Day 15: Corrie below Hourquette d'Arre to Camping Mialanne Arrens-Marsous

The prediction that it would be a long slog of a night through the cold was definitely correct! I did get some sleep, but on awakening early hours to conduct a 'comfort turn' on the air mattress, it became apparent very quickly that it was freezing! The corrie amazingly had 4G signal, and this new phone I got before the trip (mainly for the camera!) is very clever indeed, and can give you at the touch of a refresh icon, most local weather update! I pressed refresh and the temperature nearby and lower down was 3 degrees! Oh my word what was it up here then I wondered?! It was no surprise my summer sleeping bag felt like being in a fridge! Whilst vigorously rubbing my legs, conducting the friction and movement combination heating technique I'd developed, I couldn't decide if knowing the temperature was beneficial to my night's cold endurance or not?! Anyhow, I knew sunrise was at 06:48, so there would only be a few hours of friction, rubbing and movement warming!...in hindsight, I think it was purely a placebo effect!

I think it's fair to say the morning looked warmer than it was!

06:48 arrived and the light of day was comforting, however there was one important thing between me and the sunrise in East! The giant trio of Arcizettes, with Grande Arcizette (2513m) towering over me, pretty much due East of my tent! It was obvious I wasn't going to get warming sun any time soon! The view outside the tent was spectacular though, with the cloud was sitting a couple of hundred metres below in it's valley blanket form. So, after a quick marvel at the view, all that had to be done was to speed pack in the cold, trying to ignore the ever worsening Reynauds hands! The plan was to get moving ASAP to get warm, and progress up Hourquette d'Arre to where the sunshine would hit sooner than down in the corrie! The plan actually went well, the pain of the Reynauds hands was the worst bit. It get's me down as it's so debilitating, and mine has worsened drastically over the last couple of years. Anyway, the body warmed up with a slight climb from the corrie, and I was having a sunshine breakfast near the lower end of Hourquette d'Arre in about 30 minutes from being packed - result!

I found the experience of Hourquette d'Arre really amazing. It is a huge, narrow and incredibly steep boulder scree field that brings you to a gap at 2465m between Géougue d'Arre (2619m) and Arre Sourins (2614m). The path literally just goes straight up the boulder field!

Near the bottom a large patch of snow snow caught my attention, still refusing to melt! Amazing considering the heatwave only a short while ago! Early in the trekking season this climb can be snowbound and early morning climbs are dangerous when the ground can still be frozen! But conditions were fine for me to go up this early morning.

I found it incredible the hardy plants that could survive up here, clinging to rocks and blooming in their summer, as well as surviving the harshest winters up here. Nature is fascinating, and also helped distract from how steep each step was!

Both lower down and actually thriving on the Hourquette d'Arre!

The sun was still blocked in the upper Hourquette d'Arre, so I kept my 3 layer bald bonce insulation in place!

With my breakfast fuelling me and the excitement of the body being warm now, it was a pleasurable climb. It's always a nice feeling of anticipation to see what the view over a Col holds for view, and my goodness me this one didn't disappoint - absolutely stunning!

Straight ahead to the NE was Pic d'Anglas (2439m) with Lac d'Uzious and Lac du Lavedan visible below, encircled in the near distance by Les Bécottes (2456m), Santus (2482m) and Pène d'Arrucours (2384m). There were other mountains stretching beyond in the further distance, just breathtaking. Fantastic to mesmorise at the view in the very warm sunshine! All memories of cold and Reynauds were gone, but the resolve to sort the overnight coldness problem out was still strong!

The path started to head North and descend slightly, crossing the Plateau d'Arre. To my left the trio of Le Salon de Ger (2611m), Pic d'Amoulat (2549m) and Arre Sourins (2614m) were hard to stop looking at, causing a few little trips and stumbles!

There were no grazing animals wondering around up here, probably not enough grass to consume in the rough, rock dominated terrain. But a group of mountain horses seemed extremely comfortable and totally chilled out in their surroundings!

Soon, the attractive Lac d'Anglas came into view and a steep descent towards it started winding down the North side of Pic d'Anglas (2439m). Slightly above the lake were ruins of old mines, iron I think. I'd assume the work here was brutal, but what a beautiful place to work! Lac d'Anglas (2068m) was a lovely deep blue in the sunshine, and from above you could see the submerged sides and rocks clear as anything in the turquoise shallows. As I sat down to hydrate, and to properly cover exposed flesh in factor 50 suncream, I think the previous night must have caught up on me! I had a lay down and one of those awesome miniature power naps that really seem to sort you out a bit!

