the far distance


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already - zoom-in - Port Neuf de Pinède in sight.


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Progress is easy.


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At this point, you have to go right and start climbing towards Hourquette d'Alans.


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On a higher level I pass this bifork.

The red route is where I come from and which climbs to the mountain pass of Hourquette d'Alans.


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The blue arrow points to
this waysign.


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Still one hour to go to bm320.


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The trail is distinct and


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the direction is clear.

This picture: this is a bifork, the yellow route clims to Brèche de Tuquerouye with its refuge.


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Continuing to Port Neuf de Pinède,


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crossing a rockfall


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to the last part


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of the trail to the Port.


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Arriving at the Port.


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Bm320 is at west-side of the pass.


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And well engraved at this rock.


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I remember that from my previous visit but it takes some time to discern the engravings.


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After some chalking, I can start making my pictures.


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Looking into Spain.


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Bm320


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Bm320


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View of the entire pass.


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Bm320


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Bm320


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Bm320


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I descend a little bit into Spain to have a look at the trail which descends quite steeply and is at some parts slippery.

It's a descent of about 1000 meters before you reach a dirtroad. I did that on 28-8-2010.


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The connection between bm320 and 321 on the Spanish side was originally part of my main GRPdesBF-route. The same for the route between bm322 and 325. But in 2000 I changed my mind, designing another main route (that is the red one on the map). That results in a more smooth main route, leaving the high altitude and non-waymarked trails to the variants. In this case bm320 becomes a hence & forth variant from the main route as will be the case for bm321.

Returning


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Zoom-in to Hourquette d'Alans, my next target.

At Hourquette d'Alans, you arrive from the valley of Gavarnie. From there my main GRPdesBF-route descends towards Lac des Gloriettes.

As said before, doing bm320 will be a variant hence and forth.

But descending from the Hourquette, there are 2 access routes towards bm320, both branching off the main trail. They join further on.

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There is a more direct route, starting not far below Hourquette d'Alans.

I'm going to check that route (in the opposite way) so towards the Hourquette.

This picture: this is about where the direct route starts climbing the hillside towards Hourquette d'Alans. There are cairns and trails to guide you but not much.


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On my way, looking back to Port Neuf de Pinède.


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Looking forward to Hourquette d'Alans.


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And another view back.


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At this point I have reached the main zigzagging trail to the Hourquette (looking back).


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Almost at Hourquette d'Alans.


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From the Hourquette a view into the valley of Gavernie.


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A group of French daytrippers are enjoying their lunch in the French way: including a glass of wine.


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Zoom-in to the Refuge des Espuguettes.


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I return and descend on the winding main trail.

This picture shows both branches towards bm320.


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And this is another view of the two possibilites.


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This is where the first branch starts.


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I descend further, a panorama in between.


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Approaching the second branch.

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And this is the bifork where the second branch starts


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with its


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waysign.

My conclusion: this (second) branch is the best one. There is a waysign where it starts and overall progress is a lot easier.

From here you should go hence & forth to Port Neuf de Pinède, taking you approximately 2 hours in total.


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Quietly I continue


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down the valley.


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Back at the bridge which I showed you already in the beginning.

You have to cross the bridge for the connection to Cirque de Troumouse. Yesterday I checked the other side of that connection.


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It's still 3:30h to the Cirque de Troumouse which seems exaggerated.

The distance is ± 7,5km and that can be done in less than 2:30h, I estimate.


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Anyway, beyond the bridge the trail gets vague but if you go more or less straight on,


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the trail becomes distinct again


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with a view to the left to Lac des Gloriettes.


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Bifork, left to the parking, straight on to Cirque de Troumouse.


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Another waysign at this point.


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I continue along the trail to Cirque de Troumouse


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for a while.

In general the trail is clear enough.

This picture: this is where I stop. From here it's approximately another 500m to reach a dirtroad which will bring you to the tarmac road which climbs to Cirque de Troumouse.


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Returning to the parking. Back to the camping in Luz-St-Sauveur.

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The next day I will drive to Lourdes to my favorite Hôtel d'Annecy for a day of rest.

My brother-in-law is very ill and I have to decide what to do. But luckily is already a bit recovering when I call him in Lourdes
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