The
bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
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- sunday 6 september
2015 -
45 kilometers, finishing in the dark
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track-20150906.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: continuing along the borderridge from bm515 to bm517. Then a long, long way back to Mantet.
Weather: nice, sunny, not too warm
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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
- km 44,8km (this includes a few stretches of hitchhiking)
- max H = 2252m
- elevation gain: 1416m
- time: 12:03h
Started at 8:45, no break, finish at 20.30 = 12.15h net walking time (including the hitchhiking).
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According to Gps-Track-Analyse
- distance : 46,4 km
- cum. elevation gain : 2658m
- cum. elevation loss : 2655m
- total elevation: 5313m
- altitude maxi : 2255m
- altitude mini : 1049m
- altitude average : 1678m
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Bm515
After a bivouac closeby, the morning starts with sun & clear skies.
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Bm515 is my starting point for a hence & forth trip to bm517 and back.
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First heading E
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along a trail
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When a reach these ponds (there are
two of them), I should have continued straight on the dirtroad (going
S) and quitting the yellow/red waymarks until bm516.
The waymarks direct you however to the left (=E) to the left side of the fores-ridge.
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Could be a narcistic cow.
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In fact I'm making a detour
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entering the forest on a muddy forestroad further on
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and walk to bm516 which can be seen already on this picture
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but better in this zoom-in: bm516
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At the entrance of the meadow, I spot
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the yellow-red waymarks again to follow to bm517
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But first: bm516
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Bm516, looking N with the dirtroad which leads you to the two small ponds and then - turning W - to bm515.
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Bm516, now looking S where our trail continues along the fence. As said, at the fence the yellow/red waymarks reappear.
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Bm516, with the year of construction (I suppose).
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Bm516
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As said, I continue S along the fence, waymarked with yellow-red waymarks
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Further on, a bull blocks my progress so
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I switch to the other side of the fence
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to pass in safety this quiet but unpredictable animal.
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Continuing along the fence
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and being attentive not to miss bm517 which is about 15m from the fence.
The small ponds further on serve as a reference point.
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Bm517
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Bm517, looking back along the fence
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I walk about 600m further to better spot where bm518 is.
Navigating is still easy: follow the fence.
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Getting a bit closer: the Col d'Ares becomes well visible with its tarmac road leading up to it.
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And with this zoom-in and
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this further zoom-in, we can even spot the rocks where bm518 is engraved.
The GRPdesBF-trail leaves a little bit further the borderridge to enter the forest on a trail for a shortcut to Col d'Ares
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I return to bm515, this is the tiny stream where I had to collect water yesterday.
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Back at bm515.
Now I make a misstake: it would have been better to return along the
border to Roc Colon (bm512) and then take a trail going N towards
Mantet, back to my car.
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But instead I decide to descend to La Preste and then climb the winding mountain-roads to the Collade des Rocques Blanches.
Luckily I get some hitchhikes uphill, saving perhaps 5km but it's alltogether much longer than I thought.
This picture: already high in the mountains
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and now approaching the Collade
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with this peculiar cattle-barrier.
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The Collade with a lot of waysigns
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This is the direction to go: a very long and winding descent along the hillslopes towards Col de Mantet.
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Finally reaching Col de Mantet and
then zigzagging downhill to Mantet where I arrive in the dusk. Luckily
I can still get a bed and a meal in the Gîte d'Étappe.
The next morning I visit the charming village and church and reorganise
my stuff. Then I drive to the trainstation of La-Tour-de-Carol and take
the bus to Foix where Charles Darrieu is waiting to lodge me in his
very hospitable way in St-Girons.
A day later he will drop me in the mountains above Guzet-Neige for a
week-long trekking through Andorra, back to La-Tour-de-Carol.
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