Section One - Complete

After nine days walking, I’m having a rest day in the village of Lescun today. I was hoping Lescun might have an internet of some sort but, despite most GR10 and HRP walkers pausing here for a day, no-one has thought about the money to be made from having a connected PC.

Luckily that disappointment has been balanced out by meeting some great people here. Yesterday I met Klaas - a retired climbing instructor from the Dutch army, who has the same tent as me! He’s also doing the HRP solo, and has an even heavier bag than me, which was reassuring.

I helped an old French guy sort the gear-indexing out on his bike yesterday afternoon, so in the evening he offered Klaas and me a Pastis or two, and we ended up chatting to him and his wife (in French) for an hour or two! It turned out he had done Mont Blanc 20 years ago, so he was interested in our climbing experiences.

Klaas and I then had a a couple of beers, then later some wine and cheese. Klaas had his rest day yesterday, and I was glad it was him setting off early this morning, not me!

I’m staying on a campsite which is about 20 minutes walk out of the village, but popped back in today to get my supplies for the next 7 days walking, which should get me to Gavarnie - the next decent village. Outside the shop I met a great couple from Hobart, Tasmania, called Doug and Di. We ate our baguettes in the village square as we discussed tactics for the walk - they’re also doing the HRP, and using the same guide as me, so should be following a day or two behind on the same route. Klaas is mixing in sections from the GR10, so is going a different way.

I doubt the French couple will be heading to Gavarnie, but hopefully I’ll bump into Klaas, Doug and Di again. It’s nice to have some company every now and again!