Hiking the Ariege Pyrenees

 So I turned my back on the summit and went easily down to Col de Calmettes and from there to the manned Refuge du Rhule 2185. This was surprisingly busy with guides and their clients and but as it wasn't yet lunchtime I just replenished my water supply and set off up towards Col de Belh. Soon the refuge was left behind the next section sees one travel along the crest of Crete des Isards before dropping easily to Col de la Didorte. I was briefly tempter to drop from here to the refuge Ruitort which looked to be beautifully situated alongside a stream but I reckoned the 200 meter climb back up in the morning would have been a bugger so I continued on my way. You are now travelling along a broad undulating plateau that extends to the ski station on Beille above Ax les Thermes. I had now been on the move for over seven hours and I was getting quite tired and finding a good spot for my tent was my next priority. A contour under the next hill was welcome and the sight of an eagle soaring nearby made for a pleasant passage and not long afterwards I reached Col des Finestres (1967 meters) which had a good watersource nearby so I decided that it would be my home for the night. The cloud was inclined to gather all about and I thought there was a chance of rain but thankfully this never materialized and I enjoyed a long evening relaxing and recovering after my eight hour day. My only company between that and the following morning was the sound of hoofs and a few alarm calls from passing animals in the night.

Wednesday June 4th;

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday.....

I stuck my head out from the tent with a little trepidation this morning as the weather forecast for today hadn't been great. So I was very pleased to see that the cloud of the previous evening was gone and that the morning at least promised to be good. I did my usual ablutions and was on the move again by 07.30. The views were great, especially the one back towards Pic de Rulhe which seemed to tease me for not reaching its summit. The following five kilometers along the Plateau Beille were a delight. Wonderful views all about and nice easy walking meant that the time flew by. I reached a pastoral cabin (locked) at Beille d'en Haut and stopped here to relax for a bit. There was evidence of cattle grazing all about and later in the season I guess the cabin would be occupied so the place wouldn't really be a good place to camp but now it would have proven to be ideal. The cloud was starting to build and very shortly after I left the cabin I was enveloped in the fog. Now the feel of things took on a much eerier timber and when I entered the woods shortly afterwards and the air suddenly filled with howling I had visions of meeting with beasts from "the hound of the Baskervilles". It was difficult to now see the markings that gave one comfort that you were on the right track and sure enough I managed to take a wrong turn and had to retrace my steps back to the turn and eventually I found the correct way again. Shortly thereafter I saw the reason for the earlier howling as I walked past an enclosure full of big dogs that ranged from German Shepards to what looked suspiciously like wolf crosses. They were none too pleased to see me and I really thought the "private property-no entry" sign wasn't really necessary. Anyway I continued gently down in the gloom and after a while I left the forest and crossed a scrubby, grassy area which contained another cabin (Jasse d'Artaran) where following the markers was difficult in the gloomy mist. Once again I entered the forest and descended all the way down to Caban de Clarens at just 1100 meters. This is a fine clean basic refuge that would make a good spot to stay as the distance between refuges/gites is long on this leg. The weather wasn't getting any better and the mist was threatening to turn to rain and the temperature stayed stubbornly in single figures but I was still enjoying myself immensely.

 The one problem with losing so much height was that I had to climb almost 700 meters on the other side of the valley. So far the going had been easy but now I was faced with my first meaningful climb of the day. I managed it ok and eventually I crested the broad ridge at  1700 meters and had to search once again for the widely spaced way markers on the grassy ground. The path was once again found and I dropped down once more to 1300 meters before rising once again to a lovely meadowed valley at Balledreyt 1550 meters. Here a cabin was marked in the map but it was a ruin with half its roof missing. The rain was getting a bit steadier and I briefly considered staying here but the herd of cattle all about with their accompanying bells decided the issue. I pressed on up the 300 meters or so to the plateau above and here I was delighted to find a little refuge that wasn't marked on my map. I arrived just over eight hours after starting and was once again very glad to drop my bag. Here I had about 10 horses ( of varying types) for company and only one sported a bell. The mist stayed down but the rain stopped and I entered the refuge to explore. Firstly it was clean with no evidence of rodent infestation but it did have a mattress on the sleeping platform. There was a good supply of candles and some gas canisters as well. Under the platform was a large collection of tins of various fruits and rice pudding and on a shelf above were several six packs of beer. On the wall there was a notice welcoming walkers to the refuge and a price list for the various goods and the request to pay in Refuge du Rulhe if travelling that direction or in the Gite in Sigeur if going that way. What a result, and on my birthday as well. I set up my tent outside again and enjoyed a most convivial evening with music, beer and some rice pudding for dessert. What a wonderful service.

