This year, 2023, from the 19th of July to the 26th of August, I hiked the entirety of the Pyrenean Haute Route ( or HRP for Haute Randonnée Pyrénéenne). This roughly 500 mile/800 kilometer trek traverses the Pyrenean mountain range starting in Hendaye on the Atlantic Coast and ends in Banyuls-sur-Mer by the Mediterranean Sea. I brought with me a small Rhodia 48 page paper notebook, the idea being to write one page per day and thus also have a written memory of this epic mountain traverse. Here are those words...
Day 1: The flight to San Sebastian from Stockholm is carefree, I find the ferry crossing to Hendaye after about a 30 minute walk from the airport, along a paved walkway running just by the ocean. 2 euros 30 cents [is the cost of the ferry], just a few minutes walk efter arriving in Hendaye I reach the beach! Surf [people are sunbathing and bordsurfing], I find the Résidence Crocière [a magnificent architectural building that used to be a casino and is now the official start/end of the GR 10 and HRP hikes], take a few pictures and then the hike is on! I buy some Brie cheese, a beer (a 33 cl 1664 can) and a baguette, of course! Without any major issues I find my way east and set up a cowboy camp on a small shelf close to Choldokogagna (1594 feet/486 meters). It is late, around 10:30 PM/23:30 as I call it a "first night" on this trek.
Day 2. There´s just a slight drizzle come early morning, I pull my tarp over myself and sleep
until 6 AM/06:00. A bit tired, 6 hours of sleep is not enough for me so I doze off for another hour or so. I get up and look out over the city of Hendaye and the Atlantic Ocean in the background. My Garmin Solar Instinct watch tells me its 8:23 AM/08:23. It's cloudy but no rain. Let's go!
Green hills. And I really mean GREEN. On my way up Mandale hill(1883 feet/574 meters) I run into some "wild" horses. So cool to see these animals roaming free.
I continue towards Col d'Ibardin and meet a Dutch woman on the trail, we exchange some words and decide to hike onwards together for a while. She tells me that she lives in Andorra and that her plans are to hike the first four days of the HRP. More rolling green hills everywhere, just beautiful. We continue on towards La Rhune, the highest hill so far at 2969 feet/905 meters. It is quite steep and just before reaching the top, we turn off eastwards and start descending towards Col de Lizuniaga. Here we find a house that has a bar, we stop and have a second drink (the first one we enjoyed at Col d'Ibardin which has quite a few restaurants and grocery stores, a good place to stock up if needed). The "dutchess" (unfortunately I don't remember her name) decides to stay here for the night. I want to keep going a bit longer so we say our goodbyes. Another 6.25 miles/10 kilometers ahead I find a nice place to sleep for the night under some leafy trees. I set up my Cirriform 1 person tarp and turn in at 10:15 PM/22:15.
Day 3. There was a decent amount of rain during the night, the tarp/bivy combination that I use as shelter for this trip held up just fine. I get up at 7 AM/07:00 and have quite a long start-up phase this morning, having breakfast and packing up everything. Just as I start my hike for the day it starts raining pretty heavily. Welcome to Basque country! Compared to the more inland terrain along the HRP, the Basque area has a maritime climate with fog and rain being fairly frequent. This day is one of the few ones on the whole hike during which it rained quite a lot. Funny thing was that it rained in 10-20 minute intervals, having me put on and take off my rain jacket and rain pants a bunch of times which I of course really appreciated. Ah, the hardships of hiking! I reach a beautiful grass covered ridge with more free horses roaming about just above Aldudes which marks the end of today's section. In bed at about 10 PM/22:00.
Day 4. The day starts with a 1.25 mile/2 kilometer fairly steep descent down to the small, picturesque village of Aldudes. One of the parts about this hike that I was most unsure about was how the resupply of food would go. This was my first long distance hike (I had done an 11 day hike in Sarek before, but for that hike I had all the food I needed for the duration when I started). My hope was that I would be able to complete the hike in 40 days (44 being the layout according to the Cicerone guidebook "The Pyrenean Haute Route" that was my chief source of information). Consequently, a resupply of food would need to be done a few times over the course of the hike. Aldudes was my first pit stop and it didn't disappoint. It is Saturday, luckily the small grocery store is still open maybe due to the fact that it also serves as a gas station. The assortment of goods is plentiful considering that Aldudes isn't exactly a metropolis. I buy food for approximately four days plus lunch. Happy! There's a woman coming in shortly after me and I sense that she is a hiker as well. Turns out Katrina is also doing the HRP, we talk some and decide to have lunch together. Afterwards, we decide to hike on together for some distance ahead. My backpack is much more heavy now, that is the price to pay for a resupply. However, the company is good, the sun is out and the landscape is amazing.
Once again, rolling green hills all around us. We reach and pass Roncesvalles but decide not to go into the village since it is a slight detour and we have all we need as far as supplies go. We find a sheltered spot, this time between some pine trees. We set up our tents, have a late dinner and call it a night at 9:30 PM/21:30.
Day 5. I slept pretty well despite there being a few cows strolling about at 1 o'clock at night, bells chiming and all. Strong winds in the morning; as we head up a hill there's some serious pushback. Katrina didn't sleep so well and decides to stay for a longer rest after we take a break for food and water. I feel good and head on, one step at a time. The sun is out, the weather is pleasant. I take a break in the shade in a grassy slope some hours later, Katrina catches up to and passes me after a few words exchanged. We continue the day's hike each hiking at a slightly different pace. It is Sunday and on a large grass field, there is a big gathering of people and horses. Feels a bit "weird" to suddenly be amongst so many people, having hiked a few days in relative solitude. The sun is really scorching hot now, I find some shade under a tree a ways onwards and break for lunch. The trail fades for a while descending a thick grass field. There's a very appreciated stream crossing the trail further down, I stop, take off my shoes and clothes and go for a short swim in a pool of water. Cold, but wonderful! The trail carries on in high grass, I miss a fork and have to backtrack a short section. No biggie. The grass is really wild and tall here, the trail is hard to make out up a head but clear enough where I am walking. It's steep all the way up to the top which levels out and after a short plateau, a short descent along a small gully with a mostly dried out brook where a find some water a refill my larger plastic bottle. I carry two bottle: one 22 fl oz and one 16.9 fl oz. I decided to filter (all) the water on this hike. Although most water sources were more or less in the wilderness and alpine settings, there were quite a lot of cows and horses around for a big chunk of the traverse and I didn't want to risk any excrement spoiling the water I was drinking. Another half hour or so, having passed by Katrina, I arrive at today's camp spot. There are two tents already pitched but after a few minutes of looking around, I find a flat, grassy spot by a stream that fits my tarp just fine.
I eat some food and go to sleep at around 9:30 PM/21:30. There's some rain shortly after and the first thunderstorm of the hike unleashes for a few hours. The tarp holds steady, thanks to its low pitch and aerodynamic profile.
Day 6. I didn't sleep great (more of these cows with bells around their necks walking around in the middle of the night! Luckily, I sleep with earplugs but that doesn't filter out all sound, especially this irregular cacaphony). I get up at 6:40 AM/06: 40, pack up and start heading up a trail on a wide, grassy slope which fairly soon disintegrates completely and I am left to navigate using my GPS app and the surroundings. I eventually cross a GR12 signpost which confirms that I am on the right track, literally! En route to Chalet Pedro I see Katrina again, we say hi and pass each other. I notice that we all have our own pace, even though we seem to walk about the same distance daily. I stop at a small, quaint restaurant, Le Kayolar, wanting a "real" hot meal. I end up choosing cotes d'agneau, lamb chops. Together with my first beer of the hike, the dish is delicious!
Before the meal I hang up my tarp to dry and charge my powerbank.
