The bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
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- tuesday 28 august 2018 -
Redoing bm417

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Summary: one of 8 solo daytrips in the Pyrenees, in the area of Haute-Garonne near Bagnères-de-Luchon, in order to redo the bordermarker-range nr. 331 to 417.

Today: main goal is re-doing bm417 as part of my project of having visited every bm twice with at least one year in between.

Weather: sunny / partially cloudy

track-20180828.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

Gps-waypoints of all bordermarkers (most recent version):
kml:  esfr-bordermarkers-all-waypoints.kml
gpx:  esfr-bordermarkers-all-waypoints.gpx
According to Garmin Basecamp:

Distance: 16,2 km
Max-height: 2020m
Min-height: 870m
Elevation: +1661m -1640m
Total elevation: 3301m

Start 9:08  Finish 18:39
Total time: 9:31
Early start in the village of Canejan.


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Behind the church a steep path starts.


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Soon you will pass this water source including a mug to drink from.


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View towards Pic de Sacaube to the NW.


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Zoom-in with annotations.


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The path is in the first part very steep but has now become more gentle in its ascent.


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Apparently a local bordermarker.


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Having arrived at these cattle drinking trunks.

From this point, I traverse


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NE trough the forest uphill (traces of trails) to its eastern edge and climbing along the edge (in the forest, that's easier) further uphill


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until you approch the hill ridge.

Last part is through the fern to the ridge itself. On the ridge itself are trails cq cattle tracks.

I follow the ridge to the east, the trail goes first to the right of the first hilltop.


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I pass - after that first hilltop - bm415


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Bm415


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Bm415, cross


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Further on, the trail goes left of the next hilltop, passing for a short while through the forest


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to arrive here. Further on


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there's a bifurcation. That's here, take the right branch.


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Further on,


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I approach

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bm416 (zoom-in)

Just beyond bm416 is Pas de la Portéule.


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Zoom-in to the ridge ahead with its striking "brèche". At the far right you can see the Cap de la Pique where bm417 is.

The 'brèche' is however no gateway to the more gentle north side of the ridge because it's too steep at the other side of the brèche.


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But first bm416


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Bm416, the old cross besides it


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Zoom-in. It's not easy to spot the engraved F and E and number.


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So I did some digitally chalking. In the circle is the number.


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Bm416


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I try to find my way towards bm417. First climbing uphill.

Going through the "brèche" is no option because it's too steep at the other side. I remember that from my trip on
20110830

I continue along the higher hillside but climbing to the ridge is only possible after some time and some efforts.


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Finally I find a sort of pass on the ridge to climb to.


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And that pass is here. Looking forward to the long ascent of Cap de la Pique.


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Bm417 at Cap de la Pique.


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Bm417


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Bm417

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Bm417


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From Cap de la Pique a view back with


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on this zoom-in the pass where I reached the ridge.


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Looking SE to the grassy hillside


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with


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the cabane where I met a hospitable shepherd on
20060828


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I make a small walk over the ridge to the east to see where a descent descent is possible towards the cabane. That is about here.

Beyond the cabane in the valley, the  GRPdesBF-variant via bm411-417 will join the main GRPdesBF-route.


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I return and spot a few cairns but without consistency.


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On my descent, looking back with


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on this zoom-in the route to the pass at the ridge.


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Close-up of that solitary tree which is an important waymark.


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I'm back at the ridge (approximately at Pas de la Portéule) with a view back with


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this zoom-in of the route I propose to climb to bm417


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Another view back


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with another zoom-in to the route to take.


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Going back along the ridge, I arrive at a forest where further on downhill bm414-411 can be found.

I decide to them again and enter the forest


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and arrive soon at bm414.


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Bm414, original cross


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Bm413

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Bm413, original cross


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Bm413


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I descend along the ridge which is the borderline. A beautiful and silent forest.


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Bm412, only a cross

One wonders why no additional bordermarker was placed here in the 1950-ies as part of the restoration of the esfr-bordermarkers. Or has it disappeared?


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Bm412


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Bm411


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Bm411


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Bm411 at the edge of a precipice.

Was the masonry wall perhaps part of the bordermarker placed in the 19th century.


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A view to the west with


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this zoom-in with my annotations.


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I return to my car. First by descending SEE through the forest


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to the cattle drinking-trunks, mentioned above.

Then back along the trail to Canejan to my car.

This was my last daytrip of this holiday. The next day I will drive to Lourdes for some rest, relaxation and a bit of worship.

I'm content. Though 61 years of age, still going strong.


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