Herefordshire Week 213: Tuesday 23 – Monday 29 January 2024

Hello ZOE!

Hello ZOE!
Hello ZOE!

Quite a week, what with a trip to London for our wedding anniversary, dinner with the old LW KM crowd, the MMRR (St Andrews) meet up and brunch with K&P as well.

And not one but two marmalade making marathons…..


Tuesday’s highlight was the delivery of our “new” (second hand, 1 previous owner) Renault ZOE EV.

Big thanks to We Are EV in Bristol who drove it over to us on the same day as Storm Jocelyn arrived. Just enough time for Phil to take it for a spin before lunch.

Spent the afternoon prepping eBay posts, reading and lolling on the sofa watching more of The Winter King.

Gym first thing Wednesday then back to gather the storm debris – only small branches and twigs, which I wheelbarrowed to the bonfire.

After a late lunch I got stuck into making grapefruit marmalade, producing only a measly 2 ½ jars….  Plus I had a few minutes thinking I’d broken the new microwave (in a similar fashion to breaking the old one) but thankfully it returned to life after 15 mins or so. I reckon it must have overheated. In the meantime I’d transferred the marmalade-in-the-making into my blue enamel Le Creuset pan which did the job beautifully.

Grapefruit Marmalade prep in progress
Grapefruit Marmalade prep in progress

More of The Mullet Winter King before tea and telly.


Thursday was the start of our London mini break. Drive to Abergavenny, TfW train to Newport, GWR train to Paddington. Caught up with RLS over a late lunch in an Iraqi cafe.

No. 205 bus to Angel Islington. Walk to the Hub by Premier Inn, Clerkenwell (what a mouthful). Check in and settle in.

Walk 3 mins to Farringdon, catch up with Tom. Walk with P to Spitalfields via Fortune St and the old Waitrose. Broadgate Circle heaving with after work drinkers.

Lovely dinner with LW KM colleagues at Ottolenghi. Walk back to the Hub via Barbican Tunnel and Smithfield.

Friday started in a more leisurely fashion with a 9am breakfast at the Hub. Walked under blue skies to KX to catch the Victoria Line to Walthamstow Central and then walked to the Williams Morris Gallery. North east London still provides surprises.

William Morris Gallery, Walthamstow
William Morris Gallery, Walthamstow

No. 55 bus from Walthamstow Central to Theobalds Road – E17, E10, E5, E8, E9, E2, E1, EC1, WC1 – and to the Brunswick Centre to watch The Holdovers at the Curzon Cinema.

We walked back to the hotel as dusk fell for a bit of a rest, then headed back out again at 7 o’clock to catch the No. 19 bus to Soho for dinner at Bocca di Lupo. Surrounded by the London Rich. We walked back to Clerkenwell.

Out for dinner at Bocca Di Lupo
Out for dinner at Bocca Di Lupo

Disappointing Saturday morning breakfast at Gail’s on Exmouth Market – no marmalade option to go on toast! Strawberry jam does not cut it, people! Good size cup of coffee mind you.

Walked to Moorgate M&S to buy tasty treats for lunch before catching the No. 344 to CJ chatting with a fellow Best Seats On The Bus Bagging couple for part of the journey. Then a lovely day at the MMRR Meet Up hosted by M featuring a multitude of tasty treats, a lot of wine, a walk around Clapham Common and H joining us for the evening session.

Lovely long lie in on Sunday morning before meeting up with P&K for brunch at Caravan Exmouth Market and then walking and talking as we made our way west through the back streets. At Oxford Circus P&K headed home and we carried on to Paddington. A short sit outside in a small park, then into the station to settle in on the train and starting our journey home to Herefordshire.


Early start Monday to be ready for our 7am Sainsbury’s delivery – the three bags of marmalade oranges were all present and correct! Hurrah! Let the marmalade making begin….

Did some admin (including finally getting confirmation that HMRC had received my self assessment payment. The one I’d set up  on 19 Jan…) then drove the cars to Ewyas Harold to drop off the Panda for a service etc, and I had my first drive of the Zoe on Our Roads on the way back. So far, so good.

I dedicated the rest of the day to My Monday Marmalade Making Marathon, resulting in 25 medium size jars made using the always reliable Denton Family Recipe.

