A British woman missing in the Pyrenees mountains vanished in perfect weather having left her boyfriend behind to go on a solo hiking adventure.
Esther Dingley, 37, was last seen on November 22 at Pic de Sauvegarde, just four days from the end of a month-long solo trek through the mountain range.
Having spent six years travelling around Europe in a van with partner Dan Colegate, she had left him at a farm in the Gascony region while she headed off to hike alone.
The trip was banned under French lockdown laws which forbid people from travelling more than half a mile from home or walking for more than an hour.
Esther Dingley, 37, was hiking the Pyrenees mountains on the border between France and Spain in defiance of lockdown rules when she vanished last week
Miss Dingley had been travelling Europe with her partner Dan Calegate in a van for six years, when she left him at a farmhouse in France last month to go off on a solo adventure
Ms Dingley had started on Saturday from Benasque, Spain and was planning to spend Sunday night at Refuge Venasque, France
Search and rescue teams from both France and Spain have been looking for Miss Dingley since Tuesday last week, when she was reported missing.
Spanish rescuers found her car abandoned in the town of Benasque, where she began the last of her planned hikes on Saturday before disappearing.
Specialists from the Civil Guard’s mountain rescue GREIM team launched their search on Tuesday, joined by teams from the French side of the border.
Spain used a helicopter to sweep the region where she was last seen on Sunday, and one was also due to go up on the French side Monday.
Six French teams were also coming the area on foot on Sunday, but have yet to turn up any sign of her.
Miss Dingley had set off from the town of Benasque, in Spain, on Saturday and was last seen by other walkers near Pic de Sauvegarde, a Pyrenees mountain, on Sunday.
She uploaded photos to the Instagram account she shared with Dan on Saturday, showing herself at the top of the mountain.
The photos reveal the weather was fine and clear, while historic weather forecasts also show the weather was bright and sunny, with a light breeze.
Miss Dingley, described by friends as a very experienced hiker, was then due to walk between Port de la Gléré and Port de Venasque – a route of some eight miles – before hiking down from the mountains on Wednesday.
French authorities say the search is made more difficult because the country was in lockdown at the time, meaning the trails were deserted with few witnesses.
Miss Dingley and Mr Colegate had lived ordinary lives in the UK until 2014, when battles with mental health issues and a flesh-eating bacteria infection that almost killed him prompted them to reconsider.
Miss Dingley, who ran a personal training company, and Mr Colegate, who was a business development manager, upped and took off for what was supposed to be a yearlong van adventure in Europe that turned into six years.
During that time they have lived in France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Slovenia and Liechtenstein.
They typically spend summers in the Alps and Pyrenees, and winters in the warmer climes of Spain.
The pair last spoke via WhatsApp on Sunday (November 22), when Ms Dingley sent a photo from the Pic de Sauvegarde mountain, at the French-Spanish border.
But now despite ‘extensive sweeps’ by helicopters and sniffer dogs of the countryside where she was last seen, there has been no sign of her since.
The 37-year-old from Durham was on a month-long solo trip and was supposed to return on Wednesday
Miss Dingley was a yoga enthusiast who had been a private trainer before giving up her career to travel around Europe
Mr Colegate said her disappearance has left him ‘broken and shattered’.
He told the BBC that his partner had been away for a month before she went missing and their last conversation was about ‘how excited we were to see each other as this was her last trip before driving back’.
It is believed Ms Dingley had started out on Saturday from Benasque, Spain and was planning to spend Sunday night at Refuge Venasque, France.
Writing about her climbing adventures on Facebook days before going missing, Miss Dingley described how she found herself ‘racing the weather’ during one hike and pushing her ‘comfort zone’ as she headed out alone in difficult conditions.
Her devastated partner shared the last picture she had sent him along with an emotional plea on Facebook: ‘I’m broken. Shattered to report that my beloved Esther, the person who taught me how to feel, is missing.
Esther Dingley and her partner Dan Colegate have been travelling around Europe in their camper van for the past six years
‘She has was last seen six days ago when she sent me this photo. Search and rescue teams have so far found no trace of her.
Snow has been falling at night in the area where Ms Dingley set off on the hike, and night temperatures can drop to minus 2C.
Climbing and hiking accidents in the region are common, especially on mountain paths where rocks can become easily dislodged.
In July 2017, a 31-year-old French woman lost her life in front of her partner after a rock she was clinging to for support came loose, sending her tumbling.
The local PGHM High Mountain police in Bagnères de Luchon released a statement saying they are ‘actively looking’ for Ms Dingley.
‘This hiker went to the mountains in Luchonnais Sunday, November 22, planned to return Wednesday, November 25.
‘The area envisaged for its hike extends from the port of La Gl èrere to the port of Venasque (French and Spanish slopes).
‘Anyone who has seen or crossed this hiker is invited to contact the PGHM of Bagn èresres de Luchon at 05.61.79.28.36.
Mr Colegate said his partner was away for a month before she went missing last Sunday
Mr Colegate shared an emotional post on Facebook saying he has been left ‘broken ‘and ‘shattered’
‘This message has the sole purpose of protecting human life.’
The pair have been travelling since 2014 along with their five dogs and have documented their trips through their blog ‘Esther and Dan’.
According to their Facebook page the couple started travelling after ‘a health scare motivated us to leave our jobs and start touring Europe by foot, bike & motorhome.’
They have lived in France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Slovenia and Liechtenstein.
They spent summers in the altitudes of the Alps and Pyrenees, and winters in the warmer climes of Spain.
Mr Colegate said: ‘She always tried to keep in touch but sometimes on her hikes was out of contact for a couple of days.
Mr Colegate said their last conversation was about ‘how excited we were to see each other as this was her last trip before driving back’
‘This is not looking good.’
‘The only purpose of this post is to ask for prayers, thoughts, candles and whatever you have.
‘I’ve not been saying anything, but this wonderful person believes in the power of positive thought and right now I’ll take anything if it means that she can be found.
‘I need her back. I can’t face the alternative.
‘I’m heading back up searching now so I can’t reply to comments or messages. Sorry for the haste and inadequacy of these words.’
Ms Dingley was last seen at 16.00 GMT on Sunday, 22 November