{"id":3323,"date":"2014-07-16T19:41:42","date_gmt":"2014-07-16T18:41:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.petersphotogallery.com\/rodneyandlaura\/?p=3323"},"modified":"2026-05-23T08:24:44","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T07:24:44","slug":"the-pyrenees-by-campervan-cable-car-train-bus-and-on-foot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.petersphotogallery.com\/rodneyandlaura\/2014\/07\/16\/the-pyrenees-by-campervan-cable-car-train-bus-and-on-foot\/","title":{"rendered":"The Pyrenees By Campervan, Cable Car, Train, Bus And On Foot"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0<\/b>Farewell to Camping Gavin where the eagles soar overhead.\u00a0 It was a nice campsite, one of the best and I felt a little sad to be leaving after four nights there.\u00a0 With our eyes locked firmly on the sky, we drove up the Valle de Tena and over the Col du Portalet to make another assault on France in the Vall\u00e9e de Ossau.\u00a0 There were clouds around, but this time they were clear of the peaks.\u00a0 Rodney the Mountain Man was smiling as he bought the two tickets for our day\u2019s outing.<\/p>\n

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\"The
The Pic Du Midi D’ Ossau from the top of the cable car<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Andy & Carole, stop reading here.\u00a0 A rather old, battered, but hopefully well-maintained cable car took us from the car park at 1,240m to a ridge at 1,920m which had brilliant views down over the Lac de Fabr\u00e8ges.\u00a0 From there we boarded the midday \u2018Le Petit Train\u2019, originally built to serve the building of the local hydro-electric scheme.\u00a0 At the start of the ride we squeezed our way through a tiny, very dark tunnel, 315m long; I was glad it was a diesel train and not a steam train. As we popped out at the far end, everyone went \u201cwow!\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Heading
Heading up the Gave de Soussou\u00e9ou<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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The view of the Gave de Soussoueou was spectacular; a huge bowl of a valley and we were hanging half way up it.\u00a0 The train tootled along the side of the valley, at times almost scraping the rock face on our right and most of the time hanging on the edge of a sheer drop on our left.\u00a0 It really was a very scary ride, especially with everyone leaning to the left with their cameras.\u00a0 Choofity choof, jolt, choofity choof, jolt, and every time it jolted on the edge of a precipice or bend, my heart jolted too.\u00a0 Choofity choof, jolt, choofity choof, jolt, don\u2019t look down, just look up at that waterfall, wow, look at the snow on those jagged peaks.\u00a0\u00a0 Choofity choof, jolt, choofity choof, jolt.\u00a0 This was not a trip for the faint hearted or anyone with no head for heights, but oh my goodness the scenery all around us made it so very worthwhile.\u00a0 Waterfalls, hillsides covered in pink azaleas bushes, marmots whistling and masses of wildflowers, it had it all.<\/p>\n

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\"The
The Lac d’ Artouste<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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With a top speed of only 15kmph, and a few halts for track changes for passing trains, it took nearly an hour to travel along the 10km valley side to Artouste 2000.\u00a0 Beside the \u2018station\u2019 a rough track leads up to and over the dam wall which is holding back the deep blue Lac d’ Artouste. \u00a0 We wandered away from the crowds a bit and sat for quite a while above the lake, enjoying just sitting and gazing at the beautiful ring of mountain peaks and the icy water below.\u00a0 After all the time spent on the coast of Spain and Portugal, the mountain scenery has been such a massive contrast and after all the wet and unsettled weather on the north coast, the change has been really refreshing.<\/p>\n

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\"
Looking back down the Gave de Soussou\u00e9ou<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\"Below
Below the dam wall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\"Scary
Scary bits…….<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\"On
On the journey back<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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The train twisted and turned and thankfully, didn\u2019t tip over on the way back.\u00a0 The cable car floated safely back down to Fabr\u00e8ges and we drove back down to the Spanish border.\u00a0 No, we haven\u2019t finished with Spain just yet.\u00a0 At the Col du Portalet there is a strange gaggle of \u2018supermarkets\u2019 and caf\u00e9s on the very edge of the French side. When we stepped inside one, we gave each other a very quizzical look.\u00a0 The majority of products for sale were bottles and cans of alcohol, every type you could imagine.\u00a0 Wine, beer, Ricard, Martini, liqueurs, whisky and vodka in flagon jars, even a large display of absinthe.\u00a0 The rest of the stock was tiny in comparison, but we managed to get the basics that we needed.\u00a0 We took a peek in a couple of the other \u2018supermarch\u00e9s\u2019 and they were all the same.\u00a0 We\u2019ve come to the conclusion that the tax on goods in France must be lower than in Spain, hence all the Spaniards buying up big on all the booze and cigarettes.\u00a0 Or perhaps they just like a flagon of Ricard and can\u2019t buy it in Spain\u2026..<\/p>\n