One important priority is to always keep my phone charged, since my only "map" and route-finding device is through a GPS app on my mobile phone called mapy.cz. Before I forget, I have to say I was and still am, quite impressed with this app. I never once had any difficulty finding my way using mapy.cz. Provided you have downloaded the relevant background maps on a computer beforehand, you can use this app offline. I also downloaded a GPX file supplied in the Cicerone guide book. This way I literally had a red line divided into 44 day sections showing me the exact route to walk. And since "you" are there, represented by a blue dot, you can easily monitor if you are on track or not.
I slowly get going, a fairly dense fog is rolling in. Through some woods, I eventually reach Iraty, a tourist office complex. The rain is increasing, I find some shelter and put on my rain clothes. I decide to push on into next day's section, heading upwards on some hills/ridges. It is pretty foggy so visibility is impaired.
I locate what seems to be a simple building of some sort on my GPS app and eventually find it. There are some horses around which due to the surrounding fog takes me a moment to identify. I enter the hut (luckily the front door is open), the interior is very sparse and somewhat run down. However, it is dry inside which is what matters. I hang up wet gear to dry, charge my cell and eat dinner.
One of my challenges before starting this hike was to figure out what to eat to get enough calories in me every day (yeah, I know, nice problem right!). To save weight, I did not bring a stove/gas canister set-up which turned out to work fine for me. I did a mix of cold-soaking couscous and salami (just adding water but no heat) in a cleaned out ice-cream jar and nuts, bars, candy (Haribo!), peanut butter and some canned foods. The day of re-supply I usually also bought some bread/a baguette. I know that a lot of hikers will not go without being able to eat warm food and I totally get it. A warm meal is (more) tasty and has a higher comfort factor. This can be important, especially in cold/wet conditions. However in my case, I have found out that cold soaking works just fine, especially in decently warm weather. Of course I prefer a warm meal but not having to carry the extra volume and weight and, equally important on this trek, not having to worry about finding a place to buy new gas canisters, was an advantage that I came to appreciate.
I glance down at my timepiece: it's 6:33 PM/18:33. I finish my meal, charge my Suunto watch, brush my teeth and get to bed.
Day 7. 7 AM/07:00. I look outside a window; it is still overcast and there's a light rain falling. I get going around 9 AM/09:00 after having had some cheese, sausage and the last piece of a baguette. It's windy and still some fog but I find the trail all the same and pretty soon I am standing on top of Pic d'Orhy, the first peak over 2000 meters/6561 feet! Not much of a view unfortunately and here the wind speed is vicious so I keep going down towards Larrau, crossing a parking lot and then on towards Cabane d'Ardane.
The word "cabane" is French for "hut" and I spent a few nights in these unmanned cabanes of varying quality. What mattered most was to find shelter from rain and wind which these structures accomplished.
I am starting to get slightly wet on my torso and the wind is pressing on intensely. No time to stop now, better to keep going and keep the core temperature up. I descend down to a valley where the wind starts to slow down and I soon see the welcoming shape of Cabane d'Ardane a little on my left. Passing some sheep, I enter the hut; there are 3 hikers there already, one from France and a couple from New Zealand. I hang up some clothes and my socks to dry and put on my Enlightened Equipment Torrid Jacket to trap some body heat. Some rest and food. It's around 2:30 PM/14:30 and the New Zealand couple decide to push on towards Refugio de Belagua. I tag along, the wind and rain is maybe of a slightly lesser intensity now. After a bit more than 3 hours of hiking we reach the mountain station. We are lucky, there is room for all of us so I head for a shower, afterwards we all partake in a 3 course meal and then straight on to a nice, warm bed. Lights out at 10 PM/22:00.
Day 8. Breakfast, pack up all my gear (which is now dry!), charge my mobile, powerbank and watch. I am one of the last people to leave the station, I feel like taking my time to get everything optimized continuing on.
The weather gods are smiling; the sun is out. I get going at 9 AM/09:00 towards Lescun. The scenery is now changing markedly. Limestone rockwalls are starting to emerge alongside the trail. Pine trees scattered about in the light grey landscape. I meet Katrina again, an hour or so up the trail from Refugio Belagua. We take a food and water break together in the sun.
Heading on to Source de Marmitou, we encounter the first Patou. Patous are Pyrenean mountain dogs, bred to guard livestock. The white, large dog picks up on our arrival and slowly starts moving towards us. I like dogs and, foolish or not, do not feel afraid. Maybe he picks up on that, getting closer I actually get to pat him, he just seems happy with some company. There's a stream here so we fill up water and then Katrina and I head our separate ways again. Katrina is heading east towards Lescun village while I decide on a variant heading southeast towards Refuge d'Arlet. It is a slightly shorter hike distance wise, however it is definitely a more challenging terrain with the trail crossing mountains at 7545 feet/2300 meters altitude. It is well worth the effort even though the views are marginally obscured by fog. I start descending steeply towards Cabane d'Ansabe. I am tired but press on another hour to reach Lac d'Ansabe at 6069 feet/1850 meters. I arrive at 7:30 PM/19:30 and find a good spot to pitch my tent.
The small lake is really close, so I squeeze in a short swim to freshen up and also wash my underwear and socks. Food and to bed at 10 PM/22:00. Amazing views here!
Day 9. Quite some wind during the night but no rain. My tarp/bivy combo is holding up well to the conditions and I feel confident that it will provide adequate shelter for the entirety of the hike. Last night the sky was full of stars, so beautiful! I get up at 6:40 AM/06:40, sleep quality was so-so. A bit tired and stiff but I get going after some stretching and food. Heading southeast passing Ibon de Acherito, now the surroundings are just stunning; peaks and ridges everywhere with green fields of vegetation in between.
I notice that the front part of the sole on one of my shoes has started to come undone ever so slightly. I brought a small tube of Seam Grip for repairs but as I try to squeeze out some contents, it appears to have dried out. Darn! I will have to look for some glue at the earliest opportunity to it doesn't get worse. Hopefully I will find something suitable i Candanchu which I will reach tomorrow. I eventually arrive at Refuge d'Arlet, order an omelette and Coke. I usually don't drink soft drinks but since I only drink water during the day it's nice to "spice it up" a little. I charge my electronics and then just chill for a bit. The plan is to get close to Candanchu tonight. Time shows 3:21 PM/15:21. There are some lights clouds in the sky. I overhear that there might be thunderstorms later on today. I get going and around 6 PM/18:00 dark clouds are gathering. I press on as fast as I can, descending until I reach a small valley at 1350 meters/4429 feet. Rain is starting to fall, I hurry to find a good camp spot and decide on a decent location close to a small river. I pitch the tarp as quickly as possible and get in under the shelter. Me and my ULA Circuit backpack are wet but not soaked. I raise the inner tent/wind bivy which demands some acrobatic skills but it works out after some moving about. A few minutes after I get set up, the rain really picks up and heavy thunderstorms hit the area for a few hours. Luckily I was able to descend to relative safety and there are trees and peaks around so I never feel exposed. Food, then brush my teeth, to bed at 9 PM/21:00.
Day 10. Luckily I am greeted by the sun when I get out of the tarp the next morning, having snoozed until 9AM/09:00.
I take my time, drying all my gear on a bridge railing that's really nearby my camp spot. Heading onwards through verdant, leafy forest, then on a stony trail. Eventually I notice, on my right-hand side, the green ski slopes of Candanchu. I find a small grocery store in town where I buy food supplies for about 4 days and I also find some Loctite glue for my shoe. I rest/eat in the shade of a tree at a nearby playground. I am waiting for the sports shop to open at 5 PM/17:00. I am lucky in that the shop does indeed open on time (which is not always the case in small towns like this one). I buy a pair of sunglasses as my old ones got destroyed in the thunderstorm/rain the other day and a pocket knife since my Victorinox Classic SD har mysteriously disappeared. Continuing on asphalt towards Astun, another ski resort which is mostly closed but there are some people around that are here to enjoy nature I presume. The sun is strong and it is really hot so I take a break before the trail begins, heading up towards Ibon de Escalar (ibon means "small lake" in Spanish) where I plan to sleep for the night. In an hour or so, I reach the lake and find a really nice spot to pitch my tarp.
