GR10 // day 10 // Arette la Pierre St Martin - Lescun

Distance: 15.1km (200.2km), time spent: 6:31 (80:20).
Ascent / descent: 340m (10538m) / 1098m (9655m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 1650m / 900m / 1930m.
Weather: Some sun in the morning, cloudy during the day, some rain in the evening.

There are dramatic clouds in the morning outside Refuge Jeandel, and a tiny hope of the weather clearing up since the sun is paying a short visit and there is some blue sky to be seen in the start of the walk. The route to Lescun goes over a mountain area characterized by limestone formations where Pic d'Anie is dominating the view, wrapped in by the clouds untouched by the sun.

Dramatic clouds above Arette la Pierre St Martin in the morning.

I consider climbing up to the summit of Pic d'Arlas but the thought stays in my mind since the clouds doesn't appear to be letting go of the top. The HRP (Haute Route Pyrenees) takes off towards Pic d'Anie when I'm entering the limestone plateau. The sun has disappeared and I'm missing out on the great scenery of the mountains around, but it's still a great and tough landscape to be walking in. The ground is broken up by sharp and white limestone formations, small and big. I catch up with Dominique and we walk together the rest of the day.

Entering the limestone plateau, from here the HRP continues up towards Pic d'Anie which is hidden by the clouds.

After walking for a while through the limestone plateau we're finally leaving the last parts of the ski facility behind us in the fog and climbs up to Pas de l'Osque (1922m). A chain is fastened to the cliff to help walkers up the last steep climb to the top of the pass. The pass is lying squeezed between a small steep cliff and a mountain side, I climb up to the top of the small cliff (1930m) coming up to a tough view of a white land of mist. Dominique is calling me 'crazy' when I return down again.

View from the top of the cliff next to Pas de l'Osque.

Cabane du Cap de la Baitch, one of many huts where you can buy cheese directly from the farmers.

We cross over a limestone plain to Pas d'Azun (1873m) which in nice weather is a place to savour with a great view, but there is a great view down to the valley below even in bad weather. At Cabane du Cap de la Baitch (1689m) we meet the two Swiss women again. You can buy cheese from the farmer that resides in the hut and I'm carrying with me a piece of melange (a mix of cow and sheep, cheese that is) in my backpack afterwards.

Then grand scenery unfolds even in the grey weather, a spectacular mountainside rises up of the verdant valley further down from Cabane du Cap de la Baitch, I starts daydreaming how wonderful it must be here under a clear and blue sky. Pic d'Anie is hidden in the clouds behind the mountainside. We arrive at the Refuge de Laberouat where we after some waiting find ourselves enjoying a beer. There are some muddy parts on the path down towards Lescun, but not nearly as much as expected after reading the description in Paul Lucia's book.

Grand scenery unfolds as majestic mountains rises from up from the verdant valley.

Lescun is a nice village in a striking landscape. I get a bed in the gîte run by the Chambres d'hôtes du Pic d'Anie after spending some time looking for a place to stay. Dominique chooses to continue walking to Camping du Lauzart. I eat dinner at the Bar der Bergerers together with Yves and Jean-Paul, who I met for the first time at Logibar but who I haven't got to talk to so much with until now. I get garbure soup for the third day in a row or so, with a good magret de canard as a main course. Despite the somewhat sad weather there was a nice walk today.

Lescun.

<- Arette la Pierre St MartinBorce ->

GR10 // day 9 // St Engrace - Arette la Pierre St Martin

Distance: 12.3km (185.1km), time spent: 6:08 (73:49).
Ascent / descent: 1264m (10190m) / 244m (8557m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 630m / 1650m / 1839m.
Weather: Foggy.

Today my original plan was to go to the Refuge de Laberouat, but the gloomy weather are still laying siege to the Pyrenees. So me and Dominique agree to walk together to Arette la Pierre St Martin. We're starting to move into higher grounds in the Pyrenees now.

Gorges d'Ehujarre.

It doesn't take long before we both get distracted from our original route. Walking the ten minutes up to the Gorges d'Ehujarre was too tempting. So after a short time we're walking deep down in a ravine with the clouds above as a lid over the cleft. Thick and green undergrowth. A dry riverbed. We're however not walking very far up in the gorge before we turn and walk back to the GR10.

A water source is appearing deep in the woods with clouds drifting through the trees, guarded by a curious statue with the name of 'Le Guardien'.

