Etang Hillette

On Saturday we went to Foix to visit the African Festival going on there. We bumped into Donna, Sam, Helen, Cherie and Michael and ended up having an African meal together. This was followed by an amazing band from the Ivory Coast with drumming, dance and a Kora player. During the concert I spotted Ben in the audience who I haven't seen for years (he now lives in Andulcia) who by chance was in Foix for a few days.

On Sunday afternoon we headed into the Cirque de Cagateille and climbed up to the Etang Hillette for a overnight camp. In fact there was no-one in the cabin when we arrived so we opted to sleep there. Later we were joined by three Dutch walkers - a dance teacher, a double bass player and a mime artist. Lots to talk about.

Above the cirque

Pyrenees Lily

During the night we were kept awake by dormice, who relentlessly (and rather boisterously) tried to get at our food - they eventually managed to get into our tupperware sandwich box!

In the morning we continued our walk to the Etang Alet and then the long descent back to the car, alas it was a pea-souper all day.

Etang Hillette

Evening views from the Etang Hillete

Looking past a huge erratic to the cabin and Etang Hillette below

In the morning on the way to tthe Etang Alet the clouds part briefly

A slow worm Susie found on the descent

Yesterday we went on a mushroom hunt in the afternoon and got quite a haul of chanterelles and hedgehog of the woods, a single cep, a blusher, a puff ball and meaty russula. A brief stop in La Trappe to see the new windows in the project I'm running there and tea with Gilbert and Nicole.

Back home l'Apero with Sandrine, Alain and a visit from Georges and Lucette.