The last rays of sun are lingering, I manage a short swim, then some food and in bed at 10 PM/22:00.
Day 11. I wake up at 6:40 AM/06:40 and fall asleep again until 7:48 AM/07:48 which did me good since I woke up like 4 times during the night. I am fascinated by the fact that I should sleep like a rock since I am doing long days, often hiking 10-12 hours with A LOT of altitude. But no, for some reason, I still have trouble falling asleep and or wake up multiple times throughout the night. Ah, well, I am not really complaining, to hike here is a dream come true! Hiking up a slope, I reach the top of a ridge and look ahead. What a view! It must be Pic du Midi d'Ossau that towers surrounded by a multitude of other peaks. Unbelievably beautiful.
Onwards I cross Col d'Peyreget, shortly thereafter a swim and food at an amazing alpine lake before I reach Refuge d'Pombie. It's Saturday so there's quite a lot of people around. I replenish my water bottles and continue down towards Caillou du Soques. The hike switches going upwards, I am bit tired, filling up on water once again at a bridge (Ruisseau d'Arrious). Up, up, now I am looking for a place to camp for the night. Tricky, since the terrain is composed of a somewhat narrow upwards inclining valley. Finding a flat spot is obviously a priority and after searching for a while I find a decent area to pitch my shelter. The ground is sloping downwards slightly and I am slightly "concerned" that I will end up sliding around on my ThermaRest Neoair Xlite inflateable sleeping pad, but it is the best I can do at this time. Some food and I settle for the night at 8:45 PM/20:45.
Day 12. Unfortunately I was right about my concern; I ended up having to pull up the sleeping pad towards the up-end of the tarp numerous times during the night. No biggie, but it didn't exactly contribute to me getting any Cinderella sleep. There was quite a lot of fog late last night which did produce heavy condensation on the inside of the tarp. However the inner wind bivy was able to keep moisture out really well; my Western Mountaineering Summerlite down bag was dry to the touch in the morning. I get up at 6 AM/06:00, fairly well rested. It takes slightly longer to pack up this morning as I am drying of the tarp as best as I can with my Lightload towel. This towel is really amazing; incredible compact, lightweight (0.2 ounces/5,7 grams) highly water absorbent and remarkably durable. Ok, it's not exactly huge, dimensions being 12x12 inches but it did last me the whole trek and served me well drying me off after my alpine lake swims.
I get going at around 9 AM/09:00. Before the first col of the day I make some breakfast; I noticed that I sometimes skimp on breakfast since I am not that hungry early in the day and want to get some miles in. I reach Refuge d'Arrémoulit which is closed due to renovation. I take a break by the nearby lake which also makes for a good opportunity to dry/air out my tarp and sleeping bag. Onwards reaching Col du Palas (8258 feet/2517 meters) and then Port du Lavédan (8579 feet/2615 meters). The terrain is getting really rocky and more technical up here. There's one, albeit brief (maybe 30 feet/10 meters?) but steep, passage of "easy" climbing where you do not want to fall.
I am lucky in that I have been rock climbing for over 20 years so it is not a big deal for me. The thought does strike me though that if you are not used to this kind of environment this could be a serious challenge, both physically and mentally. I keep an extra focus on each step during the passage, all is well and I reach the top. There's an immediate, fairly step descent on rocky ground, I find my way in the stoney landscape, eventually arriving at Refuge de Larribet.
It's open, I order a locally brewed ale (good stuff!) and a main dish (eggs, bacon, couscous, red cabbage). Some lemonade to finish and I am able to charge my mobile as well. The trail continues on downwards through a valley with pine trees and a large stream. I am getting to the end of this day of hiking and as always I have to decide where to stop for the night. I choose to stop at a small hut, Cabane de Doumblas at roughly 5249 feet/1600 meters altitude. The inside is a bit stuffy but there are two wooden bed frames that work well as a base to sleep on. Tomorrow is going to be exciting; crossing the highest mountain pass yet, Col de Cambalès at 8553 feet/2706 meters on my way to Refuge de Wallon.
Day 13. I slept good despite the somewhat stuffy air. I got to bed early last night, at about 8 PM/20:00 and got up this morning at 6 AM/06:00. I have been hiking long days, often 10 even 12 hours or more so recovering well is important. So far I have no pain or bodily discomfort, just some morning stiffness. I usually do a 20 minute flexibility in the mornings that I have shortened to maybe 5 to 10 minutes for this hike that I feel is beneficial to start out the day limbered up. I start hiking at 7 AM/07:00. It's immediately going uphill, far in to a beautiful valley.
I hike past two Spaniards as I reach Col de Cambales. Starting the descent, the terrain becomes rather bouldery. I stop at a lake for a swim after which I reach Refuge Wallon at 3 PM/15:00. Tired. I order today's special; meat with rice and a soup. One "advantage" of hiking long, consecutive days is that I don't have to worry about eating too much. I take a short break, fill up on water and then continue on towards Refuge de Bayssellance. I hike for 2 hours until I reach Lac d'Arratille where I find a good camp spot. It's soon 7 PM/19:00, I get my shelter up and get to bed early.
*Side note* I have hiked roughly 1267 kilometers/787 miles so far, averaging 12.74 miles/20,51 kilometers per day.
Day 14. A long but amazing hiking day where I jot down these notes the day after: I passed
the mountain of Vignemale (the highest French peak of the Pyrenees at 10820 feet/3298 meters), Refuge Oulettes de Gaube and Refuge de Bayssellance (the highest manned mountain station of the Pyrenees at 8697 feet/2651 meters) where I ate an omelette with cheese. Continued on through Vallée d'Ossue (WOW!) and stopped about 1.2 miles/2 kilometers before Gavarnie. In bed at 10 PM/22:00.
Day 15. I was again blessed with a group of cows that decided to leisurely be walking around my tarp for a big chunk of the previous night. Especially helpful since they all wear a large bell around their necks, producing a wonderful cacaphony aiding me in getting some solid sleep. They are curious too, one of them even came up and started licking moisture off of the tarp! I wake up at 8 AM/08:00, pretty knackered. I reluctantly eat some food (not being hungry but knowing that I need the calories), head down to Gavarnie and shop for resupplies. I find the best grocery store since Aldudes so I go to town; fresh baguettes, tomatoes, cheese, chips, orange juice and more! There's a small grassy area with a table and a bench in the shade not far away from the village centre which is a welcoming sight. I enjoy lunch, most of them are not this varied so I really appreciate the different flavors and textures. There's 4G here (most of the hike has been without coverage which I do appreciate, adding to the solitude and wilderness feeling) so I check my mailbox and compose my first media post since leaving Hendaye almost 2 weeks ago. I am happy about having food for a few more days again, not so happy about the added weight though. My watch say 1:24 PM/13:24. Time to get moving, now towards Héas. It's hot!I wash some clothes with liquid detergent that I bought just an hour ago in Gavarnie. Nice smelling clothes for a change, however wet clothes are heavy and carrying the extra weight of the detergent makes me wonder if it was worth it. When you are more or less tired throughout the day for consecutive days, every bit of a lighter or heavier backpack makes a big difference. I press on, struggling a bit with the heat and the added weight, eventually reaching Refuge des Espuguettes where I grab a Schweppes Agrumes and a 5 minute break. Continuing towards Horquette d'Alans (7972 feet/2430 meters). Tired but now the trail breaks downwards into the beautiful valley of Estaubé. A last few hours of hiking for the day, stopping just before Lac des Gloriettes.
I find I nice grassy area, interspersed with some boulders. Tarp up, food, and in bed at 9:30 PM/21:30.