Through the Léche forest the trail goes through the ravin d'Arpidia, a lush, but smaller ravine. We gain height as the trail continues up through the forest. We pass by a curious idol that is guarding a water source, with the inscription 'Le Guardien' on, a guardian of the water maybe. On the way we passed close by the entrance to La Verna, a cave that you'll have to negotiate a 600 meter long tunnel to get to. I still can't understand why we didn't choose to go and see the cave.

A window to the outside world in the fog below Cabane du Coup.

We arrive out of the forest and back into the grey landscape at the ruins of Cabane d'Escuret de Bas (1325m). In the shelter of the remains of the stone hut we take a break while a herd of cows are looking wary down upon us. The fog is continuing its grip on the landscape until we are nearing Cabane du Coup, when todays glimpse of the surrounding scenery appear. The window is closing when we're getting closer to Col de la Pierre St Martin (1760m). Only a few small glimpses of the limestone landscape are visible through the clouds. We know that Pic d'Anie (2504m), the first of the mighty peaks of the Pyrenees, can be seen behind the curtain.

View from the Soum de Léche.

There is a sour and gusty wind at the top of the pass and the fog is even denser here. That doesn't stop me from walking up to the summit of Soum de Léche (1839m); Dominique however continues walking on the GR10. There isn't much view from the top, but I can hear some thunderclaps in the distance. The last part of the walk to Arette la Pierre St Martin (1650m) goes through dense fog and after a while it starts to rain. It now feels ok not to walk as far as originally intended.

Refuge Jeandel. A nice mountain cabin situated next to a not so nice ski station.

I arrive at Refuge Jeandel which is enshrouded by the fog. It's a nice mountain cabin where it feels good to be sitting inside of when it starts to rain heavily outside. A large flock of sheep are gathering outside the walls of the cabin, so the hostess has to go out to chase them away. The good thing about the weather is that it hides the ugly buildings of the ski station from the view. During the evening the weather is changing often and I get to see Pic d'Anie in the horizon, though that also makes me see the ski station. A red and pink sunset in the fog.

Red and pink sunset at Arette la Pierre St Martin.

<- Ste EngraceLescun ->

GR10 // day 8 // Logibar - Ste Engrace

Distance: 21.0km (172.8km), time spent: 7:42 (67:41).
Ascent / descent: 1138m (8926m) / 883m (8313m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 375m / 630m / 1383m.
Weather: Sunny and clouds in the morning, then fog, rain in the evening.

Some blue sky and sun in the morning, but it's evident that the weather has changed. Today was yet another day wrapped in the fog blanket, with Ste Engrace as the intended end point of the walk. From Logibar the route by Passerelle d'Holzarte is described as a variant of GR10 in my guidebook, but the route is now apparently changed to take you over the deep ravines of Holzarte. The trail up to the ravines is quite good, so the gorges are also a popular tourist target. Fortunately I'm off quite early, so none of the tourists has appeared yet.

Gorges d'Holzarte with the suspension bridge.

The sky is still blue when I arrive at the deep Holzarte ravine, with the Passerelle d'Holzarte spanning over the abyss. The suspension bridge, which was constructed in 1920, is swaying softly when I walk across it. The bottom of the ravine can be seen deep below with the sound of water rising up. After crossing the bridge I'm forced in under the arms of the Holzarte forest, sunrays shining through the foliage of the trees. The path up through the forest is quite broad with the gorge visible to the left of me. And in a second day in a row I manage to lose something, today I lose my sunhat on the track, so yet again I have to double back to get it.

Passerelle d'Holzarte. The suspension bridge is taking you over the deep gorges of Holzarte.

The path is going a long way up along the ravine before it eventually crosses a creek and turns back on the other side of the gorge. And with the turning the clouds are coming. At the windswept Plateau d'Ardakhotchia (980m) the trail is coming up to a small gravel track, but the trail isn't following the track down again. Instead it goes further up into the clouds. Shapes appear out of the fog, Ruth and Therese, two Swiss women I met at Logibar that are walking part of the trail. Up by Abarrakia (1200m) the trail is going straight over a large field of sheep dung.

Sunrays shining through the foliage on my way through the Holzarte forest.

