Breakfast at the hotel and then along the road again. Did choose the roadside to keep the speed. I had realized that the GR itself could be difficult sometimes and definitely slower. Then you have to sacrifice the beauty. If you need to do three days walk in two, you must rationalize. Consequently, I did follow the road through narrow passes between steep rock walls and in between these through somewhat broader valleys. The railway, or rather what is left of it today, above Bedous follows the road, sometimes at the left sometimes at the right side of the road. A lot of tunnels and bridges. Sometimes the banks of the old railway and some bridges have been “stolen” by the road to allow it to be broader.
I reflected about the old railway bank and wondered if it could be converter to a walking path to improve the GR653. Ought to work in general with some additional arrangements like stairs for removed bridges and maybe also for the tunnels.
A bit later I reached Borce that seems to be a nice and well-kept village. Here the famous GR10 crosses. The GR10 run high up in the Pyrenees from east to west. Had I been younger I’d liked to walk it. Had planned to eat in Borce but continued to Urdos where I had lunch.
After Urdos it was not so far to the northern entrance to the road tunnel (Tunnel du Somport) and also the entry to the old railway tunnel – now abandoned. But before that the old road towards the pass turn to the left. I did follow that for some few hundred meters. Then I turned over to the track of the GR653 instead. At first it was very good but higher up it became more narrow and steeper and trough water passing over and sometimes close to the abyss. That is a trial for a man with vertigo. I found it a bit difficult but managed to walk it anyway. I reached the road leading to the pass and followed that for a while. I was a tired now. Passed two Muslims who had left their car to pray in the direction of Mecca. After a few curves more I was at border in the pass Col du Somport at 1640 m.
50 m into Spain I found the gite. Had a beer and spoke to Birgitta over the phone. Then I was lodged together with a man from France that did not speak any other language. Shower and a bit of rest on the bed. Took a walk around the place to take photos and make a snowball. There was certainly snow up here. Also, a place to honor “our Lady” and – of course – Santiago (saint James). His special red cross was there. This pass has seen pilgrims to Santiago since more than thousand years.
My neighbors were a young couple. Mostly with eyes for each other. Probably biking. Mailed and sent info to “all”. This was after all the “high point of this walk.
Time for dinner and diary. Clouds were now covering the snowy peaks. And this where I stop for today.
He continuado utilizar el arcén también este mañana. Borce es un pueblo, sin duda agradable, done GR10 cruce GR65.3. GR10 es un sendero alto a lo lejos de Pirineos altos. Almorcé en Urdos. Un poco después este pueblo comienza el sendero atravesando el Paso de Somport. Elegí este, a veces estrecho, a veces escarpado y con precipicio al lado. Una prueba para un hombre con vértigo. Pero el mismo paso “Col du Somport” (1640 m) estaba fácil. Mucha nieve, pero no en la carretera o en el sendero. En una colina cerca del paso hay un monumento de Santiago y Nuestra Señora que visité. Trové un albergue 50 metros después la frontera.
Peregrino 