A day of two parts

Day 19 Saturday 15th May
St Pé de Bigorre to Juncalas 11 miles
Today was a walk of two parts - starting very wet and following the
pattern of the last couple of days. Easy walking, largely along Tarmac
roads and tracks, much of it through woods and the Foret de Lourdes,
and most along the banks of the Gave de Pau, which is in full spate -
a paradise for White-water enthusiasts. Everywhere was so wet there
was no real incentive to stop for a break until I reached Lourdes.
There wasn't really once I got there, except that I was tired and
hungry an at least I could find somewhere dry. There was little else
to recommend it. On leaving Lourdes, though, continuing to follow the
GR78, the chemin du Piemont, it was a different matter. The walking
was more interesting, challenging at times because of waterlogged,
slippery ground, fallen trees an re-routed paths. The scenery was much
more dramatic with steep gradients, distant horizons and snowy peaks
on the horizon. Much more my thing. It took longer to cover the
distance, though, and by the time I'd reached my finish point it was
6pm, raining heavily again and there was no phone signal. A pity,
that, as it made it rather more difficult to call Richard, my host for
the next three nights. Eventually I found someone who kindly let me
use their phone and it wasn't long before Richard arrived and I was on
my way to a meal and a hot bath.
I'm really looking forward to tomorrow -I'm back on my planned route
and the surroundings are beautiful, and as a bonus I don't have to
carry a backpack or worry about where i'm going to sleep. I just hope
the waterlogged ground doesn't make the walking unmanageable.
And as for Lourdes, the least said the better. It fully lived down to
expectations.