Freedom Trail Success

The idea originally came from a student at a school in Canterbury in Kent. From relatives who lived in the Pyrenees he discovered that an old WWII escape route from France to Spain had been turned into The Freedom Trail. Was it possible to walk this for his Duke of Edinburgh Gold Expedition over 4 days and 3 nights?

A year ago, after being asked the question, the Duke of Edinburgh coordinator at the school contacted me and the trip began to take shape. During the following year the group had many meetings and spent many hours studying their maps - finalising their route  and their route cards. In September 2011 they spent a week in Snowdonia  to complete their training expedition. Read the blog entry here: Wet and Windy Wales


July 2011, the group arrives at Toulouse Airport and the Qualifying Expedition is about to start.

Bethmale Lake

There is a orientation morning around the Col de la Clore and the Lac de Bethmale. Getting used to packing the ruc sack and carrying it again and a chance to discover what has been left back in England. For one group member it is his waterproofs! The afternoon is spent in the Freedom Trail Museum in St Girons. We have been using a guide book to the Freedom Trail by Scott Goodall and although we miss the author who has just left as we arrive, we are lucky enough to meet one of the real life escapees from the book. Paul Broué escaped into Spain in 1943 along the Freedom Trail when he was 19 to avoid being sent to Nazi Germany as forced labour.

Day 1 starts in St Girons with the camp site at Aunac.

Team Jumpy at the Start Point in St Girons

Day 2 is from Aunac via the Col de la Clore to the Cabane de Subera (a shepherds hut). Both groups set up their tents just before the rain storm arrives.

Blue Team at the Col de la Clore.

Day 3 is from the Cabane de Subera  to the Refuge Estagnous. Poor visibility and light rain for most of today. The Blue Team decide to make up an alternative route from Cabane des Espugues and get themselves into trouble. Remembering their training they walk a compass bearing to the col where I am waiting,  even 'aiming off' to be sure to not miss the col. Textbook stuff! As usual they arrive together showing good team spirit.

Staff Team at Refuge d'Estagnous

Day 4 is from Refuge d'Estagnous to Isil - the day when the frontier between France and Spain is finally crossed.

The Blue Team at the Border with View Back into France

Heading Into Spain and 'Freedom'

Well done to both teams for completing the Freedom Trail and a big thank you to all the staff that helped.

  

Just wanted to say a huge thanks for all of your hard work, the trip really would not have happened without you! It was an amazing expedition and I hope at some point I can come back to the Pyrenees, whether its with a group or on my own. Again,  thank you. 

Lucy, Duke of Edinburgh Coordinator.

These Boots Were Made For Walking

At the beginning of July I helped a group of students from a school in Canterbury, Kent to complete their Gold Duke of Edinbourgh Expedition in the French Pyrenees. They completed the Freedom Trail from Saint Girons in France to Isil in Spain. This follows the route of a Second World War escape line. 

The 4 day, 3 night expedition was hard both on the students and their equipment.

Repaired Boot

One student had to repair his boot with materials to hand from a first aid kit after the sole detached itself completely from the upper.

For more about the expedition read Freedom Trail Success.

Frozen Bear To Be Defrosted

The Lifeless body of Canelle isTransported Away by Helicopter.

In November 2004 in the Aspe Valley, the last female brown bear in the Pyrenees of Pyrenean stock (as apposed to the female brown bears introduced from Slovenia), was shot and killed by a hunter while he was out hunting wild pigs.  René Marquèze said he acted in self defence. He later faced trial and had to pay 10 000 Euros in damages to several environmental organistions.

Cannelle (Cinnamon in English) was with her cub which was not physically hurt and escaped. The mothers body was frozen and stored at the National Veterinary School in Toulouse while the judicial enquiry into the cause of her death took place. This did not finish until 2009. Now, the director of the Natural History Museum, also in Toulouse, Francis Duranthon,  wants to defrost the body so that it can be mounted by a taxidermist and displayed to the public.

Make Love, Not Children

There is a new way to save the planet that is creating a bit of a buzz : just say no to kids ! They call themselves GINKs . Green Inclination No Kids. Women who have decided, despite social pressure from friends and relatives, to not have children. Their manifesto is that by not having children they are helping to save the planet by reducing population growth, waste production, resource consumption and CO2 emmissions. Their slogan is 'Say it loud : I am child free and I'm proud.'

As well as helping to save the planet, GINKs rather than being less happy without children may be happier. This 'green lifestyle choice' unlike many, may not involve as much of a sacrifice. This is for a number of reasons.

