UKC

Sorry if I've asked about this before but has anyone here done the Fenetre d'Arpette on the TMB? Is there anything in the UK that it could be compared with? I know the middle bit is shown on the map as "Passage Delicat" but how "delicat" is it? I've looked at it on YouTube but the videos do not appear to bear out what I've read in
books and on the internet.
Thanks.

In reply to mypyrex:
There are a couple of bits on both sides where you might need to use your hands for balance on loose scree or big blocks but I wouldn't even call it scrambling. In a moment of pure folly a few years ago I carried a mountain bike over it and whilst there wasn't much (any!) riding it was relatively straightforward. I went over it again on foot this year and marvelled at my stupidity. It was nice to stand on the top and not be an object of ridicule.

In reply to DaveHK:

I have done it twice and strangely also seen persons carrying bikes it cannot be great as the percentage of actual riding must be less then one percent.
The route is in my opinion a bit over rated very rocky and gritty and when wet unpleasant.
I would suggest the bovine path to be nicer, plus good food at the refugee.

In reply to robert-hutton:

I think it's more scenic than the Bovine route and gives a feeling of being in the high mountains rather than skirting them. It also links well with the variant high route to or from the Col du Balme.

In reply to robert-hutton:


It's pretty much unrideable in either direction unless you're Danny Macaskill and I think even he'd struggle. The reason bikers venture up there is because it's on the walker's Haute route and the TMB, both of which give lots of good biking.