The bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
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- wednesday 26 july 2017 -
Exploring routes bm206-221

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Summary: part of 13 day-trips in the Pyrenees, covering various targets from the Basque country up to Llivia.

Today:
Trip 1: redoing bm211 to 220, in particular checking the route between bm216 and bm220
Trip 2: redoing bm206 to 210
Trip 3: short trip to bm198-199.

Weather: nice
Trip 1
Bm211 to 220

track-20170726-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). The gps-track has not been manually  corrected which explains the inaccuracy and misalignment at some points. For cartographic backgrounds: see the cartography-page
According to Google Earth: 13,1km, max-height 1149m, min-height 734m, elevation: +854m -854m

Start 9:51 Finish 16:08
Starting near Col d'Orgambidé
and first redoing bm211


Bm211
Bm211
Towards bm212 a circle of rocks
Bm212
Bm212
Bm212
Just NE of it this shelter
Simple but sufficient, getting fresh water might be an issue.

About 500m straight to the E a stream starts (on the maps) but no idea if it contains running water.

But 1,5km SE along the road there is a stream crossing the road.
Taking the road going SE, bm213
is visible from the road.
Bm213, an old and a new marker
Bm213
Bm213, no idea why a new one has been placed.
I continue on the road until bm214 comes in sight
Zoom-in to bm214

.
Bm214
Bm214
Bm214

From bm214, I continue on the the hillside. There are no trails but various cattle trails help.
Approaching bm215
Zoom-in to bm215
Bm215
Bm215
Bm215
Bm215
Bm215

If you descend here to the road, there's a stream crossing the road.

I continue above the small forest
Bm216 is only visible when you get over this rim.
Bm216
Bm216
Bm216
Bm216
Continuing to bm217
Zoom-in to bm217
Bm217
Bm217
Bm217
Bm217 with the spot of bm219
And the ridge above it to climb to the hillside towards bm220.

You can see that there are two ascents possible to bm219
The Grotto Harpea
The descent from bm217 to 218 is steep but manageable.
Zoom-in to bm218
A cattle track is helpful in descending.
Shephers's cabin with Grotto Harpea.
It is more practical to do bm218 directly from this side in stead of a detour around the shepherd's cabin
Bm218
Bm218
Bm218
Bm218
The climb to 219 via the most obvious (most direct) route is a problem because of fences and a shepherd in the neighbourhood.

I have to find another way to get up.
I first visit the Grotto
which is a popular destination
but serves as a pig's shelter.

I find no access to the hilltop above the Grotto from this side.
Then I walk up the trail leading to the road and (this picture) look back.

I return, jump over the stream and untertake a steep climb to the narrow ridge which leads to bm219.

The blue line shows this access.
I found the climb to the ridge a bit scary, not easy to undertake with a heavy backpak.

From the other side, the climb is shorter and less perilous although there is tricky passeage on top of the Grotto.


Once on the ridge, the continuation is easy.
Zoom-in
Bm219
Bm219

Panorama-view from bm219
Bm219
The climb from bm219 over de hillridge to the fence above is tough but presents no problems.

There is a vague trail which helps in plodding through the grass.
Pass the fence and proceed to left.
It's better to keep the fence 10-20m below you, that's easier, stay on the same elevation.
Getting close to bm220
Bm220
Bm220, pillar and cross
Bm220
Bm220
Bm220
Bm220
From bm220, head N and  reach bm221 after 350m.
Bm221
Bm221
Bm221
I return.

The trail down the hillside is not waymarked and seems not often used.
A small monument to some perished mountain-walkers.

At home I find at internet what has happened. The ancient practice of "écobuage" which is the controlled setting on fire of pastures to clean it, has killed 5 mountain walkers of the 'club alpin de Bayonne' in 2000.


When I arrive at the stream, It seems that the lower part of the trail has changed since 2009.   Now there are no branches, there's only one trail: zigzagging up to bm221.

I cross this ramshackle bridge,
on this picture seen from the other side, higher up.
Higher up, looking back.

There's no real trail going uphill/downhill from/to the bridge.

On the road again. A panorama-view back. In red the GRPdesBF main route and in blue the variant via bm214 to 220.
I return to the car along the road.

There are several streams crossing it, one definitely larger (underneath bm215).
Trip 2
bm206-210

track-20170726-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).
According to Google Earth: 7,6km, max-height 1408m, min-height 975m, elevation: +494m -493m

Start 16:43 Finish 19:49
From the car I walk over the road SE.

I want to check for a trail and waymarks which could serve as an alternative course of the main route (shortcut) from bm205 to bm212 but there are none.

This picture: from here I climb NW to the Urkulu summit.
Higher up I spot waymarks like these.
Almost at the Urkula-summit.
Looking down at the pass with bm205.
A circular wall at the summit which is
an old castle or tower.
It's easy to find bm206, ± 150m NNE from the ancient tower.
Bm206
Bm206
Bm206
Bm206
Bm206, close-up towards the old tower.
Then it's an easy traversing NE over the grassy hills to

the long-stretched rock-ridge where you will find bordercross 207
It takes some time to find bm207.
Bm207

Bm207
Bm207
Bm207, from above
I descend again.

The direct crossing of the forest towards bm208 is however not easy.
I try a NE direct course but the terrain consists of much elevation up and down including too steep small valleys.
Finally I return and find myself back (I think)
at the same (cattle) trail which I did on 20090529
with some cairns
At this point I have to go left
and then the progress to bm208 is easy

Let's summarize the various tracks/trails between bm207 and 209.

Let's stick to the purple version for the future.
Bm208 besides a mysterious hole.
Bm208
Bm208
Bm208
Bm208
Then I walk E to the ridge
and walk underneath it to arrive at bm209 which is well visible from distance.
Bm209
Bm209
Bm209
Bm209
Then finally to bm210 which - without a gps - is not an obvious find.

Going 550m SEE will bring you close.

And this map might help you.
Bm210 is on this rocky outcrop
Bm210
Bm210
Bm210
Bm210

I return to the car.
Trip 3
Bm198-199
It's already around 8pm and I decide nevertheless to do a short trip to bm198 and 199.

Why? I photographed bm199 already 3 times but all in 2009 and I prefer more time difference between the two visits of each bm Ive set my mind to.
From my car
the Camino (to Santiago de Compostella) is well trodden
and it's an easy hence & forth trip.
Bm198
Bm198
Bm198
Arriving at bm199.

At bm199 is the bifurcation of GRPdesBF (left) and Camino (right).

After 150m there is a source (Source de Roland), accessible from both trails.

Bm199
Bm199
Bm199
Bm199
The bifurcation in close-up
Returning to my car and driving back to the camping in Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry.

It has been a long day.
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