The Bethmale lake

Date of your route : Nov 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very nice hike. We did it in November and met quite a few other hikers. I imagine it must be very busy in summer.
It was a bit difficult to find our way at the start of the trail; the fields are fenced in and you have to go under electric wires to continue on your way.
The path disappears at point 5. You have to cross the field and follow the yellow markers that have been placed there. It's quite easy to find your way. Further down, you have to cross a stream without a bridge. Waterproof shoes are very useful!

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Date of your route : May 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Great hike! However, unlike others (such as the Ars waterfall, for example), it is very poorly signposted. Several of us took the wrong path at the start of the hike.

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Date of your route : Jul 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Perfectly marked route (in yellow).
The difficult sections are at the start of the circular; the rest is fairly easy.
90% of the circular is shaded.
As the lake can be accessed by car, the trail is completely deserted!
Stay calm when you encounter cows, and remember to close the gates to the pastures behind you.

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Date of your route : Jul 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike in hot weather as it is well shaded. The lake is a little too crowded for my taste, but its emerald green colour is so beautiful! As for the route, don't try to follow the GPX track to the letter, especially at the beginning, as it is very imprecise. The yellow markings are still the best way to avoid getting lost. There's no problem at point 4, it starts on the left side of the road, but it's true that you mustn't miss it. If you see a fountain on the right side of the road, you have to go back up a little to find it!

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Date of your route : May 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route to do in good weather to avoid mud on the trail
Arrival at the lake without any problems: very pleasant hike

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Date of your route : May 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

The climb up to the lake was very pleasant and well signposted. Unfortunately, the lake is accessible by car, so we went from the tranquillity of the woods to crowds of people. The return trip was also pleasant, even though we had to cross a field with cows. Overall, a very enjoyable walk.

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Date of your route : Dec 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Today it's a bit cold, but with a fleece, gloves and hat, the hike was perfect.
The landscapes are no longer as shady as they were in summer, but the paths are very beautiful, covered with leaves on the way up and sunshine on the way down. It's a very pleasant route. I was surprised to see so many small, well-fed streams and lots of old houses and barns, some abandoned, some not.
I encountered few muddy sections, mostly towards the end of the descent, and the ground was relatively frozen, especially on the way up.
I had a few moments of uncertainty about the direction on the GR10E on the way up.
And I met nine hikers.

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Date of your route : Oct 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Pleasant, well-maintained course, mostly shaded

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Date of your route : Sep 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Path between forest and pasture that crosses a small stream on the way back. Please note that there is a crossing without a bridge (depending on the size of the stream, this may pose a problem).
The route is fairly shaded. Signposting is adequate.
Arrival at the pretty Lake Bethmale; a few benches for picnics.

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Date of your route : Aug 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A really enjoyable hike, but be warned that the start is a tough climb. The route is very well marked. Even on number four, just follow the road for less than a kilometre before a big bend. The trail is on the left, downhill into a meadow. A sign indicating the route is on the right side of the road, just opposite the trail, on a tree a little higher up, marked "Yellow B11".

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Date of your route : Jun 20, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello hikers, the outing is divinely beautiful, not too difficult – admittedly at the start, yes, but that's why we love the mountains! Very muddy path in the park with mooing cows, no danger but it's strange to see such large animals so close by. Our problem was on the way back, after point 4, where there are two barns and horses: we couldn't find the path on the right bank as indicated on Visorando, so we persisted and walked (badly, because of nettles, brambles and an invisible electric fence under the brambles – I got zapped). We descended the left bank, trusting the footsteps in the grass. It was very muddy on the way back to the cow pasture, so we were guaranteed a mud bath! In any case, it was a memorable day.

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Date of your route : Jun 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very well described hike.
The video is excellent.

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Date of your route : Jun 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We had a bit of trouble following the route at the beginning after the footbridge because you have to go under electric fences and we weren't sure we were on the right path, as the markings were quite sparse at that point in the hike. The spring mud didn't help matters and it wasn't always easy to see where to go.

However, there was no problem finding the path at (4), you just have to go under a fence like at the beginning.

Otherwise, the hike is magnificent! We recommend doing it in the opposite direction to what is indicated: the climb on the east side is less steep and more gradual, and you also have a better view of Mont Valier in this direction because the west side is entirely forest.

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The climb to Lake Bethemale is easy to follow. But there's a problem on the way back to Ayet. After starting the return journey on the tarmac road, at point 4 of the route on the GPS track, there is no path on the left to descend into the valley; the area is fenced off. I continued on, hoping to find another path. Unfortunately, there was no path, so I finished the route on the tarmac road!!!!!!!
To be checked, if there has been a change in the terrain, as I observed.

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Date of your route : Nov 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, well-marked walk. No particular difficulties apart from a steep climb at the start. In autumn, the colours make for magnificent scenery.

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