The bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips - saturday 5 september 2015 - Cold and cloudy previous trip     next trip track-20150905.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 10-days trip to the Pyrenees, mainly meant as a reconnaissance for the GRPdesBf, starting with a two days roundtrip from Mantet re-doing bm511 to 517. Today: from Mantet to Porteille Mantet (bm511) and proceeding E along the borderridge to Col Pregon (bm515). Weather: on the mountain ridge: cloudy, foggy, cold For explanation of the gps-coordinates and other cartographic backgrounds: see the cartography-page The gps-track has not been manually  corrected which explains the inaccuracy and misalignment at some points. GPS - 24,7 km - max H = 2499m - elevation gain: 1224m - time: 9.48h Started at 9:45, no break , finish at 19:30 = 9.45 net walking time According to Gps-Track-Analyse - distance : 25,1 km - cum. elevation gain : 1604m - cum. elevation loss : 1646m - total elevation: 3250m - altitude maxi : 2495m - altitude mini : 1463m - altitude average : 1966m I arrived in Mantet in the morning after a long drive through the night from Holland. This picture: from the lovely village of Mantet looking towards the valley to climb to Porteille Mantet. The route is well way-marked. I'm on my way, looking back to Mantet. It's a long and steady climb, clouds drift in. A simple shelter with no furniture whatsoever The Porteille Mantet becomes visible Zoom-in This is the spot where the GR10 branches off to the right. But I have to continue straight on. Not much further is the nice Refuge de l'Alemany The waymarking has become yellow/red and yellow. The Porteille Mantet getting closer. The final part With some streaming water available. At the Porteille: bm511 appears. Bm511, looking S Bm511, looking N Bm511, you see the red/white waymarks of the cross-frontier GR-trail 76. Also (vague) the trail ahead S-SE to follow. Bm511, looking N from where I came from. If you walk the GRPdesBF, a spot for bivouac (flat and with water) is not far downhill (± 30min) from here into France. This is the trail to follow from bm511: yellow/red waymarked but also red/white waymarked. The trail goes underneath the ridge which is to the S and will get back on the ridge further on. The waymarks bring me to the foot of the climb to Roc Colom. Here I have to leave the painted waymarks to climb - helped by cairns - to this small 'fortress' at the top of Roc Colom. Roc Colom Roc Colom Bm512 is not far away: ± 25m SSW from the 'fortress'. You can spot that fortress from bm512. Bm512 Bm512 Bm512 Bm512 From Roc Colom, I descend at the other side S-SE and pick up again the waymarks and continue along the ridge until I reach Col del Pall with bm513 Bm513 Bm513 Bm513 Bm513 From bm513, I go SE on the trail and these waymarks will guide me SE underneath Pic de Costabonne. You will pass the only watersource on the GRPdesBF-trail between bm511 and 519. There's also a cabin ± 250m S of this trail: Refugi Costaboni. I didn't visit it but pictures on internet show a neat cabin with bunkbeds and there should be source behind the cabin. The trail underneath Pic de Costabonne will bring you - from bm513 - after 1,3 km to this fence. The main trail descends along the fence S into Spain. Spot the yellow waymarks. But this is wrong trail. I did try that trail downhill but it brought me further from the borderline. I returned and instead I crossed the fence and follow the red/white waymarks from this GR-variant Those waymarks guide you - gradually descending - in ± 250m SEE to this second fence. Now I'm back at the borderline and all I have to do is continue along the red/white and yellow waymarks which bring me to bm514 at Col de Siern. Bm514 Bm514 Bm514 The trails get more distinct and the waymarks lead me further SEE along them to Col Pregon which you can spot in the distance with bm515 Bm515 Bm515 Bm515 Bm515 My bivouac for the night: just N of bm515. Finding water was not easy. From a swampy area 400m E a tiny but browny stream started. previous trip     next trip