Day 43: Aire de Bivouac at Refuge des Étangs de Bassiès to Wild Camp at Étang d'Izourt

The night had been a cold one, so when I could watch the sun hit the mountaintops around me early this morning, it was more than just an attractive backdrop, it provided much needed encouragement to exit the warmth of the sleeping bag for the task of breaking camp.

Despite the visuals of warmth, the sun hadn't actually hit yet! The absence of direct sunlight generally means cold up high in the Pyrenees, and the cold morning meant my Reynauds was in full flight this morning! It is definitely getting worse, it has become so sensitive to cold in the last couple of years. Pretty down heartening thinking of the UK winter ahead I'm going to suffer those debilitating fingers a lot! Anyway, I was here in the beautiful mountains and they would warm up soon, and become fully functional again!

I must come across as a lonesome solo trekker as my Swedish friend did feel the need to check if I wanted to trek alone today! I guess I have to admit I am like that, and in all honesty I don't spend time trying to work out why?! I do love being alone in the mountains, but I also sometimes, occasionally, have jealousy of other people sharing the experience. I need to look inwards as to why I am like I am, maybe it's OK, but also maybe it's unhealthy? I am very comfortable alone, thoroughly enjoy the solitude, all decisions are my own (including bad ones) and I feel a freedom with no pressures of life and human interaction occupying my mind. But, I'd taken time to help my day a little while back on the trail, by helping my new friend when her ankle wasn't great, and we had built a bit of friendship, so something within made me try a day on the trail with someone!

However, amongst our breaking camp breakfasts, and organising ourselves, we lost each other in the refuge area! So much for two trekkers navigating their ways alone across a mountain range .. we can do that, but not find each other leaving a small Aire de Bivouac! So, I set off slowly wondering if she had already started! I spent a long time admiring the stunning mirror surfaces of the lakes I had visited yesterday. I was slightly elevated on the GR10, and the morning light made perfect reflections. It was truely amazing. The inversion of the mountains on the surface was beautiful, I only hope the photos can give the feeling of awe I had when stood there.

This slow start to my walking admiring the physical beauty around me turned out to be a good thing as I heard a call of my name from the direction of the refuge. It was my Swedish friend, turns out I set off without her!

It was a sad farewell to this valley as I'd had a special time there, and I found it a beautiful place. It had been a good start to what was going to be at least a week away from any civilisation .. bliss! All I had ahead was remoteness, wild camping and the trail .. I was feeling very happy with that thought!

It was a flat start to the day, with beautiful scenery and a feeling of utter remoteness. To our amusement, this remoteness was interrupted about 45 minutes into trekking when we approached a dam that I assume was for hydro-electric purposes. With no road access possible there was a load of plant machinery re-enforcing the dam, not what you tend to expect when remote! France seems great at re-newable energy production, so really it was an acceptable disturbance of the remoteness!

Carrying on along the attractive valley the stoney mountains on either side had sparse coverings of vegetation, often in patches. Pic du Far (1924m) was to our left, with the bigger Cap de Fum (2463m) and Pic de Sauve (2315m) to our right. A section of well constructed rock path led to a lovely little feature of the morning.

A perfectly balanced and constructed rock bridge that crossed the Russieau de Bassies (1580m).

I was really enjoying the terrain, but it seemed noticeable that it was dry, and for no particular reason my thoughts turned to the potential aridness of future stages approaching the Medditeranean. I was around two thirds through the trek and on such a hot day I started to wonder about water availability, stream levels and so on as the trail journeyed further south. We chatted a bit about the increasing possibility that water might become much more of a difficult thing to manage, but I felt sure it would be manageable as long as I remained careful and sensible. A decent flow from a small stream was enough for me to fill a bottle and, if necessary, treat with a chlorine tablet. I had my Lifestraw for emergency situations if I needed to drink from literally effluent water, but I would rather not do that .. and as great as a Lifestraw is, it's a tough straw to drink through! Great for any emergency situation, and reassuring to have.

After the flat valley, the GR10 started to head towards the steep descent to Marc. The day was hot, and there was a welcome misty shower under a huge Hydro-electric pipe. We thought the misty spray was a defect in the pipe, maybe it would burst and flood the valley?! Then we saw the entire pipe was sprayed, maybe a cooling mechanism we concluded, but also a great relief to trekkers on a very hot day!

The descent started gently, and the views were still very open and spectacular in my eye. The day was beautiful and the skies were clear blue!

