Pic du Midi d'Ossau Circuit

Well, the countdown has begun to leaving Catalunya and walking in some serious hills in Nepal so we headed to the Pyrenees with two aims: to explore some new parts and to get fit! Three days of wild camping and walking amongst the high lakes and pastures of the Pic du Midi Massif ticked both boxes...

As we were slogging up the hill these chaps were lazing in the sun... 

"leave me alone I'm trying to sleep!"

Worth the effort though as we found a nice walled camping spot next to Lac Casterau with views of Pic du Midi d'Ossau - the rather large mountain that dominates the skies in this area. 

And pulls in the cloud! 

Breakfast in my enclosure...

Early morning sheep invasion! Hundreds of them, all with bells...

Guarding the tent spot and food supplies! 

Peace at last! 

Continuing our circuit by lac Bersau...

To the meadows of Lac Gentau and another nice campspot! 

A persistent donkey gets a whiff of our food... 

You can plead with those eyes all you want but WE DO NOT SHARE FOOD!!!

Finally he gets the hint and goes back to his grass. 

More sheep underneath the Refuge d'Ayous...

Check out my quiff.

The sheep filing off for pastures (and lunchboxes) new...

Another photo of us sheep? We're gonna start charging...

Peaceful reflections in the afternoon... 

A beautifully flat and picturesque pitch - the tent pegs just glided in :-)

Moody evening skies...

And finally stars as Ali hones his night photography! 

A stargazer's paradise! Loads of shooting stars too...

Hello sun! 

Finishing my morning cuppa...

View from the Refuge d'Ayous...

After walking all the way down to the bottom of the valley we then had another hill to climb up to complete the circuit... feeling the burn! 

Still, we met more sheep than people in this more secluded of valleys...

A particularly fine coat on this chap.

Keep in line everyone...

Rush hour traffic on the way to Col de Suzon...