~ Stage4~ Esteben to Bidarray
~ The Weather ~
I've talked about the weather being HOT ~ so what would you expect a Brit to talk about but the weather!
- These first few days turned out to be HOT ~ though I didn't really realise it at the time
- In fact the guidebook says you can do these first 7 days at any time of the year ~ no problems with snow ~ unlike the rest of the GR10.
- Stephen Roche ~ comentating during a HOT day in the Tour de France said "You never get used to the heat ~ just learn to cope with it. 3 out of 4 days you will be OK ~ but then it will hit you down for a day." ~ My experience as you will see.
- Start early ~ DRINK ~ and rest in the shade ~ possibly take a rest day!
- Clouds I will talk about another day.
- Dull days were really rather a delight ~ with the chance to look at the flowers.
- I only had 1 or 2 wet days ~ I saw them as a challenge ~ it's hard on the wet feet ~ and tricky to navigate though. It is essential always to take wet weather gear into the mountains, and on long walks.
The Stage
I was learning the walk and started early _ 7.00am ~ for a delightfull traverse just below the
hill-top ~ to the farm ~ accomodation ~ food ~ at Esteben. Then it was up to the
col de Mehatche 716m ~ and with a cooling breeze ~ a walk along high hills on the Spanish border.
A steep ~ windy ~ descent, the most difficult so far ~ led to a delightfull ~ shady ~ river valley ~
where if I could have seen ahead ~ I should have camped and rested a day. But I plodded
on to town of Bidarray ~ and caught the shop ~ just before it closed for 3 hrs lunch, at 12.00
I rested in the shade of the church ~ contemplating the climb ahead ~ but it was just too HOT ~
and after an hour headed for the woods and the river where I sat overwhelmed by the heat , and
fell asleep for the afternoon ~ watched over by a curious cow ~ and ended up camping with her for the night.
I was a bit off route and decided that for the next day I would miss out the high ridge walk ~
and follow a valley and pass ~ on to the next town.
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Page created: 21st July 1988.
Last modified: 26th July 1998.
John Scholefield
coldfish@itl.net