Summer migrants return

First nightingales have arrived and this afternoon I saw a Hoopoe for the first time ever at Quelebu. Snow has slowly turned to rain here today, though it continues to snow above 1200m or so. There is now nearly 2 metres of snow at 2000m.

Snow again

Spent the last couple of days finishing off the field no1 clearance and starting the fencing. Just one more bonfire and and the electric fence wires to add.

This morning there was a strong south wind, at about two this afternoon it was over 30 degrees in the sun, it's eight in the evening now and we have heavy snow falling! Gales forecast for tonight

Baqueira

With about a metre of fresh snow over the last week we were looking forward to the powder at Baqueira and today was forecast to be the first clear day. Justin, Jason and I were up at dawn with passports this time, but oh no, during the night it must have pissed down, so this morning there was no powder only mush (and about a metre of it). It was raining early in the morning but the sun came out later - long enough to give us all burnt faces. A good ski but not good snow and offpiste was 'off the cards' with high avalanche risk (a lot of avalanches visible today at the resort) and deep heavy snow.

Chicken update

The Chickens were very quiet today, no cock-a-doodle-do, in fact at 12.00 they still hadn't ventured out of the hen house. I forced them out so they could drink and feed, but they went straight back inside afterwards. I noticed the Sussex had had her tail feathers bitten off, so that rules out a bird of prey. At 3.00 the cockerell made a faint crow from inside the hen house. The old hen I ate last night was pretty tough. I cut up the remaining cooked meat and put it in a risotto tonight.

This morning dawned fairly clear and I cleared a path above the new field no 1 extension (for a fence) and got about halfway through clearing the terrace bank before the rain arrived at about 3.00. It's snowing above about 1100m and will probably turn to snow here tonight/tomorrow morning. Friday now looks best for skiing.

Chicken on the menu

It was warm, windy and wet last night and by the morning most of the snow at Quelebu had gone. After restocking with wood I let the chickens out as they had been in the run for the last 4 days because of the snow. When I went to put them away this afternoon there was no sign of them. I found the little brown hen hiding in the straw in the barn and obviously traumatised. Later I found the cockerell in much the same state. I put them both in henhouse and searched high and low for the other three chickens without success. Then I found one of them in the field, she'd been attacked and killed though only a small amount of one breast had been eaten and she'd been slightly disembowled. Whatever killed it had strong enough teeth or beak to bite through its ribs. At dusk thankfully the other two hens returned.

I doubt it was a fox or the carcass would have been taken and eaten, a martin or stout would have gone for the throat and she'd been grabbed by the rear. The most likely candidates are a dog (which instinctively chased and killed the hen but then didn't really know how to get the feathers off and eat it) or perhaps a bird of prey which was unable to carry the hen off because it was too heavy. As the most the carcass is intact it's tea tonight, Amazingly the hen had three or four fully formed yolks inside her and dozens of smaller developing yolks - a genuine egg production line.

More snow

Snowed for the second half of last night and all today...so there's plenty here. Possibly more to come tomorrow. Probably some skiing mid-week.

Took Paul back to the airport - there is no snow in Toulouse but it's bloody cold.

Cirque d'Anglade

With snow falling last night and continuing today, climbing in the high mountains wasn't on but we thought we'd go to try to find some ice or at least reconnoitre some possible cascades for another year/colder weather. With between 30 and 50cm of fresh snow at 1500m we donned snowshoes and headed up to the Cirque d'Anglade above Salau. A guy in another 4x4 arrived just as we were about to leave for the Cirque and asked us to 'be careful as a bear and its cub were currently in the area'. Given Paul's reputation as an 'incident' magnet, we thought twice about leaving the car!
It was a pleasant stroll up through the woods and the Cirque was much more impressive than I had supposed. Alas the cascade wasn't sufficiently frozen to make climbing possible but I think it would be an excellent climb when in condition - perhaps 4-5 pitches at 70 degrees.

A foreshortened view looking up the cascade

A spot of dry-tooling before heading back to the car - we've called the route "weekend at the beach house/drinks at the tennis club"

Another short video from Paul, up in the cirque heading for the cascade, the bottom of which just appears at the centre top of the opening shots.