Day 16. There's been a slight drizzle throughout the night that continues this morning and I turn into Acrobat man, getting my rain clothes on and my backpack packed underneath the tarp. The price for minimalist gear! A milky fog is present, I start hiking towards Héas and soon I meet a French couple who also camped here last night. The man tells me that he did the HRP about 10 years ago and they offer me a ride to Héas. I gracefully decline, wanting to walk every bit of this hike. It may seem silly but I just want to do the hike without aid if possible. The man acknowledges my choice and they wish me good luck. I reach Héas and Auberge de la Munia, a set of quaint stonebuildings and a chapel where there is also a restaurant and, I believe, rooms to rent. The kitchen is closed but they take pity on me and offer me a hearty soup composed of beans, vegetables and meat. Simple but delicious! I finish with an espresso, write a few lines in my notebook during which I also charge my mobile.
It's 11:12 AM/11:12, I thank the staff and continue on towards Horquette de Héas (8556 feet/2608 meters). I stop at a well made cabane for a short food break. The fog is getting thicker, reaching Lac Baroude I stop once more for a rest and some food.
It is colder here so I put on my Torrid Apex Jacket for added warmth. I want to avoid getting rained on if possible so I head on and soon reach Port de Barroude (8313 feet/2534 meters). As I cross into Spain I am greeted by the sun. Nice! I read in the Cicerone guide book that the weather is often nicer/warmer on the Spanish side of the border which luckily is true, at least this time. Now there's a long zig-zag descent towards Cabane Barossa. As I enter the hut, two Frenchmen are already here. There is plenty of space for us, so I inflate my sleeping pad and let my sleeping bag fluff up to provide warmth on the wood framed bed construction. We talk some, my French is decent so we chat in a mix of French and English. They are here for a 5 day hike going the opposite direction. I get some tips on a variation of the HRP trail that they recommend for its beauty which I am grateful for. We share some whisky and chocolate. Nice to have a talk with some people after long days of being by myself. I enjoy solitude but I also enjoy company. Both are good for the soul.
Day 17. 8:05 AM/08:05. I slept so-so. My Thermarest sleeping pad makes some crunchy noises when I move around on it and, knowing this, I was a little concerned that I might disturb the other guys' sleep. There's a slight rain coming down, maybe it will let up eventually. We say farewell, I get the day started at 9 AM/09:00. Slight descent through a pine tree covered valley towards Parzan. After an hour or so, I reach a car road heading in a north/south direction. I am tired; the low quality sleep of last night is making itself known. I turn right and hike for about one hour on asphalt until I reach a grocery shop that also kind of feels like a border shop. There's a lot of alcohol you can buy here (among other things) and my guess is that French people come here to stock up since prices are cheaper in Spain than in France. I shop food for 3-4 days worth. I am really hungry now, I manage to find a somewhat secluded spot just on the side of the road. I eat bread, sausage, some cheese and for dessert a Twix bar; there is a slight drizzle on an off.
After finishing the meal, I hike back up the road for a mile or so to find the continuation of the trail, heading east. The trail is now a gravel road which is heading upwards and never seems to end. The wind is strong and gusty, the slight rain intermittent. I mess around putting on and taking off my rain jacket a few times. Clouds look heavier up ahead; is it going to start pouring down? I find a small, run down cement building to get out of the wind and rain. Some more bread, cheese and sausage. The weather is the same, not better not worse. I keep on hiking and finally reach the mountain pass Paso de los Caballos at 7591 feet/2314 meters. The rain is fortunately letting up but it is still windy so I keep on hiking, now slightly downwards on a nicer trail with beautiful scenery overlooking the valley of Ghistain. So much easier hiking on a descent! I press on, almost reaching Refugio de Viados but intentionally stopping just short of it at Camping Forcallo. I decide that I will have my first rest day here; I really need a deeper recovery than just one night's sleep. I check in at the reception desk; 12 Euro per night, not bad. I pitch my tarp amongst other tents and motorhomes, a hot shower (so nice!), a hot meal after which I hit the sack in some colder temperatures at 10 PM/22:00.
Day 18. Rest day! I get some laundry done, rest laying in the shade of some trees, charge my electronics. The sun is out and there is a slight breeze so my clothes dry with plenty of time to spare. More rest, I take some photos of Pico de Posets which is the second highest mountain in the Pyrenees at 11072 feet/3375 meters.
I organize my hiking gear for the coming day, I am going to see if I can manage two day stages in one tomorrow and reach Refuge Portillon.
Day 19. I had some trouble falling asleep last night which is a bit annoying. I was tired and really needed the recovery and yet it took me an hour or more to fall asleep. Well, it is what it is. I leave the camp site at 7:30 AM/07:30, the presence of Posets on my right hand side as the hike heads upwards.
I am trying not to have too high expectations on my energy level because of my rest day but I can't help feeling a little disappointed in that the hiking feels pretty heavy. To be fair to myself I am on a long uphill section of today's trek so I focus on letting my thoughts go and to just enjoy the hike. I finally reach Port d'Aygues Tortes, a mountain pass at 8802 feet/2683 meters. Tired. I find shelter behind a manmade rock wall; there's a moderate amount of wind but the sun is shining so it's decently warm. I have lunch consisting of my trusty couscous/salami/olive oil combo. I feel better heading down into the valley of Aygues Tortes and here is also where I decide to hike the variation I was recommended by the French guys I met a few days earlier. Since I don't need to resupply at Refuge de la Soula I choose to stay higher up on the right hand side of the valley, hiking a breathtaking trail with amazing views.
I pass an abandoned mine; some metal scraps and a closed metal door that prevents access into the mountain. I can just make out Refuge de la Soula down left in the valley as I turn eastward and soon reach Lac de Caillauas (a big dam). A short break, a bite or two on my baguette and a sip of water. Heading on there's a really steep section for a half hour ending up at Lac des Isclots. A beautiful area with a smaller lake, I decide to camp here for the night and stop early for once. It's around 4 PM/16:00 and Refuge Portillon is still 3 to 4 hours away with not so good bivouac areas. I don't feel like scrambling around late in the evening only to run the risk of not finding a nice level area to pitch my tarp on.
5:18/17:18. I get a swim in, wash my socks and eat some food. It's sunny only for a fog to suddenly close in really quickly (less than 5 minutes). Is it going to rain? No, the fog moves on after maybe half an hour and I can relax and prepare for the coming night. Tomorrow my goal is to reach La Besurta and then take a bus to Benasque the following morning to resupply for 4 days plus check email/take care of some bills (unfortunately even here, in the Pyrenean wilderness, there are some factors of modern living that need to be addressed) and then head back to La Besurta to continue the HRP. Lights out at 8:30 PM/20:30.
Day 20. Definetely the coldest night so far, my wool socks that were wet after I washed them last night were a little stiff when I strapped them on my backpack to dry during today's hike. Not that many degrees above freezing. I still slept well, my Western Mountaineering Summerlite down sleeping bag with a comfort rating of 32F/0C is just superb. I head out at 8:30 AM/08:30, it's chilly but I am hiking uphill towards the rising sun so I am still only wearing a merino Icebreaker t-shirt, my North Face Exploration convertible pants (I love these!), a beanie and some medium thick fleece gloves. Rocks. Rocks and rocks and rocks. Steep. Boulders everywhere.
I finally reach the mountain pass of Col des Gourgs Blancs. It's a bit tricky to navigate here with these immense boulder fields; no obvious path to follow. There are cairns here and there that seem to show the correct direction although they are not always that easy to spot. Another mountain pass, Col de Pluviomètre at 9383 feet/2860 meters and thereafter Tusse de Montarqué at 9478 feet/2889 meters. Now descending towards Refuge Portillon! I bump into a Spanish hiker, Dani from Bilbao, on the trail. We take a few photos and talk a little.
