Country:
District:
After leaving the D918, follow the D140 towards the village. Park at the top of the village of Betpouey.
(S/E) Follow the small road to the left, heading east, which leads to the last houses in the village until you pass a farm.
(1) At the three-way junction that follows, take the path on the left that runs along the edge of the Bastan stream, which flows towards Luz-Saint-Sauveur, and the road that climbs to Barèges.
Cross the Bolou stream over a recent concrete bridge and continue at a steady pace until you reach the first barns.
(2) Go around the first barn on the right, then leave the track for the path that climbs up on the right between two tree-lined embankments. Further up, it meets the track again and continues on the other side until it reaches a ridge. The path climbs steeply, passing one by one the barns that are scattered along this slope.
(3) After the last one, which has been converted into a beautiful house, the path continues for about a hundred metres before reaching a crossroads.
Leave the yellow-marked route that branches off to the left towards the Plateau de Lumière and continue straight ahead on the path that continues to climb, winding its way through birch and hazel trees. A hundred metres higher up, you will come to the track that leads to Artiguette and the Plateau de Lumière.
(4) Cross the track and climb the path that starts opposite (marked in white and yellow). It continues to climb to the right for a few hundred metres until it reaches an altitude of about 1,450 metres, where it meets another path.
It will remain at this level until the descent, at the Soubralets barns.
Continue along this path, heading into the valley where the Bolou stream flows. The closer you get, the louder the sound of the waterfall becomes. When you reach the point where you cross the stream, leave the path that climbs towards the Néouvielle refuges on your left.
(5) Return via the opposite slope, taking the highest path and ignoring any tracks leading down to the right. The slopes are more wooded than those on the opposite side. Cross several streams before reaching the summer pastures dotted with barns.
(6) Pass the first barn by going over it. Ignore the trail that climbs to the left, directly below the building.
(You can stay at the same level to pass in front and rejoin the path a little further on).
Continue along the path, which alternates between mountain pastures and sparse woods. Then climb up to reach a track and turn right to descend to the barns. Follow two hairpin bends to pass under the first barn and reach the fork towards Viella or Betpouey.
(7) Leave the white and yellow markings to the left and turn right to descend towards Betpouey. The track, which is tarmac in places, descends gently through the mountain pastures and barns until it reaches the road leading to the Pont de Bolou bridge.
(8) Turn left to return to the starting village, first following the road, then from the first bend, taking the path that cuts across the following ones.
the lodge was located right next to Pont de Bolou).
(9) A few dozen metres after the first bend, leave the road on the left, taking the path that descends between two tree-lined embankments. Further down, it crosses the road and continues through a small valley with a stream. Cross the road again, then before reaching it a third time, pass between two barns. To rejoin it, walk down the road to the left for about 100 metres.
(10) Turn right, just before the bend, onto the path that passes below a converted barn, then cuts across the summer pastures before entering the valley where the stream you encountered earlier flows. Cross it and continue to the left to descend its course. After 150 metres, you will reach the starting point (S/E).
Visorando member
Easy 
Difficult 