Today also is a walk in the fog, but this stage is more varied so it doesn't get as monotonous as yesterday. The route is following a gravel road past some few small mountain farms and cabins before the route is going on a trail up towards Col d'Anhaou (1383m). When I arrive at the pass the view is still just the dull grey sight of the clouds, but when I sit down for a break the clouds are breaking up in short waves and I can see the hidden scenery behind the fog. I stop for a talk with the farmer at Cayolar d'Anhaou while filling my camelbak, my French is however quite rusty.

Despite the fog it has been a nice walk today so far. Down from Anhaou the trail is going partially steep down towards Pont d'Enfer. I pass a large group of French that also was at Logibar. I'm now beneath the layer of clouds and can see the pastoral valley below me. The water under Pont d'Enfer is turquoise colored and clear, and calls for a break.

Walking in the fog along a gravel road over the mountain towards Ste Engrace. In the grey veil I pass by small mountain farms, like here at Igueloua.

From the bridge the trail is following the road to Ste Engrace, which actually is the name of a community of several small villages. Even though the mountains are covered by the clouds I can see the distinct Kakoueta gorge. There is a variant going from Cayolar d'Anhaou that goes down through the ravine and to Ste Engrace; perhaps I should've taken that route instead.

Glimpses of scenery in the fog at Col d'Anhaou.

I arrive at Ste Engrace (Senta) and 'cries' myself to a place at the gîte, they were a little bit reluctant to give me a place at first (without me knowing the exact reason why). Ste Engrace is a small and cozy village, with a little church. And the mandatory fronton peloton court, a reminder that I'm still in the Basque country. The traditional garbure soup, pasta with chicken and ice cream are served for dinner. During the evening it starts to rain and I can hear some thunder in the distance. Dominique is camping next to the gîte. A very nice evening after a nice walk in the fog.

Ste Engrace.

<- LogibarArette la Pierre St Martin ->

GR10 // day 7 // Iraty-Cize - Logibar

Distance: 23.2km (151.8km), time spent: 7:55 (59:59).
Ascent / descent: 861m (7788m) / 1476m (7430m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 990m / 375m / 1472m.
Weather: Sun, fog, then rain.

Today I got a taste of what the French Pyrenees are known for, the changing weather. I wake up to the sound of the river that is running past nearby, having had my best night's sleep so far on the journey. The tent has held together all the night. A red morning sun is illuminating the landscape, a cloudless sky above.

Breakfast at the Chalets d'Iraty, a big plate with cured meat.

After a rather meager breakfast in the morning hours I walk fast up to the Chalets d'Iraty. After passing by the remains of a little lake the trail is going up through the Iraty forest and passes Lac d'Iraty before it rises up above the trees on a hill with views of the green colored mountains around. There is a nice view up by Col Bagargiak (1327m), unfortunately partly hidden by trees.

Cows in the fog on the way up to Col d'Iratzabaleta.

It's however not the view that I've been walking so fast up here for. I can feel my stomach complaining so I'm ordering a huge plate of cured meat (ham and sausages) and cheese at Chalets d'Iraty. It tastes absolutely superb. While I'm eating the clouds are rolling in and the view is disappearing completely. The rest of the day was to be a walk in fog and rain.

From Col Bagargiak I disappear into the newly arrived sea of fog. At Col d'Iratzabaleta (1423m) a herd of sheep merges seamlessly into the clouds. Though from here I still get small glimpses of the landscape behind the fog, small windows in the clouds passes by and I can see green hills and trees in fleeting glimpses. My curiosity bring me up to the summit of Pic d'Escaliers (1472m), which more feels like a very round hill all covered by grass (with a lot of sheep dung). From the summit I can enjoy my last fleeting glimpse of the scenery around.

A window in the fog at Col d'Iratzabaleta.

The fog has tightened its grip and it now gets important to pay close attention to the path and the waymarks. At a pass a stone with waymarks is lying overturned with the way marking thus pointing in the wrong direction, so I set off in the wrong direction. I soon find out that I'm not on the GR10 anymore and heads back to search for the correct path. I eventually find the correct way and then go back to the wayward stone and turn the stone so that it points in the right direction.

Walking in the mist.

I arrive at Cayolar de Mendikotziague (980m). In the Cicerone guide there is a great picture of the surrounding area, I get the feeling that I'm missing some nice views at this point. After walking for about fifteen minutes after leaving the small hut I find out that I've lost my map case, I turn around and have to walk almost back to Mendikotziague before finally retrieving the map case.