Snow

A barn once in fields now in the forest near Cominac

The snow was falling last night, on and off throughout today and seems to be forecast for much of next week. Paul and I had a lowland walk today and depending upon conditions will probably go snowshoeing tomorrow in search of ice.

Couloir de Tartereau

Couloir Tartereau

Paul about halfway up just after the first 'narrows'

With the gale force winds due to arrive at noon and the big snow storm (which will last until Monday) forecast for the late afternoon, today could have been a write-off. But Paul and I were determined to get out to do something, so we were up at 5.30 and by 7.00 were on the 2 hr approach walk to the Couloir Tartereau (AD-) on Pic Mauberme. Its a long (800m, 2500ft) couloir that gradually steepens from 30 to 60 degrees with a couple of ice falls at the top. By 9.00 we were roped up and in the couloir. It had a lot of avalanche debris in it but that was to be expected given the temperatures recently (most of it had entered from the numerous side gullies). The snow was soft at first but soon improved and was quite pleasant to climb. About halfway up we were doused by some squalls of spindrift. As the slopes steepened some of the avalanche debris (mostly consisting of grapefruit sized ice balls) was pretty unstable and we had to climb close to the edges of the gully to make safe progress. The first ice fall was completely buried beneath the snow in the couloir and we ascended it almost unaware. The second (which ends at the top of the couloir) was also covered except for the last 10m or so. I was leading and just approaching the lowest piece of ice and thinking of placing an ice screw. The snow was very deep and soft when I heard a 'crack' closely followed by a cry of 'Shit!' from Paul below me. The snow had fractured about 2m above me, debonding from the ice below it and the whole bed of the couloir with us on it was avalanching! It was strange how the snow suddenly changed from solid terra firma to become like a liquid. In a split second I was bounding to my right across the snow which was sliding down the slope with us and dived onto my axe in self arrest in the firmer snow at the edge of the couloir. All my weight was on the axe and I waited for the jerk when Pauls weight would come on to the rope - but it never came. I looked down and he had instinctively done exactly the same thing. He told me he was waiting for my weight to come on the rope thinking I would be swept down past him (he had also reassured himself in those few split seconds that as I only weigh 10 stone he could hold my fall). It didn't seem like I had slid very far, perhaps a few metres - it all happened very fast - but later we worked out that we had been climbing about 15-20m apart when the avalanche started and we ended up about 4m apart and Paul was aware that he had been sliding too, so I must have gone 20m or more! We could have had another go to reach the last 10m of (easy) ice but as we were at the top anyway and in view of the approaching storm we decided to reverse the route as this was the quickest way down, down climbing the 2500ft. It was reassuring that both our actions were fast and absolutely instinctive (and that we carry good ice tools not whippets Jon).

The gale force winds arrive in the afternoon following our climb and dump more spindrift into the couloir

Below Paul videos my account of the incident when we were safely at the bottom of the couloir.

The Hadfield Pyrenees Weather Curse

Paul is coming tomorrow and we were planning to climb the Couloir Faustin on Mont Valier but forecast is now for a snow storm for the whole of Pauls visit and fantastic high pressure the day he leaves. I've been thinking of all the times Paul has been to the Pyrenees and I think he has a weather curse.

Feb 2004 ski touring Troumouse - snow storm
April 2004 ski touring Aneto - snow storm
Oct 2004 climbing Aneto - snow storm
Feb 2006 skiing/ice climbing - white out
Feb 2007 visiting with Tracey and Luke - torrential rain

The good news is we always manage to get something done in spite of the weather - so looks like it'll be a 'scottish conditions' weekend.

Birthday

Yesterday was my 40th. I hadn't really got around to planning anything grand, but Nina and Ian said they'd pop over with a curry and bottle of wine. Unbeknown to me, together with Penny they'd organised a surprise 'soiree'. So when I opened the door there was Ian, Nina, Penny, Andy, Sandrine, John, Pat, Kev, Emily and (a little later) Justin! They brought homemade curries, naans, rice, two desserts and of course wine, It was a great surprise and a lovely evening - thanks everyone.

