There was rain forecast by midday so we were up before dawn and left the Col de Pourtalet at 07:30 hours. The path starts behind the many alcohol supermarkets on the border and is a steady, simple climb which took an hour to the summit.
There we found a large flock of bell collared sheep guarded by two large white furry dogs. The dogs were not friendly but as we got close to the summit they just continued to bark at us from a reassuring distance. I was ready to stab them with my walking poles if they came too close, and I like to imagine that they knew that.
They are Patou and are livestock guardians, particularly in the European Alps and the Pyrenees. They protect flocks from predation by wolves and bears.
Nothing on 10 metres for the challenge but on 20 metres the hill was soon activated plus a single 40m QSO. Then we were joined by a vigorous young lady and her collie type dog. She was the shepherd and explained that The Patou were needed because of the bears in the next valley. Wow, we didn’t know that! The Patou were both friendly by now and came over to be petted and see if we had any food for them.
She asked us to remain seated while she moved the flock of sheep and 5 minutes later I was able to dismantle the 20m resonant half wave inverted V dipole and we followed the flock down the hill for a short way, then bade the shepherdess au revoir.
The wind had increased and the sky was darkening and we made good time back to the start, arriving at the same time as the first drops of rain, then the hailstones, then the thunderstorm.
F/PO-129 is a good short day out and gets you 8 quick points.
73
F/M0YCJ/P