Thursday June 5th;

For some reason the horses, who had ignored me all night, decided that beside my tent was the place to graze at five am but even so I awoke refreshed and looking forward to the day ahead. I poked my head outside the tent and was delighted to see that the mist and rain of the previous evening had cleared away and the views that were absent greeted me now. What a beautiful spot to watch the sun rise from behind Montagne de Tabe as I readied myself for the day ahead.

Just as I was leaving the cattle from the lower valley decided to make an appearance and I was grateful that they had waited until then. Nice easy going followed to Col du Sasc with a short pull to the great viewpoint of Pla de Montcamp. A lovely easy walk along the grassy plateau followed in the glorious sunshine. Yesterdays temperatures in the single figures were well and truly in the past and the heat only increased as I made my was down into Gesties and lower still into Sigeur. Both these villages are lovely sleepy little spots but I had further to go so I had little option but to climb again the 600 meters to the pass above Lercoul. Its fair to say I was suffering a bit in the heat but the water fountains in each village proved a welcome gift. Here I left the GR10 and made my way down into the delightful little village of Sem with its mining history and then further down into Vicdessos. Here in the valley floor the heat was intense and the three kilometers on the road, where the head was radiated back at me wasn't terribly pleasant and I was really glad to finally arrive at the campsite in Auzat. Another eight hour day was done and I was very glad to just chill out for the remainder of the day.

Friday June 6th;

The weather forecast at the campsite promised temperatures in the mid thirties over the following couple of days in the valleys with strong winds high up with the possibility of a build up of cumulous cloud in the afternoons with all the problems that that brings. My objective for the next couple of days was Pic d'Estats which at 3143 meters was considerably the highest in the Ariege, with the Refuge de l'Etange du Pinet being the first stage. My first dilemma was getting to the trailhead at Marc (1009 meters) which was over six kilometers away. I could have walked through the valley but I opted to try my luck at hitching and lo and behold I got a drive from the first car that was heading up the valley. So it was exactly 9am (according to the church bell) when I commenced my walk. The trail climbs up to over 1200 meters and then turns left off the GR10 and undulates its way along to L'Artigue where a fine parking facility is provided for people heading on the various outings that can begin from here. An hour had passed and it was already hot but at least I would be in the shade for the next while as I re-entered the forest. A very well designed path ensured that I was able to make steady progress and it wasn't too long until I exited the tree line and once again traversed open mountainside with its wonderful profusion and variety of flora. Across the valley the the snowy peaks of Puntussan and Rouge were a joy to behold and the thunderous cataracts that roared down the mountainside, swollen by snowmelt, was a good excuse to pause often and enjoy my surroundings. I was now coming across plenty of snowfields and at times it wasn't easy to follow the trail but the ground isn't too difficult and other ways to make progress are easy to come by. I was making good progress and eventually I crested the last rise to see the refuge ,at 2242 meters, quite nearby. I was the only one there and I dropped my bag at 12.30. Not bad as the signpost gave a time of 3.5 hours from L'Artigue and I had matched that time from Marc.

