The bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips - 17 may 2012 - Hot & oppressive previous trip     next trip Summary: part of a 6-days trip - accompanied by Jan-Willem Doomen- with daytrip-targets in the Basque country, near Fos and around Puigcerda. Day 6: two targets: revisiting the Llivia-bordermarkers 18-20 and exploring a route from Palau-de-Cerdagne to bm496-497 Weather: it's a hot day, oppressive Trip 1 esfr-trip-track-20120517-trip1.kml (click to open this trip in Google Earth or copy link to Google Maps; click right on this link to download gpx-version) On our way to Palau-de-Cerdagne, we make a stop near Gorguja to redo the double Llivia-bordermarkers 18-20. Back on 20020828 I didn't photograph each one seperately. For explanation of the gps-coordinates and other cartographic backgrounds: see my cartography page It's a short and easy stroll of about 1,3km on a dirtroad. LL18fr, with a glimse of  LL18ll on the other side of the dirtroad LL18fr LL18ll LL19, both markers (left Lliva, right France) LL19ll, with LL19fr in the background LL19fr, with a glimpse of LL19ll in the background LL20fr with a glimpse of LL20ll on the other side of the road, just under the fence. LL20ll with LL20fr in the background LL20, both markers (left Llivia, right France) Trip 2 esfr-trip-track-20120517-trip2.kml (click to open this trip in Google Earth or copy link to Google Maps; click right on this link to download gpx-version) A survey of a route to bm496 from Palau-de-Cerdagne On 20050711 I took the GR11-trail on the Spanish side which brings you neatly to bm500 but forces you to descend back along the borderline to 'do' bm499 to 496. For explanation of the gps-coordinates and other cartographic backgrounds: see my cartography page En route: 11.15 - 15.15 (4h) According to the gps-tripteller: Distance: 13,3 km Cum. elevation gain: 695m Total elevation: 1390m Maximum height: 1865m Time: 4.08h According to visugpx - distance: 13,1 km - cum. elevation gain: 724m - cum. elevation loss: 718m - total elevation: 1442m - altitude maxi: 1858m - altitude mini: 1183m - altitude average: 1578m I explored this alternative route at forehand at maps and Google Earth. We start at this bridge, at the south-edge of Palau-de-Cerdagne. The route uphill to bm 496 ) is for a large part waymarked with yellow stripes (though not abundant). It shortcuts the lacelets of the dirtroad, like here and here. Watch the yellow waymarks on the ground And here we go again (left) on a shortcut bringing you to this cattle gate. Pass the gate, go right and continue uphill. Further on we come along this yellow signbord, confirming we are on the right trail. But then we reach a bifork. At this cattle gate, the yellow trail takes another course than our planned route.  It leaves the dirtroad and branches left of the cattle gate and follows this path towards the cabin of Jaca de Palau and further to bm501. It took some time before I realized my mistake and we return to the cattlegate. Jan-Wilem shows where to go. So: at this point you have to forget the yellow trail and pass the cattle gate and continue on the dirtroad.   That dirtroad makes further on a sharp bend. A bit later you'll see a dirtroad sharply branching to the right, you can't miss it with its red gate. This last last dirtroad will - after a bend - approach the borderline. Then it will climb parallel to it (75m or more) and - after becoming a trail  - arrive at bm499, 500 and 501. But we don't go that far. When the slope flattens, you'll spot at this point to the right at approximately 75m  a fence. That's the borderfence. Bm397 is just behind it. Bm497 From here, you can climb along the fence (=the border) to 498 and further to bm499, 500 and 501. Bm496 takes a descent along the fence of ± 175m and is standing a bit further away from the fence on the Spanish side. Bm496, looking N From here, it seems a gentle and open descent along the borderline. It makes me wonder it that 'valley' might be another access route to bm496. Later on - back home in Holland - I look again at Google Earth and the various maps. And now I think there's a nicer alternative to reach bm496: that's the blue dotted line. It gently climbs to the border-valley and then climbs through the open & green valley to bm496. So it seems on Google Earth.   But now we walk back to the car along the same route. After a touristic visit to Puigcerda, we return to our camping in Targasonne. This is the end of our 6-days trip. The next day we'll drive back to Holland previous trip     next trip