Friday 2nd September.
I left home in my Land Rover at 04.00. Di waved me off. I’ll miss her. Picked up TRT, Bruce Wyllie, in Ewhurst Surrey at 04.45. Pompey 06.00 for the 07.00 Normandie Express to Caen. Drove off at 11.30 local time. Got to our overnight stay in La Chapelle – Mouliers, near Poitiers, at c.16.30. Just prior to our arrival we inspected and photographed a wall plaque in Bonneuil-Matours commemorating the aerial bombing in July 1944 of nearby SS barracks avenging the execution of SAS and Maquis at that time (Operation Bulbasket). Our great host, Jean-Michel, is a good friend of Suzie & Bruce. At J-M’s ancient farmhouse, we enjoyed plentiful wine, good food, and great conversation after visiting his amazing woodland tree house, and inspecting his estate boundaries by the River Vienne. Some earthworks on his land are said to date from Merovingian times.
Saturday 3rd September.
Breakfast of wonderful bread toasted and supplemented with Moroccan honey, together with fresh coffee. Left at 10.40 for the rest of our journey south. Arrived in the Pyrenees early evening. Confirmed the night’s booking for 4 at the Chalet Refuge de Gabas. Then we headed south on the D934 for several kms to the pre-arranged RV with James & Simon Heyworth at the Caillou de Soques car park where the D934 crosses the HRP, just south of the Lac de Fabrigas. All the old tradecraft worked and the RV was successful. We all just made the strict 19.30 dinner deadline of our “Madame from Hell”! Beer, wine and a decent meal. Madame Simone was unimpressed with our exuberance and James’s need to do some serious computer work, thinking it was high time we all went to bed. She was, however, the only Refuge owner in the week to offer to make sandwiches for the next day’s trekking.
Sunday 4th September.
After breakfast, Adrian took James & Simon back to Caillou de Soques for their trek to the Refuge de Larribet, returning to the Refuge de Gabas to collect Bruce. We drove to Candanchu to pick up Simon’s spare kit which he’d previously cached. Then we drove to Argeles-Gazost leaving the Freelander in the main town square car park. Did some shopping for James, then lunch at a tucked-away restaurant overlooking the mountains. Moving on, we stopped at Laruns for coffee and stickies at a Wi-Fi cafe in order to send the latest pics and an email to Catherine. Then drove to the car park at Plan d’Aste and sorted out our kit. We set off late to the Refuge de Larribet to meet up with James & Simon. Visibility was only 50m from half way up the mountain and, as dusk approached, we contemplated sleeping out if the Refuge couldn’t be located. Bruce was rueing the fact that he wasn’t carrying his sleeping or bivvie bag! But we made it to the Refuge and also met for the first time someone who was to become our great trekking companion, Nick Foot from Bournemouth.
Monday 5 September.
After breakfast and a photo session with our Refuge hosts, Cedric & Julie, we all walked down to Doumblas and, near the bridge, James & Simon peeled off & headed for the Refuge Wallon. Bruce and I continued down to Plan d’Aste and the 4×4. After spending the rest of the morning charging up the computer, drawing up plans, and making phone calls in a café in Luz St Sauveur, we did some shopping for James and drove to Pont d’Espagne. More kit sorting, locked the Freelander, and walked up to Refuge Wallon using the bubble lift at the start. All four of us sat with some young Dutch lads at dinner. Sampled various vintage malts, which I’d brought with me, in the ‘dorm’ afterwards, just like naughty schoolboys!!
Tuesday 6 September.
Bruce and James walked together whilst Simon and I walked down to Pont d’Espagne for the start of Simon’s journey home to Devon. Loaded the 4×4 & drove to Cauterets. Simon checked in to the Hotel du Lion d’Or for one night of luxury and a gastronomic feast. We then drove to Argeles-Gazost to do some more shopping and photographic work for James. But the photo shop shut for lunch until 15.00 while still downloading a memory card to a cd for forwarding to Catherine! Simon was fuming! I had to leave A-G, and sadly Simon, to return to Cauterets to pick up our new companion, Nick Wild, who was due to arrive there by bus from Lourdes at 12.55. Simon would have to return to Cauterets later by taxi. What a huge shame. Owing to all the delays, I finally met Nick at 14.20, patiently waiting in Le Ski Bar in the Place Foch! James & Bruce made good time walking to Refuge des Oulettes de Gaube, arriving at 14.00 and, in brilliant warm sunshine, found their own “beach” between the Refuge and the river to wash themselves and their clothes. Nick and I drove back to Pont d’Espagne and from there I called Catherine to confirm future events. We were behind schedule so we took the bubble car, and the chair lift, to save time. We arrived at Oulettes at 18.30, Nick starting to discover his Inner Bonnington. Excellent dinner, beer & wine.