Monday Marmalade Making Marathon - Preparing Batch 1, Set 2
Monday Marmalade Making Marathon – Preparing Batch 1, Set 2
Monday Marmalade Making Marathon - Batch 1, Big Al Pan Set - Seven Medium Jars
Monday Marmalade Making Marathon – Batch 1, Big Al Pan Set – Seven Medium Jars

In the garden, the snowdrops are coming out in droves and the aconites are multiplying down by the small pond.

Snowdrops
Snowdrops

TV:  This Is Us, The Winter King.

Podcasts: The Today Podcast, Political Thinking with Nick Robinson, Tweet of the Day, Anglo-Saxon England , Gone Mediaeval, The Rest is Entertainment, In Our Time.


Photos: Herefordshire week 213 on Flickr.

Phil: w/e 2024-01-28.

Herefordshire Week 208: Tuesday 19 – Monday 25 December 2023

Countdown to Christmas, over to Essex, speedy side trip to London, a fab Christmas Dinner from Phil, and a Christmas cold (but not COVID).

Christmas at Battersea Power Station
Christmas at Battersea Power Station

Woke up late again on Tuesday, and a bit down in the dumps / listless. Gloomy inside and out. Did weeknotes and prepped the blogpost titles for 2024, 2025 and 2026 (I still love spreadsheets), watched a squirrel carrying a windfall apple across the front lawn (needed a lot of stopping, dropping,  rebiting and resuming), did a bit of packing and wrapping for Essex and enrolled onto a couple of short courses at Herefordshire, Ludlow and North Shropshire College, got the log stove going and did more pre-handover LRB reading.

It’s a cliche, but doing some exercise brought back my oomph on Wednesday morning. We delivered the local Christmas cards early afternoon and when we got back I decided there was time before teatime to make mince pies.

Making mince pies
Making mince pies

Very tasty they were too! Last VWW of the year then tea and telly in the evening. En route I topped up the screen wash and the antifreeze / coolant in the car ahead of Friday’s drive to Essex.

Thursday was a windy day. The morning featured the last class at the gym for 2023, checking the tyre pressures on the Panda, applying WD40 to the irritating squeaky clutch (in vain), hair wash and clothes wash, cleaning the clogged filter coffee machine (fingers crossed). Packed and prepped in the afternoon then we walked down the lane for Christmas wine, crisps and catch up with TJL.

Up early on Friday – still gusty outdoors – for the drive to Essex. The motorway route got us there in about 4 1/2 hours, with a break at Rugby Moto services and a worrying, rhythmic clunk under the car as we crawled towards the Braintree roundabout …. gulp.

Late lunch at J&J’s, hello to Pippa the cat, the train to LST and tube down to Battersea Power Station to rendezvous with H for the David Hockey light projection, Christmas lights and cocktails and Dinner at Dishoom. No sore heads 🙂

David Hockney Christmas animation at Battersea Power Station
David Hockney Christmas animation at Battersea Power Station

Sleepless night Friday / Saturday worrying about the car. Chatted with P and decided to park the potential problem until after Christmas. Tube and train to Wivenhoe via Moorgate M&S for post-Christmas treats.

Lovely and sunny in Wivenhoe. I stocked up on overnight supplies from Co-op and treated myself to a Mincemeat Roll from the Norwegian Bakery stall on my way back for Christmas Eve Breakfast.

Lazy afternoon instead of the walk I felt I ought to be doing. Nice catch ups with Tom and dad. Then got the telly going and settled on the sofa upstairs: polished off Vigil season 2 (obvious whodunnit once I thought about it), followed by Imagine… Russell T Davies: The Doctor and Me (lovely).

Sundown in Wivenhoe
Sundown in Wivenhoe

Did a precautionary COVID test on Sunday morning, which came back negative, so I was OK to catch the train back to Witham (£9.20 for 20 mins). P met me at the station and we strolled into town for a coffee then back to base along the River Walk nipping into Morrisons to finish. Should have been wearing our Christmas Jumpers, or PJs, or Onesies….

My Christmas Cold got the better of me for the rest of the day, which I spent snoozing on / in bed while Phil did Christmas Dinner prep downstairs with periodic checkins and food and drink delivery to the invalid upstairs.

Monday. Christmas Day. Lovely to hear the church bells ring out at 9am. Leisurely breakfast in the lounge, present opening, family phone calls and emails. Christmas Dinner, a little after 1 o’clock, was a triumph over kitchen adversity on Phil’s part: turkey crown, pigs in blankets, roast potatoes, roast parsnips, roast carrots, sprouts, stuffing, bread sauce and cranberry sauce.

