Distance: 16km
Ascent: 1600m
Descent: 200m
My biggest lesson on this trip is not to hike in Europe in August, unless you’re taking a more remote route like the HRP and plan to do a lot of wild camping. Accommodation is stretched, there are too many flies and it’s too damn hot. In most seasons, snow won’t be a problem after mid-June (so you can start early June) or before the end of September.
No second or third night of accommodation available in Lescun - which I really needed - but I found a vegetarian B&B in nearby Etsaut. Courgette soup made a nice change to saucisson, jambon, bread and vast quantities of fromage. At least for one night.
The chap who runs the vegetarian B&B had met the author of my Cicerone Press GR10 guidebook and confirmed my suspicion that he is a bit weird. Apparently, he is a naturist and his business card is a picture of him naked. But I digress …
This hike was an absolute ball-tearer! Early on the walker must tackle the Chemin de la Mâture, a 1.2km path rising 250m cut into the side of a vertical cliff. The path was originally constructed in the 1600s by Louis XIV to source and supply timber for the French navy. I reckon they lost a few logs. Keeping a lid on vertigo/anxiety is exhausting in itself.
Thereafter was extremely rough terrain, zig zagging up through a valley to a pass at 2,200m near the Col d’Ayous.
I saw 2 patous, the Pyrenean mountain dog, but fortunately the shepherds had them under control. They are beautiful but extremely dangerous. Left alone with the sheep as pups they think they are sheep, are as flighty as sheep, but are massive wolf-like dogs. Basically, they have Stockholm Syndrome and are nuts.
The reward was coming face to face with the Pic du Midi d’Ossau at the top of the pass …unexpected and breath taking. And a little further down the other side at Lac Gentau, my vote for best camping site (‘not strictly legal’ category) 2022.
Now we’re sucking diesel!
