Do others of you suffer from something of the same problem? I’m beginning to wonder.

Now, regular readers will know that there is nothing I like better than a bit of backpacking and wildcamping. There’s nothing quite like long walks on long days followed by long evenings in magnificent settings. But sometimes …

I think this current bout of wallowing in self-pitty started in the Pyrenees. This year’s walk was superb in many ways but it also had some problems. First off, this was not a linear walk with obviously defined day stages. As a result things became a bit of an amble, or ramble, at times. Secondly, I was walking in more popular areas and spending more time around the GR10 than I have for a while.

The real problem with all of this were people carrying day packs. They seemed to glide past so easily, even allowing for the lighter load that I was carrying. Particularly in the Néovielle area we seemed to be the only ‘proper backpackers’. Everyone else was skipping along and spending the night in a refuge.

Suddenly life in the refuge seemed attractive. And this has been made worse by Helen and Colin from Stockport who – as I write – are walking some of the same trails, armed only with a little day-pack.

It’s a long time since I have done a long, multi-stage, walk from hut-to-hut or hostel to B&B. But I wonder whether it’s worth a try for the next long-ish trip. Time to revisit the South West Coastal Path or what’s-his-name’s trail along the Welsh marches? Time to feel as if I’m walking on air again?

All of this is a lovely thought until I think of hostels and those who snore. Nope, it’s not worth it. That’s one of the big reasons I carry a tent.

I’ll just have to resign myself to slogging on while others skip on past.

Time to get out the tarp again I think. There have been too few opportunities to use it this summer.

Do you think it’s possible to dehydrate Horlicks?

For those that are wondering, yes I am still alive!

I’m still struggling through the Pyrenees report. The text is now written, the photos processed and the html templates almost complete. And – once again – Mark Alvarez has offered to proof read it all, so I guess it will finally arrive within the next week. You’ll have cause to thank Mark !!!

Still all of this has left me a bit blogged-out. Not even the thought of some new gear can get me excited. I suppose I shall just have to wait for inspiration; I guess it will come at some point.

Maybe Podcast Bob can get me going again. I think I’ll give him a ring …

Is anyone else having the same problems as me? My email inbox is being deluged with promotional emails from the Outdoors Industry desperate to sell stuff. I’ve no doubt that the harsh retail environment is making people work harder at promotion (and selling) over the net. Snow and Rock are working, particularly hard had filling my in box.

What I’ve noticed is that non of these companies are ones that I ever buy anything from. I suppose at one time or another I’ve registered on their site or filled in a form giving my email address when I’ve bought something in their store.

I can only assume that those companies with which I normally do business with (on and off the net) are doing better than these others. Which is a nice thought. And tends to suggest that the rest of you walkers value customer service as well!

I spied an interesting piece in today’s Guardian that I thought was worth reflecting on.

While I was in France I spent a fair amount of time reading the French press who seem to be completely fascinated with their ‘first lady’. Much of this revolves around her commitment to the radical causes that she has been traditionally associated with. Is Carla still the same and still as committed?

Well, Carla has recently taken to defending the lot of the Pyrenean bears - most of which have been re-introduced into the area from Slovenia. French farmers are not happy. But Carla has taken up the fight. You can read the story here.

What fascinates me is the notion, in the story, that it is a coalition of farmers and trekkers who are leading the campaign to finish off the bear. I thought this odd as I’ve never met a trekker in the Pyrenees who was not fascinated by the bears. On closer reading the real opposition would seem to be coming from the local tourist trade - not the same thing at all!

This year, at Cauterets, I spent an evening at the hotel of Philip and Mary Lenaghan (Philip is a regular contributor to the Outdoors Magic Forums). I interviewed Philip (something that I’ll publish here shortly) and during the conversation he told me that, last year, somebody found Wolf tracks around Vignemale. Local wildlife experts reckon that this animal(s) may have come over the border from Italy. I’ve looked on the web and cannot find any reference to wolves and the Pyrenees (at least not since 1911), but this is an interesting idea. Carla may have more to deal with than just the plight of the bears!

Some of you with long memories may remember the problems I had with a Suunto Vector watch a few years ago. The watch - new at the time - simply misted up in the mountains, so badly as to be completely useless. It was impossible to deal with Suunt direct; I had to go through Field & Trek who were dreadful to deal with.

For some reason I stuck with Suunto and 18 months ago bought one of their better watches. Just before going away the strap broke and it needed to up back. I still had to go through a dealer, this time Cotswold Leisure. What a difference!

Cotswold were a joy to deal with and the watch was returned with a new battery as well as a new strap.

If you buy Suunto - use Cotswold. An impressive team.

I’m now just getting around to finishing off some of the feedback on gear that I used during my trip.

I’ve reviewed the Aquagear Filer before - this is sold in the UK through backpackinglight.co.uk.

Over the summer - when walking in the UK - I’ve been using the Aquagear as my only water bottle. But life in the Pyrenees can be a lot hotter and there are times when the limestone rocks yield very little water. Depending on exactly where I am I have a tendency to carry more water than I would usually do.

In the Pyrenees a few weeks ago I reverted back to a Platypus system but I also carried the Aquagear with me, a permanent presence in one of the ULA’s side pockets. The Aquagear was used to take water whenever we came to a running water source. This allowed us to carry less in the Platypus and also to spend as much time as drinking fresh and cool water as possible.

Most of the water supplies we found would I guess have been fine. But there were a few occasions where we were taking water from streams that were surrounded by cattle, and the Aquagear allowed us to drink this with confidence.

Used this way the Aquagear was a great success. I know many of you use it now but it really is a lot handier than playing around with any other, bigger, more hi-tec, water system.

Possibly the highlight of this year’s trip was our two-day walk in the Néovielle Lakes region. These tend to get ignored by trekkers on the HRP and - I guess - they are like me, a little sniffy at things that have a connection with the GR10. But this walk reminded me how stunning the GR10 and its variantes can be. I’ll be writing about the area extensively, but I thought you might look at some photos. that follow the line of the walk.

Just for John

Phew. I’ve finally finished the first, textual, draft of my trail journal for the recent Pyrenees tip. Now I realise why I’ve never been tempted to do this before!

I hope you folks will appreciate it. People keep telling me that the trail reports are the things they enjoy reading most (apart from Weird Darren who, of course, just likes reading about stoves!)

Rather inevitably, I guess, I’m quite sick of the damn thing. Still now I’ve only got to proof read 60 pages of double-spaced text, finish the photos and then create the html templates! Oh joy.

Still, it was nice to re-visit the mountains, the restaurants, campsites, hotels and to remember the many nice and generous people we met.

For many people, Lescun is the quintessential Pyrenean village. One of my Fllckr contacts, olivelebasque_64 - who originally comes from the village - has now set up a Flickr group dedicated to it. Some of the photos are superb - they details the people and traditions of Lescun as well as its scenery. Worth checking out.

Lescun, Flickr Group

This might seem a bit egotistical but a few people have suggested that I do this.

Last year I gave my first talk to a walking group, to the lovely folks at the Stockport Walking Group. The talk - on tackling the TGO Challenge as a novice - went down really well and a few folks told me that it was one of the few talks they’d had where they didn’t fall asleep! In a month or so I’ll be back in Stockport to do a session on the High Pyrenees (10th September - details to follow) and I’m currently thinking through the outline of the presentation.

Now, it has been suggested to me that walking groups in the South of the country have a difficult time because most of the speakers on the circuit don’t get down south that often. I am down in South regularly and, so, if anyone is interested in any either of these presentations then feel free to get in touch!

andy.howell@me.com