Ghosts Christmas special and grande finale for evening telly. I, for one, got a bit tearing saying farewell to the gang.


Three sheep materialised in Kiln Field. We three sheep of orient are?


TV: Fleishman is in Trouble, (finished off), Only Murders In The Building (alright but not amazing), Vigil (wrapped up series 2), Imagine … Russell T Davies: The Doctor and Me.

Podcasts: The History of England, The Memory Palace, The Rest is Entertainment, A History of Rock in 500 Songs (Phil’s choice on the drive over – Good one!), Hooked on Freddie, In Our Time , History Extra, Being Roman with Mary Beard, The Reunion (Band Aid 1984), The Wombles the the Rescue, Gone Mediaeval (chanced upon on a Cnut Quest) <— a lot of these were sleepless nights worrying about the car, and while resting to try to get rid of my cold quicker.


Photos: Herefordshire week 208 on Flickr, once I’ve tagged them 🙂

Phil: Fortnight-Notes to come…. Voilà! f/e 2023-12-31.

Herefordshire Week 205: Tuesday 28 November 2023 – Monday 04 December 2023

Week 205.

All being well, I’m back from Nepal and had a brilliant trek to Kangchenjunga & over Lumba Sumba with Val Pitkethly Mingmi.

December, eh….

05 Dec 2023: Update: Yep, I’m home, after a week that took me from the sunny hills above Kathmandu to the damp, grey skies of Herefordshire. But I’m home!!!

Settling in....
Settling in….

Tuesday and Wednesday I was still in Kathmandu. A relaxing morning at the Chharari Retreat on Tuesday then back to the Marshyangdi and Thamel. Treated Mingmi and Tenzee to a falafel wrap lunch, then shopped. Met Annick for dinner at the New Orleans, Mandala Street. Tiredness catching up with us all.

Wednesday was our last full day in Nepal and was earmarked for three things: indulging in the Hotel Marshyangdi buffet breakfast (the fresh fruit in particular), shopping and dinner with M&T’s family. We managed two out of three. The last didn’t happen, and put a big damper on the whole trip.

Thursday was the long flight back to the UK. An early start thanks to Qatar bringing our KTM-DOH flight forward by 2 hours, and a corresponding longer layover in Doha’s Hamad International Airport – home of the $9 coffee and $25 curling cornered sandwich…..

Perishing cold in London. Thankfully the Gresham Hotel was only a short, cold, walk from Paddington train station and was warm and snug. M&S “bits” for “supper” (not a term I usually use), eyelids held open with metaphorical matchsticks. Then sleep.

We’d got up at 4.30am Nepal time and were in bed 10.30pm UK time = a 23 hour 45 minute day = Knackered and a headache.


I slept better than expected and only really woke up around 7am on Friday morning. Breakfast in the basement – very efficient and ruthlessly clean, these ladies could teach Tumlingtar’s squalid Hotel Makalu a thing or two! – took me back to the one and only visit to London I had as a child – I can still picture the poppy wallpaper and recall my amazement at a Dining Room being deep in the depths, and with no windows.

Trundled back to PAD for our respective GWR trains home, mine on the overcrowded 09.52 through the frosty fields to Herefordshire.

Last leg ..... almost
Last leg ….. almost

Phil met me at Hereford station and we headed home for a late lunch of homemade fresh bread, a cheese board, hummus and carrots. All my meal dreams come true.

And in the evening, pizza!

Friday Night Pizza!
Friday Night Pizza!

Saturday and Sunday featured lots of unpacking and washing and computer admin. Caught up with T & L for a couple of hours on a wet Sunday afternoon. Saturday started cold and frost and stayed cold and frosty all day.

Frosty morning, Forty Acres
Frosty morning, Forty Acres

Monday was mostly admin, including doing my tax return – woo hoo – and Christmas present wrangling.


Lots of sparrows back on the bird feeders. Lots of squirrels in the garden. Lots of finally fallen leaves. And a leaf mulch bin, courtesy of my lovely husband!

Leaf mulching
Phil’s photo – Leaf mulching

TV: Beckham (guilty pleasure, but it is a pleasure!), The Bear (season 1 – not sure it’s my thing), Grand Designs (Series 23, Episode 9: South Herefordshire), Andor.

