Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
Pyrenees GR11 - Day 10: August 18th
Monday 18th August
It was clear in the morning with just a little high cloud. It was an easy walk up the
Barranco de Petraficha to the Collado de Petraficha. Here I met a 4 Basques who had
started the GR11 at the Mediterranean and were heading for the Atlantic. From the col
there was a steep descent over grass down to La Mina. Here I met a couple of Spanish
men who were also attempting the GR11. They were intending to be at Candanchu
tonight, still 7-8 hours away.
I had a bath in a waterhole in the stream and then followed a small path up the
stream, rather than follow the GR11, which followed a busy dusty pista up the valley. I
stopped for lunch after 30 minutes and stripped off to wash my clothing in the stream.
After everything was dry I rejoined the GR11 and followed the pista up to Achar d’
Aguas Tuertas at1620m. This was the entrance to a high, wide, flat valley. This is
described as a delightful place by the guidebook, and is popular with walkers because of
the easy access. Unfortunately the valley is rather spoilt by the large number of cows
churning up and polluting the water meadows. This is a problem between 1000 and 2000m
throughout the Alps and Pyrenees. I climbed out of the valley, looking for a spot where
the grass was free enough of cow dung for me to camp. I found a spot surrounded by
magnificent limestone crags. There was a horse on an adjacent knoll looking as I was
invading its favourite spot. I could see kestrels hunting for small mammals and deer on
the heights above me. Unfortunately I could also hear cow bells approaching and I was
relieved to find a herd of horses heading for a hollow just below me.
At 7.30pm a French Gendarmerie mountain rescue helicopter came up the valley
from France, hovered nearby, and an officer jumped out. They were searching for a 12
year-old English boy, who had got separated from his parents 3 hours earlier on a walk
from France to the Paso de l’Escalé. The helicopter returned to pick the officer up after
he had finished questioning me, and continued the search. Since there was no sign of
helicopters in the morning I assume the boy must have found his way back down.
It was clear in the morning with just a little high cloud. It was an easy walk up the
Barranco de Petraficha to the Collado de Petraficha. Here I met a 4 Basques who had
started the GR11 at the Mediterranean and were heading for the Atlantic. From the col
there was a steep descent over grass down to La Mina. Here I met a couple of Spanish
men who were also attempting the GR11. They were intending to be at Candanchu
tonight, still 7-8 hours away.
I had a bath in a waterhole in the stream and then followed a small path up the
stream, rather than follow the GR11, which followed a busy dusty pista up the valley. I
stopped for lunch after 30 minutes and stripped off to wash my clothing in the stream.
After everything was dry I rejoined the GR11 and followed the pista up to Achar d’
Aguas Tuertas at1620m. This was the entrance to a high, wide, flat valley. This is
described as a delightful place by the guidebook, and is popular with walkers because of
the easy access. Unfortunately the valley is rather spoilt by the large number of cows
churning up and polluting the water meadows. This is a problem between 1000 and 2000m
throughout the Alps and Pyrenees. I climbed out of the valley, looking for a spot where
the grass was free enough of cow dung for me to camp. I found a spot surrounded by
magnificent limestone crags. There was a horse on an adjacent knoll looking as I was
invading its favourite spot. I could see kestrels hunting for small mammals and deer on
the heights above me. Unfortunately I could also hear cow bells approaching and I was
relieved to find a herd of horses heading for a hollow just below me.
At 7.30pm a French Gendarmerie mountain rescue helicopter came up the valley
from France, hovered nearby, and an officer jumped out. They were searching for a 12
year-old English boy, who had got separated from his parents 3 hours earlier on a walk
from France to the Paso de l’Escalé. The helicopter returned to pick the officer up after
he had finished questioning me, and continued the search. Since there was no sign of
helicopters in the morning I assume the boy must have found his way back down.
Sierra d'Alano
Waterhole, La Mina
Horse at camp
Gendarmerie rescue
helicopter
helicopter
 |  |
| |