Today is a zero day. Having just finished stage one of the HexaTrek and with 4m(13ft) of snow covering the trail in the Alps I've decided to flip directions. I take a train from Nyon to Geneva(10CHF), then a train to Paris via Lyon(87CHF). I spend the day walking around Paris and try to play tourist. A majority of the cities highlights are covered in construction due to the upcoming Olympics. I buy a new rain jacket and sleeping pad as well as new shoes. I take a sleeper train to Bayonne overnight and connect to Hendaye via local rail(70EUR).
Arriving in Hendaye in the early morning I have to wait for the grocery store to open so I can resupply and start my hike. I eventually arrive at the southern terminus, a beach along the Atlantic ocean. I begin anew with the goal of reconnecting my footsteps continuously until Nyon.
Walking along a bicycle path I see a lot of other hikers but everyone is planning to either do the GR10 or the HRP. I meet a German hiker, Foo, who is planning on doing the HRP and we hike together for an hour. At noon I run into an Australian hiker, Josh, who is hiking the GR10. We stick together as we climb into the highlands and a hot sunny day beats down on us.
Josh and I end our day quite early, deciding to hide away in a cabin since there will be rain overnight. After settling in I climb the nearby peak which is completely enshrouded in fog to kill time. Around 2200h two French hikers apparate hoping to stay in the cabin but there is not enough space for both of them so they setup outside. The rain does come overnight.
Waking into thick fog, Josh and I head out as it turns into a steady rainfall. Thankfully my new rain jacket is working like a charm so I'm not completely miserable as the rain does not let up. We have a extended climb up a large hill and take a small break under the overhang of a chapel.
The temperature drops in the afternoon with the constant rain as we reach another shelter to hideaway in. There are plenty of mice to keep us company and horses nearby as well. The rain stops in the evening as we try to dry out our gear from the rafters. We both sleep on top of tables in the shelter.
The day starts off hopeful with sun but quickly the rain moves back in. There is a steep and rocky descent that we do slowly as it is slick and slippery. A proper storm rolls in as there is a extended climb up into the fog sky. I assume I'm on a ridge as I climb a handful of peaks but have no view. Eventually the trail descends and we arrive at the town of St-Étienne-de- Baïgorry.
Hour by hour the sky slowly clears up and as soon as the sun peaks through I start trying to dry my gear. Josh and I decide to stay in the town gite. It just so happened to be Fête de la Musique so the small village had a stage setup with live music, serving burgers, beer and wine. We spend the evening chatting with two French hikers and enjoying ourselves amongst the celebrations.
I leave by myself in the morning saying goodbye to Josh. He gives me his ice axe since he wasn't gonna need to use it along the GR10. There is a brief spout of rain as I make my way to next town to resupply at a Lidl. There's a good amount of climbing today and I end up passing a handful of GR10 hikers camped before a steep ascent.
I continue on up the mountain into fog and rain. I have flashbacks to my time in Iceland and the damp rolling landscape occasionally reveals itself between pockets of cloud. I get to a shelter to spend the night away from the weather.
A little sprinkle of rain continues into the morning as I am taken over slick cow-destroyed mud trail. The culprits are nearby making sure there is plenty of shit layered over the tight footpath. My progress is slow to prevent slipping into the pool of muck. I eventually get onto better trail and take a rope bridge over a massive gorge.
I remain in the clouds all day and the muddy track continues. I end up at a small town that has a friendly local cafe which lets hikers camp for free. I chat other GR10 hikers there as we hide from the rain. As I settle in for the evening the clouds begin to clear up.
The morning is foggy but the climbs take me higher as I emerge above the clouds! I get my first view of the mountains of the Pyrenees. A few hours later I'm there in the alpine clime and my face is covered in big smiles. I traverse over some patches of snow and navigate through low mountains passes.
Midday weather is clear blue skies but sours in the evening. The terrain changes to sub-alpine and I slog through mud again. Thankfully there is no rain but clouds are ominously covering all the peaks around me only a few 100m(328ft) above. I sleep in a cabin near some shepherds as their cows wander around making noise all night.
Today is the first day of perfect weather that I can remember. I have a steep climb into the mountains and get a 360deg view in the crisp cool morning air. I'm in the Pyrenees! The day is dominated by alpine terrain and I'm in love. There are plenty of cows sprinkled along the valleys and their shit is ubiquitous. Most of my energy is spent avoiding cow patties... but despite that my mood is great.
I cross into Spain at some point and stop at a cafe where a highway crosses over a mountain pass. I eat a torta de patata along with pan de manzana, washing it down with some cola. From there is a massive climb even higher into the mountains. I take a break to skinny dip in the torrents of water rushing down from the peaks.
The climbs continue into the evening and I pass my first mountain chalet(refuge). It's swamped with boisterous hikers and I rush to get away from it. I end the day in my own little abandoned shelter in the mountains, free of charge.
Big climbs in the morning with great weather, who can complain. I pass several beautiful alpine lakes and spend some time hopping onto the GR11 as well. There is a sudden intense storm at midday with hail which lasts maybe 30 minutes then clears into blue skies again. The next mountain pass is still snowed over so I have some careful traversal to consider and use my ice axe a bit to familiarize myself with it again.
At the pass I take the side route to climb to the actual peak of La Grande Fache at 3006m(9862ft). I can't seem to find the trail so I scramble and climb directly up. The view is supreme. The evening is dominated by steady descents as I arrive at shelter just as rain begins.
