Wednesday 27th June 2007
Holmes Chapel 19.41, Crewe 19.58. Crewe 20.34, London 22.56
Speedo reading at start was 1097km, ODO 1 513, ODO 2 583
Biking along to Kings Cross then along Farrington Street but went too far south, emerging in front of St Pauls. It looks impressive at night floodlit but I was concerned that I might miss the last train for Stansted Airport. I rode through the churchyard and back up a parallel street to arrive at Liverpool Street station just as the planned train to Stansted was leaving at 23.28. This was the last train of the day. I had a horrible feeling that I would have to cycle up to Stansted but then found out, patiently waiting at the ticket office, that there was one final train going as far as Bishops Stortford at 23.58, arriving at 00.46. I caught that and cycled 9 miles to the airport. On the train I fitted my lights, a new headlamp under my helmet and attached the rear lights to the straps holding the bike bag. On arrival I asked at the station for the best way to the airport. This was out up the ramp to the right of the station exit, right at the top then left through Bishops Stortford and continue over the M1 following the A12 for Colchester. Nearing the airport I followed the long stay car parking signs and off the wide road to the airport and arrived at 01.20. It had only taken me ½ an hour to bike there but it seemed longer on strange roads. I had a hot chocolate at Ponti’s Mangiare Bene (£2.20) after a wander around the airport for the best position to park myself and bike. After that I took the bike apart, bagged it and had a sleep, stuffing earplugs in and downing a Tennants lager induced sleep and nodded off for a couple of hours. I sat talking with a Mr Bean look-alike but he was Italian and heading back home on a flight to Palermo.
I had cycled 7 miles across London and 9 miles to the airport, overall distance on the speedo now 1112
Thursday 28th June 2007
From Pau airport I took a minor road into the town, first turning off the roundabout. I found out on my return that it would have been far quicker to take the second turning and follow the main road as this would have taken me to the main road in to the town, less complicated. I pumped the tyres up but the valve seating wasn’t right on my rear tube and became soft the nearer I got into Pau. I chanced it on my way home later and didn’t let the tubes down. There really wasn’t any need to. The pressure was still in the tyres when I arrived back in Stansted. I fixed the tyre when I reached the hostel and deposited my bike bag there. The load was now considerably lighter and the tyre OK but I was checking it every few miles for the next couple of hours. I set off south for Lourdes on the minor road, some confusion finding my way through the town to begin with. The centre is one huge building site as streets are barricaded off while new pedestrian areas were being fitted to replace the roads through the centre. I was out of Pau at 12.30 and in Lourdes at 14.00 and had lunch at Macdonalds – cheap and filling. Through the town and through Argeles Gazost at 15.00, passing the pink hotel I stayed at last year. I was in Luz St Sauveur at 16.00. I booked in at Hotel Londres, having stopped there last year and deposited my bags there. After a shower and a coffee I was on my way to Gavarnie only carrying camera, money and passport. I was cycling with three other cyclists, all French and kept up with them all the way to Gavarnie. I talked with an Englishman at the bar there. He was walking the Pyrenees over a 6 week period but now had serious leg problems. From there on up to Buchero (BIG number 339), right out of Gavarnie then the left fork at the start of the climb. I made it up there in an hour with no weight, took some photos of the gorge after passing the rocks on the road at the end – to deter motorists and bikes also as I had to walk in places but it was only for about 100 yards. I was back in Luz well before dark and before 21.00, last sitting for dinner and as I was paying for it as part of the price I wasn’t going to miss it! Besides, I needed it. I had potato soup, as much as I could eat, from a large silver bowl to serve from, followed by a piece of quiche then for main course pork slices, carrots and chips though this was cold. All downed with a Pelforth beer.
Later I phoned Ruth. She told me her Dad was very poorly and taken a turn for the worst so could I get a flight home in the next few days. She suggested I finish my French passes but not go on into Spain on the Irun to Oviedo coast train. Once at the coast hopefully I could board a train back to Pau. I went to bed at 22.30.
