Epic Hikes of the World ( PDFDrive )

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the Unesco-listed Cirque de Gavarnie in the Parc National des Pyrénées
While the grown-ups got their heads around a trip without GPS, our kids wasted
no time in getting to know Lazou, who helpfully also seemed to know exactly where
she was going. They each held a section of her lead rope, and took turns in gently
stroking her fur while babbling merry strings of nonsense into her ears. Such was
the power of donkey distraction that the first hour of walking, through a stunning
pine forest, passed in a blur without them noticing the forward motion at all.
We stopped off for a picnic lunch of rock-hard, in the best possible way,
mountain bread, cheese and sausage by an actual babbling brook. Meanwhile
Lazou munched on some thistles, which seemed to be her favourite snack, much to
our childrens’ delight and fascination.
We skirted around the edge of this Eden-esque woodland enjoying all manner of
giant butterflies, bees, birds and beetles in shades we’d never seen before.
However, when we went back into the deep forest the incline sharpened a little and
some low-level grumbling began to emerge from the kids. Fortunately we had a
trump card – they were allowed to ride Lazou, who was also carrying our overnight
bag – so they did that in rotation for the remainder of the day’s hike, sitting bolt
upright on her back like proud princes in a storybook.