Gedre - the dream and the town where menus are optional.

Gedre, and looking back up toward the mountains. Gedre was very pretty, though the tourist information centre left a little to be desired. The woman who worked there told us we'd need skis to get through the Breche, stupid idiot. Little did she know we'd only need crampons and have to hike through three hours and waist high snow to get to the shelter.
The brilliant Hotel des Pyrenees, with its carpeted walls and no menu or options for dinner, you just ate whatever was put in front of you. We had great food despite not knowing what it was we were going to be served. One of the men in the family sitting at the next table to us was reading porn whilst waiting for his dinner.

Mountain meadows and a well deserved beer after the first day of hiking.

We're nearly at the bottom of the mountain after our first day of hiking. These were just some meadows nearing Gedre, ahhhhhh, so picturesque.
Julian drinks a beer, this was in a bar that had the mountain stream roaring around both sides of the bar. The noise of the water was deafening, which meant I didn't have to listen to Julian talk.This beer was freaking awesome, truly deserved and incredibly refreshing after the day's walking.

Another meadow shot, very calming, especially knowing that we'd finished for the day and were about to have a beer, a bath and some food.

Mountains, snow and the dream at altitude.

Looking back down at Gedre over my shoulder.

There was a weird woman sitting in a cabin to the left of this, she was odd.

Some blue mountain flowers, they're not weeds.

High on a hill with a lonely goat, er... no.

We had walked down passed these cabins, so here we're looking back down at them

This is water escaping from Lake Shirley Bassey, and Julian escaping from the Bassey.

Up the other side of the valley to Lake Shirley Bassey

And here she is, Lake Shirley Bassey, filled with ice and surrounded by snow. This was the highest point we reached on the first hike. Also the coldest as we jumped in the ice filled water.
Looking behind us towards the peaks, where we were headed the next day.

Julian, on the shores of Lake Bassey, getting ready to go for a dip.

Finally, we reach the top, well, as far as we can go without more equipment.

We're at the top for lunch, behind me is the valley we're going down and across to climb back up the other side to find Lake Shirley Bassey.Surrounded by snow and ice for lunch.
My giant hand grasping at mountain flowers.

Julian's swollen, fat hand, because of the altitude, and gout.

We're still climbing, and seeing more and more snow and ice

Up, up and up...

We continue our climb toward the top, passed old cabins and shelters.and then down through some easier valleys.
across sturdy, solid bridges...
and still looking like mountain men.
This was the first bit of proper ice we saw up close. Prior to this it was only on the top of mountains.

Day two of the holiday in the Pyrenees.

This was part of the first bit of hiking we did, on the second day. We'd stayed in Gèdre for two days, hiked up to Lake Shirley Bassey and were force fed in a brilliant hotel - the Hotel du Pyrenees - that had turquoise carpeted walls and no menus. We just ate whatever we were given.On the way to the top of the mountains on our first hike, very green, but very steep. I was sweating and breathless in about 10 minutes.
More mountain sides that we climbed.

The view up the mountain behind our hotel. Bob's Luge was there, but Bob wasn't.

Holidaying in France - Walworth hits Lourdes.

Julian and his classy glasses.The cathedral in Lourdes
The grotto in Lourdes
Julian, his glasses, the cathedral, slightly Disney feel to the place.
Me and the cathedral above the grotto.