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Park in the car park in the hamlet of La Pomarède.
(S/E) Follow the street (Chemin Neuf) towards Colombières-sur-Orb and continue on the road that leads to a crossroads just before the Albine stream.
(1) Turn left onto the D14E34, then take the street (Chemin du Serral) on the left before reaching the D908. You will pass in front of the Château de Colombières. Continue until you reach a crossroads located at a small car park with a few spaces.
(2) Turn left onto Rue du Théron. In the bend, leave the street and take a small path opposite that climbs between the houses. You will immediately reach a fork.
(3) Turn right, then left about 50 metres further on, to follow the Sentier de l'Esquino d'Ase. Take a few minutes to admire the Tour Carrée from the Belvédère. Set off again and you will reach a fork.
(4) Keep left and head down a steep descent that leads to the banks of the Albine. Cross the stream and, once on the opposite bank, begin the ascent of the Pomarède ridge. This first section is the steepest and most difficult, with no markings and only a few scattered cairns. Follow the GPX track and the ridge line carefully to reach a large overhang above the Albine gorges and finally the Col de la Pomarède, where several trails intersect.
(5) Do not follow the blue markings, but take the cairns opposite, which are numerous for this second part of the ascent and allow you to imagine the route. The climb is steady, and after 1½ hours of climbing the ridge, you will reach the foot of the Cades gate, where a long descent leads to the junction with the GR® de Pays du Haut-Languedoc: yellow and red markings.
(6) Descend to the right. You will cross two dry streams. Further on, ignore the Garel trail on the left, which climbs back up to the plateau. Head off to the right.
(7) Ford the Ruisseau d'Albine and continue towards the Caylus huts. Take the path on the right to pass between them and descend via fairly steep stone steps to a fork after 10 minutes (with a danger sign).
(8) Turn right onto a small technical path through the terraces towards the Albine waterfall. The final part of the descent is very steep, so take care.
(9) Enjoy the waterfall before continuing along the path on the opposite bank, which climbs gently back up to the Col de la Pomarède pass you passed earlier (point (5)).
(5) Do not follow the blue markings, but head straight south to return to Pomarède. After entering the hamlet, turn right onto Rue de la Pompe, then left onto a path that leads directly back to the starting car park (S/E).
Visorando member
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