Into the mountains but not over the hill!

Day 26 - Sunday 23rd May
Germ to Granges d'Astau 9 miles
Today was finally going to be the first day on the GR10 since St Jean
Pied de Port and I was really looking forward to it. I had a degree of
concern about the snow conditions though sonwas glad there were a
number of people in the Gite and out on the first partnod the route
whose brains I could pick. Trouble is, everyone has a different view
and you have to decide who to trust. In the end it has to be yourself.
The general opinion was that the snow would be troublesome but
probably not dangerous but the only way to tell would be to get a bit
closer to be able to see if it was possible to find a path between the
snowy patches and through the fringes of the snow. So I set off on a
steep long climb knowing that I might well reach 1900m and decide to
turn back. And by golly that climb was tough, with about 15kg on my
back. Once I reached the snow it looked possible but not certain. The
best bit of advice I was given was to remember that going up a snowy
slope is difficult, coming down alone and with the equipment I had is
impossible. The decision to go beyond the point of no return is hard
to take. It coincided with a long break. But the feeling of elation
that it was actually possible once I'd worked out a path through was
incredible. I wanted to shout it from the mountain tops, but the phone
network wouldn't let me.
So, finally, several hours later I'd reached over 2100m and gathered
my strength for a slow, steady but steep descent of 1000m. It was a
good but windy path through woods and apart from yet more trees across
paths it was quite straightforward.
10 hours after I'd set out from Germ i arrived at the Gite Auberge
d'Astau 3km short of my planned destination (and 400m lower). They had
a room free so I took it. No decision to be made. My legs had had it;
but it felt so
good. This was why I was doing the trip - I never wanted it all to be
easy.