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\"
Lac de Fabr\u00e8ges<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Back down the Valle de Tena, then a quick wave to Camping Gavin as we passed the gates, then we drove on past Torla to check in at Camping Ordesa.\u00a0 We picked a spot with nice views of the mountains, although when we\u2019re sitting inside Eileen, they are too high and too close to actually see them.\u00a0 We ordered bread for 9am tomorrow, sorry, can\u2019t get it any earlier and then we had a hot shower before strolling over to the Restaurante Ordesa, attached to the Hotel Ordesa, which is attached to the Camping Ordesa.\u00a0 There were thick white cotton tablecloths and sets of tall shiny wine glasses laid out on the tables. Posh. I ordered a Bacardi and Rodney thought he was ordering a \u20ac9 glass of red wine to go with his steak, but it turned out that was the price of a whole bottle!!!\u00a0 His Spanish still hasn\u2019t improved\u2026..<\/p>\n

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\"Eileen
Eileen at Camping Ordesa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tuesday was planned as the big hike day.\u00a0 Boots on, provisions packed, and we caught the bus at 9:30am up into the Parque Nacional de Ordesa.\u00a0 On the dot of 10am we were off and hiking.\u00a0 The walk that we chose took us gradually uphill under the cover of pine and silver birch trees through the Valle de Ordesa for two hours.<\/p>\n

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\"Heading
Heading off on the hike in the Valle de Ordesa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\"
Muralla de Fraucata<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

We passed a couple of impressive waterfalls along the way, but I was a little disappointed at the lack of views.\u00a0 Finally we popped out from under cover just near the base of the Gradas Soaso, a waterfall that looked so much like a staircase, it almost didn\u2019t look real. I considered stopping at this point and letting Rodney go on ahead, but it seemed like a good idea to get to the top of the waterfall and see what was beyond, so I kept going.<\/p>\n

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\"The
The Rio Arazas and Cuello Gordo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"The
The Gradas Soaso waterfall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Now we could see both sides of the canyon and the ground was covered with wild flowers in so many varieties that it rivalled what we\u2019ve seen in Switzerland.\u00a0 There were cowslips, gentian, wild roses, irises and even edelweiss. I kept walking.\u00a0 Suddenly the canyon opened in to an enormous bowl at the head of the valley and we found a group of Japanese tourists all sitting around on the rocks eating their lunch.\u00a0 We really hadn\u2019t expected that sight !\u00a0 We found a tree that would give us a bit of shade and ate our lunch too.<\/p>\n

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\"DSC03260The
The valley opens up and a cow….<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\"Near
Near the end of the valley<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Again I was going to stay put, but everyone passing us seemed to be heading for the far side of the valley bowl and disappearing behind a huge rock, no one seemed to be coming out again.\u00a0 Curiosity got the better of me and we hiked over there too.\u00a0 Behind the rock was the beautiful Cola Caballo, the horsetail waterfall; definitely worth the walk and we took off our boots and socks to soak our feet for a little while in the incredibly icy water.\u00a0\u00a0 Now we had to get back to the far end of the valley, the temperature had increased a great deal and we were out in the open.<\/p>\n

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\"Cola
Cola Caballo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Its
It’s a long way back from here…..<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

On the way down we heard marmots whistling, but, this time sadly, never managed to spot one.\u00a0 We refilled our water bottles from a natural spring and continued to enjoy the stunning cliff walls.\u00a0 Half way back, at the Cola La Cueva, the cave waterfall, there was a bridge that took us to the other side of the Rio Arazas and we were glad to be back under cover of the trees and out of the intense heat again; but my legs and feet were getting really sore.\u00a0 We played a word game to distract the time away and finally reached the bus stop at exactly 5pm.\u00a0 We had been walking for seven hours, probably covered around 17kms\u00a0and I felt exhausted.<\/p>\n

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\"Cascade
Cascade de Cotatuero in the Circo de Cotatuero<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Back at the campsite, we walloped down an ice cream and then threw ourselves in the freezing cold swimming pool.\u00a0 But even after soaking, rubbing and resting, my legs would not stop twitching and the blisters on both feet did not make me a happy bunny.\u00a0 I\u2019m enjoying looking at the photos, but still trying to blot out the pain!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"The
The Rio Arazas<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0Farewell to Camping Gavin where the eagles soar overhead.\u00a0 It was a nice campsite, one of the best and I felt a little sad to be leaving after four nights there.\u00a0 With our eyes locked firmly on the sky, we drove up the Valle de Tena and over the Col du Portalet to make another […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3339,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3323","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-europe"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.petersphotogallery.com\/rodneyandlaura\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3323","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.petersphotogallery.com\/rodneyandlaura\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.petersphotogallery.com\/rodneyandlaura\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.petersphotogallery.com\/rodneyandlaura\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.petersphotogallery.com\/rodneyandlaura\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3323"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.petersphotogallery.com\/rodneyandlaura\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3323\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8312,"href":"https:\/\/www.petersphotogallery.com\/rodneyandlaura\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3323\/revisions\/8312"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.petersphotogallery.com\/rodneyandlaura\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3339"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.petersphotogallery.com\/rodneyandlaura\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3323"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.petersphotogallery.com\/rodneyandlaura\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3323"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.petersphotogallery.com\/rodneyandlaura\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3323"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}