After our trekking trip, Susie was keen to test her mountain fitness with a trip to Mont Valier and back in the same day. We set off early on a (too) light breakfast and in made our way from the Col de Pause to the Port d'Aula. Even at 8.30 it was clear it was going to be a scorcher. We watched the bergers move their sheep and a couple of Patou a little below the col.
As normal we saw no-one once we were through the Port d'Aula, but their was plenty of wildlife...literally dozens of peregrines, vultures (even a bearded vulture), marmots and isards.
The avalanches of the last few years have really taken it toll on the little path leading along the Spanish slopes and virtually nothing exists for much of the way and Susie found stretches quite vertiginous. We lunched on the Col de Tinderelle but had already decided that we wouldn't head to Valier. There were too many animals to photograph and the heat was energy sapping.
On the way back we were treated to a rare display as a stampede of about 15-20 merens charged past the weather station, crossed in front of us and plonged into the lake, where there were already a herd of cows and sheep. For about 5 mins they stamped and splashed and drank until they had had their fill.
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