Refuge pombie circuit and summit

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Start by Rd side parking above shepherd huts were cheese is sold in summer ànd take footpath into valley

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Cross bridge straight after is a signed junction and main trail runs along 4iver almost as far as u want (lovely family stroll). Instead start climbing steeply uphill on zig zag trail

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20min cr9m start enter the cool dappled light of a vast beech foreßt and continue the steady climb

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After about 20min in forest the path runs alongside a river

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5 min later leave shade of woodland and cross a wooden bridge over river and int9 a sun exposed flower filled pasture. Sheep on summer. The river is a nice place for a pause

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Highly attractive trail through meadows running on right true left of river. A large summer shepherd cabin is visible ahead on other side of river and high mountain rock scapes fill flowery valley

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Pic du midi swings into view opp cabin with yellow shutters and I can see anothe4 cabin off to right. Look carefully straight ahead to2ard col and ubcan see refuge pombie in distance

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Very clear path works through the edge of pikes of rocks torn off mountains by ancient glaciers. As u walk listen out for summer sounds of sky larks

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Approaching heàd of valley you are faced with a hard steep climb up to refuge

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After fairly vicious 30 min climb reach refuge at foot of pic du midi.glorious views east toward balitous

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Head behind refuge and past lake on south side climbing to rocky pass visible to west

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Pass immediately below the sheer dramatic south face of pic du midi

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Steady climb and as late as mid June plaques of snow linger in shady corners

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25min from refuge and pass to right of small pool

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Approaching pass and looking east

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If heading for the oeqk from the pass which is 45min hard above the refuge turn left on unma4ked trail and start climbing.

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Foll9w path and Cairns up the ridge

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Last few min to summit path gets harder to see especially if snow and u may need to just do a bit of easy scrambling over rocky scree but it's nothing very taxing

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A non too taxing 30min climb from pass to summit

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View down to refuge on way to summit

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Once back at pass hang left west (it's a 45 min rtn climb to summit)

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From pass drip steeply for 10min between rock walls in grotesque glacier carved ßhapes and nearer bottom over bouldery rocky scr3e aiming for small lake

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Trail through avalanche rubble is hard to see look for small Cairns on top of bigger rocks

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Takes about ten min to negotiate the tricky rockfall area. Of it's snow bound then don't attempt to cross it and instead retrace steps way came

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Path drops down to another much larger lake

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After Ricky unforgiving terrain between refuge and here the grassy waterlogged meadows surrounding this lake and views of sw face of pic du midi are gorgeous and encourage u to longer. The path spli5s here. The hrp route heads nw but from sw corner of lake we go sw and start to climb upward to pass

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After easy 15min climb to a grassy pass (this one) veer left SE you can see col du portaulet in distance

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It's now a long easy gentle descending stretch along southern flank of peak u just climbed. The pastures below are well watered and full of livestock this is cirque d'aneou

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All along this simple bit of trail there are impressive views to the Spanish peaks on opposite side of valley

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After 40 min walking this bit of trail come to junction at next pass. 8f u r doing short route turn right for a very steep drop back to car you wo7ld have come this way on way up. If following our longer route turn left north and head back to refuge pombie in 15 flat easy min

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Retrace steps from refuge back to parking in hr half