Pic Soubirou

As it wasn't cold enough last night to freeze the soft snow, a couloir climb was out of the question, so instead David, Ian, Nina and I traversed the ridge to Pic Soubirou. It's a favourite as the views are spectacular, with mountains wrapping around on all sides, the ridge is reasonably narrow at the end but never difficult.

Climbing

The beginners area

Ker sector II

After yesterdays exertions a relaxing morning pottering around near the house before heading to the local crag a few miles away. There are several crags in fact from 15 - 50m with about 70 routes in all from 4+ to 7b. Ian, Nina and Penny joined us from some climbs upto 5b. Need to get a regular regime of trips to get back upto a reasonable climbing grade.

Cap Ner, Pene Rouge and Tuc d'Eychelle

David Yeates is staying for a long weekend and despite the dodgy weather forecast for today (storms in the afternoon) we decided to get a day or at least a morning in the mountains under our belts in case the weather deteriorates.

David traversing some of the lower towers

Nearing the first summit

Some virgin snow

From the Col de la Core we climbed along the crest to the south over Cap Ner, Pene Rouge and Tuc d'Eychelle 2315m, before descending to the Col d'Aubies then due West to pick up the path between Col de la Crouzette and Col de la Core which we followed back, stopping at the Cabane d'Eychelle for lunch.

David in the deep soft snow on the way to Cabane d'Eychelle

Me breaking trail, in the centre of the photo Cabane d'Eychelle

The weather looked pretty doubtful early in the morning but the higher we got the better (sunnier) it became, although the wind was very strong particularly on the crest. Snow was soft at all altitudes which made for some heavy going. Down at lower altitudes it's murky and raining.

Santa's little helper

Hot Again

Amazingly warm day today 30+ in the sun. More work and fires on the upper terrace plus some wood splitting at chez Philippe and Sophie. Paulette came over with an old photo of my house (when it was a barn) in 1947. Paulette is the little girl in her mother arms. The barn is clearly thatched, though here it is a bit longer as it is both the current house and ruin which were a single barn then.

Cloudy

Tuc de l'Adosse (1669m) from the house, piercing the clouds

Low cloud today so no point in looking up couloirs. Instead I finished clearing the upper terrace. A few bonfires to light, some clearing up of the terraced boundary and fencing still to do - but most the 'grunt' work is now finished.

The two terraces of the new field no 1. The green in the distance behind the trees is field no 2 and on the horizon (top right) is the barn.

Rain and Frogs

Managed to get out for a short walk at 8.00 this morning, then an hours scything before the downpour started. It rained heavily until about 4pm when I managed to get another hour or so's work in (logging and scything). The rain was enough to put some water in the pond and let the frogs breed - though I doubt the water will stay long. The weather is brighter now and there's fresh snow above about 2000m. Here's the view from the house across Pentussa (Cominac) to Pics de Montabone and Bonrepos.

As David Yeates is out at the weekend and itching for some climbing, I might go out and check out some couloirs tomorrow.

Gerac

Looking down to Gerac and beyond Pic des Certescans

It's been on and off sunshine and snow showers for the past few days. This morning was forecast to be sunny with snow/rain arriving in the afternoon - so I thought a short tour might be nice. After a couple of runs down the main piste at Guzet (icy as always in the morning and still the only run open there alas), I dropped down to the Col d'Escots and skinned up to Gerac. Then up towards the col between Freychet and Pic de Cerda. The snow was lovely up there and the ski down was a joy - so I skinned back up and did it again. A party of two tourers who ascended Pic de Cerda were the only other people I saw. Then the clouds rolled in and the rain was approaching so it was time to return to Guzet. The snow was warm and sticky and with no glide on the skis it was hard work descending from Gerac - I actually carried them the last few hundred metres to the Col d'Escots. At Guzet it was sleeting and the pistes were now heavy and wet - so I headed for home even though it was just 1.30.

