The bordermarkers of the Pyrenees : all my trips
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- saturday 16 april 2022 -
Redoing bm196 and bm145-155

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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 8.

Today: after a short visit to bm196, a long trip to redo bm145-155.

Weather: foggy in the morning, full sunshine later.

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


Trip 1 - bm196



On my way to Col de Lindus, I visit once again bm196.

On 31-5-2013 bm196 was found back underground by Jan-Willem and me.

It was later dug out and lifted above the ground. See this page for the full history.
The large venta-complex


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where bm196 can be found at the NE-corner


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Bm196


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Bm196


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Bm196


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Bm196


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Then driving on to Col de Lindus.

A camino-walker is hitch-hiking and I bring her to Col d'Ibaneto. Hitch-hiking along the camino is not a sin, she tells me.


Trip 2 - bm145-155


From Col de Lindus (bm155) I first walk to the farthest bordermarker (bm145) and then work my way back to Col de Lindus along all bordermarkers.

track-20220416-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: 21,0km
Max-height: 1219m
Min-height: 553m
Elevation: +1583m -1584m
Total elevation: 3167m

Start 9:18  Finish 18:26
Total time: 9:08
A foggy start from Col de Lindus.


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Waysigns tell me about the sentier des Contrebandiers and I will use its waymarkings.


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Via this col with bm152 I switch to the Spanish side on the sandy dirtroad.


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Bm152


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Still in the fog, I pass bm151.


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Bm151, hardly visible but I will return here later on.


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On this dirtroad


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descending to this junction


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and beyond the farm


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and this bridge


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I pick up a grassy track.


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Further on a junction of two paths where


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I bend sharply and continue uphilll


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 until this spot.

I leave the trail


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and climb straight uphill through a field of weathered fern and after this patch of forest,


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I arrive at this cabin.


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I camped here on 8-5-2009.
There is still a watertap at the backside.


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From the cabin descending to the tarmac road and passing along the rock of bm147.


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The winding road passes a remarkable enclosure, never seen before  in the Pyrenees.


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It's a sort of open air burial ground for dead cattle


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which can be devoured by vultures.


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Further on leaving the road to continue


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on a (cattle) track


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to bm145


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Bm145


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Bm145


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Bm145


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Bm145


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Bm145


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Bm145


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From bm145 a trail climbs to the tarmac road and


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from there I curve along the hillside


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to bm146.


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Bm146


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Bm146


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Bm146


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About 12m to the W there is a number 146


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engraved on a rock.

The reason or origin is unknown.


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Bm146 again.


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At the E-side (10m) there is also


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a number 146 (with a cross).

The reason or origin is unknown.


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The eastern cross, looking to the pillar 146.


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Bm146, last picture.


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From bm146, the cabin which I visited earlier is visible.


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I descend towards bm147.


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First towards the tarmac road


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and then climbing through the forest to the backside of the rock


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with bm147.


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Bm147


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Bm147


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Bm147


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Then climbing to a dirtroad which brings me to bm148.


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Bm148


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Bm148


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Bm148


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Bm148


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Bm148, looking in the direction


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where I continue


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to the cabin


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where I have a lunch-break.


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Then descending back how I came,


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downhill


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through this field of weathered fern.

In summertime this will be difficult to traverse.


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A better route will be through this meadow.


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Let's show that on a map.
Back at the path


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and back at the junction of the two trails.


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Same sharp bend but now going back


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to the bridge.


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At the other side of the bridge picking up


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this trail


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which climbs gradually


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to a higher level


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until bm149 (cross and pillar) comes in sight.


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The bordercross 149 to the left and the pillar 149 in front.


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Bm149-pillar


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Bm149-pillar


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Bm149-pillar


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Bm149-pillar


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Bm149-cross


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Bm149-cross


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Bm149-cross


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Both bm149-cross and bm149-pillar


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Both bm149-pillar and bm149-cross.


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Zoom-in to both bm149-pillar and bm149-cross


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Then climbing steeply uphill


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to the ridge


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with at the top bm150.


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Bm150


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Bm150


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Bm150


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Looking back at the rocky outcrop where bm150 is.


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On a trail traversing along the hillside to the dirtroad


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and then continuing to bm151.


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Bm151


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Bm151


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Bm151


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Bm151


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Bm151


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Bm151


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Continuing along the dirtroad


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and climbing to


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back to bm152.


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Bm152


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Bm152


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Bm152


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Bm152, looking forward to the hillside with


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the route (Sentier des Contrabandiers)


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to the remains of a fortification


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with in the middle


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bm153.


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Bm153


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Bm153


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Bm153


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Bm153


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Bm153


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At the other side of the hilltop descending


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to bm154.


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Bm154


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Bm154, looking back


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Bm154, looking forward.


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Back at Col de Lindus with my car and


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bm155.


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Bm155


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Bm155


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Bm155, the last picture.

I drive back, immediately to Carlos and Conchita for another pleasant dinner and chatting.


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