However, on stirring from my revitalising power nap, I was conscious this was a popular tourist spot as it was starting to busy up. The start of the descent took me pretty much straight away into the cloud that had been sitting at lower altitude. It reminded me of a plane cruising above cloud and then slowly descending into the cloud layer. Lots of day trekkers were streaming up from Gourette, which I have to say became annoying in the sense that a fair amount had no path etiquette or manners! Just rude day trippers - don't you know you're on the GR10 I heard my mind asking them, have some damn respect! Of course, on the exterior, I just smiled, said bonjour and stepped aside for everyone!

With the telepathic telling offs done, I arrived down into the ski town of Gourette (1346m). Large and unattractive concrete buildings in a beautiful setting! I ventured into the concrete jungle with the intention of having nice café au laits, but immediately noticed Gourette had an Intersport shop! Ah ha, sort overnight coldness problem maybe?! It looked more mountainbike and ski than trekking, but had to be worth a try. It wasn't looking good, my search was fruitless until I decided to ask the friendly young shop guy if they sold thermal sleeping bag liners. One problem, the guy had no English and I hadn't considered there was no French in my mind to ask for thermal sleeping bag liners! So, I ended up in a sort of game of charades mimicking cold and putting something inside something else - I stopped short of laying down on his shopfloor! I have no idea how he understood, I don't think I would've done, but he pointed out some liners to me. Happy with my charades French I found myself choosing the 8 Euro non-thermal liner as the thermal one was 59 Euros! Another shop volte face as per the backpack! Get the bloomin thermal one Craig, remember the cold?!

With all the charades fun I had forgotten about my cold bald head and the requirement for a bit of bonce insulation! So after a café au lait recovery from my endeavours, I went back for round two of charades with the fella! A beanie was definitely easier to mimic than a thermal sleeping bag liner, and I chose a nice purple, thin merino wool, Buff beanie! I was so happy with it that I did more charades with the shop assistant to get all the labels cut off, and once outside I immediately insulated my bald bonce as it was cold in Gourette!

I was very pleased with myself as I started the steep climb out of Gourette. It was a bit of town paths and road before passing a few last houses on their steep walkway, and finally the GR10 was onto a nice and narrow, wooded path. The BROUILLARD was still hanging, and it was starting to get to me on the climb, especially when the trees thinned out as I could see nothing but 3 to 4 metres around me and then just white, with the occasional teaser of 10 to 20m!

By the time I reached Col de Tortes (1799m) I was swearing at it. I could see bits of cliff that indicated good views of Géougue de Tortes (1945m) to my left, but to my right Latte de Bazan (2472m) was completely shrouded in white! This prompted some robust language borne from frustration, which confused me as it was still a great experience to be there! It was probably just the daily persistence of the BROUILLARD that was getting under my skin, but all was OK as I was happy and safe! Then, as I descended the valley, and as if in response to my robust language, things cleared up! I was afforded views of the lower cliffs of Soum de Louesque (2438m), Pic de Louesque (2554m), Pic de Taillades (2691m) and Pic de Gabizos (2639m) all to my right, with an entirely clear view towards Col de Saucède (1525m) which was the upcoming climb once I'd got all this descent done! Maybe the BROUILLARD had understood my industrial language, even if it was in English! However, I was just happy to have views and really took my time going down.

I had a sit down and a couple of cereal bars before climbing the steep Col de Saucède (1525m). It actually went pretty quickly, I was probably spurred on by the prospect of Arrens-Marsous with a big shop for food and a campsite to refresh body and gear! The view opened up to a wide valley gradually descending between Pointe de Surgatte (1805m) to the right and Cap d'Aout (1654m), with the Le Laün stream flowing between them. It was a long descent through pastoral land, before a track down to town.

Arrens-Marsous was slightly off the GR10. The centre had a market in full swing, with a massive paella being cooked and loads of great produce, cheese, meats and crepes. I could have consumed all of it I reckon! However it was to the Proxi supermarket for me, before getting to the campsite to see if they actually had a space for me! I bought so much stuff in the supermarket, never visit a somewhere with French food on an empty trekking belly! I wasn't at all sure I would be able to pack all this tomorrow! Luckily Camping Mialanne wasn't far, so I lugged everything straight there to see if they had a space?!

Fortune favoured me and the campsite did have a space for me. They gave me a little terrace area which was comfortable and had pleasant surroundings. Luckily I was able to hand wash all my stinky clothes and get them hung out on a clothes horse in the hot sun for enough time to dry them significantly. The rest of the drying could be left for overnight, fingers crossed! It was really nice to have a relaxing evening at the campsite. Whilst using the wi-fi near the reception I was offered all sorts of things from some sort of campsite 'do' that was happening! 1st a glass of lager or cider - not for me I was able to say to the kind campsite lady. But then I definitely accepted all the food tastings I was given, delicious! Before finally being offered the home brew of something making everyone merry - not for me I was able to say again! Go Craig!