Once we arrive at the mountain station I order an omelette with cheese and ham and an orange juice. Charge electronics. I notice I got a small cut wound on my left foot sole from last day's swim at Lac des Isclots, I can feel it slightly when I am walking. It doesn't seem to have gotten worse after 3 hours of hiking, I just have to keep an eye on it. 1:23 AM/13:23. Me and Dani decide to tackle Col Inférieur de Literole (9786 feet/2983 meters) together. It goes well, in places the terrain is steep but a decent trail helps. We go our separate ways at the top of the mountain pass, I continue down towards a valley (Remuñe) which turns out to be a massive sea of granite boulders. Demanding, technical terrain but I finally reach the valley floor following a small stream.
I meet 2 Argentinians, we walk together for an hour after which I continue on my own, now with a higher pace wanting to catch a bus down to Benasque. I arrive on time, 9.05 PM/21:05 the bus leaves Los Baños. I decide to get off at Camping Aneto just before Benasque to hopefully get an overnight spot for my tent. I am in luck, it is really crowded but I don't need much space so I manage in between some bigger tents and motorhomes. I grab a pizza and a Coke at the restaurant. I am really tired now, a hot shower and in bed at 11:20 PM/23:20.
Day 21. Bus to Benasque at 10:35 AM/10:35. A crazy amount of people in the grocery store, I guess I lucked out and hit the time of day when pretty much everybody else felt like shopping as well. I squeeze myself between people and the shopping aisles, eventually I have almost everything I wrote down on my list. I find some shade in a grassy area, really hungry now so time for breakfast! Once done after some rest I shop some water resistant band-aids and some smaller sized compeeds. The small wound on my left foot sole hasn't gotten worse but it hasn't healed up completely. Not ideal to be walking on it every day but I don't feel like giving up a whole day "just" for it to have the best healing conditions either. Hopefully within the next couple of days it will have healed up completely. I shop couscous and some candy at another store, crammed here as well. Feels like the convenience stores in Benasque need to expand! The bus back to Los Baños leaves at 2:30 PM/14:30, I am back on the HRP trail at 3 PM/15:00. Again, temperatures are really hot, I would estimate low 90's and my backpack is weighing heavier after my recent resupply. The trail is easily hiked and with only a slight upwards incline so it feels like I am making good progress. Short break; I open a can of Mahou Cerveza Especial, courtesy of Benasque, and chew on some peanuts.
Not bad, although I wish the beer was colder. Soon after I reach La Besurta and continue on a well trodden trail along a stream that eventually opens up into a large grass field. I search for a bit and soon find a suitable place to pitch my tarp. I have time for a short bath in the stream just as the sun disappears behind a mountain ridge. Now some food. It's 8:28 PM/20:28. Not a cloud in the sky. A slight breeze is coming through but I think it will be a nice night.
Day 22. Up at 6 AM/06:00. The hike up to Col de Mulleres (9606 feet/2928 meters) is long but not hard as it is not overly steep.
There's a special feel here; moving over a lot of rock, more specifically big pieces of stone slabs, make it a different experience compared to the "usual" trail.
I feel invigorated and decide to hike/climb up boulders to the top of Tuc de Mulleres. Peak bagging is not something I am particularly interested in but I thought it would be nice to summit at least one 3000 meter/9842 feet peak.
At 3010 meters/9875 feet, Tuc de Mulleres is my first (and only) peak above this altitude on this hike. There are a few hikers here so I ask one of the guys if he can take a picture or two. We chat briefly, the view is truly worth the extra effort! I descend toward the neighbouring mountain pass which offers a spectacular section on a narrow ridge with vast views on either side. To get across to the other side of the pass there is a very steep (as in 90 degrees vertical) downclimbing section of roughly 30 feet/10 meters. I am lucky in that the weather is perfect; sun, almost no wind and no snow on the trail. Also, as I mentioned earlier, I am an experienced rock climber which definetely helps. In retrospect, I would strongly advise against trying this section if the weather is bad (high wind/rain/snow), especially if you have no experience in climbing/high alpine settings. It is only a brief section, but you do not want to fall here. The descent down towards Hospitalet de Vielha is beautiful but loooong.
The sun is ever present and down in the valley it is really hot. I find some shade sitting and leaning towards the wall of a building. I drink water and rest for 15 minutes. Continuing into next day's stage heading towards Refuge de la Restanca. It's heavy work now, hiking in the sun uphill for an altitude difference of 2100 feet/700 meters until I reach a small lake just southeast of Lac Tort de Rius at 7742 feet/2360 meters. At 8 PM/20:00 I find a beautiful camp spot by the lake. As usual if I have access to a lake or a stream at the end of a day's hiking, I go for a short swim. Food and in bed at 9:30 PM/21:30. This night probably takes the prize for highest winds during the whole hike. I definitely see a lot of movement of my tarp and inner wind bivy but my shelter feels solid and I manage to fall asleep eventually.
Day 23. I sleep until 8 AM/08:00 which feels like luxury as I usually get up 2 hours earlier in the morning. Pretty much right off it's uphill, reaching Colhada de Lac de Mar (8159 feet/2487 meters) within an hour. As I cross the mountain pass I am greeted by another amazing view, this time of Lac de Mar.
The guidebook describes it as one of the most beautiful alpine lakes in the whole Pyrenean mountain range and it surely doesn't disappoint. Turquoise colored water and even a sand beach which I do not remember seeing at any other lake on this trek. I jump in, it's so nice to cool down for a moment, the sun's rays present and already producing tangible heat. It is going to be another beautiful but hot day. I eat breakfast: chiaseeds, couscous and sausage. Down towards Refugio de la Restanca which I reach 11:50 AM/11: 50.
I order 2 Fanta Limón, so thirsty! I don't usually drink soft drinks but although I keep myself hydrated I am craving sugar so Fanta it is, with its sweet-lemony taste. I charge my electronics during the break (one factor I was a bit unsure of before starting this hike was if I would run the risk of running out of battery charge for my phone/watch. However, with a Nitecore NB 10000 Gen. 2 powerbank and charging at mountain stations and restaurants whenever I had the opportunity, it turned out I never had to worry about it. I did diligently keep the background light on my smartphone as low as possible and used it sparingly, mostly for navigational purposes). Keep going, up over 2 cols towards Salardú. I hike through a part of Aigüestortes National Park, then continue down past Bahns de Tredos
which consists of a few houses, a restaurant and a large parking lot. The parking lot connects to an asphalt road leading down to Salardú. I hike on for a few minutes and then stop to eat in a meadow. I ponder if I should stay here for the night but it feels too exposed; there is a house in plain sight a few hundred yards away and the road is nearby. I keep going, it is starting to get late and I am tired, another long day of hiking. My spirits lift as I scan the GPS app and find what looks like a rest area further down the road, close to Salardú. I press on and reach the rest area around 9 PM/21:00. There are a few camper vans parked here but there is plenty of space and I set up my tarp right away. It's starting to get dark, I eat, brush my teeth and get to bed by 10:30 PM/22:30.
Day 24. There's a decent amount of condensation on the tarp as I wake up but again no issues with getting wet because of the double-wall construction of my setup. A few miles down to Salardú, first passing the small village of Tredós. A really cosy atmosphere here; neat, clean and a feeling like people take care of this area. I resupply at a small, but fairly well stocked grocery store in the centre of Salardú. I have lunch at a children's playground just nearby. Mobile phone reception has been sketchy but here I have 4G and I call my sister briefly for a chat to let her know that things are going well.
