Day 24, Jul 7, 2024
From Cabane d’Ourtiga to Hourquette des Hounts-Secs
15.5 km hiked, 44.0% complete

The French hikers who joined us in the cabin last night used a small amount of kindling to have a fire for a short while. It is amazing how cheering even a small blaze can be. There was enough room for us all to sleep in the upper loft and we cooked and ate at a table down in the ground level, near the fire. We hung our food bags from nails in the wall but unfortunately I forgot that I had the zip lock rubbish bag and my breakfast apple in the mesh pocket of my pack. A mouse managed to nibble through the mesh and into both the rubbish bag and my apple!

Although we woke in cloud, we felt it was likely to clear and were up and out of the door by 7 am. First we had a short trot across to the GR10 which included a creek crossing. Even if we had managed to dry our socks and shoes by the fire, they would have been wet again from both the creek and the wet grass.

Onwards and upwards we climbed, eventually reaching the top of the Couret d’Esquierry just as the sky cleared. Unfortunately for us, the cloud below us obscured the potential views of the valleys below.

The downhill section was steep and wet, and wound through forest. It would have been pleasant if I hadn’t had to carefully watch every step.

At the bottom of the hill, we passed an auberge where we stopped for a hot drink. Here Alex (from the cabin last night) passed us, heading up into the mountains and across the border to Spain.

After a short break we continued along a broad and well trodden trail to a dam and the Lac d’Oô. We enjoyed our crackers and cheese accompanied by the crashing water cascading down to the lake below.

We continued the climb and passed over the Hourquette des Hounts-Secs on a well graded trail.

Over the other side though, Ros lost her nerve for a bit when the trail suddenly seemed to have disappeared on a steep rocky slope. There was a rope higher up which we could have used but another hiker coming towards us was using it to pull herself up. Rob saved the day giving Ros a hand over the sketchy bit and soon we were down to a relatively flat ground where we will bivouac.