The last two hours down to Logibar feels like I'm walking in circles. It has started to rain and the fog and the rain is making the scenery appear just the same wherever I look. All I can see is the same looking landscape with the trail going across an undefinable ridge, only interrupted by short climbs over some hills that all looks the same as the previous one.

View down towards the Larrau valley.

At last I arrive at Logibar, which by the way is nothing more than a turn in a road with a hostel. The dormitory here is quite cramped, but fortunately not full. I get to know some of the boys with heavy backpacks that I passed before Sommet d'Occabe yesterday. They're at the end of their walk since the heavy backpacks has worn them out. There are a lot of trekkers here in the evening, with some having been driven down from Chalets d'Iraty since it was completely full there. It was a nice evening after a somewhat boring walk in the fog.

Logibar.

<- Iraty-CizeSte Engrace ->

GR10 // day 6 // St Jean Pied de Port - Iraty-Cize

Distance: 30.6km (128.6km), time spent: 10:05 (52:04).
Ascent / descent : 1891m (6927m) / 1075m (5954m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 157m / 990m / 1466m.
Weather: Cloudy, some fog, sunny in the afternoon.

This turned out to be an eventful day, for better or worse. I choose to go towards Iraty-Cize instead of going to Estérençuby or Gîte Kaskoleta which it's usual to go to on this stage. Since Didier and Marie-Agnés has planned to only walk to Estérençuby today this will be the last day on the GR10 with them, after today I will be one day ahead of them. We walk together in the start from St Jean Pied de Port, but when we're approaching the little village of Caro it's time to say goodbye. Didier and Marie-Agnés was a very nice acquaintance and I've enjoyed my time on the GR10 together with them.

Didier and Marie-Agnés at the pilgrim-bridge in St Jean Pied de Port.

I was walking in the complete opposite direction than all the others when I walked to St Jean Pied de Port from the gîte in the morning (they all being pilgrims on their way to Roncesvalles), which felt kind of odd and I caught myself several times looking a little bit mournfully back in the direction of the Camino. A lot of the pilgrims looked a little bit strange at me when I was walking in the wrong direction.

To Estérençuby the trail is a pleasant walk through a pastoral landscape with a view up where the Camino is going towards Orisson. It's a quite simple walk with the highest point being 587m, Col d'Handiague; still it feels a little bit heavier than expected. The grey weather doesn't make the sight of several animal carcasses along the track I'm walking on less gloomy. In Estérençuby I meet Dominique who is about to continue walking after having a coffee break, I need something to eat so I stop to enjoy an omelet.

On the way towards Col d'Handiague with a view towards Orisson where the Camino is leading the pilgrims to Roncesvalles.

After Estérençuby the route is now moving into higher ground. The trail is going up to a green culture landscape at Phagalcette, where I arrive at Gîte Kaskoleta where Dominique now is in the progress of having a three course lunch with wine. It's a nice place with good views.

Magnificent scenery is then revealing itself after leaving Kaskoleta. After a small, but stiff, climb up to Col d'Ithurramburu (820m) there is a great view back in the direction of St Jean Pied de Port with the landscape around Phagalcette unfolding beneath. From Col d'Ithurramburu the route is undulating down below the Arthe ridge in a lovely valley before it climbs steeply up again on the other side towards Col d'Irau. It's a beautiful piece of nature.

View down towards Phagalcette from the trail up towards Col d'Ithurramburu.

I've entered a windswept mountain landscape when I arrive at Col d'Irau (1008m), the clouds are hanging low over the terrain and there is a sour wind blowing across the mountain. A road is winding across the plateau. Despite the road I get the feeling of being in a more desolate and wild place for the first time on my journey. Sheep are bleating and a small farm beneath the pass is selling cheese.

The clouds are engulfing me when I climb up towards Sommet d'Occabe, my wind jacket wrapped firmly around me to get shelter for the sour wind. I pass shadows of other wanderers in the mist. And then the clouds are opening, blue sky are shining through the layer of clouds. In front of me is the summit of Occabe visible under an open sky. Wisps of clouds are still drifting over the ridge. I pass a group of four young wanderers that are walking slowly with their backs bent, their backpacks loaded with lead weights by the look of them.

The trail down the Arthe ridge from Col d'Ithurramburu.

I climb up the stones to the summit of Occabe (1466m) and sit down for a break with a fantastic view in front of me. Rolling green mountains in the horizon with Pic d'Orhy dominating the view, clouds drifting over the summit. This has so far been an incredibly great and varied day. Down towards Chalet Pedro the trail is steep and gouged up by forest works. It's time for a beer nearly at the end of the road on this day.