Podcasts: Anglo-Saxon England

Audiobook: Mrs England – Stacey Halls


Photos: Herefordshire week 205 on Flickr.

Phil: w/e 2023-12-03.

Into the Pyrenees with Alfonso & Manu: Photos & Notes

This year, Alfonso and Manu organised two treks in the Pyrenees for Team Mucho Gusto: Carros de Foc and La Ruta de las Golondrinas.

The Carros de Foc is in the beautiful Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park, and it’s a gorgeous part of the Pyrenees with lots of alpine lakes and forests, and granite underfoot. We did a 6 day route (5 days, plus an hour or so getting to our starting refugio in the Park on the first day): Refugio Ernest Mallafrè / Estany de Sant Maurici – Refugio J.M. Blanc – Refugio Colomina – Refugio Estany Llong – Refugio Amitges – Estany de Sant Maurici.

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

La Ruta de las Golondrinas is further west and in a more developed area (roads, ski resorts) but beautiful deciduous forests and plenty of peaks plus limestone underfoot. Here we did the 4 day Golondrina Clásica: Refugio de Belagua – Refugio de Linza – Refuge de l’Abérouat – Refuge Jeandel – Refugio de Belagua.

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

We were on the Spanish side of the Pirineos for most of the time, but las Golondrinas took us into France – and thus the Pyrénées – for a couple of days and nights. The trekking was straightforward (we didn’t tackle the trickier sections of the Carros de Foc) although las Golondrinas included one very long day (day 2) and one short section of cable to help us down from Pas de l’Osque on day 3.

Both routes made use of the refugios / refuges for sleeping and food with dinner, bed, breakfast and packed lunch coming in at around €75 pppn. The Spanish refugios were all excellent, the French refuges so-so. On the Carros de Foc we slept in dorms whereas las Golondrinas provided rooms for 8 or 4.

For the Carros de Foc you book direct, for las Golondrinas, which is a relatively new route, you can book a package and you’re provided with a map (and a branded T-shirt, thermos and swag bag!) at the start of the trek.

Maps: Editorial Alpina publishes the Carros de Foc hiking map and guidebook (ISBN: 9788480908641) and they also print the 1:25,000 Ruta de las Golondrinas map that’s provided as part of the package.

Photos are in my Flickr Album: Into the Pyrenees with Alfonso & Manu, August / September 2023

And here are Alfonso ….

Alfonso on the precipice rock looking out over Vallée d'Aspe, Les Tourelles (2041m)
Alfonso on the precipice rock looking out over Vallée d’Aspe, Les Tourelles (2041m)

… and Manu:

Manu on an avalanche barrier above La Pierre Saint-Martin
Manu on an avalanche barrier above La Pierre Saint-Martin

and one of the many, many teenage selfies taken on the trip:

Teenage Selfie! Pic d'Arlas (2044m)
Teenage Selfie! Pic d’Arlas (2044m)

We had a brilliant time. Here’s what we did.

Tuesday, 29 August 2023: Hereford – London (Photos)

Overnight: Hazel’s

Wednesday, 30 August 2023: Fly London Stansted to Lourdes (Photos)

Overnight: Luxury Loft Lourdes

Thursday, 31 August 2023: Drive Lourdes to Parking de Prat Pierró. Walk to Refugio Ernest Mallafrè (1885m) (Photos)

Carros de Foc day 1: 3.7km +241m -16m

Meet Alfonso, Manu & Esther.

Drive Lourdes – Vielha – Esterri d’Àneu – Espot – Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park / Parking de Prat Pierró.

Dam, Estany de Sant Maurici
Dam, Estany de Sant Maurici

Walk to Refugio Ernest Mallafrè via Els Encantats and Estany de Sant Maurici.

Overnight: Refugio Ernest Mallafrè.

Friday, 01 September 2023: Refugio Ernest Mallafrè (1885m) – Coll de Monestero (2715m) – Refugio J.M. Blanc (2310m) (Photos)

Carros de Foc day 2: 8.6km +850m -450m

Evergreen forests, alpine meadows with clear mountain streams, mirror pools and lake (Estany de Monestero), our first “elevenses” with a view back down into the valley of the Riu de Monestero, scree section up to the Coll de Monestero and magic views from the pass ….

