France – The travels of Mary Loosemore

Herefordshire Week 193: Tuesday 05 – Monday 11 September 2023

In the Pyrenees with Alfonso and Manu, finishing up our cut down Carros de Foc, then driving west and completing the Ruta de las Golondrinas, Clásica version.

Team Mucho Gusto, and some sporting the exclusive Mucho Gusto T-Shirt

Just brief notes here; for the detail you’ll have to wait for the write up – aka Into the Pyrenees with Alfonso and Manu: Photos & Notes. (Next on the list!)

Tuesday saw us complete our mini Carros de Foc trek, walking down from Refugio Amitges (2380m) to Estany St. Maurici (1912m) via the Cascada de Ratera and retreading the trail back to the car park.

Alfonso's Outline for Trekking Carros de Foc — Alfonso’s Outline for Trekking Carros de Foc

Lunch back on the sunny terrace of the Restaurant Vall d’Àneu in Esterri d’Àneu then on to Vielha for a night at Hotel Eth Pomèr (Apples, how appropriate), beers and presentation of the Team Mucho Gusto T-Shirts (plus chutney and spare toothbrushes) at REFU Birreria and dinner at Woolloomooloo.

Wednesday was transit day, driving west-ish from Vielha to Refugio de Belagua via Ainsa (mediaeval city) and Jaca (lunch, mini Magnums and a mooch around Barrabés).

The Golondrinas huts are all accessible by road, and Belagua was buzzing. We had a fab evening – receiving our Golondrinas swag, taking in the views, enjoying our private en suite room. And bottom bunks!

We set off on La Ruta de las Golondrinas on Thursday morning: driving down to the car park at Rincón de Belagua and then walking through forest and fields and forest again to Refugio de Linza. Hot.

A day of Cathedral-like beech forests, sparkling dew on spider’s webs, bracken and gorse, a stiff, sweaty climb, a picnic in the woods – all accompanied by an impossible light bulb riddle.

Sparkling spider's web — Sparkling spider’s web

The Linza hut was the quietest we stayed in, there were only around 10 other people there. Very relaxing. We played Scrabble in Spanish sat at a shady picnic table before dinner.

Friday saw us cross the border into France on Ruta de las Golondrinas day 2, trekking from Refugio de Linza to Refuge de l’Abérouat. A long, hot day.

Highlights: morning shade, chamois and marmots, Collado de Petrechema, goats cheese selling berger in his ‘house of love’, another beech forest picnic, 7.2% beers!

Rach and Me at the Collado de Petrechema, looking down into France

Lowlight: 4km on toasty tarmac.

We stayed in France on Saturday as day 3 of La Ruta de las Golondrinas (which I suppose I ought to be calling La Route des Hirondelles given we’re in France) took us from Refuge de l’Abérouat to Refuge Jeandel.

The trail took us over pas de Azuns and pas del Osque – and Alfonso and Manu provided an optional extra for Rach and I, climbing up one of Les Tourelles. FAB.

Vulture viewing, on top of our peak in Les Tourelles

The Jeandel refuge and the manmade ski resort of La Pierre Saint Martin were less so.

I did get a proposal from a passing berger mind you.

Sunday saw us return into Spain as day 4 of La Ruta de las Golondrinas brought us back to Refugio de Belagua, a day after La Vuelta had passed by. En route, Pic de Arlás (2044m), quiet meadows and close up vulture views, and a bit of zig zagging over the main road in the run up to elevenses.

Late lunch at the hut then Rach and I accompanied Alfonso and Manu back down to the car park to collect the van. It’s a very steep trail down through the forests – very glad of the presence of poles and the absence of backpack.

The evening thunderstorm in the valley reached us overnight. Lots of rain, and lightning. A suitably dramatic end to our Ruta de las Golondrinas.

Alfonso's Outline for Ruta de las Golondrinas — Alfonso’s Outline for Ruta de las Golondrinas

Monday was a day for farewells, and the end of this year’s adventures with Alfonso and Manu.

We drove back to Lourdes airport, flew back to London Stansted in the company of nuns, got the Stansted Express back to Liverpool Street, said au revoir to Rach and then headed down to Hotel Hazel for the night, and another Thai Takeaway for dinner.

TV: My Mum, Your Dad (out of the corner of my eye).