The guardian appeared. An interesting looking character in denim and braces that reminded me a bit of a small Gerard Depardiu. Anyway after checking in for the night with half board I cooked a lunch for myself and relaxed. Shortly afterwards a couple of guys from Belgium arrived back from the summit and I was able to glean some information from them. They said that conditions were poor with one passage where they could hear water rushing beneath the snow and thought that it might be dangerous to proceed solo. At around 14.45 I decided  that I would go for a walk up from the refuge so I got out my little foldaway rucksack and put my crampons and a bottle of water into it and armed with my ice axe I set off up. I set off on a rising traverse on snow on the eastern side of the steep sided valley towards Etang d'Estats. The snow wasn't as bad as I thought it would be and by using the ready made steps I was able to make good progress. It felt great to be unencumbered by the big bag and I was able to enjoy my alpine surroundings. I reached the lake quickly enough and I decided as not much time had passed so I decided to continue to the upper lake (Etang du Montalm 2568 mtrs) and see what I would do from there. I think I had already decided but eventually when I reached the lake I went for the summit. So far there hadn't been any difficult or dangerous passages and the next section didn't look difficult either. Now all progress was on snow and I was glad I had used sunscreen as the heat and glare reflecting back at me were at times intense. Still, progress was fairly easy and I wasn't sinking too much into the softening snow. Occasionally the sound of sections of snow suddenly shifting and settling in the sun put the willies up me and I wondered about avalanche but I reasoned that the slopes weren't steep enough ( never steeper than 20 degrees I reckon) so I continued on, firstly up 100 meters over a shoulder and then around and up into a final little coum before finally gaining the easy ridge that stretches between Pic du Montcalm 3077 mtrs with its snowy dome and the slightly rockier Pic d'Estats. Ordinarily I would have detoured to Montcalm as well but I didn't want to be late for dinner so I concentrated on Estats. The ridge passed easily and gave some nice airy views to the southeast before I finally climbed the summit slopes and arrived at the 3143 meter summit. What a beautiful spot which I was able to enjoy all to myself. This was a truly alpine environment and the snow covered mountains stretched as far as the eye could see into the distance. It was 17.10 when I arrived and I left again at 17.17. The way back was easy and I was able to glide and slide down the snow and I arrived a bit tired and hungry back at the refuge at 18.30 on the dot. 

After the success in every sense of the previous day it was with a tinge of regret I left Refuge Pinet behind me and set off back down for the valley below. I chose a slightly different route back and I passed beside the beautiful Etang Sourd some 300 meters below. This was a nice diversion and didn't add any time to the route. I had formulated a plan for today where I would climb from the valley over Pic Rouge de Bassies (2676 Meters) and descend the other side to the Refuge de Bassies at 1650 meters. This promised to be a tough day but I reasoned that after the success of yesterday it was do-able and would see me made great progress in my oddessy on the GR10. Another sight I wanted to see was the Cascade de L'Artigue which would mean a bit of a diversion but I hoped it would be worth it. I continued down until I reached the raging torrent of a river once again and now I turned up the track towards the cascade. I was already quite warm and the day promised to be a scorcher. It took longer than expected to reach the falls and i was astonished to see that it was already 10.30 which meant that I was on the move three hours already. The river was indeed a thunderous affair, swollen as it was with snowmelt. The falls themselves weren't that high but I was glad I had taken the time to visit them and the whole river was spectacular. I turned back down and returned to the parking area, where I joined briefly the HRP before turning towards the slopes of Pic Rouge. At least that was the plan but try as I might I couldn't find the turnoff and I ended up heading much further along the HRP than I had intended. There was a possible route up ahead but it would entail crossing the swollen torrents and I didn't have a clue whether there was a bridge or not so eventually and reluctantly i turned around and retraced my steps all the way back to Marc. From here I followed the GR10 once again as it contoured along above the valley that headed towards Auzat. I was in for a pleasant surprise however as shortly after Marc the route followed an old aquifer in the shape of a large concrete box that progressed almost completely level for over three kilometers. This was delightful and provided easy walking with great views. I even got to see a large lizard ( at least larger than the usual) who stayed on the edge of the path and seemed to give me a Robert de Niro stare,,you talkin to me. All too soon the aquifer ended and there followed a stiff 200 meter climb before a lovely easy rising traverse towards yet another cascade that descended from the valley which held the Refuge de Bassies. I even got my first glimpse of a snake on the way and its distinctive diamond pattern meant I was later able to identify it as an Adder whose bite can be dangerous. Still when i saw it it seemed more intent on beating a hasty retreat than any confrontation but I still found myself checking the path ahead a little more carefully. Out of the woods again and a long but pleasant walk passing lakes and greeting new horizons saw me eventually arrive at the nicely situated refuge at 16.30. I was quite hungry by now and the cheese omelette I ordered was one of the finest I ever had. I had intended to stay in the refuge but when I saw that some new arrivals were setting up camp so I asked in the refuge if it was permitted and once I was given that assurance I wasted no time in setting up my own home. The heat was intense and it was with great relief some hours later when the sun finally hid behind the nearby ridge and the air cooled considerably. A most peaceful night followed.  