Me and Rach at Coll de Monestero (2715m)
Me and Rach at Coll de Monestero (2715m)

… descending towards the lakes and a photo opp on the granite block perched over a no-name lake, Estany Negre de Peguera and its beautiful stepped dam …

Beautiful stepped dam, Estany Negre de Peguera
Beautiful stepped dam, Estany Negre de Peguera

… strolling through old pine forests, and getting our first sight of Refugio J.M. Blanc in its stunning setting on the Estany Tort de Peguera peninsula…..

Love at first sight: Refugio J.M. Blanc
Love at first sight: Refugio J.M. Blanc

… beers on arrival at the Refugio and, later, after dinner, relaxing on the sun deck at sundown and watching the lightening on the other side of the mountains.

Overnight: Refugio J.M. Blanc.

Saturday, 02 September 2023: Refugio J.M Blanc (2310m) – Coll de Saburó (2718m) – Pas de l’Ós (2542m) – Refugio Colomina (2395m) (Photos)

Carros de Foc day 3: 6.8km +400m -300m

The day of the Five Lakes…. Estany Tort de Peguera, Estany Negre de Peguera, Estany del Cap de Port, Estany de Mar and Estany de Colomina.

Map of today's route from Refugio J.M. Blanc to Refugio Colomina
Map of today’s route from Refugio J.M. Blanc to Refugio Colomina
At the Pas de l'Ós (2542m)
At the Pas de l’Ós (2542m)

A cool day, with rain clouds only just keeping above head height all the time we were out. And shortly after we arrived at lovely Refugio Colomina (my favourite), the clouds descended, the heavens opened and the wind picked up. Not nice walking for the family that arrived in dribs and drabs over the next hour or so. The Refugio team rallied round and provided hot drinks, towels, warm clothes, and asked us not to use the free, solar-heated, showers so that they could to warm up.

A lovely afternoon featuring Tea and Twix, Pochohontas and Ornitorrinco, and Tina’s Map – the one the professionals use.

Time for Tea and a Twix, Refugio Colomina
Time for Tea and a Twix, Refugio Colomina
The Professionals Checking Tina's Map, Refugio Colomina
The Professionals Checking Tina’s Map, Refugio Colomina

It was also day where I discovered I’d not brought any spare charged camera batteries with me, and my one and only battery ran out at Refugio J.M. Blanc. Thank heavens for Manu’s Many Cables – and the Colomina’s bank of plug sockets. My batteries were back up to 100% in less than an hour.

Overnight: Refugio Colomina.

Sunday, 03 September 2023: Refugio Colomina (2395m) – Colladeta de Dellui (2557m) – Refugio Estany Llong (1985m) (Photos)

Carros de Foc day 4: 12.6km +400m -820m

A cloudy start developed into a very wet morning, but thankfully the rain (and wind) held off almost all the way to the Colladeta de Dellui.

Me (plus Estany de Mariolo, Estany de Cubieso and Estany Eixerola) on the trail up to Colladeta de Dellui
Me (plus Estany de Mariolo, Estany de Cubieso and Estany Eixerola) on the trail up to Colladeta de Dellui

The morning featured a section along a disused mine railway line that brought a trip (me) and two falls (me & Esther), and a lot more lakes: Estany de Colomina, Estany Tort, Estany de Mariolo, Estany de Cubieso and Estany Eixerola, and on the other side of the Colladeta de Dellui, Estany de Dellui and the beautifully named Estanyets de Dellui.

Descending towards the Estanyets de Dellui
Descending towards the Estanyets de Dellui

Grassland gave way to a rocky traverse with views down into the valley accompanied by Rachel’s emergency chocolate, followed by a descent through the Bosc de les Corticelles and the Bosc d’Estany Llong that brought chamoix, bilberries and juniper – and, as the rain started to ease off for good, Refugio Estany Llong.

Arrived at Refugio Estany Llong
Arrived at Refugio Estany Llong

Sodden boots off and wet stuff hung up to drip dry, we were welcomed in to picnic inside.

A sunny afternoon, just right for a stroll down into the valley of the Aigüestortes and a paddle in the Riu de Sant Nicolau – and pooh sticks.

Riu de Sant Nicolau, Aigüestortes
Riu de Sant Nicolau, Aigüestortes

The sunshine and the breeze made for perfect drying weather.

The night when the other English group agreed that “the bottom bunks ought to be reserved for the over 50s”. Ah, if only they knew ….

Overnight: Refugio Estany Llong.

Monday, 04 September 2023: Refugio Estany Llong (1985m) – Portarró d’Espot (2430m) – Refugio Amitges (2380m) (Photos)

Carros de Foc day 5: 8.1km +800m -500m

A fab day.