Wednesday 7 September.
James, Bruce and Nick walked to Gavarnie & the Refuge les Granges de Holle. I returned alone back to the 4×4 at Pont d’Espagne using the chairlift down but not the bubble! Drove to Gavarnie, via a Carrefour for supplies, and confirmed the night’s Refuge booking. Strange couple here. I then drove down a rough track to the Barrage d’Ossoue, further on from the RV, and met the boys who had been joined by Nick Foot. Just as well as the proper RV was due to close at 14.00 and they arrived with 15 minutes to spare! Nick and I drove back to Gavarnie and the Refuge. We had a light lunch in a hotel and also made a doctor’s appt for James for 19.15 in Luz St Sauveur. He had very nasty cold sores on his lips. At 18.30, all four of us headed for the doc’s in Luz, meeting Nick Foot outside, plus his daughter, Fran, who’s studying in the town as part of her French degree course at Bristol University, plus her boyfriend. After James’s appt was over, we all dined at the Creperie Hotel les Templiers (Built 1779) in the shadow of an ancient church and fortification. We returned to Holle v. late, with me driving having abstained from boozing all evening. Poo!
Thursday 8 September.
James and the two Nicks walked to Heas and I took over from Nick Ward for the last hour at the dam at Lac des Gloriettes. Bruce & I had spent the day on back-up duties, but managed to squeeze in a lunch at a modest roadside restaurant in Gedre. We all stayed at the Auberge le Refuge at Heas. We discussed our fathers’ War histories over dinner. An incredible range of stories. I broke into my supply of Kazakhstan cognac (a present from Artist Richard Clements) with our great hosts’ reciprocating with Armagnac. This made for a fun evening and I know who got the better deal regarding the quality of the spirits!
Friday 9 September.
James and Bruce had a monster 12 hour walk to Parzan in Spain with Nick Ward and Nick Foot peeling off half way through the day. I was on back-up duties alone. Returned to Luz to buy supplies and took photos of the old church and the Creperie from Wednesday evening. An epic car journey followed on the D918 & the Col de Tourmalets, through Bareges, La Mongie, Arreau, Vielle-Aure & Aragnouet to the Ski Station de Piau-Engaly, to meet Nick Ward. Whilst I was ringing Di, the Freelander was adopted by mountain sheep! They wouldn’t budge so I had to kick them gently away before driving off. Nick arrived with tales of his Bonnington experiences – ridge walk and rock climbing and solo walk down. We both had delicious sugar & lemon crepes when back on the main road before driving to the 19.30 RV with James and Bruce at the Hospital de Parzan via the Tunnel Bielsa on the France / Spain border. Got to the RV at 19.20 having recce’d the Refuge in Parzan (Maria Ferrer), a nearby restaurant for our evening meal, and bought beers for James & Bruce. Drove part-way up the track from the RV. Bruce was delighted by this as he was on his chin straps but James, incredibly, trotted on, not wanting to miss any of the trail. At the Refuge, there was a huge kit sort-out as James would now have no vehicle and companion support for several days of extreme trekking. Clean sheets in the Refuge – what luxury, and only 16 Euros per person. Excellent meal and drinks at a rustic local restaurant, though it felt like we were being thrown out at the end!
Saturday & Sunday, 10 & 11th September.
Bruce, Nick and I parted company with James at 0620 on the main road. James decided to wait for first light and he was a forlorn figure as we drove away in the darkness. We dropped Nick off at Lourdes airport in good time for his 09.40 Ryanair flight home. At 09.30, Bruce and I met James’s pal, Charlie, who lives in the Pyrenees, just off the A64 south of Toulouse to hand over James’s bulky spare kit. Bruce and I then drove across France arriving at Caen at 19.00 having agreed to go for it in a single day. From the UK, Di had managed to change the ferry time to 23.00 Saturday from the original time of 12.15 Sunday. Carrefour for a huge food shop at 19.15 followed by a seafood dinner at Le Normandie, Oustreham. Checked in the car, and into our cabin, at 22.00 with the boat departing at 23.00. We reached Blighty at 06.30. Dropped Bruce off, Suzie making us delicious bacon sandwiches with home-made bread. Home and Di at 10.00 having done exactly 1860 miles. Very appropriate for an Artist given the Regiment celebrated 150 years last year!