I continue towards Baqueira which turns out be a winter ski resort, passing metal constructions of ski lifts on my way up to Estany de Baciver, another welcoming alpine lake where I take a break to go for a swim and eat. There are plenty of pine trees here so I find some shade and doze off for almost an hour. I reluctantly pack up and get going, eventually hitting a really steep grassy slope up towards Tuc de Marimanya (8733 feet/2662 meters). In the distance I see another hike behind me that is making good progress and he catches up to me at the top. We chat, he is Catalan doing a mix of the GR11 and the HRP. The view here is amazing. We continue as a duo towards Refugio Gracia Airoto but stop short of it at a small lake, Lac Gelat deth Rosari. Partly because it is getting late and further because if we hike all the way to the Refugio we have to backtrack a mile or two tomorrow to get back on the HRP trail. It's a bit tricky to find good a camp spot here but after some searching we discover a small area that works for our shelters. In bed at 9:30 PM/21:30.
Day 25. Last night's sleep was no prize winner but I still get up at 6 AM/06:00. The catalan guy has packed up and is on his way. I start hiking and soon encounter one of, if not the biggest boulder field on this hike. These sections are technical and you do really have to stay focused, missing a step could lead to a broken leg or worse. After what feels like at least 30 minutes of scrambling over large blocks of stone, I reach a ridge (Collado del Clot
de Moredo 7969 feet/2429 meters).
I take in the morning views and then start heading down the other side towards a small pond, La Basseta. A school of small birds are dancing over the water, moving quickly in the air, effortlessly avoiding contact with each other while taking quicks sips every so often. I stop and admire this spectacle. Nature is truly amazing! The sun is out, there is a slight breeze so I find a open spot a short distance further down the valley where I take some time to spread out my tarp and sleeping bag on the ground to dry. There was no rain last night but, as fairly often on this hike, some buildup of condensation. Breakfast is up, I take a little more time than usual to just sit and enjoy the silence, the warmth on my face and feeling grateful for being just in this place. I continue down a long stretch eventually reaching Alos d'Isil, a small cluster of houses. To my surprise and delight, there is a small bar/refugio that is open in one of the buildings. I order a beer, a sports beverage and a grilled sandwich. I ask if I can charge my mobile and powerbank which is no problem. My watch shows 12:16 PM/12:16. It is really hot but I do want to get some miles in so I get going, first on some uninspiring asphalt but pretty soon it turns into a gravel road and then a trail (the way I like it!). Up ahead lies a beautiful valley with pine trees and other lush green vegetation. It is now 5 PM/17:00 and I find a nice camp spot by a small pond at an altitude of roughly 6560 feet/2000 meters.
I figuref it will take another 3.5 to 4 hours of hiking to reach Refugi Enric Pujol so I decide to stay here and stop early for a change. Rest, a swim, food, fix my shoes with Loctite (they are still looking ok but I really hope they will last the whole hike). The plan is to hike one and a half day stages tomorrow and reach Refugi de Certascan. I have food for another 3 days but the coming section is scarce with resupply points so I hope I can pick up some food at Certascan and/or eat at a restaurant before El Serrat where I should be able to catch a bus to Ordino to get to a proper grocery store. In bed at 8:30 PM/20:30.
Day 26. Some wind last night but again the tarp holds up well. I get up at...guess what, 6 AM/06:00! It takes me roughly one hour to start hiking, perfect as the morning sun shows up. I head up the wrong path at the first mountain pass, Col de la Cornella, but I manage to
trek around a peak and get back on track without too much of a detour. I eventually reach
the 3 Gallina lakes just before Refugi Enric Pujol, it's beautiful here. I stop in the unmanned, sturdy hut, eat a little and get some well needed rest in one of the bunks. My food supply is getting low. I keep going into next day's stage descending towards Noarre, which is a small cluster of renovated stone houses. As I understand, some people come here during summer break to enjoy the mountains and the solitude. In fact, there is no direct car road leading into the settlement, you have to walk for quite some time to reach the houses from the nearest road. I have been walking south but now the trail turns up north again. I'm having a tough time right now, it's really hot, the trail is continously heading upwards and I am just really tired. I take a break, slumber in the shade of some smaller, leafy trees. It's an effort to get up and keep going. I now hike along "Porta del Sol" and eventually reach Col de Certascan (8494 feet/2589 meters). Finally descending again (it feels like I will never arrive) but at the end of a lake on the other side of a small ridge, I reach Refugi de Certascan! I am so relieved, they have food and supplies! I am really happy, I don't know if I would have been able to continue without this resupply point. I buy 2 Fanta Limón, a beer and a dish of pasta bolognese (not really that great but I don't care, it's food!). I get a hot shower and buy myself a really cool bonus: a well made "HRP" t-shirt that is only available for purchase at the mountain station. It's 7:56 PM/19:56, time to find a camp spot. I looked around just before reaching Certascan so I head back there and soon find a good area to pitch my tarp for the night. I feel relieved that I now have enough food to last me for a few days. I can also slow down my tempo a bit if I want, looks like I will reach Banyuls-sur-Mer the 29th of August at the latest.
Day 27. It's strange that I rarely fall asleep within 30 minutes of going to bed. Sometimes it takes even longer. I mean I have been doing 10-12 hour days of hiking since I started and yes, the experience is fantastic but I am also pretty tired a lot of the time. Oh well, I am not complaining, it's just kind of funny that way. Today is another beautiful sunny day starting out downhill from Refugi de Certascan.
Continuing on down a green valley with a stream on my right. I reach a pool of water where I stop for a break to eat, wash my socks and shirt and go for a swim in the crystal clear, cold but refreshing water. A trio of men are suiting up to go canyoneering. I rest for a bit and then continue down to Pont de Boavi, a bridge that crosses the stream I have been following.
Now the trail turns upwards on a well used path amongst big pine trees. I pass Col de Sellente and Refugi de Baborte (9071 feet/2765 meters) continuing on into next day's stage. After passing Estany de Baborte on my right (estany means lake in Spanish/Catalan) the trail heads steeply downwards passing Cabane de Basello, where I stop for a short break. I continue passing Cabane de Boet which is closed and reach the beautiful flat, green grassy area of Pla de Boet. Another day of hiking is coming to a close, I ponder setting up my tarp here but I see some cows and horses and remembering their tendency to give of wonderful chimes throughout the night I decide to push on to Pla de la Mercat. Another, albeit smaller, grassy clearing with pine trees here and there. The ground is on an uphill incline but after some searching I find a level enough spot to pitch my tarp on. I wash myself as best as I can, finding a small trickle of water nearby. Some food and to bed at 8:52/20/53.
This hike is truly marvellous but I would be lying if I'd say that I haven't had moments where I felt that the hiking got a bit monotonous, hard physically and also thoughts of how nice it would be to sit on that airplane that crosses the sky above me. Even thoughts of not finishing the hike. Looks like I have another 14 days at the most to reach Banyuls-sur-Mer which sometimes seems far off. But I keep going!
Day 28. I slept pretty well, yes! Some really light rain during the night. Dried off condensation on the tarp with my Lightload towel. I head out a 8 AM/08:00. Almost no clouds, it looks like it is going to be another beautiful day. Hiking steadily uphill towards Port de Boet at 8231 feet/2509 meters.
On the descent towards Etang de la Soucarrane I meet a Norwegian girl who is hiking the HRP the opposite way. We talk for quite some time, which just feels nice (it turns out she is the only Scandinavian person I will meet on this hike). I ask her about resupply options up ahead and she advices me to grab the L6 Andorra bus from Ordino and get off at La Massana which has much better grocery stores than Ordino and even an outdoor store. We say farewell, I feel more energized which is a welcoming sensation. I stop for breakfast at Etang de la Soucarrane, a beautiful lake with nice places to bivouac. 10:09 AM/10:09. I hike on a downhill trail that eventually turns into an uphill gravel road which actually is a nice change, not having to think about where to put my feet, just walk. I head up the valley eventually hiking up a steep mountain slope to reach Port de Rat (8330 feet/2539 meters). I look out across the other side. Ski slopes with a bunch of people, horses walking around and a restaurant/fast food place with outdoor seating. This is the Arcalis ski resort in Andorra and it's a bit of a weird feeling suddenly being amongst all these people and commotion. I order a hamburger special, fries and my go-to softdrink, a Fanta Limón. Soooo nice!