Audiobook: The Bullet that Missed – Richard Osman.

Photos: Herefordshire week 193 on Flickr.

Phil: w/e 2023-09-10.

Herefordshire Week 192: Tuesday 29 August – Monday 04 September 2023

Off Into the Pyrenees with Alfonso and Manu. Part 1: London, Lourdes and the easier half of the Carros de Foc.

Tuesday morning, R came to finish cutting the hedges and we had a look around the “Estate” for other jobs.

The Victoria Plum wedding tree that A&M got for us is laden – and last year the entire crop numbered 5. This year the weight of the plum crop has caused two of the older branches to snap. I should have checked in on it earlier.

The rest of my busy Tuesday morning featured home insurance renewal, picking all the plums I could reach, washing old bed headboards in case I could donate them at the tip, going to the tip and binning our old microwave, headboards (booo) and a box of foil, batteries and light bulbs.

And then the 13.18 HFD to PAD on the first leg of my journey Into the Pyrenees with Alfonso and Manu.

Rendezvoused with S at H’s, catching up over wine and nibbles in the back garden before ordering Takeout Thai for Tea – because in London you can, and in rural Herefordshire and Pembrokeshire you can’t.

We are at Hazel's...... — We are at Hazel’s……

Compared kit and finalised packing…. then bed.

Wednesday was travel day: Breakfast – Northern Line to Moorgate – rendezvous with Rach in Liverpool Street – Stansted Express to Stansted – Ryanair self checkin and bag drop (somehow we each had 40+kg hold baggage allowance. Go figure) – Security (surprisingly civilised) – Non-priority boarding for our (slightly delayed) flight to Lourdes.

We landed at Aéroport Tarbes Lourdes Pyrénées in a downpour and high winds. Uh oh.

Got the last seat on the Airport Shuttle Bus from the airport to Lourdes station, then Hazel navigated us to our Luxury Loft Lourdes where we settled in, unpacked and then headed out for cocktails and dinner at the lovely Le Passage.

I’m only giving an outline for the rest of the week (and next week). For the detail, you’ll have to wait for the write up – aka Into the Pyrenees with Alfonso and Manu: Photos & Notes.

Thursday saw us meet Alfonso in Lourdes, drive to Vielha and rendezvous with Manu, convoy to Esterri d’Àneu to meet up with E and to have lunch on the terrace of the lovely Restaurant Vall d’Àneu, drive to Espot and into the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park where we parked at Parking de Prat Pierró.

Then the short walk through forests and meadows to the Estany* de Sant Maurici and on to our first hut, Refugio Ernest Mallafrè – the most compact and bijou of our Carros de Foc mountain huts, and the one with the most challenging ascent / descent in / out of the platform bunks….

* Estany = Catalan for Lake, and the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park is FULL of gorgeous lakes, many of them naturalised reservoirs.

Friday was the first full day trekking the Carros de Foc, from R. Ernest Mallafrè to Refugio J.M. Blanc. Forests and flowers, mountain streams and mirror lakes, over the Coll de Monestero, the stunning first sight of R. J.M. Blanc ….

… and a beer at a picnic table on the shores of Estany Tort de Peguera.

Two speedy dinner sittings. Noisy night in our dorm. Thankfully we were on bottom bunks.

Saturday was Carros de Foc day 2, trekking from R. J.M Blanc to Refugio Colomina via Estany Negre de Peguera, the Coll de Saburó and the Pas de l’Os, and Estany Saburó, Estany de Mar and Estany Colomina.

We arrived just before the weather turned. Later arrivals came in cold and drenched.

R. Colomina was my favourite hut on this trek. Others have the glamour, the views and the sundecks, Colomnia has the ambience and the team. It also has the essential guide book for those doing the Carros de Foc, Tina en la Carros de Foc:

Tina en la Carros de Foc - the only map the professionals use — Tina en la Carros de Foc – the only map the professionals use

Sunday, Carros de Foc day 3: R. Colomina to Refugio Estany Llong.

The wet day, but we made it over the Colladata de Dellui before the rain really set in, and reached the refugio in time for a late picnic lunch inside in the warm and dry having walked through some lovely landscapes: high valleys and mountain lakes, deep valleys and long lakes, forests, bilberries, juniper.

