Cabane d’Ardane to just downhill from the Source of the Marmatou 

We finally got a taste of the high Pyrenees and they are grand.

Early in the day a woman caught up to us. She was sleeveless, had one hiking pole and had binoculars around her neck. I assumed she was out birdwatching. We tried to have a conversation. She speaks French, Spanish and Basque. Because we only speak English only a few  words were spoken. Google translator can only help so much.

She walked away really fast uphill and stopped to fix a fence. Then I realized she was a shepherd. The binocs were for locating stray sheep. We passed her as she worked and then she zipped by us again and she was out of sight. 

The day was gorgeous but I struggled all day. It was hot and humid and I just had no pep. It didn’t help that there was lots of climbing.

We walked thru a beech forest and exited in a world of limestone rock and lots of flowers. There were no grazing animals up high. The grass was much higher and wildflowers were all around. 

Just before the Col d’Anaye we reached a trail junction.

Near the end of day just over the Col d’Anaye we met 3 young Frenchmen. They spoke perfect english. They are doing a section of the HRP in the opposite direction. It was fun to talk to them.
Jim and I were in search of a campsite. We wanted to stay up high because it was gorgeous and because we were tired. Everything was either too slanted or too exposed. Then Wired called out to us. She had found the perfect site. Yay. Day is done.