Skiing

Decided to head off for some skiing today with Jason and Justin. We left at the crack of dawn bound for Spain (Baqueira). The weather didn't look too bad despite the forecasts but just across the spanish border at Bossost there was a road block. For the first time I have ever known the Spanish decided to check passports! Amazingly Justin and I had ours but not alas Jason. There was a bit of a debate about free borders within the EEC, how we lived just a few miles across the line on the map and would be spending euros in Spain - it went to a show of arms - the spanish policeman had a machine gun so he won. A quick jaunt over the Col de Portillon and we were back in France heading for the ski resort of Peyragudes and Les Agudes. Not skied there before and although fairly small there was lots of off piste and with all the fresh powder (40-50cm) we couldn't resist. I was having a bad ski day but still managed some runs down in the untracked powder and started gettting the hang of the powder 'bounce'. Weather was bloody cold in the morning but warmed up over lunchtime. By the end of the day every inch of snow was tracked out.

Still Snowing

Weather

.

After spending the last 6 weeks in a teeshirt and shorts the snow finally arrived this morning. Yesterday the chainsaw 'died' after 3 years of use and abuse (fortunately just after I'd cut some logs for the house). Spent this morning stripping it and eventually found the problem - a plastic part in the oil pump - now on order but it'll be Friday week before it arrives. More snow tonight and tomorrow then some more skiing - yippee!

Another beautiful clear, sunny and warm day today (although it could snow Tuesday night if the weather forecast is to be believed - weather will deteriorate tomorrow apparently). Spent most of the day working on the upper terrace which is now 3/4 clear, the three biggest acacias are logged, half the field is raked clear and everything has been burnt. Then a slightly more relaxed afternoon in the sun.

Tomorrow I'll probably get logs in for the house then start collecting the logs from Philippe and Sophie's which have been stacked for sometime but now seem to be attracting unwanted attention as they're right next to the road!

Out on the bike

Decided to go out on the bike this morning. I rode to St Girons to the market - 22.5 km and mostly downhill - then after a spot of browsing I rode back - nearly all uphill including the steep 450m climb from Castet d'Aleu. There in 55mins back in 1hr 20mins, not too bad considering its the first time on a bike in very long time.

A spot more field clearing in the afternoon, then the owners of the ruin next to my house and the barn opposite came over to fell a lovely mature walnut tree. Why? I don't know. Shame as its nuts were a delight in the autumn. There's an enormous mess now but I 'd rather that than the huge bonfire he started building is ignited, as it's very close to the house and my thatched roof!

Birch syrup is finished and tasty - quite treacly.

Birch Syrup

After collecting about 50 litres of birch sap I've spent the last 3 days reducing it (by evaporation). I'm down to the last 2.5 litres but from the original 50 litres I'll get 500ml of syrup - 1:100 concentration. It's a delicious deep red colour already.

About half the upper terrace of field no 1 has been cleared over the last two days - though there are still some acacias to fell and log. Hopefully the worst half is now cleared.

Being a smallholder

In France starting a business or simply being self employed is notoriously difficult. Boy how the french love bureaucracy. The simplist form of agriculteur who can buy and sell animals and produce is a 'cotisan solidaire' (or cotisan de solidarite). You pay a fixed tax contribution each year, can usually get all your VAT on purchases refunded but get no pension or healthcare entitlement unless you pay extra. But...you must have no less than 2 hectares of agricultural land (woods, scrub, etc don't count) and no more than 9 hectares. Sounds perfect if I want to legally sell pigs or lambs, saucisson, jambon, some vegetables, etc at St Girons market. But I've been adding up my agricultural land and even with the extension to field 1, I only have 1 hectare. I have another parcelle about a kilometer away which I reckon I could clear to bring the total to 1.3 hectares but all the other land is definitely forest - so I'm still 0.7 hectares short...damn and blast. A visit to the Hotel des Impots is in order to see the cadastral maps and look for some extra land, if anyone will sell it!

Fields update and slight re-numbering!

Field 1: The little terrace wall in field one is rebuilt and the land relevelled after the pigs turned it into the Somme. The lower terrace extension is cleared and fenced.

The upper terrace extension is still to clear.

Field 2: Finished the last stretch of Hazel fencing today.