Team Mucho Gusto: Still happy even on a wet day

A hot and sunny afternoon tempted us outside and down into the Valle de Sant Nicolau and the Aigüestortes part of the Park for a cold water paddle, riddles and pooh sticks.

Monday, Carros de Foc day 4: R. Estany Llong – Refugio Amitges.

This was the day we diverged from the standard Carros de Foc route and instead followed Franco’s Road past Estany Llong and up to the Portarró d’Espot, before dropping down towards Estany de Sant Maurici and contouring north round to El Mirador de L’Estany, lunching en route to Estany de les Obagues de Ratera and finally the long hot climb up to glamorous Refugio Amitges.

It was also the day of the 3min 30 sec dash over scree slopes and hidden gullies to the Lone Pine – that was Alfonso and Manu, obviously – from Mirador del Portarró.

And of late afternoon chanting on the shores of Estany dels Barbs – beautiful.

Too windy to enjoy the fabulous deck with views out over Estany de Sant Maurici and the valley below, and Saharan sand made the mountain views hazy. But we didn’t let that deny us beer and nibbles, or thirds of the best lentils of the whole trip. Vegetarians got a wide variety of veggie burgers on the Carros de Foc.

TV: Something at Hazel’s, possibly.

Podcasts: Forgotten! Anyway, I slept on the train to London.

Photos: Herefordshire week 192 on Flickr.

Phil: w/e 2023-09-03.

Into the Pyrenees with Alfonso & Manu: We’re back!

Time for a Post Pyrenees Blog Post!

Team Mucho Gusto had a fab time on both the Carros de Foc and La Ruta de las Golondrinas and the two routes took us to two very different parts of the Pyrenees.

Alfonso's Outline for Carros de Foc — Alfonso’s Outline for Carros de Foc

Many, many memories – mostly highlights!

The gorgeous lakes everywhere in Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park, home to the Carros de Foc, the beautiful Estany de Monestero mirroring the mountains above and around, the Grecian / Roman step dam down from Estany Negre de Peguera (it really did remind me of a square amphitheatre), our first sight of Refugio J M Blanc….

…..chanting with Esther on the shores of Estany dels Barbs, playing “Who Am I?” at Colomina (Pocohontas? No, Cleopatra) and hangman too (ornitorrinco!), Tina’s essential map of the Carros de Foc, the crazy 3 minute scree (and hidden gully) run the lone pine tree, fir trees and pines, bilberries and juniper berries, tripping over on disused, dead level railway track, crossing Collada de Dellui just before the downpour, Rachel’s emergency chocolate en route to Refugio Estany Llong, cold beers and the best lentils at Refugio Amitges, not quite having the weather to fully enjoy the Refugios’ various sun decks and terraces (but we tried), surviving top bunk ascents/descents (and snorers).

A lovely evening in Vielha, with our Mucho Gusto Team T-shirts.

Mini Magnums in Jaca and getting our Golondrinas swag (yes, I am that shallow) at Belagua.

Walking through the cathedral-like beech forest as we set off on La Ruta de las Golondrinas, Manu’s riddles – and solving them (eventually), Scrabble in Spanish (and, later, in English), watching the International Space Station silently pass overhead against a backdrop of stars, marmots and chamois, and choughs, views and climbers at Collado de Petrachema….

Rach and Me at the Collado de Petrachema, and the descent down into France

… the berger‘s maison d’amour (and also his tasty goats cheese and hanging chair), picnics in beech woods, 4km of toasty tarmac, arriving ahead of schedule at Refuge de l’Abérouat and celebrating with 7.2% cold beers and lots of snacks, Pas d’Azuns and Pas de l’Osque and optional extra Les Tourelles in between, the lonely berger of Arette-La Pierre St Martin, the ugly reality of a manmade ski resort sans snow, our morning ascent of Pic d’Arlas and the final return to the Rincón de Belagua

Although I preferred the Carros de Foc overall (and would love to do the remaining sections), Les Tourelles was my overall highlight – the buzz of getting there and back, the bearded vultures cruising past below and soaring overhead – and a fluffy front feather caught on the rock where one had landed, Alfonso and Manu doing their Professional Poses on the outcrop with sheer drops back down into the valley below.

