Blame it all on Rita !!

Wednesday 2nd June 2010

Well, what a day !

Where should I begin...?

Firstly up early, 8 'ish...Wally packed for the road and off to Gavarnie,

where having parked Wally up in the village, I walked up to the Cirque De Gavarnie http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gavarnie_Falls where the snow had only just melted from the winter, and the views were stupendous.. I could only imagine what it would be like,climbing the frozen waterfalls...although I may have to break the habit of a lifetime,and get a guide to take me !

I wandered up to the bottom of the glacier...and ignoring the 'Danger' signs..went up and onto the glacier at the foot of the waterfall - the highest in Europe, and the entire Cirque being a Unesco World Heritage site,and I could see why!

Having had a pleasant lunch overlooking the Glacier, and the crowds by now starting to arrive (when I got there I had the site almost to myself !)

I set off back to Gavarnie...glad that I'd come early ,as several groups of schoolchildren were arriving, climbing up to the Cirque...some with Priests in tow- must be a day trip out from Lourdes !

I got back into Gavarnie,and decided that, as Rita thought I was having an exciting time - I'd better have one....

and so I set off for the Via Ferrata de Comely http://www.laviaferrata.net/topo-via-ferrata-coumely.html

which having got there, I realised I would ,once again , have all to myself..

As I climbed the side of the Valley, towards the imposing cliff face.. I wondered..should I have paid for a guide (everyone knows the answer!)..

and then the Via Ferrata started , proper, straight up the cliff face, up around sheer rock faces, and ever onward and upward, could this be what Rita expected ??..occasionally I manage dto take some pictures, but mostly I just hung on...although it was good fun..and exciting.

As I neared the top of the cliff I thought it was all over...then I saw the Himalayan wire bridge...not as i saw in the Himalayas..but none the less exciting to say the least !

As I swung over the valley below,and wondered what I was doing there, I thought...it's that Rita woman, she made me do it !

Over the bridge I swung, and reaching the rockface on the other side I thought that was it ! No chance I dropped down slighlty, and then had to swing round the bluff, and an 'airy' traverse followed, before eventually dropping to the trail below, and back to Wally...phew it's amazing the difference in doing these Via Ferrata's in the wet,or dry...

Having got my confidence up...and Thanks Rita !

what else could I do ?

Down the Road to the Via Ferrata Pont Napoleon... http://viaferratafr.free.fr/photos-via-ferrata.php?via=74

Having parked Wally over the bridge, and not even taking my gear off from the last climb I descended to the River..couldn't find my was , but some'real'climbers helped me, and between us managed to work out wherethe start was...straight up the cliff face from the River, and around every Danger face there was...It was great, but I couldn't get many, if any pics.. a very short Via Ferrata...but good fun, and soon I was out on top and back to Wally...ready for a return to the campsite, and maybe a glass of wine !

What a day, it's been good here in the Midi Pyrenees, going to Andorra tomorrow, for a few more days 'Mountain Fun' !

So, until the next time Bonne Nuit !!