The bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
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- 25 may 2011 -
Vanishing trails

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Summary: part of a 7-days trip to the Pyrénées Orientales with Jan-Willem. Mainly reconnaissances of routes. Supreme highlight: sailing to bm602 on day 1.

Day 5: two trips. Trip 1: from Col d'Ares to Col de Malrems. Trip 2: short reconnaissance near Vilaroja.

Weather: splendid, a bit cooler then yesterday, a nice breeze on the hills
 esfr-trip-track-20110525-trip1.kml
(click to open this trip in Google Earth or copy link to Google Maps; click right on this link to download gpx-version)

Trip 1: a reconnaissance of a trail from Col d’Arens (bm519) to Col de Malrems (bm221).


For explanation of the gps-coordinates and other cartographic backgrounds:
see my cartography page

En route: 11-13, break, 13.45-16.15 (4 ½ hours walking)

According to the gp-tripteller:
Distance: 13,8km
Time en route: 5.25h
Total ascent: 1582m
Maximum height: 1605m

According to visugpx
- distance : 13.05 km
- cum. elevation gain : 612 m
- cum. elevation loss : 606 m
- total elevation: 1218

- altitude maxi : 1605 m
- altitude mini : 1129 m
- altitude average : 1388 m
We drive from St-Laurent-de-Cerdans to Col d'Ares.

First thing: making pictures of bm519

 







Bm519
Bm519


Bm519 from some distance
Once again we see several monuments remembering the exodus of Spanish refugees in 1939.
Then we take the dirtroad SE (not the private road, leading to a house) and pass through this open gate


and passing later on a small electricity-building or likewise
and arriving at the border-ridge with its two parallel fences.

In between these fences descending on a distinct trail. This picture: looking ahead to the east.



The trail has various waymarkings.
The red-blue waymarking however will bring us past bm520 and finally as far as bm521.
The yellow ones bend away from the ridge before we arrive at bm520.

This picture: bm520 already visible.
Bm520
Bm520

Bm520
Bm520
 The red-blue waymarks are accompagnied by orange ones.
This picture: at the forest ridge at the far end, the trail bends to the right.
The red-blue waymarks are accompagnied by the orange ones until a point where the orange trail branches off at right angles and descends steeply and zigzag in the direction of Col del Malrems.

This picture: looking down at Col del Malrems, taken a bit further.

The red-blue trail continues SW and passes Roc del Tabal and then bends to the east to descend to the Col.
I'm close to the col and looking back. The red dots indicate the red/blue trail.
Close to the col, this monument for one Bernard Douarche, an "indefatigable walker and faithful friend".
Jan-Willems takes a break in the shade of a tree while I - this picture - make my pictures of bm521.

(photo by Jan-Willem)
Bm521
Bm521
Bm521
We take the same route when returning to Col d’Arens. 

Back at the point where the orange trail leaves the red/blue trail and descends in the forest.

I try the orange trail for allmost the half of its descent to Col de Malrems.

I find the red-blue trail more attractive and probably not much longer then the zigzagging orange one.

Meanwhile, we have lost each other because of a misunderstanding, giving concerns on both sides. But further on, we meet again.



On the way back - close to Col d'Ares - I try the trail over the hilltop of Mt. Falgas, following the borderline.
But that is a tiring detour, not worth the effort.

This is the geodetic marker on top of it.



When back at Col d’Ares, I walk back & forth to bm518 on a shortcut I’ve seen at Google Earth. The shortcut is south of the borderridge.

It's the red/blue trail again.

Bm528

Bm528



Bm528

Back to Col d'Ares. The restaurant is closed for the time being.
esfr-trip-track-20110525-trip2.kml
(click to open this trip in Google Earth or copy link to Google Maps; click right on this link to download gpx-version)

Trip 2: short reconnaissance near Vilaroje for a GRPdesBF-shortcut from ± bm524 to Hostal de la Muga.
For explanation of the gps-coordinates and other cartographic backgrounds:
see my cartography page

En route: ± 17.30-18.45

According to the gp-tripteller:
Distance: 4km
Time en route: 1.15
Total ascent:  234m
Maximum height: 
According to visugpx
- distance : 3.36 km
- cum. elevation gain : 118 m
- cum. elevation loss : 115 m
- total elevation: 233

- altitude maxi : 880 m
- altitude mini : 778 m
- altitude average : 826 m

First along the dirtroad to Hostal de la Muga. This picture: the beginning of that dirtroad with this sign (private road, dead end). I walk until a house halfway.

At that point, no trace of a trail that enters the forest uphill. Back to the parking-lot where JW is waiting.

Second trial: a bit along the edge of the forest along the lawn. Besides the private entrance to a house somewhere in the forest, I find back the path on which we once left the forest.

I enter the forest on that path but that trail will later on disappear in the bush. It seems that such trails are vanishing rapidly.

This picture: a worn out sign somewere  in the forst.

We decide to stay two days longer in this area.
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