Nothing we hadn’t done before 🙂

Thank you Alfonso, Esther and Manu, and here’s to another adventure in 2024!

Into the Pyrenees: Prep

Not long now until Team Mucho Gusto head off Into the Pyrenees with Alfonso and Manu. Time for a prep blogpost!

Itinerary

Hereford to London
Fly London Stansted to Lourdes
Meet Alfonso & Manu, drive to Espot (Catalonia), walk to Refugio Ernest Mallafrè (1950m)
Carros de Foc trek day 1: Refugio Ernest Mallafrè – Refugio J.M. Blanc (2350m)
Carros de Foc trek day 2: Refugio J.M Blanc – Refugio Colomina (2420m)
Carros de Foc trek day 3: Refugio Colomina – Refugio Estany Llong (1925m)
Carros de Foc trek day 4: Refugio Estany Llong – Refugio Amitges (2365m)
Carros de Foc trek day 5: Refugio Amitges – Refugio Ernest Mallafré. Drive to Vielha (980m)
Transit day: Drive to Belagua (Navarre, 1428m), sightseeing en route – Ainsa, Jaca and San Juan de la Peña Monastery
La Ruta de las Golondrinas trek day 1: Refugio Belagua – Refugio de Linza (Aragon, 1340m)
Golondrinas trek day 2: Refugio Linza – into France – Refuge de l’Abérouat (Pyrénées-Atlantiques, 1442m)
Golondrinas trek day 3: Refuge de l’Abérouat – Refuge Jeandel (1620m)
Golondrinas trek day 4: Refugio Jeandel – back into Spain – Refugio Belagua (1428m)
Drive to Lourdes. Fly Lourdes to London Stansted
London
London to Hereford

Given we’re in the Pyrenees, it’s no surprise that we will be crossing from France to Spain and back again a few times. To get a sense of where we’ll be here’s a map showing the huts we’re staying at on each route and the sightseeing locations for the transit day:

Google map: Into the Pyrenees with Alfonso & Manu

The Carros de Foc route is in the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park in the Central Pyrenees.

Carros de Foc map on https://www.carrosdefoc.com

We’re doing the Golondrina Clásica version of La Ruta de las Golondrinas, in the Western Pyrenees. La Ruta crosses from Spain to France and back again in the footsteps of las Golondrinas. You’ll need to visit the website to see their map.

Weather forecasts

From Yr.no

Lourdes

Espot

Vielha (976m)

and I’ll be checking the weather forecasts on the refugi / refuge websites.

Packing

I’ll be making use of last year’s Picos kit list and my post-trek blogpost covering “What I took and didn’t need / use” and “What I wish I’d taken”, taking into account the fact that this year’s trip is two separate treks with a day to reset the rucksack in between. This should mean the backpack is a little lighter. Although I am considering taking a jar of chutney….

We’ve all also booked hold baggage for the Ryanair flights. Another lesson learned from last year.

Money & Travel Insurance

I’ve consulted MoneySavingExpert’s Travel Money Max and ordered my Euros. One of the big differences having moved to Herefordshire is that I can no longer pop into Thomas Exchange Global.

Travel Insurance needs to cover this autumn’s trek in Nepal, so it’s back to Trailfinders as their standard insurance includes “Trekking/Rambling/Hiking (recognised routes under 7,000 metres only)”, whereas most other policies have a much lower altitude limit. Annual, worldwide travel insurance for me has come in at just over £200.

Herefordshire Week 177: Tuesday 16 – Monday 22 May 2023

Retirement has arrived.

As has the summer.

GVWC: Breinton Springs Circular - Hereford Cathedral and the River Wye from the Old Bridge — GVWC: Breinton Springs Circular – Hereford Cathedral and the River Wye from the Old Bridge

7am alarm Tuesday for our last morning in Antibes. Washing, recycling, quick trip to the Boulangerie for mini gateaux, baguette, croque monsieur, quiche and croissants aux amandes et chocolat for breakfast.

Bus No 6 then the 82 to Nice Airport, all ahead of schedule. Caught up with work emails once we were through security etc.

Good flight – lots of legroom and a sandwich lunch on the BA flight to London City Airport. Farewell to Steffi then DLR to Bank, farewell to Hazel and into work. Sunny in Antibes, sunny in London.

