Southern
France - Maxi-METHS + AGM 2018
31st Annual Reunion - Tuesday 25th
to Saturday 29th September 2018
Participants: Gillian
(Morticia) and Tony (Lurch) Adams,
Edwina and Gordon Beldon, Judy and Mick Ireson, Rhoda
(Rhodent) Leslie, Edith Lovie, Mike Macklin, Daphne
(DM3) Martin, Mike (Mad) and Verena (Müesli) Petzold,
Ester (Molester) Ratsma, Rupert (West Face) and Sally
Roschnik, Eric (Polevault) and Valerie Scott, George
(Munro) and Val Wallace, Janet and Lloyd (Comrade) Woods
So, twenty-one members turned up at St-Paul-de-Fenouillet,
some by car, rented or otherwise, some by train and bus, many having first
flown to one of 4 different airports – Barcelona, Carcassonne, Perpignan or
Toulouse. It is always amazing how the
attendees manage it.
We were well received at the hotel, which we had almost exclusively to
ourselves. Only the Wallaces
ended up at a nearby B&B, due to an email that did not reach them in time.
Edwina and Gordon Beldon provided wine every
evening at sundowner drinks time, which was very much appreciated by all, many
thanks.
The AGM was held at the end of the second day, Thursday, because five
participants had decided to leave already on the Friday morning.
We formed two walking groups, an "ambitious" one and an
"easy-going" one, for the want of better expressions, led by Rupert
and Sally respectively. This gave some
headaches as regards car transport to the various starting places but it all
worked out OK in the end. The groups
were not the same every day since there were some changes, in both directions,
from one day to the next. The first
group managed the compulsory "three peaks": Roc Paradet (900 m)
from Prugnanes village, Pic Bugarach
(1230 m) from the village of the same name, and Canigou
(2784 m) from a trailhead near the Refuge des Cortalets,
reached by Land Rover from Prades.
Janet Woods contributed a write-up of her
"impressions" of the meet and the walks in the first group. We are grateful for her efforts and have left
her account more or less intact. An
account of the activities of the second group follows, also a few extra notes
and all the pictures at the end (easier for the webmaster).
From Janet – impressions of the AGM meet
Our
route to St-Paul-de-Fenouillet took us through the Galamus Gorge – quite a nail-biting drive in a VW camper
van but a very awe-inspiring gateway to the meet.
The
location was beautiful with the Hôtel Le Châtelet set amongst vineyards in a
broad valley between craggy limestone ridges. Our hotel rooms either looked out
onto limestone crags or the gardens and nearby River Boulzane.
A kingfisher was seen on the first night.
Breakfast
and supper were excellent – it was relaxing not having to choose from the menu
and the carafes of wine were appreciated by all.
Day 1: Roc Paradet
We
all set off in sunshine and the way led us through forest on a soft leafy path,
with many scuff marks from, we supposed, wild boar rooting. By the time we reached
the summit our jackets were on and we were afforded a view of our goal for day
two with its peak in cloud - Pic Bugarach. A good
warmup walk – it was great to be joined by Daphne, who was convinced she was
not up to it, – but she was strong and even led us on the way down. A black
vulture flew out above out heads as we descended.
Day 2: Pic Bugarach
Again
we were blessed with blue skies and sunshine. Gillian volunteered for this walk
so as to allow the right number of cars, drivers and passengers in each group!
It was great to have Gillian and Tony with us on this walk. At the start of the
walk Westface discovered that his hiking boots were
back at the hotel – he had no choice but to carry on – this did not seem to
have any negative impact on his walk! We walked through both forest and grassy
areas and were the only ones on the ascent of the mountain. It was great to see
insects – a green cricket, a praying mantis, butterflies and grasshoppers. Good
too to hear the grasshoppers’ “chorus”. The rocks were distorted and craggy and
as we climbed birds (crag martins?) swooped around us and the ridges looked
like sleeping dragons below us. The summit afforded us a great view of green
mountains and blue sky. A buzzard called overhead as we descended.
The
AGM was held outside in the evening sun and Kamuzu hung below the barometer.
Great
to be there to celebrate 30 years of Meths and to receive a mug for 10 meets!
Day 3: Canigou
One
of the forfeits for attending this walk was that we had to be at breakfast early
and to forgo our croissant - so I was quite delighted to find a plate full of
warm croissants the next morning! It was a hectic start with an hour’s fast
drive with Rupert in the lead and Mick following in his car to rendezvous with
a Land Rover and driver who would take us to the start at 2200 m. Once in the
Land Rover the adventure really began, as we drove up switchbacks through
unspoilt forest reserve. The Land Rover needed to stop and reverse at some of
the turns. I think we all had flashbacks to journeys on African roads.
Again
we started our walk with blue skies and sunshine - we had left the forest
behind and now we walked beside pines and under them broom and rhododendrons
with red patches of bilberries further up the slopes. Sadly George was not
feeling well and did not walk to the summit with us.
It
was a busy route with a variety of walkers in all types of gear even some
barefoot and some running down. The summit was hectic and we rested and waited
for a turn in front of the summit cross to record our success. Our leader had
promised that we could expect cold temperatures and wind at the summit – but
the extreme weather did not materialise. A very enjoyable day – Mike who had
“lost” his watch at the bottom and left his sunglasses at the summit described
the pace as relentless – this was to some extent remedied by a beer at the
mountain refuge and then after meeting another walker who had left his wallet
and credit cards at the top Mike was left counting his blessings. It was not
long, however, before we were bumping our way down again.
Thanks
to Rupert and Sally for finding such a great location and venue and for the
organisation in getting us from A to B and up and down!! Great to catch up with
everyone!
The
second group
Wednesday. 11 walkers.
Both groups started together at Prugnanes and
split after about 1 km, the hares heading uphill whilst the remaining group
continued all the way back to St-Paul.
The wine harvest was in full swing in the vineyards as we approached
St-Paul.
Thursday. 10 walkers. We travelled to Grau de Maury col, some went
up to Château Quéribus and then we visited Cucugnan village, specifically the windmill belonging to
French writer Alphonse Daudet. A
snack/lunch was enjoyed near Peyrepertuse village,
then it was a climb up to explore Château Peyrepertuse,
and finally back to St-Paul.
Friday. 8 walkers first visited
an old Roman aqueduct/bridge near Ansignan, then
after coffee went to look for dolmens (Daphne's request), after which Sally had
arranged an organised private visit of the Chapter (old church) in St-Paul,
followed by a visit to the impressive Galamus gorge.
Additional notes
AGM results: No change in the
Office Bearers. "Awards" were
voted for George for driving off one morning with the boot of the car wide
open, and to Rupert for forgetting to change his shoes after breakfast on the
second day, and only realising this at the start of the walk when he had to
remove a small stone from his shoe (see above).
AGM 2019 on the Isle of Arran approved.
Ester seemed surprised to learn that temperatures tend to drop as one
climbs high mountains but was unable to experience this for herself because of
the mild, sunny and windless weather at the top of Canigou!
On Friday morning Daphne appeared at early breakfast wanting to join the
first group. "Can I go too?" Rupert said he had only reserved 7 seats on
the Land Rover, she would risk staying behind all day at Prades
in the valley. So she joined the other
group.
Pictures by Daphne, Janet, Rupert and Sally
©
WDYFO, 2018