Iraty-Cize (990m) is a strange place for camping in the mountains, located with great scenery around, but it feels weird to pitch my tent in the mountain next to camping vans. A tired looking refuge where you can get a cold shower is located next to the camping site. A restaurant, Le Cayolar, is located not far away.

View down towards Col d'Irau and Pic d'Iraukotuturru.

Then disaster strikes. While I'm pitching the inner tent I hear the sound of the tent pole breaking and the canvas being torn. The first time I pitch my tent on the journey and the tent pole is breaking, and there are more than 40 days left of the walk. Crisis. The tent is now standing quite tight with a broken pole; I get help from Dominique who's pitching his tent next to mine to loosen the tent. And my repair kit for the tent is at home of all places. Dominique is giving me his repair holster, but it's a little bit too large for my tent pole. In the end I get the pole fixed by using gaffa tape and the repair holster, and patched the tear in the tent using gaffa tape. The tent is standing, but I'm now unsure of how much stress it will stand from now on.

After a cold shower in the refuge I go to eat dinner at Le Cayolar since there wasn't any food to get at Chalet Pedro. I receive another cold shower since I can't get any food there either, since I arrived at Iraty-Cize a little bit late in the day (long walk) and had to spend some time fixing my tent I was too late for the dinner. I order two big beers instead in frustration. Dominique becomes my guardian angel again since I get some food from him.

Sommet d'Occabe. View towards Pic d'Orhy and the green mountains around.

The rest of the evening is however quite nice. It was an amazing and great, but hard, walk today, but a day that I probably will remember mostly because of the tent pole breaking.

<- St Jean Pied de PortLogibar ->

GR10 // day 5 // St Etienne de Baïgorry - St Jean Pied de Port

Distance: 20.0km (98.0km), time spent: 8:10 (41:59).
Ascent / descent: 859m (5036m) / 864m (4879m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 162m / 157m / 1021m.
Weather: Some sun, mostly cloudy during the day.

This is a special day for me. Today the walk goes to St Jean Pied de Port, the place where I started my fantastic adventure on the Camino Frances two years ago. I walk together with Didier today, while Marie-Agnes takes their car and is driving to St Jean Pied de Port and will meet all the pilgrims before us.

View of the Iparla ridge from the trail up towards Oylarandoy.

It's slightly cloudy overhead when we start the climb towards Oylarandoy (933m), the trail isn't going over the top but passes around the eastern side of it (in contradiction to what is described in Paul Lucia's guide for Cicerone where the trail that is described follows a track on the western side of the top). The route goes for the most part along a track upwards where we walk with our backs to the Iparla ridge. In the valley below we can see several vineyards. The track eventually goes over to become a path by an open cabane used by cattle. On the other side we can look towards Monhoa, which is covered by a solitary cloud.

Monhoa covered by a solitary cloud.

We join the road that is described as the GR10 route in the guide at Col d'Aharza (734m), the last bit of the trail is covered in sheep droppings. It's getting more cloudy overhead at this point. We're passing Col de Leizarze (829m) and Col d'Urdanzia (869m) before we start the ascent up towards Monhoa (1021m). It's a quite pleasant walk. There is no view whatsoever from the summit, we're enshrouded in the solitary cloud that is covering the top. At the summit a small disaster is imminent, the seams of one of the sides of my left shoe has gone loose, not a good sign with about 45 days left of the journey (I use the laces to keep the shoe together).

Dider next to a cabane being used by cattle below Oylarandoy.

We don't have to go far down to get out of the cloud and now I can see St Jean Pied de Port to the east of me. We descent from the top with a herd of cows on our tails. It's quite special to look upon the landscape that I walked through on my first day on my pilgrimage. Further down we walk past a young couple that both carries backpacks that seems to weight way too much, they're walking very slowly up the track.

At Lasse we orders a three course lunch at the hotel, Didier has phoned Marie-Agnés so she is meeting us there after having walked from St Jean Pied de Port. Both Dominique and Emilio are arriving after a short time. Inside the hotel there is a party going on, a lot of noisy Basque noise. Emilio is walking towards Estérençuby; it would be the last we saw of him.

View towards Col de Leizarze and Col d'Urdanzia from the climb up to Monhoa.