I check my watch, it's 2:04 PM/14:04. I keep going to El Serrat, where I catch a bus to Ordino and then as adviced a bus change to La Massana. It's hot as h--l. I find a nice grocery store (totally worth the extra 10 minute bus ride), resupply, drink 1 liter of orange juice before I head back to El Serrat to get back on the trail. I push past Refuge Sorteny and cowboy camp between 2 trees with just enough space for my inflateable sleeping pad. It's dark now. I get some food in me, brush my teeth in the low-light setting of my Nitecore NU20 headlamp. In bed a little after 10 PM/22:00.
Day 29. No rain or wind, I slept pretty good out in the open. Today's stage is to reach Cabana Sorda, I am there at 3 PM/15:00. It's a solid hut, a few people are there, mostly dayhikers by the looks of it. I get some food in me, sitting comfortable on a wooden bench with an adjoining table. I don't feel content stopping already, there are some darkish clouds up ahead but I decide to keep going.
I reach Refugi de Juclar after about 2 hours, order a crepe de dulche leche and a Fanta Limón. Charge my cell phone. 5:22 PM/17:22. My energy levels are good so once again I decide to keep going. I cross col de l'Albe at 8330 feet/2539 meters after which I push on to Étang de Pédourès where I find a nice camp spot close to the lake. I manage a swim and some food before the evening darkness sets in.
Day 30. I sleep until 7 AM/07:00. Pack up and start the descent towards L'Hospitalet près l'Andorre. The trail is well-used, no issues and I am in the small village by lunch time. I shop some food at a poorly stocked grocery store/bar. I find the Gite d'etape which is basically a simple hotel where I can charge my electronics and hook up to the local wi-fi. I relax, enjoy an ice cream and talk to my father and sister on Whatsapp. Another hot day, I start hiking on the next day's stage towards Refuge Bésines. The trail is easy to follow, I am a bit tired but soon enough I reach the mountain hut. Quite a lot of people/hikers are here. I order a
Randonneurs Assiete and two Oranginas. There's a German hiker sitting at the same table, we talk over lunch. He is hiking the GR10 which runs along the Pyrenees but always on French soil. I finish my meal and continue hiking for another hour and a half. Takes awhile to find a good camp spot but eventually I pitch my tarp on a small patch of grass surrounded by small streams of water. It's a beautiful starry sky and this is the first night when I sleep with my tarp rolled up on one side for unobstructed views. Magical. I just lay there, watching in awe.
Day 31. I get up a little after 6 AM/06:00, I am crossing over Pic Carlit today which stands at 9583 feet/2921 meters so I want to get an early start in.
Beautiful hiking, I pass a big lake (Étang de Lanoux), then turn east reaching the foot of Pic Carlit pretty soon after that. There are a few hikers here, both heading up and coming down the peak. I see a tent pitched by Étang des Fourats which would be a good spot to camp if I ever come back here. The ascent is really steep. Any steeper and I would deem it to be rock climbing. Rocks and gravel. Luckily my energy level is high, I find my rhythm and reach the top without much stopping. I think my accumulated month of hiking is showing; I am definitely more resilient now than when I started this hike.
I pause for a picture and then keep going down, a bit technical/steep at places at first which eventually turns into a dusty/rocky trail. More people. I take a break at a lake, sunbathe for half an hour and then keep going until I reach Auberge Carlit. There a shuttle buses in the parking area, hikers/families all around and this is certainly the most frequented section of the HRP so far. I order calamares with lemon and a chocolate/vanilla ice cream for dessert. Charge my powerbank. This is the end of today's stage but I keep going for another hour to find a really nice camp spot by a small lake, Étang de Pradeille. I go for a swim, tend to my shoes (more Loctite glue), eat some food and get to bed at 8:30/20:30.
Day 32. Up at 7 AM/07:00. The sun is just showing its face; looks like I am blessed with another beautiful day. En route to Bolquere, a small village about 4 miles/7 kilometers up ahead. I breakfast on some couscous/sausage and olive oil, a staple food on this hike. Luckily I never got (really) tired of this food combo, not that I would have objected to a steak or two... I arrive at Bolquere at 10:30, the sun is beating down its rays on the surface of the earth (ie it's hot!). The grocery store here is well stocked and there is even a deli section. I buy food for 4 days, including local dried sausage that is really compact/high energy. There's a public wi-fi just by the post-office so I check the weather. It's looking stable, except for the 26th of August when it is supposed to rain a lot. If things go as planned I should arrive at Banyuls-sur-Mer right on the 26th. It is what it is, maybe I can hike a little faster than the guide book day stages and get there a day or two early.
Outside the shop sitting at a table there is a hiker that I recognize; we camped on the same grass field before Col de Mulleres about 10 days ago. His name is Reine, German if I remember correctly. We chat for a short while, Reine gets going. I take my time to eat: a fresh baguette, some quality Tomme cheese, sausage, plums. Fantastic. I hit the asphalt from Bolquere to Eyne (another small village) and in between I get to see France's highest regular railway station at 5223 feet/1592 meters.
Just past Eyne I hook up with Reine again and we hike together a short distance up the valley towards Col d'Eyne. We find a suitable spot to camp just off the trail to our left by a stream. Perfect. Rest, a good stretching session and some food. 7 PM/19:00.
Day 33. Up at 7 AM/07:00. My luck with the weather keeps going; the sky is pretty much cloudless. I reach col d'Eyne after an hour or so. What a view! I can see pretty much 360 degrees, really special. I soak in the atmosphere with a long breakfast on a ridge after having past Col d'Eyne (8802 feet/2683 meters). I continue on a series of ridge/peak walks in a stunning setting. The scenery surrounding this whole hike is spectacular but there aren't that many sections that you get this type of ridge walk with unobstructed views on both sides.
I keep going and reach Refugi d'Ull de Ter at 12:45 PM/12:45. I catch up with Reine again and we eat lunch together. I order a pasta, two Estrella beers and one Fanta Limón. As always I take the opportunity to charge my electronics when possible. I meet two Belgian hikers on the way out, Jerry and Bertrand. We start hiking as a group, it is nice to have someone to talk to for a change. My energy is good and today we hike more than 35 kilometers/22 miles which is the longest distance I have done in a day yet! The trail ahead is beautiful, with farstretched views.
This section is the driest so far and it takes quite some searching to find a scant water source off trail. I run the water through my filter, a Sawyer Mini, which kept me from contracting any unwanted bugs throughout the hike. We stay overnight in a nice hut, Refuge Pla de Guilhem. Me, the two Belgians (who offer a welcomed glass of Pastis) and Reine eat dinner and have a nice talk together. In bed at 10:15 PM/22:15.
Day 34. Up at 6:15 AM/06:15. Reine has already left, I head out with Jerry and Bertrand. No issues with navigation, the trail towards Pic du Canigou is very well trodden. We continue as a trio, it is nice to have company. As we start reaching the peak, the trail becomes more bouldery, but I am used to this type of terrain now. The last 50 meters or so are pretty steep, bordering on easy climbing. This part of the rock has actually been blasted (with dynamite) to create a wider path. Eventually I reach the top 11:30 AM/11:30 and again magnificent views at 9133 feet/2784 meters. This is the highest peak closest to the Mediterranean, from now on it's "downhill".
We take some pictures and talk to a Spaniard who has come up the other side from Refuge des Cortalets.
