The bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
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- friday 15 april 2022 -
With Carlos & Conchita bm212, 215 & 217-219, solo redoing bm191-195

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Summary: part of a series of 10 daytrips in april 2022 in the Basque country, mainly redoing bm085 to 197. This is day 7.

Today: again two trips. First with Carlos and Conchita doing bm212, 215 & 217-219. Then solo redoing bm191-195.

Weather: splendid.

Basecamp: camping Irouleguy in Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry.

The part with Carlos & Conchita also to be seen on their website.



Trip 1 (with 2 sub-trips) - with Carlos & Conchita




track-20220415-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). The gps-track has not been manually  corrected which explains the inaccuracy and misalignment at some points. For cartographic backgrounds: see the cartography-page

Gps-waypoints of all bordermarkers (most recent version):
kml:  esfr-bordermarkers-all-waypoints.kml
gpx:  esfr-bordermarkers-all-waypoints.gpx (with elevation added by gpsvisualizer.com)


Sub-trip 1: bm217-219
Start 10:06  Finish 13:20
Total time: 3:14
The main objective is to do bm219 which requires a steep ascent.


A long drive from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to this parking.


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Conchita admires the landscape, the spot of bm219 is already visible.


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This is a better overview and


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Carlos' picture shows the route we will take.
Descending into the valley


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and arriving at a shepherd's cabin.

Behind it, there is bm218. We will do that one first.


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A view to the grotte d'Arpea which we will visit later.


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Arriving at bm218.


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Bm218


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Bm218


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Bm218


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Bm218


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Bm218


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Bm218


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Then a visit to the grotte d'Arpea, a popular daytrip-destination.


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And now the real thing: climbing to bm219.

From the cabin, we go along the stream and then follow the blue route.


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Carlos and Conchita tackle the stream


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and follow me uphill.


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Having arrived at the ridge.


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You have to be careful but in general this route is will manageable.

Access is also possible from the other side of bm219 but that route is more dangerous, I think.


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Higher on, the terrain and the slope is easier and


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there we are.


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Bm219


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Bm219


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Bm219


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Bm219


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I climb via a little detour to the top


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with this panorama.


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Bm219


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Bm219


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Bm219, the last one.


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Returning


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and again crossing the stream.


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Back to the parking and then continuing to bm217.


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Bm217


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Bm217


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Bm217


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Bm217


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Bm217


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Bm217


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From bm217 a view to bm219


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and the GRPdesBF-variant via bm219 towards bm220.


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Sub-trip 2: bm215

The next target is bm215 which Carlos & Conchita missed at their previous trips.

It takes some effort to climb directly to bm215.
Bm215


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Bm215


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Bm215


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Bm215


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Bm215


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Bm215


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Returning to the car at the other side of the streambed, that is an easier approach.


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Then we finish with a lunch near bm212.


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Bm212


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Bm212


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Two young men enjoying their well deserverd sandwhiches,


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prepared by Conchita of course.

We drive back to Saint-Jean-Pied-de Port and I drive for the third time into the hills for a solo-trip in the afternoon.


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Trip 2 - bm191-195 (solo)



This is the last solo-trip to do the range bm174-195, now only remaining bm191-195.

track-20220415-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). The gps-track has not been manually  corrected which explains the inaccuracy and misalignment at some points. For cartographic backgrounds: see the cartography-page

Gps-waypoints of all bordermarkers (most recent version):
kml:  esfr-bordermarkers-all-waypoints.kml
gpx:  esfr-bordermarkers-all-waypoints.gpx (with elevation added by gpsvisualizer.com)
According to Garmin Basecamp (uncorrected track with elevation added by Gpsvisualizer.com):

Distance: 3,7km
Max-height: 607m
Min-height: 352m
Elevation: +334m -334m
Total elevation: 668m

Start 14:57  Finish 16:48
Total time: 1:51
I park my car along the road and descend through the meadows


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to bm190 where I finished yesterday.


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There is a faint trail above bm190 and I follow it for a while back in the direction of bm189 but it gets too overgrown.

The best way to get from bm189 to bm190 is via the meadow to the left.


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Back to bm190 and following the trail


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until this dirtroad.


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On 27-5-2009 I had my bivouac here.
Through the forest I descend to a dirtroad with bm191 quite hidden.


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Into Spain, this peculiar crossing, seen already at bm174.


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Bm191


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Bm191


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Bm191


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I continue on the dirtroad


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which ends at a meadow. Just before it, I cross the fence


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using a little help meant for it


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and descend in the meadow to a barn.


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From the barn, I pick another dirtroad


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which brings me to bm192.


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Bm192


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Bm192


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Bm192


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Bm192


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A bit before bm192, I enter the meadow


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to descend


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and take - after climbing the fence - another dirtroad.


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That brings me to bm193.


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Bm193


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Bm193


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Bm193


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Bm193

Then continuing on the dirtroad


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and crossing this larger dirtroad


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which brings me to bm194


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Bm194


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Bm194


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Bm194


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Then descending to the white house


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and arriving at the back of the house.


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Bm195 is nearby


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Bm195


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Bm195


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Bm195


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Bm195

Then I return to


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my car using almost the same route.


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In the evening, invited by Carlos and Conchita for a delicious dinner in a restaurant.


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