30th July Gavarnie

I caught the hikers and walkers bus to Pont d'Espagne. Then it was walking up to Lac de Gaube and ever more spectacular scenery to the Refuge de Oulettes de Gaube, with my first Pyreneean glacier spilling from the Vignemale Massif.
After a rest here it was a steep rocky climb to the Hourquette de Ossoue at 9200'.
I met a couple of English folk in their mid 70's here who spend a few weeks each year in the high Pyrenees, respect to them.
I went east down to the Refuge de Beysallance.
There were groups booked in for the night here bigging each other up, or so it seemed yto me in my ignorance. Anyway it was only 4pm and I didn't fancy camping in the stone wall sheltered camping spots at this altitude.
It was an even steeper dedcent zigzagging and traversing the steep mountainside.
I was pleased to be at a lower level area. Once at the first car parking area I got a lift to Gavarnie, from 2 Spanish guys who had done an ascent of Vignemale.