For some reason I was wide awake before the dawn today and I decided to rise and pack up and make an early start. So I was on the move after breakfast at six am. It looked like it was going to be another great weather day as I set off into the glen that descended from the circuit of mountains at its head, the highest of whom Pic Rouge de Bassies 2676 meters which was my aim for the morning. The fairly flat valley extended south for about four kilometers before the route turned east and rose fairly steeply on a spur to over 2100 meters. From here a long semi circular traverse saw one arrive at a couple of completely hidden snow covered lakes where a straightforward snow plod to the col just to the north of the summit gave easy access to the airy top. I don't know if it was the lightening bag (less food) or me getting stronger but I was definitely much better able to cope with carrying it and I made steady progress up the spur. The river in the valley floor was a raging torrent and the bridge that gave access to the correct bank for the route near the refuge was broken so the normal way was now to stay on the right bank until just under the spur a large and hopefully very deep snowfield allowed one to get across the river. I was acutely aware of its existence as I passed over it and I just prayed that when it eventually collapsed that it wouldn't be when someone was on it. Anyway from the top of the spur the traverse was quite easy and I soon reached the point where I was able to leave my bag and head up across the snow towards the summit. From this point I would be able upon my return to traverse under Pic de Caumale and continue along the ridgeline before eventually rejoining the GR10 above Port de Saleix. So very much unencumbered I easily reached the summit and I relaxed a while and savoured my final peak of this trip.

The plan for today was to climb up a few hundred meters to the village of Orus and follow the Tour du Pic des Trois Seigneurs through Illier as far as Lapage before descending once again to a campsite in the valley floor before continueing the following day into Tarascon Sur Ariege from where I could get the train Wednesday morning to Toulouse. It was another scorcher and since it would be a short day I enjoyed a leisurely morning and finally left the campsite at 10.30am. In the heat it wasn't long before I was sweating but my pace was leisurely and despite having finished with the high mountains for this trip the scenery and route was beautiful. Orus was a delightful little sleepy spot and I paused to take a drink from the usual fountain and replenish my supply. I continued on to Illier where a similarly sleepy spot awaited. Here some children were playing in the street by the fountain and across the road a toddler was absolutely covered in wet sand and busy in the throes of making sandcastles. A little girl either put some sand on his mouth or he did it himself but either way he was soon in floods of tears which immediately brought his big sister (perhaps seven) to his aid and she made a fuss of him and cleaned him up a bit before leading him by the hand down the lane. It made for a lovely, quite touching tableau. I moved on and all of fifty or sixty meters later I was at the village edge where a tiny little graveyard held the plots of the local families. I stood on the wall by the path and was surprised to see quite a large snake emerge from the shrubbery just below me and slowly cross the open ground. It was between four or five feet long and quite beautiful. I felt privileged to see it in its natural surroundings in such an unconcerned state. That changes however when a few moments later it spotted me and moved with astonishing speed back into cover. Again for quite a while after I was a bit more observant of the trail ahead. I continued on until I finally reached the point where I was do descend to the valley floor. It was only three hours into my day and I was enjoying myself so much I decided to forego the campsite and continue on as far as Tarascon.

My trip on the GR10 was now finished with and today I lazed about and relaxed in cooler temperatures. The campsite was very well appointed and I relaxed for a while in the pool and spa. I explored the charming old section of the town and was really impressed by the large old church in the square. I even went for a long siesta, I must be getting old. Mostly I reflected on the trip and overall I was really pleased with it. It was a little frustrating not to have gotten further west and ideally I would have had a couple of more days available and then I would probably have been able to reach Luchon which would have allowed me to make better use of public transport. The amount of snow was also something of a surprise as I think it was as plentiful as last year which was supposed to have been exceptional. The Pyrenees are exceptionally beautiful range of mountains which offer the best of all worlds. At times you are walking through steamy forest and the next crossing a highland plateau before finally rising into a pure alpine high mountain environment where snow and rock is all around. All this abundance is matched by the flora and fauna that compliment and enhance the whole experience. I feel I have to go back. 

My last day saw me take the train to Toulouse in the morning which allowed me a couple of hours to walk about and explore this vibrant , prosperous and beautiful city. It is a pedestrian friendly city with some beautiful boulevards and buildings. There is a nice friendly buzz about the place and the two huge markets I came across were oh so vibrant and oh so French. Definitely a town worthy of a return visit. Now where will I go next ???