Having now got a taste for a real adventure I planned
another trek with Exodus, (who had proved a reliable guiding company to use). This was to be the GR 10, a 200 mile trek
across the central region of the Pyrenees in south western France. The
mountains form a natural boarder with Spain and are home to some stunning 3,000
metre peaks, the highest of them being Pico del Aneto (3,404m). The Pyrenees are much older than the Alps,
mostly made up of granite but with foothills of softer limestone. The French
Pyrenees are as green and lush as those of Snowdonia. While if one takes a walk
over the Spanish boarder it is possible to imagine yourself in North Africa,
the difference is so pronounced. Here the lack of water and the searing summer
sun has baked the rock into a bewildering barrier of fire and gruelling climbs.
In the scorching sun of the Spanish side, what was a tough climb becomes
arduous and taxing.
The Western, French Pyrenees are adorned by beautiful
glaciers that cling like pearls from the upper sections of the mountains. Here the
snow fall in the winter is deep and covers the rock well into the summer,
hiding alpine flowers and tiny streams. Waterfalls sweep the rock as if hiding
a shy bride on her wedding day, they tumble noisily, an encore to springs
return. The area contains some of the most beautiful national parks in France,
with diverse wildlife that still retains such beasts as European bears and
eagles, although wolves no longer dwell there.
But mountains are not all about scenery on a grand scale, they contain
some of the most exquisite tiny Alpine flowers and a world in miniature of
colourful butterflies and insects.
With the trek booked and training never really finished, I
was busy cycling, walking and arranging events for the summer months of fund
raising. By now I had quite a few carnivals to attend, the first of these was
always the Verwood carnival. Invariably
wet and notoriously boggy, it was always worth putting the wellies and gazebo
sides in the car. A tombola stall is
pretty hard work to organise. Prizes have to be acquired by asking the press to
advertise you’re fund raising activities, or begging for items from friends and
neighbours. Then comes the sorting and washing of items for sales. Teddies spin
around the tumble dryer looking fluffier than they have ever been before and
old ornaments once again become shiny and sell-able. The work doesn't stop
there, cloakroom tickets need to be stuck on each item and then all the prizes
are packed into boxes ready for the big day. Just when you think that’s the end,
there are a couple of thousand tickets to fold, which is always a good job for
a family evening around a summer chiminea fire in the garden. Finally it’s all
down to the weather on the day.
