Day 13: Plateau de Lhers to Corrie below Col d'Ayous

After such a lovely relaxing and restful afternoon yesterday I did struggle with decent sleep overnight. But I felt fresh enough when I decided to open the tent to be greeted by a wet and foggy early morning. It wasn't raining, and the dripping on my tent overnight was from the tree that had shaded me so nicely yesterday collecting moisture on its leaves and then depositing it on me! I got straight on with organising myself inside the tent as there lay ahead a potentially long day ahead en route towards the Refuge d'Ayous. I had a plan to look for a wild camp on the approach to Col d'Ayous if there was nice ground, I'd just have to wait and see, and if there wasn't I'd have to carry on over the Col and down to the refuge. Packing away went quickly and smoothly even with the very wet tent! I've got a really good system for my morning packing now, I like how it's gradually become more organised to the point where I'm very happy with it! So, once ready to roll I set of along the road away from the campsite eating my French chocolate biscuit breakfast, yum! There was about a 600m climb to warm-up with, so of course this was a justified chocolate biscuit breakfast I reassured myself!

Turns out it was the perfect energy boost as the steep climb passed by pleasantly. I love endurance fitness, and how the body adapts when repetitive demands are put on it. I felt strong at the steady pace I've settled into on climbs. The terrain was dry despite the wet air and the fog (or was it cloud?!) that I was in, so unfortunately there were no long distance views. However, the climb was mostly in pine trees, followed by other trees I am unable to name, which made actually made it quite atmospheric being hemmed in by the white beyond the trees! It was a lovely narrow path with switchbacks all the way to Col de Barrancq (1601m). This is the Col between Le Tuquet and Pic de Labigouer (2175m).

The descent started immediately! Heather covered slopes at first, before a forested zone, followed by fern clad slopes. I was still in the fog (or cloud!), which I found frustrating as out in the open path I knew there were great views across to other mountains, and down into the valley where my destination village Borce was situated. On the descent I passed a fair few people coming up the other way, first person being a lady in probably her late 50's, trekking happily alone. A cursory solo trekkers nod and 'Bonjour' was all that we exchanged! A mutual understanding of the love of experiencing the trail to yourself I think! Either that or maybe I look well dodgy?! I saw the couple with their donkey having a snack - the donkey snacking on grass, the people snacking on what looked like nice provisions way healthier than chocolate biscuits! About 800m into the around 1000m of descent the villages of Borce and Estaut came into view as the white stuff cleared a bit. It was a really attractive view of the two villages down in the valley, surrounded by imposing tree covered mountains, whose full sizes were concealed by the cloud hanging over their peaks and over part of their tree clad lower sides.

Borce is beautiful!

Borce was perhaps the loveliest mountain village I'd passed through so far. Picture perfect and gave the impression of outside money moved in, and any old locals moved out! Anyway, beautifully kept with lovely spring water points and even an immaculate public toilet for me to use! The cafe was shut Mondays, no café au lait here, shame! So it was onwards to Estaut as I established in my best French that there was a bar/restaurant open there! To make up for my disappointment at Borce I had two café au laits at the Randoneur restaurant! Just before the Randoneur there was a lovely little food shop, very organic and healthy, so I got a very tasty sounding portion of fruit and nut mix to fuel the next climb!

All refreshed after my café au laits, I started out of Estaut along the road to the start of the long climb up towards Col d'Ayous. Whilst munching on my delicious, nutritious trail mix I was looking forward to seeing what the Chemin de la Mâture was like, a feature of the start of the climb, and it didn't disappoint. It is an amazing path that was cut into near vertical limestone cliffs in the 17th Century to extract wood for the vast French Navy of Louis XIV (I looked that up!). It's fairly wide as I think specially made carts were used on it, and has a concave side, so no vertigo issues! There were two nutcases in my opinion, rigging up the abseil the sheer vertical drop - not for me! Whilst trekking up it, I found it incredible to try imagining it being carved out all that time ago! But, I was grateful for the very hard work put in because it provided one heck of a stunning climb high up one side of the Sescoué ravine, with the sound and sight of the Cours du Gave d'Aspe flowing far down below!

The impressive Chemin de la Mâture!

The climb up and out of the Chemin de la Mâture was dominated by Soum de Lagaube (1985m) on my right, it's sheer limestone cliffs had lots of trees growing in areas they had been able to populate and cling to. The steep path eventually leveled off at the top of the ravine and entered woods. There followed a combination of flats then steeps which contributed to a nice steady altitude gain, all still through the woods. I was able to refill water at a decent stream, and I made sure I treated this with a Chlorine tablet as probably pastoral land up higher. I didn't want fall ill alone at a high wild camp!

Not far below the Cabane de la Baight de St-Cours the view opened up to reveal an amazing view of Pic d'Ayous (2288m), Pic de Larry (2341m) and 'a peak I'm unsure of the name of but I think is Hourquette de Larry' (2208m)! These mountains dominated the skyline ahead and provided an impressive target to trek towards. At the Berger's cabin (Baight de St-Cours), there was a spring fed pipe trickling with water, so I downed the treated water I had and refilled with fresh spring water. I wanted good hydration as if I found a nice wild camp before Col d'Ayous I wasn't sure of water availability. I greeted the Berger with my best cordial bonjour, however his gaze didn't shift from wherever he was staring to whilst toking on his his roll-up! I moved on quickly and cool as a cucumber, as if nothing had happened!

The path meandered up the valley, not that steep. The blue skies that had appeared were rapidly erased by a quick moving cloud cover that came up from where I'd just climbed. I saw a couple more of these donkeys carrying people's gear, one with a couple and one with a family of four - I reckon they are a rental thing with tent?! Anyway, after passing one average wild camp that wasn't up to my standards, I saw what looked like a flat area with better potential further up. When I arrived at it I knew it was the stop for me, by now I was tired and didn't feel like pushing on over the Col and to the Refuge d'Ayous. The cloud had enveloped the area by the time I arrived, but in the cloud I knew I was in the corrie before the switchback climb towards Col d'Ayous.

It wasn't pleasant putting the wet tent up in chilly mist, but I hoped let the light breeze might dry it. The temperature was dropping quickly so had a quick 'mud & dust' lower leg wash in the tiny stream nearby, and got straight into my sleeping bag to keep warm and read my kindle book - yes, I'm actually reading a book, amazing really! A couple of hikers went by on way up to the Refuge d'Ayous which then left me alone in the cloud covered corrie with the mountain horse neck bells keeping me company. I assume their occasional neighing was communication in the poor visibility?! Anyhow, they were my friends for the night and maybe we'd all have a clear view of the surrounding beauty come morning?