Sunshine.

The day our route did a short cut between two section of the Carros de Foc proper. Lovely trail, lovely weather, time to loiter and linger.

Lots of opportunities to Do Something!

"Do Something!", Rest stop and the last view of Estany Llong
“Do Something!”, Rest stop and the last view of Estany Llong

Franco’s Road, the Pi de Peixerani, Portarró d’Espot and its Mirador, smashing views of Estany de Sant Maurici and El Encantats …

At Mirador del Portarró, with views of Els Encantats (right) and Estany de Sant Maurici
At Mirador del Portarró, with views of Els Encantats (right) and Estany de Sant Maurici

… the Race to the Lone Pine ….

The Race to the Lone Pine (video, 3m 14sec)
The Race to the Lone Pine (video, 3m 14sec)

… raspberries, a paddle (for some) and a picnic at lunchtime, relaxing at Refugio Amitges, chanting on the shores of sparkling Estany dels Barbs, spotting Alfonso and Manu high up on their Agulles d’Amitges, and cold beers and cocktail snacks before dinner.

Cold Beers all round for the ladies, Refugio Amitges
Cold Beers all round for the ladies, Refugio Amitges

Overnight: Refugio Amitges.

Tuesday, 05 September 2023: Refugio Amitges (2380m) – Estany St. Maurici (1912m) – Parking de Prat Pierró (980m). Drive to Vielha (Photos)

Carros de Foc day 6: 9.3km +40m -740m

A leisurely last day on the Carros de Foc, dropping back down to Estany de Sant Maurici via the exhilarating Cascada de Ratera and learning / singing Arde Londres.

Me at the Cascada de Ratera
Me at the Cascada de Ratera
Team Mucho Gusto at Ratera
Team Mucho Gusto at Ratera

Back at Estany de Sant Maurici we found a quiet spot for elevenses and Instagram, flocks of small birds and ripples of jumping fish, before walking back to Parking de Prat Pierró where it was time to say a fond farewell to Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes y Estany de Sant Maurici.

Another lovely lunch at Restaurant Vall d’Àneu in Esterri d’Àneu then back to Vielha and two lovely rooms (and showers and clean clothes) at Hotel Eth Pomèr.

A magic evening out – presenting the Team Mucho Gusto T-Shirts (plus chutney and spare toothbrushes) at REFU Birreria followed by dinner at Woolloomooloo.

Hazel, Steffi and Me, in our Mucho Gusto T-Shirts, Vielha
Hazel, Steffi and Me, in our Mucho Gusto T-Shirts, Vielha

No photos from the evening, so it must have been a good one… Oh, and Alfonso sent us a video of the three of them climbing back up to their Vielha base.

Overnight: Eth Pomèr, Vielha.

[20 October 2023: This is as far as I’d got when Phil and I headed off for our sunny week in Northern Italy. I’m flagging a bit having come back to finish off these photos & notes. So the daily descriptions may be a bit brief.]

Wednesday, 06 September 2023: Drive from Vielha to Refugio de Belagua (1428m) via Ainsa and Jaca (Photos)

A tasty breakfast buffet at Eth Pomèr, farewell to Esther, then the long drive west for our second short trek in the Pirineos, the Ruta de las Golondrinas.

En route we stopped at Ainsa (mediaeval hill town) and Jaca (canteen lunch, food shopping – Mini Magnums! – and perusing outdoor kit at Barrabés) but decided to skip Monasterio de San Juan de la Peña as we didn’t have enough time.

Ainsa
Ainsa

Refugio de Belagua (technically Refugio Ángel Oloron) was our base for the Golondrinas, and on a sunny September afternoon it was packed. Lovely views out over deciduous forests and back down the valley, and a super-well organised refugio with a really lovely team – who presented us with our surprise Golondrinas swag!

Arriving at Refugio de Belagua
Arriving at Refugio de Belagua

Overnight: Refugio de Belagua.

Thursday, 07 September 2023: Rincón de Belagua car park (~900m) – Collado de Maze (1540m) – Refugio de Linza (1340m) (Photos)

Ruta de las Golondrinas day 1: 14km +700m -350 m

Cathedral forests, meadows and sparkling spiders webs….