At the end of the day at 20.30 at 665 metres height in Luz St Sauveur trip distance was 131km at 19°C, ride time 8 hours 36 minutes, average speed 15.10kph, navigator 227, maximum speed 66.5kph, ODO 1 513, ODO 2 715, ODO total 1227km, trip altitude 1595m. maximum altitude 1345m, average climb 3%, maximum climb 11%, total attitude 8134m, top elevation 1345m.
Friday 29th June 2007
Breakfast at 08.30. From Luz to Argeles Gazost I cycled the paved disused railway line but got a bit lost in the town after getting off it at the old station. Eventually I found the road for the Col D’Aubisque and 1km out of the town took the right turn for Col du Spandelles (BIG number 335). The road goes steeply up through woods after passing through Gez, past a turn off for Col de Couraduque and the main road at Aucun. This is a steep unmetalled road so glad I was continuing on. Steeply up through the woods and nearing the top the road levels out a bit and an easy last 3km to the road summit until 1km at the end, sudden steepness to the col itself. I stopped at a café at the top and had a Pelforth beer, took a few photos and a look around the new wooden buildings on the col. Hair raising descent down to Ferrieres and steeply up again after a left turn on the main road, this time heading for Col de Soulor. Along the 12km route are cyclists signs at the kilometre markings indicating the current height, col height, gradient for the next kilometre and distance to the col. I took an hour reaching the col from Ferrieres. The last 3km I was cycling in low cloud and although I was warm cycling up I got very cold at he snack bar at the top. I had a cheese sandwich and a couple of orange drinks (9€) from there and sat for a while to warm up. On with the jacket, helmet and gloves and rode down the 3km to the start of the Col d’Aubisque (BIG number 334) climb, 7km to the top after crossing the Pyrenees Atlantique boundary stone, average climb of 7%, the last kilometre is the steepest at 8%, again cyclists indicator signs every kilometre. Bought some postcards and stamps at the top and asked a Frenchman to take photos of me at the summit markers, not ideal as the top was in the cloud. This was a disappointment as I was hoping to see it after the same problem last year, but then it was raining too. At least it was dry today. Down the mountain to Gourette, a sharp turn here then down all the way to Laruns. On the way I passed through the old fashioned mountain spa resort of Eaux Bonnes. One thing about the descent of the Aubisque and the next ascent of the Col de Marie Blanque today was the wonderful resurfaced roads, smooth cycling all in preparation for the Tour de France that passes this way in a couple of weeks. I headed north through Laruns along the main road to Bielle then along a minor road into the village. I spotted a hotel sign on the main road and as it was now early evening thought this would be a good place to stop the night as climbing the Col de Marie Blanque today would be a bit adventurous late in the day. I arrived at the hotel L’Ayguelade, just north of the village on the main road heading for Castet, at 18.40. After a wash and change I had a really good meal of beef, vegetables and chips – and plenty of them. An asparagus starter and fruit salad dessert all with a bottle of Madiran Laplace red wine – about £10 but it lasted me the rest of the evening as I wrote cards, read magazines and book and wrote the diary. I rang Ruth and went to bed early at 2.00.
Altitude at Biele 442m, trip distance 100km in 7 hours 39 minutes, average speed 13.00kph, maximum speed 50kph (on the descent the Aubisque to Eaux Bonnes), navigator 327. time at start of ride 09.30, time at finish 18.50, ODO 1 613km, ODO 2 713km, overall distance 1327km, trip altitude 2330m, maximum altitude 1710m, average climb 6%, maximum climb 16%, total altitude 7214m, top elevation 1710m.
