After 4 days of solo effort the woodshed is rebuilt. In contrast to the old woodshed, this one should keep all my firewood dry and I won't have to move the car everytime the wind blows for fear that it will colapse.
Before
Woodshed no more, just my new concrete post bases.
My planning application to rebuild/enlarge the woodshed was refused on the basis that rebuilding the existing woodshed exactly the same as it is currently, would be out of keeping with the existing buildings? Very strange.
Una, Tara and Leia looking none the worst for their adventure After months of waiting for the Blue Tongue vaccine and mortalities getting ever closer (the next village a few days ago) it finally arrived today. As it has to be administered by the vet for certification I had to take the sheep to St Girons.
In the morning I enlarged my Heath Robinson sheep transporter to take 3 sheep, then with some help from John, I loaded the them. I made two journeys to St G with three sheep each time to get them vaccinated. It's a hell of a job as each sheep has to be caught then carried into the back of the trailer (they are heavy now - perhaps 40 kg each). Each received two injections but unfortunately there's a third injection in three weeks time so I'll have to do the whole thing again.
In fact now I think of it - don't think I announced the new sheeps' names: Mini, Leia and India
Spent the morning clearing a route through the woods to one of the haystacks, then making sure the suzuki could get there and back...just need to try it with the trailer full of hay tomorrow.
Sheep relaxing on some rocks in a very 'sculptural fashion'
Near the top of the col during the famous Ariegoise Cycle Race.
In fact I only saw one other cyclist goint the same way as me
- he overtook me just 10m from the col - git!
A fast descent to the Etang de Lers and lunch in the café was followed by an even faster descent to Massat. The gradient eases after Massat and by the time I'd got back to Castet d'Aleu my legs were beginning to go to sleep. The 400m climb back to Quélébu (between 1 in 6 and 1 in 7 for the entire first two kilometers) soon had the blood flowing in my legs again. About 4hr 40 for the 70km circuit with 1565m of height gain in all.
Claviers
A walk in the woods this afternoon has produced two ceps, some hedgehog of the woods, some chanterelle and masses of horn of plenty (which I'll dry). Tonight its a 100% home-produced meal - potatoes, carrots, mushrooms and sausages.
A griffon vulture on the crest below Pic Rouge de Belcaire 
A gulley provided an escape but it was clear that the rest of the ridge is a 'roped' project. Some close encounters with vultures provided some photo opportunities, before we made our way to the Etang des Lavants de l'Escale where some swimming gave us restbite from the heat.
Most landowners here still seem to hold onto the principle of never selling land. I guess this principle is born out of a time when they maintained, used and lived off it, when it was productive agricultural land that their fathers and forefathers had worked hard to create and improve, their only asset. This no longer applies - the land has little agricultural value anymore, few if any of the current landowners are involved in farming or maintain the land and many don’t even live in the Ariege any more (though most retain a second home here to use in the August summer holiday).
One can’t blame the few farmers left here for the way they use the land. Unable to buy it, why should they invest time and money to improve it to pasture once again? There are plenty of people here willing, desperate even, to start farming properly. Every week the local paper is full of adds from local ‘young farmers’ trying to find a few acres of land to buy to ‘start-up’ in business. A search also hampered by France's ludicrous inheritance laws which have left the land split into millions of tiny 'parcelles' - mostly fractions of a acre in size - all under different ownership. Accumulating a couple of acres of 'parcelles' in reasonable proximity to each other is nigh on impossible.
I guess farming will only recommence here when the ‘old guard’ pass on and their children who return to the Ariege for holidays and leisure, will see the land for what it has become – valueless – and take a less compassionate view with regard to selling it to the people who are willing to invest in it and use it - to the good of the local economy and countryside.
Pointe de Rabassère and the NW ridge to its right. The horizontal section on the extreme right is seldom (if ever) climbed and required the rope, the rest was easy scrambling/walking even though it looks much harder and is part of the VN.
The start
There were some huge unstable blocks, at least three 'through routes' and some interesting route finding. In fact the ridge was nowhere particularly difficult, but often exposed.
The mother of all 'threads' 
Flake anyone?
The end of the roped scrambling
The grade probably PD with sections of II+ (probably avoidable), no abseils required. Protection was there when you needed it and the granite was incredibly rough but quite lichenous.
From the summit we descended the east ridge then bagged Pic Turguilla (2527m) before returning via the Cabane Turguilla to Gerac.
David on 'Les Choucas'
Whilst I scythed, picked and froze my french beans, harvested potatoes and washed clothes, Yaron and David went to Spain to the Anisclo canyon. It's truly spectacular but I've been many times already. The Spanish side of the mountains were very hot, whilst here in France the clouds blew-in in the afternoon, and tonight it's drizzly. Hopefully a short walk in the mountains tomorrow.
Today we headed to Auzat for a spot of climbing on the granite (mostly 5c), with Penny and Will - it was hot on the rock.
On the way back over the Port de Lers the parapentes were out.
David's heels were still really painful but tonight we've put some compeed on so hopefully they'll be up to one last walk or climb before their holiday is over.
A religious experience?
David on the summit
