The bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
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- sunday 10 april 2022 -
Redoing bm110-135

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Summary: part of a series of 10 daytrips in april 2022 in the Basque country, mainly redoing bm085 to 197. This is day 3.

Today: second day of three days of backpacking along bm091 to 144. Today from bm110 to bm135.

Weather: splendid


track-20220410.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: 17,8km
Max-height: 996m
Min-height: 635m
Elevation: +1172m -1255m
Total elevation: 2427m

Start 9:14  Finish 18:25
Total time: 9:11
It has been a cold night.

I have packed my tent and continue to bm110, already visible. It's a beautiful morning.


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Bm110


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Bm110


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Bm110


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Bm110


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Further along the trail: bm111.


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Bm111


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Bm111


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Still following a red-white trail and an orange one.


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The orange trail is the 'Sentier des Contrabandiers'

I found this link to this trail and the stage along the border on this page and this page.

I show here the relevant part for today and for yesterday.

Much of this trail coincides with my route of today and yesterday.
This is one of my favourite parts of the Pyrenees: the quiet and lovely beach forests between approximately bm109 and 125 in springtime.


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Arriving at bm112.


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Bm112


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Bm112


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Bm112


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The trail clims steadily through the forest to a ridge


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with this view ahead.  The main GRPdesBF-route descends to bm114.

Bm113 needs a detour on a variant.


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Bm113


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Bm113


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Bm113


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Bm113


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Then descending directly to bm114.


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Bm114


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Bm114


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Then following the trail uphill


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and arriving at bm115.


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Bm115


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Bm115


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Continuing on the ridge to bm116.


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Bm116


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Bm116: a cross and a pillar.


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Bm116


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Lovely view over the hills.


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Then descending


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to a pass


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with bm117


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Bm117


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Bm117


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Bm117


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An information panel


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and these waysigns reveal that the red-white trail


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is the GRT5.


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And much later - back at home, a little googling makes things much clearer.

This annotated picture is derived from this webpage.

The GRT-trails are 'Grandes Randonnées Transfrontalieres', connecting the French GR10 with the Spanish GR11.

In this case they help us to navigate from bm091 to 130 and from bm155 to 177.

Another interesting feature: from bm130 to 155, the GR11 and GR12 could serve as an alternative for my main GRPdesBF-route.

The bordermarkers between bm130 and 155 are covered by a variant.
From bm117, first along the fence and then continuing on the trail uphill with various waymarks


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I approach this bend of the track but


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for bm118 I have to go straight ahead.


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Bm118


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Bm118


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Bm118


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Bm118


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Back at the trail


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and arriving at bm119.


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Bm119


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Bm119


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Bm119



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Still on the GRT5-trail


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and a bit further is bm120


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engraved at this rock.


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Bm120


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Bm120


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Bm120


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Bm120


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Continuing on the red-white trail


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to bm121.


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Bm121


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Bm121


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Bm121


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But what I forgot: to check the number atthe  stone besides it.

Carlos & Conchita discovered that in 2020.
At the end of the hillridge, there is this rock


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which is bm122.


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Bm122


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Bm122, panorama.


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Descending to a lower level and continuing to bm122bis.


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Bm122bis


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Bm122bis


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Bm122bis


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From the next pass, a view to the hillside where bm123 can be found on a large rock between other rocks.


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Bm123


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Bm123


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Bm123


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From the rear side of bm123, looking back to the pass.


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Then this bifurcaton:
- left is the main route along a trail to bm125
- right is a variant to cover bm124.


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Bm124


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Bm124


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Bm124


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Bm124


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Bm124


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Bm124


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Then curving back to the trail and continuing to bm125.


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Bm125


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Bm125


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Bm125


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Then, 45m beyond bm125, I pass the end of a tarmac road and go straight ahead.


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Again a red-white waymark and almost reaching the fence


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which indicates the borderline from bm126 until bm130.


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Bm126


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Bm126


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At bm126, I meet some walkers who kindly take this picture.



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One of them told me that he knew Robert Darrieumerlou and that he had provided him with several pictures of lost or destroyed bordermarkers under the nickname of 'Xan'.

Like this one on this page with my text:

"In march 2014 I have been informed by Robert Darrieumerlou that this picture originates from his website. The photographer was one "Xan"."

What a coïncidence to meet Xan. I forgot to ask his email-address.
Bm126


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Now navigating is easy (until bm130): just follow the fence.

This is bm127.


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Bm127


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Bm127, looking back


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Still on the orange trail.


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Having arrived at bm128.


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Bm128


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Bm128, looking back


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The trail continues, now for a while underneath the fence.


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Bm129


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Bm129


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Bm129, looking back.

Note the red-white waymarks.


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Having arrived at bm130.


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Bm130


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Bm130

From bm130, the borderline leaves the fence and heads in a straight line to the summit of Isterbegi (bm141, a distance of 4,5km).

The next bordermarkers are placed along that straight line, ignoring any geophysical feature that might serve as a natural border.


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Bm130, looking back


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Interesting graffiti: "God but it's  good to be a walker". So true.


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Problem now: where to cross the fence in an elegant way?

On this picture you can spot


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(zoom-in) a hunter's watch-tower.

I remember that bm131 is standing close to that tower.


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Then I find along the fence


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this gate to cross the fence.


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Arriving at bm131 (with the tower in the background).


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Bm131


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Bm131


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Bm131


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Bm131 with the trail which will bring me in a half-circle to bm132.


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Last view of bm131 with the watch-tower.


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In the second half of the half-circle, the trail gets vaguer and I use my gps to find bm132.


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Bm132


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Bm132


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Bm132


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From bm132, a cattle trail descends SSE


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to bm133.


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Zoom-in to bm133.


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Bm133


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Bm133


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Bm133


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Bm133

Eleven years ago I descended and climbed in a straight line towards bm134.

But Carlos & Conchita Roca told me that the fields have gotten overgrown with for example blackberry and are now very difficult to cross.

So I figured out an alternative route. It starts with descending along this trail and heading NE downhill along cattle tracks for 200m


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to arrive at a passage between this barn (to the right)


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and this cabin/house to the left.



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In between a dirtroad descends to the tarmac road.


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This is where the dirtroad meets the tarmac road.


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The tarmac roads winds for 1,3km until it reaches the main road.

I have collected water at a stream for tonight's bivouac, adding ± 5 kilo to my backpack.

Somewhere

After 300m SW the main road reaches this point where a dirtroad starts at the right side.


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Follow that dirtroad, keep left at this bifurcation


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until you reach this point.

Now I have to climb into the field


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to reach bm134.

In summertime this will be a little jungle.


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Bm134


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Bm134


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Bm134


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Bm134


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Bm134, looking in the direction where I came from.


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Then climbing straight uphill (no trail) which can be a tough job in summertime.

Then it will be more practical to use the forest to ascend.

After passing this cabin,


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I arrive at bm135.


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Bm135


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Bm135


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My shelter for the night, bm135 in the background.

At night, a very strong wind rises.


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