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
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Trip 1
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Bm211 to 220
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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
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According to Google Earth:
13,1km, max-height 1149m, min-height 734m, elevation: +854m -854m
Start 9:51 Finish 16:08
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| Starting near Col d'Orgambidé
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| and first redoing bm211
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| Bm211
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| Bm211 |
| Towards bm212 a circle of rocks
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| Bm212 |
| Bm212 |
| Bm212 |
| Just NE of it this shelter
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| 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.
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| Taking the road going SE, bm213
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| is visible from the road.
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| Bm213, an old and a new marker
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| Bm213
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| Bm213, no idea why a new one has been placed.
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| I continue on the road until bm214 comes in sight
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| Zoom-in to bm214
.
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| Bm214
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| Bm214 |
| Bm214
From bm214, I continue on the the hillside. There are no trails but various cattle trails help.
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| Approaching bm215
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| Zoom-in to bm215
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| Bm215
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| Bm215 |
| Bm215 |
| Bm215 |
| Bm215
If you descend here to the road, there's a stream crossing the road.
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I continue above the small forest
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| Bm216 is only visible when you get over this rim.
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| Bm216
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| Bm216 |
| Bm216 |
| Bm216 |
| Continuing to bm217
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| Zoom-in to bm217
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| Bm217
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| Bm217 |
| Bm217 |
| Bm217 with the spot of bm219
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| And the ridge above it to climb to the hillside towards bm220.
You can see that there are two ascents possible to bm219
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| The Grotto Harpea
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| The descent from bm217 to 218 is steep but manageable.
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| Zoom-in to bm218
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| A cattle track is helpful in descending.
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| Shephers's cabin with Grotto Harpea.
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| It is more practical to do bm218 directly from this side in stead of a detour around the shepherd's cabin
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| Bm218
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| 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.
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| I first visit the Grotto
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| which is a popular destination
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| but serves as a pig's shelter.
I find no access to the hilltop above the Grotto from this side.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| Once on the ridge, the continuation is easy.
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| Zoom-in
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| Bm219
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| Bm219 |
Panorama-view from bm219
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| Bm219
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| 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.
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| Pass the fence and proceed to left.
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| It's better to keep the fence 10-20m below you, that's easier, stay on the same elevation.
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| Getting close to bm220
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| Bm220
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| Bm220, pillar and cross
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| Bm220 |
| Bm220 |
| Bm220 |
| Bm220 |
| From bm220, head N and reach bm221 after 350m.
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| Bm221
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| Bm221 |
| Bm221 |
| I return.
The trail down the hillside is not waymarked and seems not often used.
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| 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.
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| 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,
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| on this picture seen from the other side, higher up.
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| Higher up, looking back.
There's no real trail going uphill/downhill from/to the bridge.
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On the road again. A panorama-view back. In red the GRPdesBF main route and in blue the variant via bm214 to 220.
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| I return to the car along the road.
There are several streams crossing it, one definitely larger (underneath bm215).
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Trip 2
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bm206-210
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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). |
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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.
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| Almost at the Urkula-summit.
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| Looking down at the pass with bm205.
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| A circular wall at the summit which is
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| an old castle or tower.
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| It's easy to find bm206, ± 150m NNE from the ancient tower.
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| Bm206
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| Bm206 |
| Bm206 |
| Bm206 |
| Bm206, close-up towards the old tower.
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| Then it's an easy traversing NE over the grassy hills to
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the long-stretched rock-ridge where you will find bordercross 207
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| It takes some time to find bm207.
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| Bm207
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Bm207
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| Bm207 |
| Bm207, from above
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| I descend again.
The direct crossing of the forest towards bm208 is however not easy.
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| I try a NE direct course but the terrain consists of much elevation up and down including too steep small valleys.
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| Finally I return and find myself back (I think)
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| at the same (cattle) trail which I did on 20090529 |
| with some cairns
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| At this point I have to go left
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| and then the progress to bm208 is easy
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Let's summarize the various tracks/trails between bm207 and 209.
Let's stick to the purple version for the future.
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| Bm208 besides a mysterious hole.
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| Bm208
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| Bm208 |
| Bm208 |
| Bm208 |
| Then I walk E to the ridge
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| and walk underneath it to arrive at bm209 which is well visible from distance.
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| Bm209
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| Bm209 |
| Bm209 |
| Bm209 |
| Then finally to bm210 which - without a gps - is not an obvious find.
Going 550m SEE will bring you close.
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And this map might help you.
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| Bm210 is on this rocky outcrop
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| Bm210
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| Bm210 |
| Bm210 |
| Bm210
I return to the car.
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Trip 3
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Bm198-199
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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.
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| From my car
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| the Camino (to Santiago de Compostella) is well trodden |
| and it's an easy hence & forth trip.
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| Bm198
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| 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.
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| Bm199
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| Bm199 |
| Bm199 |
| Bm199 |
| The bifurcation in close-up
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| 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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