Pyrenees Trip August 12th t 28th August 2017

[Chris]

Got Santander ferry booked for the 4th Aug today. It came up as free so I grabbed it. We only have about 2 weeks, but it's not our intention to explore every inch of the place. We'll trundle down a few bits of tarmac as necessary, try to hook up some of the best trails then back up through France to the tunnel. It's all we can fit in this year so rather than faff around, I just booked it. Given that we leave UK Friday and start pretty much straight into the hills on Sunday, I think we'll have long enough to have a fairly leisurely run. We can always cut and run to Toulouse if we have to and start the return early. It's supposed to be a holiday not a rally-raid after all.

 

[Bert]

We only have about 2 weeks, but it's not our intention to explore every inch of the place.

Hello Chris. We'll try to keep a close eye on your first part of the journey if you post it up in time. We'll be hitting the area sometime around the 15th - 16th I think. Have a great trip.

 

[garygiles1963]

HI

I'm planning on doing this trip, from mid June for 3/4 weeks. Foxwing arrives today and Drone tomorrow. So hope to get some nice shots of the trip.

I have a load of maps and Lonly planet book, if anyone like to borrow them when I return, let me know.

G.

 

[Bert]

HI

I'm planning on doing this trip, from mid June for 3/4 weeks. Foxwing arrives today and Drone tomorrow. So hope to get some nice shots of the trip.

I have a load of maps and Lonly planet book, if anyone like to borrow them when I return, let me know.

G.

Hi Gary, I'll certainly be watching your trip with interest, and if we haven't got out act together by August, I may hound you to borrow maps

 

[Chris]

Gary if you've any ref or ISBN numbers on the book and maps, I'd certainly like those. I'd buy them myself and add them to the collection. There is a host of stuff on You Tube and the tracks look fantastic but slow going. I just want to dip in and out along the way. If I want to go off road, I'll drive to my local quarry. It's scenery from a remote location that I'm after rather than day after day of pounding rocks. I can go to Morocco for that. Some nice tracks and trails with scenery and camping spots will do for us. Looks like the best stuff is really well into the Spanish side running quite some distance from the border.

 

[garygiles1963]

HI

Hope you dont mind

easier to take pictures.

 

[Chris]

That's handy. Ta.

 

[Bert]

Hello Folks.
We have decided to stay here as a base of operations and go out each day hunting about: http://www.camping-pyrenees-natura.com/fr/?lang=en

Towards the end, we'll up sticks and head either east or west to the coast and then make our way back up to Blighty. Has anyone experience of this particular campsite?

We have picked up the relevant Michelin maps, but if anybody has personnel experience around here for a little off-roading, please feel free to mention it.

Cheers, Simon, Bert and Rachel.

 

[AndyCook]

Not sure that there are many trails in that area, most seem to be in Spain
I haven't stayed at that campsite, but it's in a nice area , stayed a night at campsite near by last summer
Pau worth a day trip

 

[Bert]

Not sure that there are many trails in that area, most seem to be in Spain
I haven't stayed at that campsite, but it's in a nice area , stayed a night at campsite near by last summer
Pau worth a day trip

Hi Andy. Thanks for the reply. Can you offer any trails up nearby? Quite happy to travel across the border, we're in the area for seven nights. Cheers, Simon

 

[AndyCook]

Hi

Afraid I don't know the trials in that area, and unfortunately in that area it's about 2hrs drive on road to just get to Spain anyway via mountain roads

 

[AndyCook]

This map illustrates focus of trails

https://www.vibraction.org/road-books/espagne/

 

[Bert]

This map illustrates focus of trails

https://www.vibraction.org/road-books/espagne/

Hi Andy. Looks as though we're on the wrong side of the border.... a plan is required

 

[AndyCook]

Have a look on https://www.wikiloc.com/ too for trails
Set filter to 4x4 trails, picture of a 4x4 or off-roading I think to filter out walking, cycling etc

I used this site to plan a 2 week trip in Italian Alps,

 

[Scott]

I've used these guides books https://www.mdmot.de/en/pyrenees-offroad.html and have found them very good and excellent value. I bought them 7/8 years ago when only the German versions were available, so I had to do some translation work, but they have English versions now. The GPS disc was spot on.

 

[Bert]

I've used these guides books https://www.mdmot.de/en/pyrenees-offroad.html and have found them very good and excellent value. I bought them 7/8 years ago when only the German versions were available, so I had to do some translation work, but they have English versions now. The GPS disc was spot on.

Hello Scott.
Just been looking at this. Thanks for the heads up. We are going to have to travel a bit from where we are currently staying for sure. Regards, Simon

 

[Bert]

Well, it seems like a lifetime ago now, but I thought that some of you would like to see some of our photos from this most memorable trip. In the end, it was just my Good Woman, myself and Bert rolling about in the hills of northern Spain in glorious sunshine.
It was quite something to realise that one was totally reliant on the mechanics of a 20 year old truck when you're 2,000 + meters up the side of a mountain, with just one's toolkit to rely on.... but anyway, we experienced no problems at all, and hope to return one day to do coast to coast.....

Saw this old girl up on blocks in a small village in France....

Stopping off for a roadside brew....

Clearing the road block....

Arse end of nowhere

Posing for the camera...

Base camp on the French side......

Goodbye France.....

Getting directions from a very nice couple in Spain...

This is the map they provided for us, which proved to be rather accurate....

Had to wind the wing mirrors in for this street.....

How we wish that we were still there.....the heat was lovely. Got to love aircon.

+

One of many selfies.....

A time to relax back at base camp, Espot...

The trails go on.......

....and on.....

...and on....

...and up and on....

..break o'clock....nothing but horses and eagles around us...

...if anybody finds this cairn, it is ours, we built it...

..dusty truck...

another gem....

That's all for now folks....
I may load some more up later, but just looking back at these, I can feel that sunshine and smell the flowers.

 

[AndyCook]

Nice

Love the clearing roadblock pics
And you drove my favourite high Pyrenees trail - the one that hugs side of mountains at 2000m for miles and is infested by cows and horses

 

[garygiles1963]

Great pics. Its an amazing place. Definitely be back there again .

G.

 

[Bert]

Nice

Love the clearing roadblock pics
And you drove my favourite high Pyrenees trail - the one that hugs side of mountains at 2000m for miles and is infested by cows and horses

Hi Andy. I can see why you like it. We were just fortunate to find this spot, but it is amazing. I never expected to encounter an road crew working up there, getting past them was a little concerning, especially when my rear wheel slipped out a bit going past them!
We'd love to go back again, hopefully to do the entire trail, coast to coast, before someone decides to restrict access.

Regards,
Simon