The bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
Print this page
- 23 march 2011 -
I forgot bm585

previous trip     next trip
 esfr-trip-track-20110323.kml
(click to open this trip in Google Earth or copy link to Google Maps; click right on this link to download gpx-version)

Summary: part of a 5-days trip from Portbou to a bit beyond Le Perthus (bm600-bm560). A remake of a trip in april 2006, now with a gps. Day 3: from bm587 to beyond Pic Neulos, spending the afternoon walking back & forth to bm585.

Weather: clear sky, sun! On the ridge a chilly wind.
For explanation of the gps-coordinates and other cartographic backgrounds:
see my cartography page

Start: 9.45, break: 13.15-14.15, finish: 17.30, net walking time: 6.45h

According to the gp-tripteller:
Distance: 21,6km
Time en route: 7.44h
Total ascent: 850m
Maximum height: 1263m
Final height: 1122m

According to visugpx
- distance : 20.89 km
- cum. elevation gain : 823 m
- cum. elevation loss : 744 m
- total elevation:  1567 m

- altitude maxi : 1241 m
- altitude mini : 940 m
- altitude average : 1082 m
After a cold night - in which the sky cleared and the moon & stars & the city lights of the coastal towns became visible - I continue on the GR10.
This picture: on the GR10 looking back eastwards. If you are going west-east, it's easier from here to follow the ridge to bm587 then the GR10.

If you need water, the fountain of Font de la Maçana is beneath bm587 in the forest.
The GR10 brings me - through a nice beech-forest - to bm586, well visible in this direction
Bm586
Bm586
Bm586 is not directly visible in the GRPdesBF-direction. On this picture we see that bunch of rocks from SW. You need to look back to spot it.

I continue on the GR10 and loose the trail. I go too far north but return at the GR10
and reach spot of bm584. It's where the GR10 enters/leaves a forest. There is a signpost at this place.
Bm584, a bit hidden and unconspicuous, about 30 meters south of the signpost.
Bm584
And again I loose the GR10-trail and return at the ridge. This picture: looking ahead along the ridge with Pic de Neulos well visible.
Beyond the refuge de la Tanyareda on the ridge I find bm583. Well visible while walking the GR10.
This picture: looking SE.
Bm583
Bm583
For reaching the Pic Neulos, you can climb straight ahead along the fence. That applies also for the GRPdesBF going down from the Pic to bm583.

This picture: looking back at the borderridge bending to the left in the far distance.
At the Pic de Neulos. There are two landmarks here and I'm curious for the exact borderline here.

This is a geodetec pillar
with a Spanish signature. So standing at Spanish soil, I suppose.
The other landmark is this pillar, a few meters of the geodetic one.

In the distance we see the Canigou mountain, still covered with snow.
This is apparently the year of building of that second pillar. Other inscriptions indicate a French origin so the second pillar is on French territory, I suppose.
In between the two pillars, I spot this geodetic indication.

The same indicator with the French pillar. I think that this indicator is the real bordermarker.
Then following the GR10 untill the sharp bend in the tarmac road where the GR10 descends in the forest. I take the forest road uphill in the direction of the border.

A lunch-break near a sort of GSM-transmitter-unit. A nice sunny place. And here I discover that I forgot bm585!

So back to bm585. I follow the GR10 but in the circling of Pic Neulos, I loose the trail and pick it up again close to bm583.
Further along the GR10 and past bm584,
untill close to Collada de l'Orri,
making a detour to the ridge, departing from this rockstone
where I find bm585 west of the actual pass.
Bm585
Bm585 - the backside - seen from a large cairn with a signpost, 25 meters to the SW.

I return on the forest road which encircles Pic Neulos with this view on the coast.

and return to my lunch spot where I pitch my tent.

At night, I hear voices in the distance as if other people are camping nearby. But I see nothing when I leave my tent for a pee. Another -intriguing - sound: a solitary cow slowly "clingling" by, disappearing into silence.
previous trip     next trip