Lac d'Isabe

I had to include a small note on our walk to Lac d'Isabe. Lac means lake as I am sure you will have already translated.

We had a day when the Meteo predicted a fine morning and possibly storms in the late afternoon so we decided to take on our most challenging walk. The weather prediction is posted each morning in the village square in Laruns and they are quite accurate on a short term - we have a few translation problems from time to time but they are gradually disappearing. The weather is described in poetic from so we have - "the peaks will appear in a sea of clouds" - and - "a veil of mist will descend in the heart of the afternoon" and so on.

We headed off and after a short drive left the car in a deep gorge and hit the track. We were lost for a while at first - the track notes also have to be translated and the odd navigational/translation error does occur - and made a steep ascent for 30 minutes only to have to retrace our steps - a good warm up for what was to come. On the right track we followed a beautiful, rushing, river through mossy gardens and dense forest. The river was up so we made a few tricky crossings and then left the river for what turned out to be a continuous steep climb. The total climb for the day was 1,000 metres which is quite a bit when it is almost straight up. We walked up through thick beech and conifer forest for the first hour or so, hearing the bells of cattle and horses through the trees. Eventually we reached the limit of the tree line and climbed up through scree and rocks and over a number of small streams tumbling down the mountainside - drinkng the clear, fresh water whenever we could. We could see the Cascades de Isabe a little way over across the slope - the water falling down out of the lake.

Climb, climb, climb - when you go straight up you can gain a lot of height very quickly - not without pain however and it was hard work. Sue and I carry the food and the jackets etc and Ash scampers up unhindered by weight or fear. He is light and quite fit and doesn't think about the consequences of a slip or a tumble. After another hour or so, not far from the top Sue's good walking boot gave out and the sole slipped right off - we stopped for some lunch on the side of the mountain and Sue and Ash decided to head down - a long walk with one bare foot didn't sound like a great idea although they were so close to the top. I couldn't resist and continued on - another 20 minutes and I reached the lake and found the most spectacular place I have seen in the Pyrenees.

A still, deep, blue lake backed by tall dark cliffs ,with water tumbling down the cliffs in 4 or 5 major falls and a myriad of smaller cascades, snow above the cliffs and more peaks in the clouds above the snow - the only sound the roar of the waterfalls and the water running out of the lake. An absolutely stunning place !! Snow down to the water in many places and perfect reflections of the snow and the waterfallsin the still dark water - a place of incredible power and beauty. Deep blue-green water and every now and then a ripple would appear in the water - fish or a monster - I wasn't sure. Time disappeared and I stayed there forever. I was the only person there with the sound of the water and the stillness of everything else, very aware of the raw power of the place and the smallness of myself.

I was about to leave, reluctantly, and I looked up and saw an Izard high on the cliffs above the falls, sillouhetted against the snow - perfectly at home !!!

I will attach some photos although they are only a poor representation of what you can see and feel.