Day 10: Col de Bagargiak to Larrau (via Logibar).

Waking up above the clouds and climbing up to indescribably beautiful views of peaks poking up through a cloud ocean, stopping to stare for a while on a purple pink heather path as cowbells rang out amidst the peacefulness, descending onto the crête Ugatzé and following the contours round as the clouds retreated to reveal green forest covered valleys, the Pic d'Orhy appearing on our right, butterflies waking up and getting busy (lots of marbled whites & swallowtails & blues today), gauntlets of brambles and nettles, navigating squelchy mud patches, mountains beyond mountains ahead, lion bars for snacking, occasional delightful breezes and hardly any shade from the cursed yellowface, the sky filling with screeching red kites, a pair of cows licking each other, blue and purple thistles everywhere, steep stony paths down to Logibar for cold beers & ice cream then onwards/upwards/back on ourselves to the camping Ixtila...

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If ever you see me with a distant look in my eye, chances are I’ll be back somewhere in this moment, gazing in wonder at cloud visions.

I've looked at clouds from both sides now...

At Logibar we acquired much needed refreshments at the Auberge before heading off up a rather long twisting D road (with space to walk on the verge safely) towards Larrau to one of our other favourite campsites in the Pays Basque – Camping Ixtila. The pitches are flat and grassy and neatly divided up with high hedges. There are lots of shady spots, gorgeous flowers beds and hydrangea bushes, amazing views of the mountain ridge, clean sanitaires, free wifi, a room to sit in with an excellent array of books and vintage Pyrénées magazines and it is run by a lovely friendly couple who will also serve you tea, coffee and beer with a smile. All in all it makes for blissful happy camping.

The vital statistics:
Time hiking: 8h26
Peak: 1419m
Total ascent: 871m
Total descent: 1551m