Needed to set the alarm to make sure we did not sleep in as we had a walk planned for the day which we estimated at about 6 hours.

Woke up to blue skies which was great and made packed lunches and had brekky before getting away by  8.45am, not bad for us!!!

It was about a 40 minute drive to the start of the walk through another valley which was beautiful, slightly more affluent than the Salat valley maybe due to Guzet the ski area and the GR10 influence.

We then headed off up to the Cirque de Cagateille, Etang Hilette and Etang Alet as a circular walk.

It was an easy walk up to the cirque which was not as impressive as Cirque D’Anglade well we thought anyway.

The autumn colours were however really beautiful. It was then a steep climb up to the Etang Hilette which has a little unmanned refuge on the lakeside.

It took us 1.5 hours to get to the lake, so we stopped for a rest and to take in the views before heading on to Etang Alet. Quite different terrain, boulder hopping most of the hour to get to it where we had a good packed lunch over looking the lake. Sunny but a chilly wind. We got really good views from here and could piece together bits and pieces of valleys and peaks etc.

Gloves back on and we headed down for a couple of the hours back to Vinnie. Through lots of very pretty woodland, but no edible mushies to be found.

We kept seeeing these markings on the way Lee any idea what they are for?

We stopped in at the café on the way back to see Daniella and Freddy and say good bye to them. The auberge is on the market so not sure if they will be about again when we get back. Hopefully, they will get a buyer soon but it is a bit of a waiting game.

Back to the barn, quick showers, wood burner on, unpacked kit, internet stuff to sort. Generator still being temperamental which is a pain but it is still under guarantee so if it is not sorted by Friday it will be going back with us to Cham to get fixed.

We had a good chicken curry for supper and a few hands of Bezique before hitting the sack both pleasantly tired after our walk in the sun and the wind.

Another very starry night, totally unpolluted skies and we could see millions of stars, not for long though far too chilly outside….to bed!!!!

First time we have set an alarm this morning. Final packing of bags, making sandwiches and closing up shop before heading on our adventure.

Fantastic early morning drive over the Col de la Core and into the Bethmale Valley. The views going up to the col were fantastic with cloud in the valley and the early morning sun creeping over the mountains slowly unveiling the farms and forests.

Sun rise Ariege 

Parked up the van at the Cabane de Pla de la Lau 930m and set off in the shade up the wooded valley following the stream towards the Refuge des Estagnous.2245m. The waterfall below the Refuge de Caussis looked impassable from a distance but the path wound its way up the slabs to the left of the cascade.

We reached the Estagnous for our picnic lunch having taken in amazing views of Etang Rond on the way up. Over lunch however the clouds started swirling in and out but we decided to go up Mont Valier 2838m in the hope of catching a clear spell at the top.an hour and a half later we found ourselves at the summit in thick cloud. Had to take a photo and then wait for twenty minutes to see if it would clear. Once again Mother Nature smiled on us and the cloud receded to reveal amazing views and cloudscapes.

Etang Rond  Ascent of Valier On the Summit

Satisfied we trundled back down to the Refuge where we were booked in.

Having seen virtually nobody all day we were looking forward to a cosy, quiet night in the mountains. Descending the screes near the hut we heard human voices, though it could have been one very volumous voice having been plunged into very cold water. Hopes of solitude were dashed when we saw a group of 20 odd French teenagers on the terrace of the Refuge. The Guardians took pity on us and gave us a room to ourselves. The only reason we got the reservation was that the school group had booked as they would normally only open the Refuge at weekends this late in the season. We put our thermals on and played cards gradually getting colder in the unheated hut while we waited ‘til dinner.

Soup followed by Veal stew and rice, cheese and chocolate pots; all swilled down with a bottle of wine then straight to bed to warm up.

Woke up to Blue skies again..yippee!!! We were hoping that was the case so we could get our walk into Cirque D’Anglade which starts just by the old mine.

We headed up to the barn first to do a quick second varnish on the floor, looking good and to do a few measurements for our weekly trip to St Girons tomorrow.

We headed up to the old mine in the truck and then wandered up to the Cirque D’Anglade. It was absolutely peaceful not a sole in sight, fantastic autumnal colours and some exercise. We ended up at the Cirque with a good view of the tall waterfall which falls into the valley below.

We had our picnic lunch up there before heading back to the barn.

First view  Looking back down The falls The view on leaving Spectacular

We have decided that we would really like to try and get the fall in the small outbuilding prepped ready for  insulating and putting a cement floor down. This was actually really quick, a few huge slabs to remove first then plenty of earth to dig out and use as infill up on the terrace to be at the back.

Al had a great idea re ducting heat into the building under the door lintel so I left him to drill his way through so we can get a pipe in whilst I put the last coat of varnish on.

A very productive and top day.

We needed to speak to Cecile to see if we could get her to speak to the water diviner as the strong, fast Ariegoise accent on the phone would be a mare. We stopped at Adam’s on the way for a catch up and appero. Cecile was preparing supper so we left her to it and will call back after she has eaten.