Sunday December 3, 2023
I slept in this morning and did some research on what to do in the afternoon while sipping a cup of American joe. I've been spending a lot of time in the Basque country and haven't yet taken the time to explore the Landes landscape; so let's correct that and take a walk through one of the many pine forests that seem to abound here. A search for a moderate difficulty hike in the Landes province pointed me to a loop near the Réserve Naturelle de l'Étang Noir in Seignosse.
I warmed up by doing this short boardwalk trail to see the black pond. Not much fauna but a good preview of some flora. Due to recent rains, the boardwalk was slick which made evading the trees that grew into the walkway a tricky business, but it was a good excuse to feel the moss and get up close to some mushrooms.
Up next was the trail I'd come here for: Le circuit bleu des "Tucs". I've no idea what the tucs are but blue circuit is simple enough, follow the blue arrows on the trees.
The hike was mostly through a reforested timber pine forest. Different sections had different aged pines: some were in close lines, some had been thinned and were taller, some areas had lower branches trimmed, and others were just young saplings. All the forests had the trees operating in rows and columns.
It had me thinking back to my latest visit to Mt. St. Helens in Washington, where the visitor center talks about how the timber company who's forests had been destroyed by the eruption had reforested some areas while leaving others to regrow naturally. It was a stark visual difference in how much faster the cultivated forest grew than the natural.
An upclose to some gorse. The forest consisted of pine trees, ferns, gorse, and mushrooms; at least as far as I could tell.
All the soil was very sandy here, it was surprising to see a mushroom pop up its little head straight from the sand.
More mushrooms
Maybe drawing a line between wood lots?
Someone had a bad day here
After my hike, I wasn't quite ready to call it quits. So I made my way to the ocean that I'd been hearing roaring during my whole hike. Since I'd dined in Hossegor about 2 weeks ago, I figured I'd give Capbreton a try.
I'd hoped to be able to watch the sunset, but some clouds appeared on the horizon; oh well, I'll still enjoy my time on the beach.
There was a bunch of people swimming "laps" in their wet suits.
Some people enjoying bocci
It seems there's some sort of motorcross event happening on the otherside of the canal!
Haha le goof.
This was about when I realized we had come here in 2018. The travelers had all come to the beach at Capbreton before dinner and taken a dip in the summer water.
A view of the Santocha beach and further along the coast of les pays-Basques
Some citizen science requested for documenting the rate of erosion of the sand dune
The result of prior erosion: abandoned bunkers
A little bit of plant life atop the dunes
Mushrooms are tenacious life, even here on the beach dune
I spent my time along the beach of Capbreton but I think most of the city proper is nestled a ways back from the beach. I did enjoy my walk along the beach and seeing people fishing, surfing, and swimming. A good way to close out a Sunday.
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