Nostalgia

Setting out - our destination the peak in the distance

It never ceases to surprise me how much one can do in a day.   With part of a bank holiday weekend free and the weather looking settled we headed off to the Pyrenees for a day’s hiking.  It was made easier by the fact it was possible to drive the car up most of the mountain to the start of the walk at Bout de Touron (1,450 metres).  The walk is no. 20 from the Topo Guide Midi-Pyrenees a pied.   The nearest town is Foix, which is the final destination along the Sentier de Cathare - another walk on our “to do” list. 

From Foix you take the D421.  Parking the car where the road runs out, you head up to the track, turning right along the ridge.  Really, you can’t go wrong, although it wouldn’t be easy to find your way in mist.   As the clouds parted, the unexpected panorama of the snow-capped mountains before us took my breath away.   Then, as if this wasn’t reward enough, a group of semi-wild horses came galloping past.  Ridge walks are a favourite as they are all about views and I like a good view.     This one was particularly nostalgic as we were looking at the mountains and valleys we had walked as part of our traverse of the Pyrenees ten years ago.  

On the summit!

We walked above the snowline and made it to the summit of Rocher de Batail (1,716 metres) in the allotted time then, it was time to retrace our tracks back to the car.    We even had time for a drink in Foix in the late afternoon sun.

Looking back along the track

Cheval de Merens (black prince of the Pyrenees)

Escapism

There is something relaxing about camping.  Maybe it’s leaving modern technology behind, or the fact that you wake with the dawn and the sound of birdsong or the fact that you can just chuck anything on to wear and not worry. We just got back from our annual camping trip with our niece.  One night in the tent is all that it takes.  We loaded up the car and went to the same campsite as last year, Camping Ruisseau du Treil.  It’s only a 45 minute drive away, but is far enough to feel like a holiday.  This particular campsite has a lovely swimming pool, although because of our poor summer it was freezing this year! 

A few years ago Richard and I used to wilderness camp.  We’ve stayed in some memorable places.  I remember one particular spot in the Pyrenees.  We had been walking all day, but hadn’t made as much progress as we had hoped so ended up camping high in the mountains.  It was an ominous place, surrounded by tall pinnacles and not helped by the fact that before we erected the tent I stumbled on a memorial plaque to a climber who had died there.  After a sleepless night, we awoke to sunshine and, as we climbed out of the gloomy gulley and reached the crest of a hill we were rewarded by the sight of a shepherd moving his huge flock of sheep singlehandedly by using his voice.  He was unfazed to have an audience.  We’ve also camped in some stunningly beautiful places by babbling brooks miles away from everything and everyone.  Of course the drawback to wilderness camping is the fact you have to carry everything, but I also see this as a blessing as it forces you to pack only the bare essentials and is a step closer to natural world and everything it can throw at you.  Yes there is something relaxing about camping.    

Our big hike in the Pyrenees 2005