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squiz Member Member#: 6644 Location: Registered: 27-05-2007 Diary Entries: 2887 |
28th September 2015 Hiking - Walking: Carnets d’Archaine, Cirque d’Archaine Wind Direction: Wind Stength: Surf / Sea State: Air Temperature: Sea Temperature: Weather: sunny periods Max Speed: Distance Covered: Monday 28th September – Hike ***** sunny periods – Carnets d’Archaine, Cirque d’Archaine – 5km - 4hrs out! It was very low cloud this morning so we couldn’t see the mountain but still beautiful. Did exercises – a bit chilly! Had to change the gas before we could have breakfast which means taking the bikes off but it didn’t take long. Had a walk along the track near the van with binoculars – a good small bird day, marsh, coal, blue and crested Tits and a goldcrest:) A party of about 20 walkers set out about half 9 to do the walk we did yesterday. We left about 11 and drove past the ski de fond at Richardiere to look where the cross country ski and racquette walks go. Carried on back to the main road which took us through the most amazing and remote scenery. Although the cloud was really low it didn’t matter too much because the road was heavily forested. But it was really weird when we drove through the tunnel which is the Col de Menee, as soon as we emerged, the sun was shining brightly and we got a brilliant view of the dramatic scenery down the valley! We reached the village of Menee where we saw at least three people! We turned off there and drove up the walnut tree lined road to the Cirque d’Archaine which was only 5km. We got to the cirque just before lunch and got a grand welcome from a ginger and white cat who made such a fuss of us we had to feed him some ham!! We packed our lunch and set off on the circuit from the village, around the cirque and back. Carnets d’Archaine. As usual we went the opposite way to all the signposts but it didn’t make any difference. The first leg was so steep we had to use our 50 footsteps and stop for a breather method of hiking (we used that yesterday too!). It was a very long path up through beautiful beech forest mixed with various pine trees and the autumn colours were spectacular. We reached a point where the path turned to the left and we just happened to look right and there was an information board (there had been several but they were all washed away so were a bit useless). Good job we noticed it because this was the destination – Retour (the turning point). We got through the last trees and found rocks and scree but a good place to sit and eat lunch. We had a great view down the valley as well as round all the cliffs. We had vultures soaring overhead and landing in various holes in the cliffs. All at once there was the most horrendous squawking and after scouring the cliffs with the binoculars saw a baby vulture in its hole screaming for its parents to bring it something to eat and stretching its wings out precariously near the edge! They came and satisfied him and he huddled in the corner for the rest of the time we watched him. We were there about an hour before setting off down the wooded paths to more open countryside on the other side of the cirque. Great views and a good path until it turned into a dry waterfall! There was a sign to the Petit cascade so we took that and missed a big chunk of the proper path by scrambling down the side of that and stopping to have our snack. We only saw 2 other people the whole time. We thought we heard two others but didn’t see anyone. There is no-body in the village and it is so remote here we haven’t seen a shop in several days. We pinched some walnuts on the outskirts of the village and returned to the van after 4 hours away! Some English people had written on the walk sign saying ‘it’s a circuit and takes 3 – 4 hours!!’ because the French signs do tend to make it sound easier and quicker than it really is! We drove off a short way out of the village because they didn’t want you in the car park after 6 so we have parked in a very pretty spot with good views of the cirque and surrounding cliffs and a field running down to the rushing river. We went down to have a look at that after a cuppa and found a picnic bench there so that might be a good place for breakfast tomorrow :) The space bar on the computer popped off and we couldn’t get it back in so I mended it with the wonderful black insulating tape – what would be do without it!!! Photo Gallery Here |
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