In the afternoon cut the field - amazed at how well the grass has taken and how few brambles there are - of course the bracken onslaught hasn't started yet.

Field 3: The field around the barn - good meadow.

It has a copse of birch trees which I'm tapping for sap at the moment.

Field 4: Down in the woods, the one I swept of leaves. Grass doing well.

Field 5: Not really a field more a steep stoney track in the woods - clear but not much use.

A day in the woods

This morning some general clearance to fields 4 and 5 which were cut yesterday - basically felling some of the trees and big beech boughs which overhang the field. Then I discovered an old route into the field through the beech forest (suitable for a vehicle) which will be useful if I put sheep in it this year as I will need to transport water, etc. After a couple of hours clearing some big trees which had fallen across it, it is now serviceable.

Next some leaf raking - crazy as it sounds I raked most of the leaves off the field. As it's surrounded by beech forest it was a LOT of leaves. But to give the grass the best possible chance of colonising (and it's doing pretty well) I need to give it some warm exposed soil (not foot deep leaf litter).

After lunch I tapped three big birch trees for sap - planning on making some birch syrup. Can't find the book with the instructions but have found some articles on the web. I need 100 litres of sap to make 1 litre of syrup! Trees are gushing sap at the moment but I might need to tap a few more and get some extra buckets.

Finally, I prepared about 40 fence posts, from hazel spars reserved from the hedge laying, to finish the last section of hurdles around field no 2. These were sawn to length then sharpened with the axe. Tomorrow I'll hammer them into place before starting the 'weaving'.

Port d'Urets and Pic Mauberme

Pic Mauberme highest peak in the Couserans

Cabane d'Urets with a foreshortened view of the Port (left) and Mauberme (right)

After failing to drum up anyone to come to Pico Aneto (the Pyrenees highest peak at 3404m) for a ski tour, I decided I would try to the climb the highest peak in the Couserans instead - Pic Mauberme 2880m. Whilst Aneto is 1500m above the nearest road, Mauberme is 1960m so it's a Pyrenees giant alright.

I left late Friday and in about 2hrs 30 had reached the Cabane d'Urets at 1947m. A one room unmanned refuge (though currently being exanded to two rooms - whoopee!). Alas there were no mattresses and though I had taken my sleeping bag I hadn't taken a thermarest, so a very crap nights sleep followed (in fact 'sleep' doesn't belong in that sentence as there wasn't any - possibly the worst night's rest since the infamous bivvy below a dripping rock below Pic Morterasch in the Italian Alps with Andy Matthews).

I set off at 8.30 next morning for the Port d'Urets, from where I hoped to cross into Spain traverse behind the summit cone of the mountain and finish up a short couloir to the summit. Although I had taken ice axe, crampons and snow shoes, the latter were of no use today. It was about 1500 ft to the Port and the snow quickly got thicker to the point where it was impossible to discern the summer path. The snow was hugely changeable - one step it was like concrete, the next unconsolidated powder, then with a crust, then windslab and lots of sastrugi - which made the going very difficult. To reach the Port I had to climb short steep steps and traverse increasingly steep slopes (40-45 degrees at the end) on unstable snow above large cliffs. All in all very mentally trying when soloing. The final slope just 20m below the Port and leading to seemingly easy ground was the most exposed of all and composed of windslab seemingly unbonded to the ground below. It creaked and dropped as I trod over it (the latest avalanche notices warn of weak windslab over unconsolidated snow on NE steep facing slopes close to the frontier crests)...enough was enough, I bid a delicate retreat. Frustrating to be so close and yet so far - but better to be alive!

The final rise to the Port, the route traverses the upper part of the highest snow slope before gaining the easier ground of the banked out path leading to the Port

The last section of steep snow leading to the Port. At the bottom of the picture my first aborted attempt to mount the slab, at the top my second successful attempt, but after about 50m I decided enough was enough.

