GR11 Day 2 Irun to Col de Narbalatz

 6th June

The day started bright and sunny but there were a few clouds about to protect from the worst of the sun.

Looking back to Irun

Once I had cleared Irun the first climb of the day was up a brutally steep concrete road that quickly knocked me into shape!

A good high level track

I don't know how they lay concrete that steeply, it must be almost dry and it's not tamped just roughly levelled with a shovel.

 

Soon up into the hills, wooded and steep followed quickly by equally steep descents.

The hill I didn't have to climb

Due to not reading the route description properly I walked/got up a mountain bike trail which ended 200 meters higher than I needed to be, more descent.

 

Coming down the hill there were a lot of birds of prey below. As I got closer they identified themselves as Griffon Vultures.

Fritillary on thistle 

Beautiful oak woods as well as beech chestnut and ash are high in the hills and fill the steep gullies shading the paths nicely.

Roads approaching Beria

I reached Beria in the middle of the day, so ideal time for lunch and a rest in the shade outside a convenient bar/restaurant.

Beria

The plan was to go on to the first decent camping spot but there was nothing I fancied, so I ended up going much further than I intended.

A fine place in the end with water and benches. There was a group of vultures in the trees that left when I arrived.

It was getting late

It was late!