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Peaks and Ridges of the Eastern PyreneesDiscover the peaks and wilderness of the Pyrenees while staying in comfortable mountain refuges |
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A mountain connoisseurs expedition. |
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OVERVIEWThe Eastern Pyrenees near Andorra is one of Frances the best kept secrets. It is the widest part of the mountain range and has been described as one of Europe's true wildernesses. The mountains are rugged, the lakes crystal clear and the wildlife relatively abundant.This unique trekking holiday combines traditional backpacking (carrying your gear) with 'peak bagging' (taking in summits with small day sack) - This holiday itinerary gives us the best of both worlds. The backpacking takes us into the heart of the wild mountains, where we stay in comfortable mountain refuges in stunning locations. Once installed, we explore the peaks and ridges around the Refuge without the burden of our overnight kit. Staying high in the refuges at 2100m gives us the added advantage that the 2900m peaks are within easy reach, leading to more time on ridges, or even several peaks during the day. This walking holiday has to be the perfect way to explore the 'real' Pyrenees! The week is lead by James Thompson a qualified International Mountain Leader (IML) who has made his home in the Pyrenees. He and is passionate about the region, its wildlife, forests and peaks. IS THIS TRIP FOR ME?This is a moderately strenuous walking holiday aimed at people who enjoy staying in Mountain Refuges. There are 3.5 days of light backing when you will need to carry all your own gear with you. On these days the distances are fairly short and we tend to stick to marked paths. On the other 2.5 days we will carry light bags enabling us to travel faster and further. On these days we will be walking on extended sections without paths and will be crossing boulder fields, scree slopes, snow patches and some places where easy hands on scrambling is required. Naturally tips on how best to cross this difficult ground will be given. If you have not stayed in Mountain Refuges before, this trip is a fairly good introduction, as they are both comfortable and modern. Every day there will be between 800 and 1450m of ascent. If the idea of staying in a dormitory with other people does not appeal to you then please do not book this holiday! It is important to us that people book the correct trip. This trip is considered less strenuous than the Center based peak bagging holiday. The distances are shorter and the average ascent per day is less. Both holidays have sections f easy scrambling. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have have any doubts.DATESSun 4 July - Sun 11
July 2010 (Trip code TFR J28) HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?The walking holiday costs £620, starting at Carcassonne Airport. (note that 2010 price has not yet been confirmed. Flights are not included but can be picked up very cheaply if booked in advance. Allow about £50 for drinks and the meals not included (outlined below). There are no other local payments or hidden costs. Please note that we offer a 5% discount if you book more than 3 months before the departure date. We also offer group and loyalty discounts.WHAT DOES THE HOLIDAY PRICE INCLUDE?6 days guided walks with a Qualified International Mountain Leader. Airport Transfers (specified times only). 2 nights in a 2* hotel, 1 night in Gite D'Etapes and 4 nights in Mountain Refuges. 6 evening meals, 7 breakfasts, 6 picnic lunches.
WHERE DO WE STAY DURING THE HOLIDAY?Ax-Les-Thermes: We stay in the family run 2 star Hotel Terminus, which provides us with a comfortable start and end to our holiday. Alain and Elizabeth offer a warm welcome in their lovely hotel. They are proud to serve up delicious evening meals using meat and vegetables from local producers. The rooms are large and all have a window overlooking the river Ariège. The hotel is a 5 minute walk from the centre of Ax les Thermes, opposite the railway station. Each room has an en-suite bathroom, as well as a telephone and television. The kitchen produces excellent authentic Pyrenean dishes. Accommodation is normally allocated on a twin share basis.Refuge des Besines: This is a comfortable modern refuge at 2104m built at the edge of the tree line overlooking the imposing Puig Pedros. There is a lake below the refuge and is the perfect place to relax. It holds 55 people in dormitories of varying sizes. It has hot showers and inside toilets. More info >>> (external website). L'Hospitalet-pres-l'Andorre: The gite d'etape is located in the center of the village close to the shops and bars. It is a friendly family run place with a spacious lounge / dinner and comfortable rooms with beds (2 bunks). There is unlimited hot water. Refuge du Ruhle: This new refuge is perched on a south facing hillside at 2185m. It commands a stunning view of the Andorran border and is a great place to sit and admire the sunset. It holds 50 people in 8 person dormitories and has hot showers and inside toilets. More info >>> (external website). FOODThe evening meal will be provided by the Hotel, Refuges or Gite d'Etape. These meals are designed around the walkers appetite - so you can expect be fed good food in vast quantities. Most dishes served are traditional to the region which has a large Catalan influence. Refuge breakfasts are well know for being unsubstantial, so you will be asked to carry extra rations to supplement the diet. Refuge lunches suffer from being indigestible, so you will be