Always got a plan. This time it involved a trip to Spain to stay at the Certescan Refuge. We left the barn early to get to the parking for Cirque du Cagateille. Picked up a couple of hitch hikers on the way who were also heading for Certescan.
Set off up to Etang Hillette in the shade before the sun got too high, then on up to Col de Colatx. The only people we saw were the couple we gave a lift to and a shepherd. From the Col we turned west and started along the ridge towards Certescan. At this stage clouds were enveloping Certescan and Montabone which did not look favourable.
Good progress to Pic de Soune on sound, solid granite rock. From there onwards we encountered some loose sections and some exciting scrambling. We dropped off the ridge to the Spanish side twice to miss out sections of grade 4 down climbing which we deemed too risky and finished up the snowy scree between Certescan Nord and the Spanish Certescan. After a late lunch we traipsed down to the Col where the HRP heads down to Refuge Certescan arriving there with time to freshen up before dinner.
View down the valley from Etang HilletteEtang HilletteEtang HilletteEtang HilletteEtang HilletteAt Col de ColatxClassic Pyrenees shepherdSpanish lakesCloud swirling around CertescanEtang de CertescanEtang HilletteFirst views of lake CertescanBig boulder hoppingPart of the ridgeEtang BlancBreezy testing new gaitersIzardMont RouchThe route off CertescanSpainEtang BlancOn top of CertescanIzardSwirling clouds near the refugeDay one
Another early start and lukewarm coffee before heading round east to Etang de Romedo de Dait and Romedo de Baix. Turned North on to the Guilo lakes and up to the Col de Guilo. Decided to go over Pic Turguilla and then down via Cabanede Turguilla. Passed Etang de la Piede where we picked up the trail back to Cirque de Cagataille. This last trail we would not opt to do again as very steep and greasy rock hopping with long grass obscuring where one wanted to place feet. Picked up Poppy in 33 degrees of heat and back to the barn.
Early morning startEarly reflectionsCertescan and the ridge from day oneGentieneCabane de LastouCabane de LastouAscent of TurguillaArnicaArnicaRock shelter
The first day was over 2500m of ascent, 17km and took us ten and a half hours. Day two was 800 m and another 17km with lots of downhill.
It’s great to be able to walk out of the door and access the French Spanish frontier. It’s about a 1000m of up and is quite gentle. There are always new things to see and it is always changing with the light and the clouds.
Satan BoleteThe line of old pylonsHelicopter bringing supplies to the shepherdsHeight marker at Cabane des LannesSheep on the hillThistle and beeHistorical building at Port de SalauHistorical building at Port de SalauHistorical building at Port de SalauSpanish shepherds
One of those lucky days when the choice made was perfect for the weather. Left the parking early enough for the ascent to be virtually all in the shade. Had a snack at Etang Hilette by the erratic boulder, then on to Etang D’Alet for lunch and a dip in the water for those who wanted. Thanks for a great day with Lee and Suzie.
Looking over the cloudsAstrantia MajorAlpine AvensEtang D’AletFrog Heath Spotted-orchid Heath Spotted-orchid Wolf’s-bane Etang HiletteLee & SuzieErratic boulderWild daisyGentiana burseri Lapeyr European arnica Heath Spotted-orchid Ibex with youngYoung IbexWindow in the cloud
Another weather window appeared for the Carlit area to the East of us. This is the year to go places anew. Two nights away so potential for walking 3 days.
Day One – Pic de Tarbesou
Left the barn early and picked up a map (and had a coffee) in Ax Les Thermes before heading up to park at Col de Pailheres – 2000m. Steady climb up to the Pic at 2364m then took the ridge towards Col de L’Esue and dropping down to the lakes. Etang bleu and Etang Noir. Lots of people at the lakes both in and out of the water, as a very popular walk. Windy and clear skies until we climbed to the Col de la Coumelle and the other side was a swirling mass of cloud. 11.4km and 850m of ascent, a nice half day walk.
View from Pic TarbesouMountain ViewSelfieEtang NoirDead Tree artBreezyMountain ViewDead Tree art
Day Two – Porta to Pic de Carlit
Stayed the night at a little Auberge in Porta and they, very kindly, let us leave the car. Early start and self service breakfast before finding the track up to Col de L’Homme Mort and on up to the ridge by El Punxo. From there we followed the ridge North towards Carlit. Easy undulating ridge to start with becoming more technical and blowing a whooly. Cloud was swirling around the summit of Carlit threatening to obscure the ridge ahead. This would have made progress and navigation very tricky but were were in luck. It lifted.
The latter third of the ridge was slow going as some serious scrambling on the limit of requiring a rope. The first people we met were on the summit of Carlit. Easy, but long, descent down to the Refuge Bouillouses at the reservoir. Just renovated, it was more like a hotel and not busy so we had our own room. Food was great.
