such as this, the view back across the valley to the Pic du Midi d'Ossau is sublime. Before it reaches the Col d'Arrious, the path crosses a false col. Here I caught up with a couple of fifty-something English blokes from Gloucestershire -- Barry and Roger; it transpired that the chap I'd seen on the road was their mate Marcus who'd lacerated his big toe on a rock outside the Refuge de Pombie the previous evening. Unable to continue, he'd opted to hitch down the valley to civilisation, let his toe heal for a few days then meet up with his mates again in Gavarnie. As we approached the col, Barry asked me somewhat tremulously whether I'd be walking to the next staging post -- the Refuge d'Arrmoulit -- via the Passage d'Orteig or by means of the alternative route. The Passage is a narrow path chiselled out of a steep rock face and secured with steel cables; I'd crossed it with Paul in poor visibility the previous summer and it is mildly vertiginous though not so fearsome as Mr Joosten would have readers of his guide -- such as Barry -- believe. I imparted this view to Barry and headed for the Passage while Roger and he paused at the col. As it turned out, on this clear, sunny day the Passage was actually less intimidating than when we hadn't been able to see the drop below us. The slightly airy passage d'Orteig Having nimbly traversed the Passage ,