Saturday 30th June 2007
The hotel was good, I had a quiet room and was easily asleep before 23.00 and woke at 08.00. Cycling’s good for my sleep! After breakfast, the usual rolls and croissant and coffee, I loaded the bike and set off back to the village and immediately up the Col de Marie Blanque (BIG number 333). It was steep, especially the lower section and took me 1½ hours to get up there (09.30 – 11.00). Looking back from the climb towards Aubisque I could see it was a clear day today, no clouds and a bright blue sky, and it was warmer. It would have been nice to have had a car and paid it another visit for a view at the top! There was no way I could go back that way by bike. It’s fairly easy going on the upper stretch, passing along an upper valley at le Benou, then through woods into a clearing at the top. Up there I met a group of Germans from Karlsruhe, a support van bringing up the rear. So I was able to talk. They were riding the Pyrenees from Atlantic to the Med and had support vans with them all the way. I was envious, no weight to carry! One held up the fallen pass marker sign and another took my photos and I returned the favour. The temperature was 25°C in the evening so it must have been warmer during the day. Weather-wise it was the best day of my short tour. Sharply down to Escot and posted my cards there and took the quiet country lane to Lurbe, down to Asasp then left on the main road a short way and took the right for Issor. I filled my bottles from the running fountain opposite the church but found out later it wasn’t good to do this. I had a quezy stomach later but it subsided after a beer at Arette, just as well as I had a lot of uphill riding to do. From Arette to Lanne it’s mainly down except for a sharp rise just before the village. On through noisy Montory full of motorcyclists to Tardets and left just before the village on a descent. I was now following the picturesque Gave de Saison and Larrau as far as Laugibar and its restaurant where the pleasant valley ends and a serious 2.5km climb begins to the hilltop village of Larrau. I relived memories of the hotel there and sat in the hotel grounds listening to singing coming from a group inside as I drank fruit juice bought from the shop up the road. I also bought post cards for Cheryl and Petra, and stamps.
Just after the village I took a right for Iraty and St Jean le Vieux. At first it was steeply down to Penin, about the same distance as the uphill from Laugibar earlier. On the climb up to Col Bagargui (BIG number 331) I could see Larrau on the side of a hill overlooking the valley I just climbed from. Getting up here from Penin isn’t too bad at first but it gets progressively steeper. It was so hot and steep I had to rest a few times, this was a real hard one, especially in the heat. It’s a really good road and there are many Tour de France names painted on the road from a previous Tour. Also there, before the really steep section was painted ‘BIG Challenge 2005’ and on the other side of the road, ‘BIG Challenge 2006’, at the start of the hairpins. I hope they didn’t ride it during a hot summer, if they did they must have suffered. I was suffering now! I sat on the grass under a tree for a while, glad of a rest and sheltered from the sun. The road winds up for a long way and there’s great views looking back down to the road snaking down below. Larrau and its white buildings could be seen on its hill way down below. At about 3km from the top the summit could be seen on the ridge higher up.
On reaching the road summit I took some photos and sat for a while supping a Pelforth beer at the café, one of the modern wooden buildings that crown the summit.
After that it was steeply down to Plateau d’Iraty and up again after a final swing to the right for about 2km after the lake to reach Col de Burdincurutcheta. Cars parked at the top could be seen glistening in the sun from beside the lake so I knew the climb wasn’t too long or difficult. Again, great views from the top, especially to the north. There’s a new reservoir up here to the left that’s not marked on my older Michelin map number 85. From there it’s downhill all the way except for a slight hump to Col d’Haltza but my speed down compensated, resulted in that being only a short glide up, a quick turn of the pedals and I was over it. From there down all the way to Bassaburua where the pass ended and I was back to almost level ground on a country lane, very slightly down all the way to St Jean le Vieux, towards the end one or two ups and downs. From there I took a left along a straight road to St Jean-Pied-de-Port. I found a hotel, Hotel Central at 45€ and had tagliatelle carbonara, beer etc at an outside café across the road from the hotel. I caught up with the diary and wrote the remaining post cards. Afterwards I walked the old town cobbled streets and came to a Cave wine cellar and had an Akerbiltz Basque beer. Later pleasantly back to the hotel and sleep.
At the end of the day at St Jean-Pied-de-Port; height 215m, trip distance 103km, temperature 25°C, ride time 8 hours, average speed 12.9kph, maximum speed 55kph, navigator 430.70, ODO 1 613km, ODO 2 816km, overall distance 1430km, trip altitude 2353m, maximum altitude 1327m, average climb 6%, maximum climb 44% (on a small section of Col Bagargui), total altitude 10488m, top elevation 1345m.
Sunday 1st July 2007
From St Jean- Pied-de Port to Bayonne and train back to Pau to complete my tour.