Busy afternoon sorting out doing a few more afternoon 1-2-1s of handover, having my exit interview and in my final KMCA Zoom.

Rendezvous with Phil and down to H’s for Indian takeaway from Khan’s. Tasty!

Weds – up early and into work (for me) to the Breakfast Club (for P). Another busy day, but I made it to BLWV by 6.30pm for WW with Hazel, Rachel and Fi.

Thursday was my last day. A long day, and a lovely day. So many lovely messages and chats.

Pretty tortuous “train” journey back to Hereford but we made it home eventually.

Friday. The first day of the next stage of my life, and I’m doing admin – washing, defrosting the freezer, catching up with photos and weeknotes. Ah, this is what retirement is all about…..

Wonderful how green everything is after a week away, and how many flowers are out. The grass has gone bananas, we have buttercups galore and there is may blossom and cow parsley everywhere. Hedges that were bare when I left are now bursting with green leaves.

I think dad and Jean must have visited while we were away and checked on – and watered, thankfully – the seedlings in the greenhouse. In my office, where I’d left a few scrawny tomato and lettuce seedlings and a tray of weedy onion greens I’ve returned to an array of thriving small plants. Clearly they all do well left alone!

In the orchard, the rhubarb continues to display triffid-like traits, compost corner is hidden by greenery and I have pea and bean seedlings in the veg patch. Success!

More ripe strawberries inside the greenhouse, baby gooseberries outside.

Four newts (at least) in the small pond, but no tadpoles, and no sign of any fish in the big one…. I hope that doesn’t mean we’ve had a heron visiting. The flag irises are out.

Saturday was my first time helping out at the annual Abbey Dore Plant Sale. A great way to meet more people and also to stock up on seedlings. I had a lovely day. Gorgeous sunshine and dad and Jean treated me to tea and cake.

They reappeared at 6pm at Forty Acres for a celebration dinner created by Phil. A really lovely, relaxed evening. Just right.

My Retirement Celebration Dinner by Phil

I slept well.

Sunday was another fantastic sunny day and I spent the morning out with the GVWC on Jo’s Breinton Springs Circular: 7½ miles, 3 hours.

A different route from that CP and I had done back in March 2022; less tarmac, more back alleys and footpaths and a gorgeous old orchard full of cow parsley, apple blossom and may blossom on the final approach to Breinton Church. And not only was the church open but it has a new-looking toilet built into a quiet corner at the back of the north aisle. What a great idea.

Home for a late lunch and a lazy afternoon on the patio and in the conservatory. There was a sofa snooze….

I made dinner – the long awaited lentil soup – and we watched Perry Mason.

Bats zooming around outside as dusk drew in.

Monday was another walk this time meeting up with S&S (but not G) at the Little Black Hill car park picnic spot for Cat’s Back Circular: Cat’s Back – Hay Bluff – Hatterrall Ridge – Olchon Valley (9 ½ miles, 1600ft elevation gain, 4 ½ hours).

Cat's Back Circular: Herefordshire from Hatterrall Ridge — Cat’s Back Circular: Herefordshire from Hatterrall Ridge

The sunshine continued, this time with a cool brisk breeze up on the tops of the Black Mountains – and I got my first sunburn of the year …. and my first Magnum of the year too from the brilliant village shop, Hopes of Longtown. My first visit; I can see why people rave about it.

I’d watched kites soaring high above the Golden Valley, Abbey Dore side, before I headed out for the day.

Home for a pot of tea, sat in the shade (partly for sunburn, partly because it was hot), than a stroll around the garden taking photos of the flowers. I wish we could offer smell-o-vision for the lilac and wisteria – both were gorgeous.

Got the long hose out to top up the large pond. P had spotted some fish – let’s hope it’s just too hot for them to bask and a bit too murky for us to see them …..

Spotted a newt in the small pond, and – amazingly – some tadpoles still….

No squirrels though!

(I spoke to soon – one was trying its luck (in vain) at the squirrel-proof bird feeders this morning)

Retirement Days Tracker: All done

TV: Succession, Barry (season 4), Perry Mason (season 2), Location, Location, Location.

Podcasts: History Extra, The Forum.

Photos: Herefordshire week 177 on Flickr.

Phil: w/e 2023-05-21.