24km 2014m of ascent and just under 10 hrs.
White-leaved Ragwort GentienePic de CarlitPic de CarlitCarlit ridgeIbexIbexCarlit ridgeCarlit ridge Recurved Sandwort White-leaved Ragwort White-leaved Ragwort Alpine AsterUnknown bird White Saxifrage Cob-webbed Houseleek Field locoweed View to AndorraOminous cloud over CarlitCol de L’Homme MortEarly morning flick
Day 3 – Refuge Bouillouses to Porta
Having had a long day we had to then get back to the car. The previous day was the most direct route so this had to be longer though not as much vertical. Wind was just as strong if not more so. Took the GR up to Portella de la Grave and on to Cabane Rouzet at the East end of Etang des Lanoux. Followed that to the dam wall and then the GR down to Porte Puymorens. Would have been better rout to follow the valley floor path than the GR, as we had little shade on a boring rocky track. We were melting in the heat by the time we got to the village so stuck our thumbs out and got a lift the last 4km to Porta. 37 degrees when we got back to the car. In all 25km 1000m and 7.5 hrs not including the lift
View of the Porta Carlit ridgeAnother birdShort haircutLooking back from the Port de GraveCotton grassCotton grassCascadesPath up the valleyIsland in the reservoirMorning sun over the water
Having made our own dehydrator, we have successfully made some fruit leather. Started with blackcurrant as these ripened first. Not a difficult decision.
So took some fruit and added some lemon juice. This is to help keep the colour apparently. put that in a saucepan and simmer until soft. Blitz that with a stick blender removing any big lumps. Taste and add honey if you want to. Spread this out thinly on a parchment lined baking tray and whack it in the dehydrator in the sun.
Leave it until it is no longer tacky to touch then remove it. Take it off the parchment, cut it up, roll it into, well, rolls, and put in the fridge.
Great hill food to accompany a sandwich and the internet seems to suggest it will keep for up to a month.
Incidently, we measured the temperature inside the solar dehydrator to be 55 degrees centigrade. Not sure whether that is good or not but it seems to work well.
Gooseberry Leather from the dehydratorGooseberry Leather having taken the back offGooseberry and blackcurrant Leather ready for the fridge
Started at Col de la Core and followed the Chemin de la Libertee past the plane crash site and up to Col de Craberous. Lunch at the Col and then turned right and followed the ridge line which turns into Crete de Balame before dropping back to Col de La Core.
It was baking hot and possibly a little of a stretch, Over 1500m of up and 18km. Amazing flowers all the way. Oh, and there was still some snow.
Grand day out!
GentieneAlpine AvensHorses by the airplane crash siteHorsesPlaque at the crash siteLarge flowered ButterwortPurple and white mixMouse ear HawkweedViola CormutaLathyrus laevigatusThistle headAquilegiaWild RosesCommon cow wheatRhododendronRampionFrench meadow rueRampionCranes BillYellow poppyPurple toothwortFoxgloveCommon BistortBreezy on the ridgeBloody Cranes BillAlpine forget me notDried out ShrubSemperviumRidge viewsRidge viewsSnow patchesAlpine toadflax
With the fruit bushes laden and plenty of jam already in the cupboard for the winter season in Chamonix we decided to make a dehydrator. It is basically a box with a glass pane and some vents. There are a couple of shelves inside to put produce on. Pop it in the sun and the air in the box warms up. An air current takes the moisture out of the box and the things inside dry up.
Commercial versions use power and have knobs on with different settings. Ours is compact and made of scrap.
Wood is from the back of the van which we took apart last year
Hinges were salvaged from a caravan
The handle was on a door salvaged from Chamonix
Double glazed unit salvaged years ago from somewhere
Shelves salvaged from an old oven at the tip
Fly mesh for the vents, left over from making window fly meshes
First test was with some small tomatoes which needed using up. Within a day sat on the front terrace we had sun dried tomatoes. Next is blackcurrants unless the mushrooms start appearing first.
Solar DehydratorThe sample batchThe result after one daySun dried tomatoes
What an amazing country to visit. Beautiful countryside, lovely wine and fantastic people. Mountains, lakes and coast. We planned to stay for a month, mixing camping with staying in small guest houses and apartments. We took the van and drove through Italy with mountain bikes, hiking stuff, camping kit and climbing kit.
A good place to start, especially when arriving from Italy, is the wine region around Kanal. Mountain Bikes are a fantastic way to explore the vineyards and the cherry orchards. The karst scenery is breathtaking with deep cut limestone gorges and caves.