When we arrived at the proper descent it became a steep and narrow switchback path, lots of loose and incredibly dry dirt to slip on. Marc (1010m) was at the bottom of this path and it was obviously a good day walkers option as there were many sweaty and tired bodies ascending the steep slopes of Pic de Sauve (2315m).

Once down the steep, switchback descent, there was a fascinating section along a disused aqueduct. Beautifully flat and tranquil, but strangely unnatural at the same time! What was a water lifeline to people, was now a walkway for trekkers! I really enjoyed it, and it was a weird combination of a man-made feature feeling like part of the natural landscape!

I had been chatting away quite a lot with my trekking companion. We covered many subjects and then conversation just sort of morphed into us sharing our personal and intimate problems in our lives and histories. Both of us had our story to tell, and it just happened on the trail with raw and brutal honesty. It fascinated me, an amazing trust seemed to develop between two people who essentially didn't know each other. It was both a humbling, as well as a great privilege. We offered each other both an ear to listen, and a voice to try and help. I will always thank my Swedish trekking companion for that experience. It was amazing to me that I stopped at a junction between the path and a road about a week previously to ask if a fellow trekker was OK when she looked in a bit of pain, and then I had this experience.

The perfect flat of the often shaded aqueduct continued, and it also continued to fascinate me!

Definitely the flatest section of the GR10!

It was at times like a bridge through nature!

And is also opened up onto majestic views!

Marc was approaching fast as the pace along this flat was quick. We were now traversing the slopes of Mont d'Ourre (1677m), with Mont Hourre (2074m) out of sight above.

It was very welcome that the cafe at Marc was open, serving an awesome cafe-au-lait. The lady owner was lovely, in her old age running what her mum used to run - a generational thing. It looked like they were winding it down. I didn't tell her that the idea of owning something like this, and living somewhere like this, would be a version of heaven for me!

The climb out of Marc was steep, and the heat had built through the morning to a level where a breeze was very refreshing! I'd had two cafe-au-laits though, so all was good and I was loving the trail. We were soon high above Marc. Impressive how quickly you can gain altidtude on the GR10, my dream cafe was far below now and just a memory already!

It was fantastic to look across to where we had trekked down to Marc from earlier in the day. I love moments that show the reality of the daily descents and ascents, and the progress from mountain to valley to mountain! I get a strong, but pleasant sense of nostalgia to the trail walked, even if it is just across a valley and was walked in the current day!

We were climbing the lower section of Les Cadelats (2372m), and after a while the path made a long traverse. A narrow path, with great view and spectacular corners that seemed to be the end of the path when approaching!

The weather was still clear and hot.

This was obviously an old path but really well constructed. I loved it, especially the sharp turns with drop offs!

A few clouds had started to appear as we traversed.

The terrain had become much greener and was essentially all forest now.

The path started a descent towards the village of Arties through completely wooded slopes of Les Cadelats (2372m).

It was apparent now that the hot day was brewing big storm clouds! 

Once in Arties water could be topped up for the section ahead. The direction of travel was starting to make some rumbling noises along with the huge, burgeoning storm clouds!

There was a short section of path that rose gently up the valley from Arties. There were some great old farm buildings just before the path joined the road for a bit. My Swedish friend was considering her options for the night. She had decided not to head up to Ètang D'Izourt which was my destination for the night. We walked a short way up the valley, but with some sensible chat she decided to camp somewhere down here as the risk of no suitable camping as the climb started was too great (turns out this was definitly the right decision!). And she needed to time things right to meet her partner who was joining her for the last section. So, we said our farewells and I kind of felt emotional with the process of the last week from randomly talking to a fellow trekker in a little bother. It was a good experience. However, I was soon back to the trail ahead and so unbelievably comforted and happy in the fact I was still on it, and there was a lot still to come. Fears of the end were creeping in, I knew that, and I knew I had to be careful of my fears. But I was also trying hard to remain in the day I was in.

With the increasing rumblings and inevitability of a storm somewhere around I started a classic Craig beasting up a climb. My mountain fitness and strength was impressive now, if I can say that with humility?! I did interrupt the beasting of the climb to check out the views behind me. I love looking back at the ground covered and feeling emotional about it. The dark cloud and lightning up ahead was in total contrast to the serene views when I turned around! It wasn't the most beautiful valley to climb, but I felt a sense of peace that was only interrupted by the concern of what sort of camping place I might find! I knew I would have to ascend all the way to Ètang D'Izourt as the ground on the way up was all too rough for camping.