Looking back to the Cabane on the descent

Missing eggs

The chickens have continued to lay eggs throughout the winter, albeit at slightly reduced numbers. During the last week however, numbers have been markedly low. I realised that when I moved their house last week (something I do from time to time) I had left it on a bit of a slope. Now chickens are descended from jungle wildfowl and they still have a strong instinct to nest a little above surrounding ground level - in case of flood. So my nest box is slightly raised above the general floor level of the house. But the lowest corner of the house was now the nest box - a ha! I let the chickens out to rectify the matter and noticed that one of the hens which had been making a "I want to lay an egg" noise, bolted for the barn. I followed and discovered a lovely little nest up in the hay full of 12 eggs!

After levelling the chicken house and refreshing the nest box with fresh hay, the hens seem much happier. In fact they spent all day in and around the hen house making their new nest.

Wiener Schnitzel

I often think that my home produced pork tastes more like veal than pork. It's super succulent and when cooked stays pink (unlike the white cardboard that passes for pork in UK supermarkets). So why not make wiener schnitzel? I took a pork chop, deboned it, beat it out into an escalope with a rolling pin, then a bit of beaten egg and bread crumbs and hey presto! Delicious.

After a short shopping trip in St G this morning, I started fencing the lower terrace of the new field - need to start researching sheep - books on order!

Weather change

Finished clearing the lower terrace of the new field today. Four big fires later and all is clear. The weather here is changing and all day a wall of cloud has been spilling over the frontier from Spain, perhaps tomorrow it will rain for the first time in over a month. This has put pay to a planned re-ascent of the Cheminee de Cornave (a 800m couloir which I soloed about 6 years ago) at least for the time being.

Pic de Lampau

View from just above Col de la Core at dawn.

Up early for a longish day in the mountains. I started from the Col de la Core at sun up (8.00ish), and headed for Col de la Crouzette via the Cabane d'Eychelle. Things got off to a poor start as within 10mins of starting I realised I had an upset stomach and no toilet paper! With increasing cramps I held on until I reached the Cabane and there found salvation in the form of 'Le 09' - the local free admag that someone had left at the hut for starting fires. Somewhat relieved I pressed on to the Col. Then a descent to a second Cabane (des Espugues), before striking up the face of Pic de Lampau. The snow was hard (enough to take a crampon but leave no footprint) and although the slope was only about 35 degrees, perhaps 40 in places, the 450m slope was enough for a bit of adventure (especially when you are soloing). I followed the Pale Long which was corniced, to the summit.

Final section of ridge to the summit - it was steeper than the picture suggests.

Looking over the wafer thin cornice towards the East.

I had hoped to continue along the crest to Pic Pomebrunet but for the third time was unable to because of lack of time.

Pic Pomebrunet and Caries wait for another day...again.

After a careful descent, I returned by the same route, this time wearing snowshoes, as the sun beat down softening the snow. All in all 8 great hours in the mountains in fantastic weather, but with 1600m of ascent the knees are a bit sore.

Snow eroded into amazing fishscales by the sun.

Field clearance again

Another day of tree felling and scything in the unusual heat of February. About three-quarters of the lower terrace are now cleared - I decided to leave a single acacia standing in the middle. Tomorrow a day off, probably a day in the mountains.

Field clearance again

Spent most of the day clearing a potential extension to field 1. I would like to purchase two parcels to the east of field 1 to make it into something useful. These are owned by my neighbour Patrick at Pinsou and Alain at Quelebu. Whilst negotiations continue over whether they will sell or lease or just let me use it in return for clearance works - I've made a start. Scythe, chainsaw and brushcutter were all brought into action to tackle the 25 years of brambles, acacias and other assorted undergrowth.

In the afternoon I met a guy from Oust, who I met last autumn - a painter and one time architect. He stayed for a drink, then the mayor passed by in his car with his neighbour and insisted we all go to Rogalls (the bar in Castet d'Aleu). It was interesting to hear the old guys talking - the mayor, his neighbour, the guy from Oust and Monsieur Rogall - about when they were young. Evidently the grandfather of the guy from Oust employed Monsieur Rogall as a young man, when he was charged with bringing 46 litres of milk from Aleu to the three fromageries in Oust (in fact back then there was also a fourth fromagerie which made only Camenbert). Today alas the fromageries are no more and there is no milk production in Aleu.