I left my bags in the hotel and at 09.15 took the road south to the Alto Ibaňeta (BIG number 419). This was the only pass in Spain I had chance to visit and arrived at 11.00. I was back down it in ½ an hour. Reaching Arnéguy at the border was easy enough but the climbing really started from Valcarlos. The way up is through green and dense woodland all the way with the Rio Luzanne plummeting down alongside. The road enters a clearing about 2km from the top. Arnéguy is the border point, no longer any border check there but the large open space at the bend of the road is the place where the customs was situated. I passed plenty of cyclists and walkers on the way up, many perhaps on the camino, the pilgrimage way to Santiago di Compostella in Galicia. Passing the cyclists, I was holding my own against them as I was travelling light, only carrying helmet, jacket, camera and wallet. A man and girl were really struggling with fully laden bikes. I passed them on the way up, sitting on the grass verge exhausted, at least he was. She was ready to go. I passed them again on my way down. They had done a short distance and were pushing the bikes up. She asked how much further and was horrified that I was cycling back down. I held up 4 fingers and shouted ‘quatre kilometres’. The top of the pass was in cloud, nothing to see except the pass signs and the chapel at the top. Behind this on the car park and next to the chapel were crosses on a mound, presumably related to the camino. There’s a wide path of loose stone going up from the car park to Orzanzurieta mountain, 500 metres higher. It seemed rideable but would be foolish to attempt in the weather condition, besides there was nothing to see even though I had the time to do it – but I did as it was the BIG! There was nothing to see and the way up is difficult, especially on the loose stones but after an hour I was there – at nothing! I did an about turn, put on my helmet and jacket and whizzed down the mountain, back to the hotel in ½ an hour from the chapel. Over into France the road is less wild. Anybody going up the pass should beware of dogs on the Spanish side that run alongside your bike barking! Back at St Jean I had a pasta at the same outdoor café I was at last night and had a pasta bolognese (8€). At 13.00 I collected my bags from the hotel and rode out to the north-west heading for Cambo-les-Bains and Bayonne. The weather was overcast but the rain kept off until I reached Pas de Roland later. I wish I could have climbed my final pass in dry weather but it wasn’t to be. At first I was thinking that Jara, the mountain to the left of the road was Artzamendi but of course it was too near. I followed the Nive valley, a hill up to Louhossoa then down to the river again. I took a left to Itxassou then down to the Nive river again at Pas de Roland. I took some photos here just before the rain started, a rocky narrow gorge through which the river forces itself through. I left my bags at the hotel here at the foot of the climb in Laxia then made my way up to Artzamendi (BIG number 330) in 1½ hours. I was on my way up carrying as little as possible; just helmet, jacket, camera and wallet. There were plenty of downs on the way up – enough to urge me on even in the rain as I felt trapped when I reached a low point before having to climb back up again. I took the road to the left near the false top to where I continued at first and reached a gateway to a gîte marked ‘privat’.
At first I thought this was the inglorious end but I knew that it ended at a mast. I went back to the turn that goes down into a valley then steadily climbs up to the higher reaches of the mountain for about another 4km. the final 4km is the steepest. I felt the steepness but couldn’t tell where I was going and there was nothing to see except for a few yards of road ahead. It was very steep towards the end. I rode back down to the hotel and collected my pannier bags, and the rain was persisting. I asked at the hotel earlier if I could leave my bags there and promised to buy a meal but when I returned there was no one there so loaded up again and made my way along Pas de Roland and back up to the main road. On the way along the pass, coming the other way, were emergency vehicles on their way to an incident so I stopped and kept well in on the narrow road through the gorge. The rain went off later when I reached Ustaritz. I was on a busy main road that got even busier and wider as I approached Bayonne at 18.00. It started raining again but it was only a quick shower, it rained again later on the train back to Pau. In Bayonne I asked at the rail station for the next train to Pau with an accompanied bike. There was one at 20.08, an RER train arriving in Pau at 21.42. There was time to have a pasta and beer (10€) near the station and went for the train on vioe E, under the rails to the far platform.
At the end of the day in Bayonne my trip distance was 128.15 km, temperature 20°C, height at Bayonne 36m, ride time 7 hours 45 minutes, average speed 16.50kph, maximum speed 51kph, navigator 558.85, ODO 1 742km, ODO 2 816km, overall distance 1558km, trip altitude 1972m, maximum altitude 1083m, average climb 5%, maximum climb 21% (on Artzamendi), total altitude 9186m, top elevation 1710m.