Onwards. On the descent, my left foot is starting to hurt pretty markedly. I have to ease up on my pace and the Belgians disappear up ahead. I pop one Pamol (painkiller, fortunately the only time I "needed" to take one on the whole trek), some water and a 10 minute rest. Luckily, as I start hiking again, my foot feels better. I keep going at a slower pace but still a decent speed and I reach Refuge des Cortalets in about 30 minutes. There's quite a lot of people here, Pic du Canigou and the surrounding trails is a popular hiking area. I order a "plat du jour"; pasta with tomato sauce and sausage, a half litre of beer and an Orangina. Reine and the Belgians have left, I enjoy the food but eventually get going down towards Refuge de Batère. There's still about 8.9 miles/14 kilometers to go. The trail is easy enough and I reach my destination for the day at 6:15/18:15. The two Belgians are sitting just outside the bar, having a beer. I join them, we talk for a bit. They want to keep going a bit longer, I decide to call it quits for today and join Reine for a three course meal at the bar/restaurant. I pay for a shower after which I set up a cowboy camp some ways away among other hikers and their tents. It's a wonderful evening, the day's heat still lingers but it has cooled off and there is only a very slight breeze. I look up at the sky, a million stars beaming back at me.
Day 35. I get up at 6:45 AM/06:45. The hike continues on a descent amongst some forest towards the village of Arles-sur-Tech. Today is going to be very hot, it is early morning and I can already feel the sun's warmth. I reach Arles-sur-Tech (925 feet/282 meters), shop at the local supermarket and stop by a bar for a beer. It's crazy hot. I find a shady spot by a river just nearby. I jump in, the water is cool and just what I needed. I relax under some trees and eat some food. At least an hour goes by. I am not looking forward to the rest of the hike but if I want to make headway there is no way around it. I start the ascent at 2:30 PM/14:30 towards Col de Paracolls (2959 feet/902 meters). Half an hour into the hike I am drenched with sweet. There is some shade here and there due to a slight, intermittent forest cover. I drink water but I still feel thirsty (in retrospect, one of the few things I would change/add for my next hike of similar characteristics is to bring some electrolytes with me). The trail continues until I reach a set of buildings which is supposed to be Ecogite Moulin de la Palette but a sign tells me that it has been moved another mile up ahead. I continue, now on an asphalt road. The trail eventually breaks off to the right on to a trail, no sign of the Ecogite. I stop and try to make sense of the directions, after some time I just decide to keep going on the next stage. Water sources are getting a lot harder to find but about an hour later I reach Montalba d'Amélie, a tiny hamlet with a chapel, some buildings and a fountain with a slow trickle of water. On a hand written note is a menu of drinks. I look around, the place feels empty. Eventually a car arrives, an older man with a beard gets out and I take the opportunity to ask him in French if the "bar" is open. It sure is and I follow him into the backyard. I order a beer and a Tonic water that I pretty much swallow in one go. I order another Tonic and ask the man if it is ok to bivouac here for the night.
He approves and I find a nice, level spot just outside the chapel. Today is without a
doubt the warmest day so far. I lay on my inflateable pad on the ground, no tarp, in my underwear only and it is still too hot when I try to sleep at around 9 PM/21:00. Further on into the night it cools off slightly and I doze off.
Day 36. Starting to hike at 6:30 AM/06:30, I want to get some miles covered in the shade. Yesterday was just insanely hot. The trail is well trodden under forest cover until I reach
Roc de France at 4757 feet/1450 meters. I have a good, light feeling in my body today. Taking in some lunch with views. Descent towards Las Illas with a lot of sand/gravel road now. Not complaining, I've had my fair share of boulders/technical trail on this hike. I reach Las Illas, a small village which turns out to have the best restaurant of the whole trek, bar none. The place is called Hostal dels Trabucayres, with a really cosy atmosphere. I go to town: I order two beers, a three course meal with a glass of red wine and finish off with a cognac. I learn while asking the staff about where I can bivouac for the night that there is a designated free camp site with a public shower just down the street. Such a nice surprise and a really heartfelt gesture! I thank everyone and leave to find a spot at the camp site. A few hikers are there, I find a piece of flat ground and set up my ground cloth consisting of a transparent plastic film, commonly called polycryo. Remarkably light at 1.6 ounces/44 grams, it has done a good job of keeping my inflateable pad from getting any punctures. Obviously it's good practice to inspect the camp site beforehand and I always spend some time clearing the ground from any sharp rocks, branches, pine needles etc. Another cowboy camp, so I only need to add my Thermarest Xlite Neoair sleeping pad, my WM Summerlite down bag and my Trekkology pillow. It's 4:41 PM/16:41, I go for a shower. Cold and refreshing, just super. I head up to Trabucayres again, drink 2 Cokes. I have plenty of evening time for a change. I head back, just relax and eventually fall asleep.
Day 37. Up at 5:30 AM/05:30. I am going to try to walk two day stages today and reach the end of this hike, Banyuls-sur-Mer. 28 miles/45 kilometres. I get going, it is still darkish so I put on my Nitecore NU-20 headlamp. It's pretty much sand/gravel road with a small amount
of trail until I reach El Pertus. A bordertown, people everywhere, one street lined with a multitude of shops, many of which mostly sell alcohol. I grab a hamburger with fries and a soda, buy some plums, peanuts, sardines and get out of dodge. Not a place I will return to if I don't have to. It's (surprise!) hot, the sun is high in the sky and no clouds. Some heavy hiking on gravel road/trail until I finally reach Col d'Ouillat. A cozy bar/hostel with an amazing view from the veranda. I order a limonade, chicken as a main course and apricot icecream for dessert. The chicken was a bit dry. I fill up on water before leaving and this is the first and only time I also use my Platypus 1 litre soft bottle. All in all, I now carry 2.25 litres of water. I head out. Tired. I rest for half an hour just a few hundred yards up the trail. I continue on, passing Col de Tres Termes, Puig Neulos, Puig Pradets and Pic Salfort (3218 feet/981 metres). I see the ocean, the Mediterranean! It is getting a little emotional, I can see and feel that this hike is coming to an end. My initial decision is to spend the night here,
but there are quite strong winds blowing and I can't find any good shelter. 9 PM/21:00, it's getting dark. About three hours of hiking to Banyuls-sur-Mer, mostly downhill which means it will be more difficult to find level ground for sleeping. I decide to go for it anyway. Rocky, dark. Headlamp on! I am a bit revved up, I don't feel tired and luckily the trail is well marked. I find a water source about 2 hours later, drink and fill up water, this time only my two water bottles. It will be enough, I am close to the coastal town now. I keep going in the dark, eventually a see dotted lights in the distance. That must be Banyuls-sur-Mer! Where will I sleep? Checking my GPS app beforehand, I noticed a picnic area close to the beach that could work. However a mile or so before reaching the town I spot a flat area under a tree. I stop here for the night, it feels like less risk of getting into trouble. 11:47 PM/23:47. On this day I walked the furthest of all days on this hike, 28 miles/45 kilometers! What a day!
Day 38. I get up at 6:30 AM/06:30. It was a rough night, hot and with mosquitoes around. I tried sleeping in the wind bivy but it was just too hot/no airflow. I start heading down towards Banyuls-sur-Mer. The town is just waking up and the streets are mostly empty.
I finally reach the town beach. On my right there is a mosaic on a wall of the town hall that
marks the end of this hike. I ask a stranger for a picture, he obliges. I walk on to the beach, go for a swim and get another few pictures taken. I am happy and grateful. Those are the feelings I have. I have read that some hikers feel empty and a bit lost after a long hike but that is not my experience. Life goes on! I walk back in to town and buy a baguette, cheese, tomatoes and water. At a patisserie, I buy a pain du chocolat and a chausson au pomme. I walk back to the beach and enjoy breakfast. What a perfect way to celebrate this hike! Another swim. I book a hotel for the night, train to Barcelona airport the next day and a flight back to Stockholm the following day. I spend the day taking a long shower, organizing my gear, strolling on the narrow streets of the old town and eating fresh food. It feels nice to just take the day as it comes.
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