It was a beautiful, clear, warm and sunny day today, so Pic Rouge de Bassiès was our target. It is easily accessible from Pissou, via the Col d'Agnès, and, from photos that I have seen of the route, much of it is runnable on grassy paths which very much appealed to me.
It took us just 1 hr to climb the 500m of ascent (over 3.5kms) from the parking at Coumebiere up to the first Col at 1944m from where we looked down onto the Etangs de Bassiès.
Aulus les Bains was visible in the distance as was Mont Valier on the skyline.
From there, it was a gradual ascent on good paths, although there was a sprinkling of wet snow on the ground from a few days ago which slowed our progress somewhat. Soon, our target came into view along with the impressive 'cirque' below.
However, it soon became apparent that we would be sharing the rest of the ascent with a party of 3 others who did nothing to keep their voices down. The idea did not appeal. We got to around 2300m and decided to retrace our steps and make our way back to Coumebiere via the GR 10 and the Etang d'Alate in order to extend our outing. Taff agreed to pose on the way back and doesn't he look beautiful!
We were entertained by some Griffon vultures on the way back who were circling on the thermals above the ridge.
The autumn colours are really developing now with bracken and also the bilberries putting on a particularly good show
We enjoyed the rest of the route, although I imagine it could be pretty boggy in wetter conditions as it meandered past mini etangs and across marshy ground.
The run back down from Port de Saleix to Coumebiere on good paths was a real joy and soon we were back at the car.
The sum total for the day was 14kms and over 1000m of ascent in 4 1/2 hrs (including butty breaks!). We reached 2300m which is 200m higher than our previous highpoint. It was good to get into the hills again and to do some good running in the still warm sun.
I am going to leave them to sweeten for a couple of days and then use some to make a chestnut puree, store some in the freezer for making stuffing at a later date, make a spiced apple (still loads of apples here which need using before they rot) and chestnut crumble with clove custard and possibly some chestnut and red wine pate and also marrons glacés..... any other ideas?
After just under an hour and a half we reached the Etang d'Artax at 1695m - we had covered just under 5kms and climbed 790m of ascent.
Time for a butty before heading up the steep path to just below Pla Madame and then on narrow sheep trods to Roc de Querquéou from where, behind us, we had Pic de Bassibié (a bigger circuit for another day)... 
and ahead a view to Cime d'Amont revealing spectacular autumn colours 
The steep descent down to the Col de Lastris was testing but was followed by a great run (downhill all the way) on forest tracks and good paths back to the car. En route, we stumbled upon this rather incongruous piece of machinery!
Who knows what it must have been used for!
Aulus les Bains was visible in the distance as was Mont Valier on the skyline.
From there, it was a gradual ascent on good paths, although there was a sprinkling of wet snow on the ground from a few days ago which slowed our progress somewhat. Soon, our target came into view along with the impressive 'cirque' below.
However, it soon became apparent that we would be sharing the rest of the ascent with a party of 3 others who did nothing to keep their voices down. The idea did not appeal. We got to around 2300m and decided to retrace our steps and make our way back to Coumebiere via the GR 10 and the Etang d'Alate in order to extend our outing. Taff agreed to pose on the way back and doesn't he look beautiful!
We were entertained by some Griffon vultures on the way back who were circling on the thermals above the ridge.
The autumn colours are really developing now with bracken and also the bilberries putting on a particularly good show
We enjoyed the rest of the route, although I imagine it could be pretty boggy in wetter conditions as it meandered past mini etangs and across marshy ground.
The run back down from Port de Saleix to Coumebiere on good paths was a real joy and soon we were back at the car.
The initial intention was simply to collect them and store them in the barn until we are able to get some more barrels midweek for the fermentation. But the majority of the apples suffered damage as they fell to the ground, so we decided to press them straight away. The result is another 20 ltrs of very tasty juice which we have started off in a large stainless steel container. It will have to be transferred to the barrels later in the week once fermentation is underway.
The rest of the afternoon has been spent logging and sorting the remaining branches. There is still a bit left to clear, but the transformation of the area behind the house is already quite dramatic.
Using a combination of delicate lopping work around the cables, strategic sawing with an arborist's saw and good old chainsaw activity, Andy brought down all but the main trunk before the weather closed in and we had to call a halt to proceedings.
Tomorrow, if it is not too wet, we will bring down the main trunk and then sort through the branches, piling the unusable ones on the bonfire and stacking the rest for use on the woodburner in the spring. Already, our bedroom upstairs seems lighter and brighter and our view out to the back of the house is much improved.