On route to the coast we called by the Church of the Holy Trinity at Hrastovlje where the procession of death is painted on the wall. We had to phone the caretaker to let us in but we got a private viewing and explanation of all the medieval paintings. Outside there was a very bizarre gate to a paddock made up of wartime memorabilia welded together. We took a wander through to village and got chatting to a guy about a very old blue moped. He then turned round and asked if we wanted to see his private museum of wartime stuff. It was his paddock, garden and a room at the back of the house, crammed with anything to do with the first or second world wars.
Church of the Holy TrinityDance of deathDance of deathDance of deathDance of deathDance of deathDance of deathThe gateGate latchGate pillarGate detailGate detailGate pillarMuseumThe man and memorabilia
Next stop Pirea on the coast. A touristy town with a wealth of history. All the historical plaques were in Slovenian and English. This is a theme throughout the country.
Pirea coastStreet FoodTrained treePirea cathedralGeorge and the DragonStreet foodHarbour ViewThe towerPantile roofsReflectionsReflections
Inland again to a tiny hamlet near Cernica. On the way we took in a medieval castle in a cave. At one time it belonged to a “Robin Hood” style character who mocked the law and survived a long siege of the castle by getting supplies in through the cave network behind the castle. This only came to an end when he was hit by a cannonball while sat on the privy.
More exploring by bike and a visit to the wondrous caves at Postojna. Now I used to go caving for fun and take groups caving. This cave is incredible and so well presented as a tourist attraction. The guides are superb and all my scepticism about show caves has been blown away. Alas, no photos of the cave as I think they want you to buy theirs.
From here we headed north of the capital to Kamnick. We were lucky with the weather to get up to see the Velika Planina, highland pasture with old style herdsmans huts. Beautiful wooden structures in a series of tiny hamlets. We also jumped on a bus for a day trip into Ljubljana. The mountains here were holding too much snow and the weather was not good enough for much hiking so we then drove over to the Julian Alps, Bled and Bohinjska Bistrica.
Velika Planina
Typical Herdsmans CabinVelika PlaninaVelika PlaninaGentianChapelGate Idea
Triglavski National Park are stunning. It is very touristy and although it was out of season it cost more to park the car than drive it. Bikes are brilliant. There’s a plethora of climbing and hiking options.
The Bee Museum at Radovljica is amazing. Very interesting insight into beekeeping and the history of it.
Franja Partisan Hospital – Built in an inaccessible gorge this is an incredible insight into the organisation of the Partisans in this part of the world.
Kopa is a village famed for the production and working of iron. We went on a Sunday in the rain but it’s lovely to just walk around and see all the old ironwork.
On the way to Kopa we took a scenic route and stumbled across a memorial which appears to have been a battle site between Partisans and Germans in the second World War at Dražgoše.
View from the memorialPlaqueSculptureSculptureFresco
Having arrived again from Chamonix we had a week to get installed in the barn and set the garden up for the summer. It’s a great time of year full of little surprises. Finding plants amongst the weeds and giving them space to breath again after the winter. And let’s face it, when we say “garden”, we are actually trying to tame a bit of a field. We introduce plants that one would not normally find in a field and try to remove plants that should be there but are not to our liking. Then there are the critters. The slimy black ones that eat seedlings and salad crops and the big brown furry ones that eat the fresh tips off the fruit bushes and beats.
We have learnt over the years that going at it, full throttle, is not good for our bodies. These days we do a little of something and then do something else. Then go back to the first thing. One could do all the strimming in a day, or one can do a tank of fuel each morning first thing before it gets too hot, and take a week to clear the place. There are, of course dependencies. Clearing some weeds to allow some compost to be dug out of the heap before the fresh grass cuttings get put on the compost heap for example.
By the end of the week we had all the weeding done and plant supports in place for the flowers, all the strimming done and even managed a couple of walks. One over Pic de la Fonta, above Couflens, and the other, from the barn doing a loop via Bois de Lanette. The wild flowers were amazing.
The actual meeting was quite sad. Billy had failed a crucial exam due to one his wheel bearings being too clunky. We tried as hard as we could to find a technician to coax him through the test but not even his makers could rectify the problem. We found Poppy via internet dating and though not a perfect match we are going to give her a go. She is slightly deficient in the size department, much younger and requires a personal dresser (or pimping up a bit). She has the same number of seats and is going to be much more economical and less high maintenance.
We both shed a tear when we had to leave Billy behind as part of the deal. He was much loved and shall be sorely missed. We will have to change some of our habits to get along with Poppy which will be challenging. There will have to be less skip diving, or at least, more selective scavenging, as carrying capacity is less. We will have to initiate a cleaning regime to maintain Poppy’s good looks and hopefully avoid some of the corrosion which affected Billy so badly.
In time I am sure we shall learn to love Poppy just as much as Billy but for different reasons. Welcome to the Ski Breezy family.