Although children are a source of happiness, other sources of happiness tend to get crowded out.  Couples who have children discover that bringing them up properly is very hard work and takes up a lot of time and anergy. Time and energy that used to be invested in the couple. New parents find for the first 2 or 3 (18?) years, there is less time and energy for themselves to do other things that used to make them happy.  Less eating out, less cinema visits, less meeting up with friends, less making love.

Not having children also frees up income the couple can spend on themselves. Children are expensive in finacial terms as well as the time and energy that needs to be invested.

Want to read more? Go Green Between the Sheets and Make Your Love Life Sustainable by Stefanie Iris Weiss.

Book Release

A book of my photos, taken while walking and snowshoeing in the Eastern Pyrenees, is now available to buy. The book is called Summer and Winter in the Eastern Pyrenees.

4 Days Walking With Steve

The end of May saw me put together a 4 day walking trip for Steve from Stoke who flew into Carcassonne from Liverpool . The Orri de Planes which I normally use was not open yet and neither was the Refuge des Camporells so I had to find 2 chambres d'hotes. They were both friendly and looked after us well. I chose walks to suit Steve's fitness level with enough built in flexibility to allow them to be shortened or lengthened depending on how Steve felt on the day.

Day 1 was an excellent example of this. We walked up the Balmeta Valley passing the Balmeta lake and then on through the Llosa Valley and its frozen lakes and snow patches - it being still early in the season. With Steve feeling good  we took the summit option, topping out on the Puig de la Portella Gran. Close to the summit we found Purple Saxifrage (see Record Breaking High Altitude Plants blog entry.) On the descent I saw a Ptarmigan.

Puig de la Portella Gran

Day 2 was a recovery day and I chose to take Steve up to the border with Spain above Osseja. This can be done by car on a forestry track. There was a short walk along the border with plenty of time to relax and cloud watch.

Cloud Watching

Day 3 was spent exploring the Eyne Valley which is world famous for its flowers. Too early in the season to be at its best, there was a fine display of Narcissus and we saw 3 types of Gentianes (Trumpet, Spring and Pyrenean.) As well as a fine display of spring flowers, we saw isard and mouflon. We turned back before the col.

Narcissus

Day 4 was the ascent of Roc Blanc. This was Steve's favourite day. Great alpine scenery - pine forest and lake and 360° views from the summit. 

Looking Toward the Final Col Before the Summit of Roc Blanc

Steve on the Summit of Roc Blanc

The Descent to Lake Laurenti

We stayed at Cal Pai in Eyne and the Gite le Moulin in Rieutort

Had a great few days again with Paul. He produced and adapted an itinerary to suit my needs and abilities to a tee.  The places we stayed were full of character and charm with a really warm welcome. The days suitably challenging but not too much.  Great time - highly recommended - will definitely come again.  Thanks Paul.
Steve  28th May 2011

Bear End?

After 15 years of positively encouraging the survival of the brown bear in the Pyrenees, the French government appears to have taken a step backwards. In early June it announced that there would not be a new release in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques as planned. Pro bear campaigners felt that it was imperative that a female bear was reintroduced in Bearn in the Aspe or OssauIt valleys to replace Franska (herself a reintroduction from Slovenia) killed when she was hit by a car on a busy road in August 2007. Two male bears survive in the area but cannot breed. There are only about 20 brown bears left in the Pyrenees. They do not exist anywhere else in France. Franska introduced to the Pyrenees from Slovenia (April 2006), killed in a road accident (Aug. 2007.) Picture from http://www.buvettedesalpages.be/ In the past, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, the state secretary for ecology in the Sarkozy government, has made clear her determination 'to restore the population of bears in the Pyrenees in accordance with France's international obligations for biodiversity.' However, earlier this month, she refused to authorise the release of new bear from Slovenia, citing the problems that mountain farmers were facing due to persistant dry weather. Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet's  decision goes against that made by her predecessor in July 2010 and appears to be at odds with the Governmen'ts National Strategy For Biodiversity that she herself introduced in May 2011. The French National Strategy for Biodiversity Logo (May 2011) includes Bear Prints   WWF France announced that the Governments decision was 'disgusting and would have huge consequences for biodiversity.' It added that perhaps with a strong hunting and farming lobby in France, President Sarkozy has one eye on the 2012 Presidential Election. Mountain farmers were pleased with the decision. They argue that the reintroduction of Slovenian brown bears to boost the population in the Pyrenees and increase the long term viability of the animal, would add to the already considerable difficulties they face. Bears attack and kill their animals. Cartoon from http://www.buvettedesalpages.be/