tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43373634935594865222011-06-22T11:40:25.882+02:00Pyrenees High Route - 200843degreessouthnoreply@blogger.comBlogger141100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337363493559486522.post-48618061982297082112008-09-13T18:15:00.009+02:002008-09-13T18:38:54.408+02:00

Section 5 finished 15:20hrs Thursday 11th September. Characterised by amazing ridge-walks, the two nearly 3,000m peaks Carlit and Canigou, friendly and small refuges and gites, relaxed evenings. More good weather with only half a day of light rain on the Canigou 11hr day. Massive storm the whole night of arrival at BSM, rivers of water flowing through the streets, lightning show all the better

43degreessouthnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337363493559486522.post-63450234095680377192008-09-08T16:32:00.003+02:002008-09-08T16:35:23.652+02:00

http://picasaweb.google.com/binners/HauteRandoneePyrenean02or click on the slideshow to the right

43degreessouthnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337363493559486522.post-53771676741784525562008-09-08T15:08:00.003+02:002008-09-08T15:32:37.419+02:00

Pic left shows the glorious hamlet of Eyne, just over the Spanish border. Stayed at the Gite three nights ago, drank at the village hall, had a grand dinner with 14 other peeps in what felt like an art gallery of a barn - tough life this Catalonian trekking!This pm passing through Amelie Les Bains, tomorrow the last 1,300m climb up to Roc de Frausa, then a bit of ridge-walking. Should reach 'the

43degreessouthnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337363493559486522.post-74956566139915607142008-09-01T10:48:00.003+02:002008-09-01T10:52:57.231+02:00

...click here, or the first ten or so on the slideshow to the right.

43degreessouthnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337363493559486522.post-38558397997343181012008-08-30T11:24:00.007+02:002008-08-30T11:50:57.216+02:00

Salardu to L'Hospitalet Pres L'AndorreCheers:The French group who made a couple of evenings in refuges such fun in the last week - merci Dominique, Jean, Gerard and the others. The stupendous, amazing, frankly improbably excellent settled weather this last week - just a little mist coming out of Salardu, then blue skies most days, bit of rain in the evenings.Locals in Alos de Isil who let me

43degreessouthnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337363493559486522.post-16436797813515220582008-08-21T13:44:00.011+02:002008-08-21T14:05:05.201+02:00

12 days instead of the customary 8 from Gavarnie suggests some delay, but doing half of the section twice wasn´t originally on the agenda. Bad weather prevented the successful completion of the 2nd and 3rd E rated stages and I was generally moping along the ´consolation´GR11 variant when the idea hit to loop back and attempt the sections again - hehe!Above is one of the images from the Col de

43degreessouthnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337363493559486522.post-74294206520547288072008-08-15T11:26:00.004+02:002008-08-15T11:31:08.285+02:00

HEREor click on the images page right to bring them up..

43degreessouthnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337363493559486522.post-25990410580117534142008-08-15T11:01:00.001+02:002008-08-15T11:04:06.052+02:00

..then the weather crapped out - on the highest col/ pass of the haute route, a mere 2983m. This particular battle lost but honour (and safety) maintained for the continuing campaign. Snow/ freezing point down to 1800m last night... pic left is of the gathering snow cloud yesterday from about 1850m. Welcome to the Pyrenean summer...Unplanned pitstop for the night in Bagneres de Luchon and back

43degreessouthnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337363493559486522.post-35025294690084184382008-08-08T14:42:00.006+02:002008-08-08T14:52:20.827+02:00

one of which will either appear page left or click here. Upload facilities or lack of have prevented more eye-candy of the mountain kind. Off tomorrow for section 3, up to 14 days along the central section of the High Pyrenees. Au revoir for now..

43degreessouthnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337363493559486522.post-68363140372573102462008-08-06T15:17:00.013+02:002008-08-06T17:55:37.015+02:00

Welcome to snapshot Pyrenees direct to your desktops,Hot: Has been trés chaud/ very hot, but up at 2,000m+ it's pretty comfortable most of the time, la cuisine des refuges de France (food in the French refuges) has been amazing and has saved having to carry extra, view from atop Pic de Grande Fache (1st 3,000m+ peak) was stupendous, the many locals along the way who are polite enough to

43degreessouthnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337363493559486522.post-50988167607318901412008-07-29T09:39:00.007+02:002008-07-29T10:17:37.920+02:00

Winners: new photos to gaze over, gear working well, food plentiful, zero blisters, body holding together, French conversation improving, peachy bivouac sites, ultralight hikers (Johann you know who you are).Sinners: Having to get up at 4.30am on a rest day, the squillions of biting horseflies on day 5 ascents, the 'suffering masses' of the Chemin de St Jacques de Compostela, never enough

43degreessouthnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337363493559486522.post-76285222952849627092008-07-21T21:35:00.006+02:002008-07-21T21:55:12.506+02:00

Here they are, the plates of meat having a brief paddle in the surf at Hendaye this evening (Monday 21st July). Day 1 proper tomorrow and an expected 8 days wandering to Lescun. Mist the navigational enemy this week, altitude not such an issue, Basque separatists expected to concentrate on more attractive targets. Cybercafes few and far between here and Gavarnie..Singapore Air girls did me proud,

43degreessouthnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337363493559486522.post-4480072971815603222008-07-18T03:48:00.004+02:002008-07-18T04:02:41.566+02:00

Goodbye to Christchurch people (until October), hello to the French and Spanish Pyrenees (from Sunday).We supped some good ale, ate mighty fine Chinese food, broke some bad jokes at brunch - and I got a badge to prove it - wonder what the French will make of 'le kiwi'?Heroes of the week: Dreamcakes chocolate truffles, home-made pizza.Villains: Whoever gave me flu (proper flu really) prior to

43degreessouthnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4337363493559486522.post-17420472965183621812008-06-06T03:05:00.027+02:002008-06-27T00:37:26.431+02:00

What? A walk (tramp/ trek/ hike) along the Pyrenees, following the highest practicable route along the watershed/ border between France and Spain. The HRP makes limited use of established trails at lower levels, the GR10 and GR11 but requires careful navigation where (for much of the route) no trails exist. Image © Cicerone Guides.Where?Coast to

43degreessouthnoreply@blogger.com1