supplied with a substantial goody bag at the start which will be restocked in L'Hospitalet. Dinner on the first day is not included due to the differing arrival times of the group members. Vegetarians an are welcome but can expect a fairly bland diet.GUIDING AND INSTRUCTION During the holiday you be accompanied by James Thompson, a qualified International Mountain Leader and member of BAIML (British Association of International Mountain Leaders). James has 10 years of experience in leading safe and enjoyable trips around the world. He is passionate about the area and throughout the week will offer informal lectures about the mountains, nature and local history. James will carry all the equipment necessary to safeguard the group during the holiday. GROUPThere is a maximum of 12 people (minimum 4) plus James on this walking holiday. Bookings from single people are welcome as activity holidays are a great way to make new friends.CLIMATEThe proximity of the region to the Mediterranean gives us a warm stable climate. Perfect walking weather! Rain can not be ruled out, but is normally short lived. The main threat to us if the possibility of afternoon thunder storms. These can develop fairly quickly could affect our chances of getting to a peak.WHAT TO BRINGThere is no need to have a heavy bag on this expedition. A well packed 40L backpack should be sufficient. A full kit list will be sent on booking.HOW DO I GET THERE?Carcassonne Airport is only 2hrs from Ax by road and is well served
by Ryan Air flights from various UK destinations. Minibus transfers
at specified times are included in the cost of the holiday. Please see the
Transport section for all travel options (air, road, and rail), plus
getting to the start point independently of the group transfer. For this trip we are offering transfers for the following Ryan Air flights into Carcassonne from either Stansted or East Midlands Airports. OUT: Flight FR72 dpt Stansted at 0950, arrive in Carc. at 1245 OUT: Depart East Midlands Airport at 0725, arrive Carcassonne
1025 On the OUTWARD transfer, we will meet the East Midland flight at 1245 and look after your bags, dropping you in Carcassonne to look around and grab some lunch before picking you up after the Stansted flight has arrived at 1405 in order to transfer to Ax. On the RETURN transfer we will drop off for the East Midlands flight for 1050 and for those on the Stansted flight, we will look after your bags and drop you in Carcassonne, picking you up again to take you to the airport in time for your 1310 departure. |
| HOLIDAY ITINERARY | |
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NOTES |
The holiday itinerary remains flexible to accommodate for the weather conditions and the desires of the group. The days described below are to give you an idea of what we could encounter during the week. There are many options for the day walks and even the routes between the refuges. The Photo album for this holiday is arranged in the correct order. |
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DAY 1 |
Transfer 2hrs from Carcassonne airport to the Hotel Terminus in Ax-les-Thermes. We will enjoy a relaxed meal in the excellent hotel restaurant. |
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DAY 2 |
In the morning we will have a briefing and plenty of time to pack our bags. We will then transfer to Merens either by train or bus (20 mins). From Merens (1100m) we follow the GR10 up the Rau de Nabre towards the Porteille des Besines (2333m) before dropping down to the Refuge des Besines at 2104m. (Basic route 9km, 1250m ascent) |
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DAY 3 |
Without the burden of our heavy backpacks, the peaks and ridges are within easy reach. It is our intention to summits of Comme D'Or (2868m) Puig Pedros (2842m), however several other peaks can be taken in en-route. The mountains here are very wild, so issards, mufflon and marmots are fairly common sightings. |
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DAY 4 |
In the morning there is the option of taking it easy, or scrambling up to the summit of the Pic D'Auriol (2695m) without the backpacks. In the afternoon we head down the valley des Besines to L'Hospitalet (1430m). L'Hospitalet is a small village with shops, bars and cafes. (Basic route 7km, plus 6km with 735m ascent for Auriol) You will have the opportunity to get access to your bags in L'Hospitalet, so you can get a complete change of clothing or reassess what you are carrying with you. |
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DAY 5 |
Restocked we embark on the hardest day of our trek towards the Refuge de Rhule (2180m). Our route joins up 9 lakes and takes us into Andorra over the Col d'Albe (2538m) and back into France over the Col de Juclar (2490). This is an unrivaled route into these rugged mountains. (Basic route 13km, 1435m of Ascent) |
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DAY 6 |
The Rugged Pic de Rhule (2783m) towers above the refuge and appears to be impossible to summit. However from our vantage point the peak is within easy reach and with some basic scrambling and a head for heights. (Basic route 7km, 800m of Ascent) |
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DAY 7 |
Back on the GR10 we make our way back over a sea of boulders to Merens, taking in the Pyramide de Lherbes (2439m) and the refreshing Etang du Cont en-route. (Basic route 11km, 440m of Ascent) |
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DAY 8 |
Time to leave. After breakfast we transfer to Carcassonne airport full of the memories of a fantastic walking holiday in the Pyrenees. |
