The Bear Facts II

Originally published in The Connexion newspaper July 2013

Freedom Trail In The Press

Freedom Trail Feedback

It's great when people who have experienced the Pyrenees with Pyrenees Mountain Adventure leave some kind words as a thank you. Much appreciated!

20 Years At Rowlyn

As well as leading successful Freedom Trail treks across the border in the Pyrenees, I started my 20th year of trips to Rowlyn in North Wales. Rowlyn Isa is a cottage on a working hill farm just inside the Snowdonia National Park. It is the base for a week long activities based 'adventure week' offered to all the 13 and 14 year olds from Simon Langton school in Canterbury. There is no running water at the cottage and no electricity!

The cottage gets its name, which means lower whirlpool, from the splashpool situated about 1km away.(see top left photo)

Thanks to all the members of staff and students that have done the trip with me over the years and given me such great memories and taught me so much. I love the week and think it is one of the best things the school offers. It really does help nurture the 'leaders of tomorrow'.

My favourite part of the week? There are so many, but hearing the skylarks in full song in the Eigiau Valley is something I have never tired of.

The top right photo was taken on my very first Rowlyn back in 1993. Some of the people in the photo are still teaching at Simon Langton.

Escape Season 2013

The 2013 Escape Season with Pyrenees Mountain Adventure is well under way  in the Pyrenees with 2 successful crossings already completed along the Freedom Trail. These were rerouted crossings because of the large amount of snow that made the classic route unsafe. Day's 3 and 4 took the trek across the border into Spain via a lower col where there was less snow and gentler terrain than on the classic route.

Well done to the Harwich Hardcore Hikers (23 - 27 June) some of whom had never even camped on a campsite and yet wild camped on the trek. Also well done the Dutch 'DOS' Group (16 - 20 July) who completed the trek in their 60's. 

It is interesting to notice the difference in the amount of snow in the largest photo in each group which was taken on the border.

Ax les Thermes Mountain Film Festival

The 6th Explos Mountain and Adventure film festival is being held in Ax les Thermes 6th - 12th May at the Casino d'Ax.

The best day looks like Thursday 9th May when the films are all about the Pyrenees. I am looking forward to Traversée des Pyrenees about crossing the chain from sea to ocean........on skis! The film about the Dodtour crossing the Pyrenees also looks great.

The Dodtour was completed by Lionel Daudet and involved him walking, paragliding and canoeing around the extremities of France - along the borders with other countries and the coastline.1 year, 5000km and 1000 summits!!

Here are Daudets photos of his journey along the Pyrenees and the French/Spanish border. 

Ibex (Re)Introduction

The Ibex is a large, stocky member of the goat family. The males are bigger than the females (weighing up to 90 kilos) and are recognisable by their impressive curved horns. 

Ibex

The Ibex is represented in ancient Pyrenean cave art.

Ibex cave painting Niaux Cave, Ariege, Eastern Pyrenees

Images of the Ibex can also be found  in the 14th century Book of the Hunt by Gaston Fébus.

Ibex hunt from the Book of the Hunt - Gaston Fébus (15th Century)

To see the animal for real in the Pyrenees in 2013 is impossible. The animal disappeared from the French side of the chain in 1910 and the Spanish side in 2000. This was in large part due to overhunting althought the final animal in the Spanish Ordesa National Park was killed by a falling tree.

A project does exist to reintroduce this magnificent animal. The French want to start with introducing 20 male and female Ibex in the Haute Pyrenees and as many in the Ariege region with a long term aim of 160 releases along the entire chain over the coming years. The French will buy the animals from Spain where breeding populations exist away from the Pyrenees.

The first phase of the reintroduction programme was meant to take place in the spring of 2013 but unfortunately it is taking longer than planned. Things are being held up by the Spanish Agricultural Minister who has failed to sign the agreement and give the official go ahead. The timing of the first releases have been put back to the autumn.

Whereas the reintroduction of the brown bear has divided the population in the Pyrenees, the return of the Ibex is generally well supported. There have been several successful reintroduction in the Pyrenees in the past including the marmot and mouflon.