Sparkling spider's web
Sparkling spider’s web

… a stiff climb, shady woods and a pincic … and showers, beers and Scrabble in Spanish at Refugio Linza

Scrabble in Spanish, Linza
Scrabble in Spanish, Linza

Overnight: Refugio de Linza.

Friday, 08 September 2023: Refugio de Linza (1340m) – Collado de Petrachema / Port d’Anso (2090m) – Refuge de l’Abérouat (France) (1442m) (Photos)

Ruta de las Golondrinas day 2: 21.6km +1300m -1200m

The longest day by a mile, in terms of both distance (~22km) and duration (we set off at 7.20am and finished at 6.30pm; 11 hours elapsed time). But really fab: startled chamois and whistling marmots; grassy valleys, limestone rocky plateau and scree descent; beech woods and streams, waterfalls and rivers; fab views from the Col de Pétragème, plus spiralling choughs and climbers at the base of the Petite Aiguille d’Ansabère, a novel-reading, red wine-drinking, hanging-chair-owning berger selling his goats cheese at the Plateau d’Ansabère …..

Alfonso and Steffi, at the start of the trail down from Col de Pétragème
Alfonso and Steffi, at the start of the trail down from Col de Pétragème

…. and at the end, beers, cold beers, 7% beers!

Oh, and Bonjour la France! 

The hardest section was the 4km on the road in the Vallée d’Aspe, partly because it was the literal low point of the day and we knew we had a 700m climb up to the refuge and partly because it was on superheated, radiating, tarmac.

We made it! Refuge de l’Abérouat

Overnight: Refuge de l’Abérouat. <– aka the one with the ridiculously low headroom for the top bunk. I couldn’t even sit up without hitting my head on the ceiling.

Saturday, 09 September 2023: Refuge de l’Abérouat (1442m) – Pas d’Azuns (1862m) – Pas de l’Osque (1922m) – Refuge Jeandel (1620m) (Photos)

Ruta de las Golondrinas day 3: 11.8km +600m -400m (plus a bit extra for the Les Tourelles (2041m))

Panorama: Rach and Manu (and Alfonso) On top of Les Tourelles (2041m)
Panorama: Rach and Manu (and Alfonso) On top of Les Tourelles (2041m)

One of the best days, beginning with a rendition of Cumpleaños Feliz to send to Australia and featuring a scramble up Les Tourelles and chain descent from Pas de l’Osque.

Rach and me, scramble section complete, Les Tourelles ascent
Rach and me, scramble section complete, Les Tourelles ascent
Manu, me and Alfonso, on top of Les Tourelles (2041m)
Manu, me and Alfonso, on top of Les Tourelles (2041m)

Jeandel was a bit of a let down, and La Pierre Saint Martin sans snow is truly ugly.

Overnight: Refuge Jeandel. <– aka the one with the worst food (quantity and quality)

Sunday, 10 September 2023: Refuge Jeandel (1620m) – Pic d’Arlas (2044m) – Refugio de Belagua (1428m) – Rincón de Belagua car park (~900m) (Photos)

Ruta de las Golondrinas day 4: 16.5km +600m -1230m

Up Pic d’Arlas, and back down into Spain.

Alfonso, Pic d'Arlas (2044m)
Alfonso, Pic d’Arlas (2044m)

Rolling grasslands and an occasional stretch of tarmac brought us back to Refugio de Belagua.

After a late lunch, for the completists it was a super steep descent from Refugio de Belagua to the Rincón de Belagua car park to retrieve the van. Lovely end to a lovely trek.

Overnight: Refugio de Belagua.

Monday, 11 September 2023: Refugio de Belagua – Lourdes – London (Photos)

Drive to airport. Fly Lourdes to London Stansted. Train and tube to Hazel’s.

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

Overnight: Hazel’s.

Tuesday, 12 September 2023: London (Photos)

David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away) at Lightroom in the Coal Drops Yard redevelopment north of Kings Cross.

David Hockney at the Lightroom
David Hockney at the Lightroom

A soft launch late lunch at Paro Indian (recommended!) followed by a tour of the outdoor kit shops of Southampton Street.

Overnight: Hazel’s

Wednesday, 13 September 2023: London – Hereford (Photos)

GWR train delay / termination at Great Malvern (grrr) made for a slow journey home – but Phil-the-taxi was waiting for me at Hereford.

Homeward bound. Thank heavens for the frozen jam doughnut....
Homeward bound. Thank heavens for the frozen jam doughnut….

Overnight: Home!