I share a room with Didier and Marie-Agnés at Gîte Zazpiak-Bat, but before I go there (the place is located a little bit outside of St Jean along the Camino) I have to buy some glue to fix my trekking shoes with. Later on me and Dider is standing outside the gîte fixing each our own shoe.

View towards the east where the path of the Camino Francis is crossing the Pyrenees to Roncesvalles from St Jean Pied de Port.

It's a strange feeling to be walking into St Jean Pied de Port, the first I notice is that there are a lot of more people here now than when I was here the last time. It's earlier in the year and still the high season of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. I wonder how many of the pilgrims that I pass that is just as excited that I was when I was walking around here for two years ago. I know that I someday will return here to do the Camino again, being here brings back a lot of good memories from that adventure.

St Jean Pied de Port.

We eat dinner at the gîte which is quite good. In the evening we go for a walk in St Jean before we sit down for a drink. It's dark outside; most of the pilgrims have probably already gone to bed with tomorrows walk to Roncesvalles in their mind. My thoughts are locked upon Iraty-Cize.

<- St Etienne de BaïgorryIraty-Cize ->

GR10 // day 4 // Bidarray - St Etienne de Baïgorry

Distance: 15.7km (78.0km), time spent: 7:15 (33:49).
Ascent / descent: 1260m (4177m) / 1248m (4015m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 150m / 162m / 1044m.
Weather: Fog and gloomy in the morning, sunny in the afternoon, rain in the evening.

An absolutely fantastic day in the Pyrenees, but there was nothing indicating that in the morning hours. The sky above me is dark and gloomy when I wake up, and the Iparla-ridge is covered by clouds. Didier and Marie-Agnes has decided to skip todays stage and instead fetch their car and drive to St Etienne de Baïgorry, this stage is considered to be quite hard and Marie-Agnes has had problems with her back. Emilio has already left and is far away when I start to walk under the dark carpet of the clouds.

View down towards Bidarray under a dark and gloomy sky on the way up the steep ascent of the Iparla-ridge.

I walk fast up the steep climb from Bidarray and up towards the Iparla-ridge, covered by the gloomy weather. Contours of stones and trees appears and disappears again while I'm walking, In my mind I can see myself walking in eight hours or so in an endless fog. There are no views to be seen. I continue walking being a little bit disappointed to be doing this day in this weather, with the possibility of great views from the ridge a far-fetched fantasy, when I suddenly appear above the clouds. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Around me the landscape of the Pyrenees is covered by clouds, in front of me the Iparla-ridge is rising up from the layers of clouds and in the east the higher mountains of the range also juts up from the clouds. I get the sensation that I'm walking on top of the clouds, it is beautiful beyond description. In the west La Rhune is also a safe haven among the waves of clouds. The trail follows the edge of the ridge, further ahead I can see Emilio walking. On one side the mountainside is diving straight down into the sea of clouds, on the other side the green ridge is slowly rising up from the clouds.

A walk above the clouds. After walking in fog for the most part of the ascent up the ridge I suddenly appear above the layers of clouds.

Pic d'Iparla with the rest of the ridge rising up from the clouds.

Pic d'Iparla is with its 1044 meters the highest point of this day, but it isn't the last highlight on the walk. At Col d'Harrieta (808m) the path is going through a beech wood. Here I find a path that leads to a water source in the forest. After the ascent up through the forest the trail is continuing on a just as great walk as before over the two summits of Pic Astaté (1022m) and Pic de Buztanzelhay (1029m). Down the pass with the same name as the latter the route is going steeply down the mountainside. At this time the clouds has now disappeared and I can look out over the landscape below that was hidden from my sight earlier, it's a great view. A great tree below Col de Buztanzelhay (843m) is a nice spot for a lunch break.

Crête d'Iparla.

The nice walk on the ridge has made me forget the time and I've been walking quite fast (driven forward by the great landscape) so I arrive at St Etienne de Baïgorry a little bit too early, I really should have spent more time on the top of the magnificent ridge. In St Etienne de Baïgorry I get myself a bed at Gîte Gaineko Karrikan, a nice place where I get the whole dormitory for myself. The village is not that big, but it spans over a long stretch.

It's time for a beer so I sit down in one of the cafés in the center of the village when Didier and Marie-Agnes are driving by, with Dominique walking into the village just afterwards. He had dropped the walk to Espelette and had in fact also spent the night in Bidarray, at the camping site there. I eat dinner together with Didier and Marie-Agnes at the gîte, a good dinner with a nice company.

