The
bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
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- 7 may
2009 -
Followed by a dog
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esfr-trip-track-20090507.kml
(click to open in Google
Earth or copy link to Google Maps;
click right on this
link to download gpx-version)
A full moon at night, sometimes a very strong wind, then calm and silent. Soft temperature.
I expected a tough journey: following the straight borderline over the
hills with few orientation-points. But with compass, gps and close
map-reading, it wasn't that difficult. I found it more challenging than
following a distinct ridge. Also more strengthening.
Weather: warm and sunny, in the evening rainy and finally foggy. A beautiful day.
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For explanation of
the gps-coordinates and other cartographic backgrounds:
see my cartography page
En route: 08.30 - 18.00 (9.23h), break 13.15-14.25.
Elevation according to my watch: up 990m, down 1276m. in total 2366m.
Heighest point 996m, lowest 487m
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According
to visugpx
- distance : 16.7 km
- cum. elevation gain : 767 m
- cum. elevation loss : 1079 m
- total elevation: 1846
- altitude maxi : 986 m
- altitude mini : 470 m
- altitude average : 643 m
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I start at bm130, at the other side of the fence. With compass and gps-tripteller I easily find
bm131.
I keep following the compass (I think I can see the summit of Ichterbegui where the straight borderline is directed at).
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It's a steep descent to a stream, with a farm and meadow visible on the French side.
In between - it's very quiet here - I spot this deer.
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After crossing the stream, I
walk E and SW along the forest to bm132. You have to climb a fence and
don't confuse the forest with another small forest to the S. Probably,
this route is easier then going straight through the forest.
Bm132
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A view of this mysterious Basque landscape.
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Following my compass, I find
bm133.
It's location is not well recognizable. The Procès-Verbal
mentions an "escarpement" (=escarpment) and a "carrière" (=quarry) but
I can't remember those features.
Then a steep descent towards a stream, first there's a meadow with a
barn. From the west-side of the barn, a little while on the dirtroad to
the W, crossing a branch of the stream and a bit further taking a path
to the left to the stream itself. Crossing the stream.
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Then on compass-reading a steep climb into the forest. When the forest gets moren open, there's a lot of blackberry.
I climb to the left to a fence which I then follow to the right until a
dirtroad. After a bit of searching and good map-reading, I find
bm134, above the dirtroad on a slope.
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After all this difficult straight
traversing of hills and valleys, I have arrived at a more accessible
part, more suited for a part of the GRPdesBf.
On compass-reading I climb uphill and on the hilltop I find:
bm135, near some hunter's shelters.
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Then an easy descent to
bm136.
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A bit lower I encounter a fence with a view of the bordercrossing and the venta.
I spot two concrete pillars (no engraving or painting on it) in the
meadow in the direction of the venta, perhaps indicating the borderline.
This picture: I'm traversing along the fence and along a stream to the tarmac road.
Today I won't find bm137 but later on I will learn from others where its location is.
Move the cursor over the picture to see where bm137 really stands.
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Underneath the venta, I search in vain
for bm137. The Procès-Verbal is clear: 40m south of the bordercrossing
but I can't find anything except this concrete pillar without a number.
I stop searching and enjoy a lunch in the venta.
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After the lunch, I descend on the tarmac road. Taking an overgrown path as a shortcut, I reach the dirtroad which brings me to
bm138.
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Back on the dirtroad and directly - passing a house - to the tarmac road. From there this dog kept following me until bm139.
On the tarmac road, I descend to the river and then follow the D158
towards the border. It's very beautiful, very quiet, very pastoral and
an easy walk on the tarmac makes a nice change.
I could probably have descended from bm138 directly to bm139 but
I wanted to do this reconnaissance for the GRPdesBF.
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Close to the border, I take branch to
the right to Chaliechenborde where two old men and their young
nephew are dealing with a horse and ponies. The border divides their
farm, the farmhouse and barn located on eitherside of the borderline.
Meanwhile, I 'do' bm139 with a chained dog nearby.
The three men are very nice, give me a short lift, tell where bm140 is
and how to reach the summit of Ichterbegui via Spain. I'm very content.
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Through a meadow, I descend to the river with bm140, visible on the other side.
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In my underpants, I wade through the stream and reach:
bm140.
Back to the tarmac road - meeting one of the old men again - and going SW on the road to find the route to Ichterbegui.
First I walk too far into Spain until a farm where the tarmac road becomes a dirtroad and I realize where I went wrong.
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I go back and find out the right route:
after the first house beyond the border, the road crosses a stream in a
bend of the road. Just before that bend, go left on a dirtroad which
crosses the river further on and starts climbing. If there's a bifork
-> keep left. You will cross some fences and pass a barn.
That's where I stop and pitch my tent. The barn can be an emergency shelter for the threatening thunderstorm
Coordinates: N43 02 41.4 W1 26 56.9 H 674m.
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