Friday 30th June: Weather 8°C to 2°C on the Col then up to 10°C in Cauterets: Cold and wet most of the day
Lac d’Estaing to Cauterets: 22.2k walk: 8hrs from 8am to 4pm
Altitude Gain and Loss: Total Ascent 1340m: Total Descent 1472m
Accommodation: Hotel du Lion d’Or
Hotel du Lac d’Estaing is closed
Highlight ascending more than 1000 metres to the top of the Col d’Ilheou at 2,242 metres where it was snowing - and freezing cold. Another very long 2800 metre day with 1340 total ascent and 1472 total descent.
Our morning starts at 6am and we have a weak phone signal home for a few minutes. We need to get going early so it’s down to breakfast which has been left out for us as Melinda, our host, has farming priorities. It’s freezing cold, about 6°C. My thermometer has been sitting in a 15°C room and hasn’t registered the cold yet but by the time we’ve packed up an leave at 8am, it’s showing a warmer 8°C. The sun hasn’t risen over the mountains yet so it’s a cold but very pretty 3k walk up the valley to Lac d’Estaing. I briefly visit the Hotel du Lac d’Estaing, a place that had rave reviews on Trip Advisor, but we were unable to make a booking. Now we’ve confirmed why. It’s closed and looks like it has been closed for a year.
Lac d'Estaing
Out of the forest into the meadows
Col d’Ilheou up there is 4hrs away
Flat rock cafe
Up into the mist
Snow at top of Col d’Ilheou 2,242m
Hikers bailed up by sheep dogs
Lake d’Ilheou in the snowy mist
Lunch inside Refuge D'Ilheou
Down the shaley track to Cauterets
Sheep herded down the track
Dinner at the Hotel du Lion d'Or
The lake is beautiful, with many camper vans and fishermen scattered around it’s edges. The GR10 takes a turn up through the forest and for an hour it’s a steep climb until we emerge onto green meadows dotted with sheep. More climbing along rocky tracks through the green meadows - tracks obviously used by sheep with all the small black pellets sprinkled in the mud. At about 10.30am after 2hrs 30mins of climbing, we spy a large flat rock - good spot for coffee. In the valley below we see 7 other walkers heading up our way - more than we’ve seen for a week. Up and on and it’s now misty rain - time to put on rain gear and ponchos.
The climb to a broad Col d’Ilheou at 2,242 metres is steep but grassy. It’s freezing and it’s snowing. It’s an hours walk down to the Refuge d’Ilheou on the other side but we’re not staying there. Looking across to the path we’ll be taking, we see a group of hikers already lower down battling a sheep dog protecting his flock - some hikers choose the steep stony track to the right, others the wet muddy track to the left - and all the while the dog makes it known they need to POQ. We’ll decide our options when we get there.
At 1pm we’re at the Refuge d’Ilheou and there’s already a few hikers inside having lunch. We decide to be courteous and sit on the deck outside as we are not booked into this refuge, but when it starts snowing again, we quickly move inside and find that others who were not staying had done the same thing. It’s 10°C warmer inside and after lunch of fresh baguette, ham, cheese and tomato, we’re off again, rugged up in just about everything from our back packs. I’m wearing a cap, beanie and scarf and 5 layers - poncho, rain jacket, wind jacket, long sleeve shirt and ice breaker t shirt with wet gloves and wet shoes.
The first part of the track is steep slippery and very muddy, so we decide like other walkers to follow the shaley road - it’s still very steep but not as slippery. The sheep have moved off the track and later when we turn around, we see them like maggots walking down the track behind us. Pity the other hikers coming down if the sheep dog is still there.
It’s a long 3hrs, 1200 metres wet cold descent down to Cauterets. When we arrive, Ian googles the location of the Hotel du Lion d’Or and we find we’re only 300 metres from it. TG. We’re given a warm Pyrenean welcome and shown to our warm cosy room. Then it’s off to the local Carrefoures to buy a picnic dinner and lunch for the next few days.
After a hot shower, a salad dinner and a cheap red wine, we’re googling and blogging and checking the weather for tomorrow - it’s not looking sgood!