View from the Iparla ridge. The route is going down the ridge to the right in the picture.

At the end of the evening I relax with another beer in the nice backyard of the gîte. When they're closing the lights and I'm retreating to the dormitory (where I also had the kitchen and the living room for myself) the owner of the gîte comes and gives me a bottle of beer on the house. Apparently I'm the first Norwegian to be staying at the place. I didn't see anything of the announced thunderstorm.

The nice backyard of the Gîte Kaineka Karrikan.

<- BidarraySt Jean Pied de Port ->

GR10 // day 3 // Ainhoa - Bidarray

Distance: 20.3km (62.3km), time spent: 8:26 (26:34).
Ascent / descent: 976m (2917m) / 946m (2767m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 120m / 150m / 926m.
Weather: Fog in the morning, sunny, windy and hot during the day.

Fog covered Ainhoa during the night, but in the morning the veil had lifted a bit. The sun is breaking through the clouds when Didier, Marie-Agnes and I are ready to go early in the morning. Dominique is still sleeping in his tent when we're leaving, so we're not able to say goodbye to him. His plan is to go to Espelette today, which is supposed to be a nice village known for its spice (pimente d'Espelette).

Morning mist and sunrise in Ainhoa.

From Ainhoa the route goes up through the clouds to the Chapelle de l'Aubépine. All the crosses on each side of the road are culminating in the three crosses next to the chapel. From the chapel there is a lovely walk around Ereby (583m) to the Col des Trois Croix (510m) with great views to where the landscape below are being covered by a white layer of clouds, there are no crosses at the pass however. The clouds are rolling like waves unto the mountainsides with the sky above being sunny and clear, a strong wind blows through the grass.

The three crosses at the Chapelle de l'Aubépine. Clouds are drifting by in the valley below.

Three bikers are passing me by on the trail up to Col Zuccuta (566m), from here the route goes down towards Spain before it turns and climbs up to Col de Méhatché. At Ferme Esteben (580m) they serve an absolutely delicious omelet with salted ham. After crossing the road that goes to Spain the trail climbs first through a path up the hill before it settles down on a bumpy road up to Col de Méhatché (716m). A flock of horses makes it impassable by car at the top of the pass.

To the north of Ereby a huge layer of clouds are covering the southern part of France and are rolling likes waves unto the mountainside..

At the top of the Méhatché pass the trail turns off the road and continues along an eastern path, but the lure of another summit makes me continue along the road and walk up to the top of Artzamendi (926m) instead. The view is great and there are literally no people at the top. To the east more and more mountains are appearing in the horizon, but in the focus of my view is the Iparla-ridge which I will traverse tomorrow. La Rhune is still clearly visible in the horizon.

View from Artzamendi.

After going down to Col de Méhatché and the GR10 again I pass another walker lying straight out on the ground after a while, but the way he's lying down tells me that nothing wrong has happened. Down towards the Bastan-river the trail goes very steeply down a ravine, but the path is however quite good to walk on (being careful is though important here). The heat is more of a problem now, it is getting very hot again. Down by the river I give my feet a well earned bath.

Before the last part of the walk to Bidarray I strike up a conversation with the walker that was lying flat down on the ground. Sacha is also doing the GR10 and is also going all the way to Banyuls sur Mer, however with a lot harder itinerary than mine. I later get to hear that he arrived at Banyuls after using only 37 days on the whole route.

Steep descent down towards the Bastan river and Bidarray.

I arrive at Bidarray in the heat empty of water after taking a wrong turn towards the end. Almost all the places to sleep in the village has been taken by a lot of youths on vacation apparently, but Emilio who has got a bed in the annex of the Gîte Aire Zabal arranges for a place for me too. There is nothing but hot water in the gîte, so I have to run to one of the bars in the village to quench my thirst. The heat is reaching 40 degrees again.

Youths playing peloton in the fronton in Bidarray.

Dinner is eaten at the restaurant of the one hotel in the village. I learn that Didier and Marie-Agnes are also installed in the gîte, being tired after the initial climb and with the upcoming heat they had opted to catch a ride again from Col de Méhatché. A great day on the GR10 with a lovely trail and great views. Tomorrow there are dark clouds in the horizon apparently, there is a forecast of thunder approaching.

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