Nothing eventful happened on the train but I had to keep a careful watch on my bike as 5 teenagers were mucking about in the guard van. I found out later they had loosened my rear wheel. It was still in the frame but would have been disastrous if I had gone over sudden bumps, it would have parted from the frame. In Pau I biked up the ramp away from the station and into the town and soon found the hostel. I had a slight problem making the warden there understand that I needed to collect my bike bag but then showed him the mail requesting this, the mail was also in French. Finally I had it but had difficulty strapping it on to the bike with the rear lights – I couldn’t find them! Eventually I had them and I was on my way to the airport, apologising that I couldn’t stay there at the Pau hostel tonight. On reaching the airport I rang Ruth to explain I was hoping to make the 09.40 flight in the morning back to Stansted and should be home late tomorrow afternoon. I was hoping to sit at the airport until Ryanair opens at 07.00 but a security guard ordered me out. I slept on a stone slab in shelter for a while then found newspapers by the airport main entrance at about 01.00 and used them under me and slept under cover on the tiles by the entrance. I didn’t sleep a great deal but at least I got some rest.
Monday 2nd July 2007
I was up at 05.30 as the entrance opened and I sat inside to get warm again. At the Ryanair desk I explained why I needed to go home early but I was still charged £140 for the flight and this was taking into account that I had a refund for my original unused flight. It turns out that buying a ticket on the day and over the counter is a lot more expensive than pre-booking on the web. I boarded the plane OK. In the duty free I bought 2 litres of Ricard at 15€ each (£10.50). The plane landed in Stansted thirty minutes early. I was a confused trying to find the railway station after re-assembling the bike – and it was raining again. I went out of the airport along a covered way and out into the rain but all I needed to do was take a right on exiting the airport and go down a ramp, the station is below the airport arrivals. I can’t get a bike on the Stansted Express but I didn’t want to risk cycling through London with a weighed down bike. Instead I opted for the 11.25 train to Birmingham New Street via Ely, Peterborough, Cambridge, Oakham, Leicester and Nuneaton arriving in Birmingham at 14.47 then caught the Virgin 15.00 Glasgow train, arriving in Crewe at 15.53 then the 16.00 train to Holmes Chapel. The train from Stansted had space for a bike but it was difficult for the refreshment trolley to pass by the wide load on my bike so had to move it from time to time. A lady seeing off her daughter and grandchild in buggy at Cambridge complained that I shouldn’t have a vehicle on a train and I was to remove it immeditely. I left it to her to arrange with the guard but she only had 2 minutes to arrange it and the train was on its way – with the bike and without her. There was still space for the buggy and baby. On the Glasgow train I squeezed the bike into the bike area at the back of the train. There were other bikes in there but hung up, I couldn’t do that with mine. At Stafford the guard asked me to hang it up but we were too many people standing and crowded into the small space, very intimate! There was no way I could move it and neither would the others have appreciated it. As Stafford is only 20 minutes from Crewe it was hardly worth the effort. I arrived home with no other incidents, garaged the bike, had a bath and changed. Ruth was home at 17.30 then I could get into the room and get fresh clothing.
In all I achieved four major passes in my four day mini break plus four others that I had cycled last year.
The final speedo reading at Holmes Chapel was:
Distance 160.48km, average speed 16kph, average climb 5%, maximum climb (Artzamendi) 21%, maximum speed 97.5kph, navigator 591.18,
ODO 1 774km, ODO 2 816km, total overall distance 1591km, maximum altitude 1083m, trip altitude 2079m, total altitude 92931m, top elevation 1710m
Started at 1097km, finish at 1591km = 494km or 308.75 miles, average 77 miles each day.
Altitudes: day 1; 1595m, day 2: 2330m, day 3: 2353m, day 4: 1972m
Total: 8150 metres or 25, 835 feet
Average 2146 metres per day or 6459 feet.
Useful Spanish words:
Do you have a room free? tienes un cuarto libremente Excuse me Di skulpa or excusarme