Spain - Day 30: Arans to Encamp

Andorra

Andorra seems to be either steep up or steep down. With very little in between. It was cold last night but we survived. And we were worried about the heat. The book says it will get warmer towards to Mediterranean - the book is wrong. So far anyway.

Mr. Gruber - right

We woke, quickly ate some superb Andorran sausages and wonderful Andorran bread. By now we are good at supplementing these two staples. But they are constant. But no one complains - we have, as they say, no choice.

We walked up and got to a spring, picnic area, lay-by type thing. And unloaded to eat some more in the sun. A proper breakfast this time. Fresh cool water after the climb we were happy. We sat warming in the sun. Eventually, Mr. Gruber joined us. But maintained a safe Germanic distance.

Framed view

There was more up and more down today but not much forward. About 1,200m up and down with only 12km to cover. My maths isn't so good but if half of the journey is up and half down - a reasonable assumption. Then the average gradient of Andorra is 20%.

We were in the forest so views, though spectacular, were photogenically limited.

In the forest

We lingered, in the lay-by, as long as we could but all good things must come to an end. Mr. Gruber headed off first and we followed shortly afterwards.

The way up felt like every bit of those 20%. It was stunning in its steepness. And of course when we got to the top. There was a big car park and lots of people wandering round the top of the hill. There must have been some attraction - but we couldn't be bothered to find out what.

We ate a Gummy Bear or two, or three and set off. The restorative powers of  Gummy Bears cannot be overstated. These are our - on the go pick-me-up and make-me-go snack.

We don't walk any distance without a packet or two (or some generic preferably sour alternative).

The top

Moorish Tower

Down was less steep and the woods more open. But it was longer . Encamp was the target and the book said there was a Moorish tower that should not be missed. OK, we didn't miss it but were left with the distinct impression that our lives would have not been significantly less enriched if we had.

Encamp is a pretty town. Yes, finally a town of size, with a choice of supermarkets and restaurants. We sat in the square with out Fanta Lemon cakes and chocolate. Watching the people go by and generally chilling out. We were in Andorra and were going to enjoy every minute. Even though we are walking across the whole country we won't be here for long. Two more nights then back into Spain.

So we will have walked across two countries by the time we finish. A insignificant fact. But it makes us happy anyway.

We ask directions to the campsite. The scale of our maps is not suited for navigation in a town. A very nice lady shows us the way and walks a bit with us to get us past the complicated bit. Then walks back the way she came.

People are nice.

The campsite in Encamp was wonderful. We camped by the river. We have noticed that we often go to sleep with the sound of running water nearby. We enjoyed to swimming pool and showers. Mr. Gruber was camped by the river too.

Maybe we should have got bigger tents

We have got walker's tans. And look very silly out of our walking gear. But wear them with pride someone wise once said.

We ate in town and shopped in the biggest, well closest, supermarket we could find.

Life is good.

Spain - Day 29: Baiau to Arans

The moon

We woke still happy.

It had been cold outside but hot sweaty and humid inside. Condensed breath dripped from the walls. But we didn't care. We ate, dressed in almost everything we had. But still shorts. It was cold outside. The small ponds outside the refugi were frozen solid with a scattering of snow flake(s) on them.


The views were still amazing. Actually better.

I said it was cold

Packing

People left in dribs and drabs. Then came our turn to drip or drab. We said our goodbyes and out we went. We walked then had to stop to photo the lake to death.

Marta - a Spanish lady staying at the refugi too passed us and went off up the steep climb to the col. She was younger, fitter and carrying less than we were. And took less photos. having lost her phone or something.


We followed her up the slope

The lake

The path for once was pretty poorly marked, but Marta was going the same way as us. So up we went. Spotting the red and white marks as we went up. Today would be our last day in Spain for a while. Today, we would enter Andorra and then spend a few days trekking across Andorra.

Silhouette d' Marta 

 We liked the silhouette game. It broke the effort of the up.

Silhouette de le family

It had snowed more up here but not very much luckily. The odd rock, and maybe some normal ones were 'dusted' with snow. But snow none-the-less.

Snow

Ellie and Martin

Were high and there was more snow. But this stuff, probably left over from the ice age, a bit older. But, we stood on it to pose, it was summer snow after all.

Nora

The up went on for a surprising long time. Probably because we kept stopping to take pictures.

The col, the aptly named, Portella de Baiau (2757m) gave us our first glimpse of Andorra. It looked steep. In fact Andorra doesn't have a proper airport it is so mountainous.

More lakes of course. The mountains around here seems full of them. Must have been a job lot from somewhere.

More lakes

The descent into this green and verdant land was a bit tricky. We noted that the GR11 signs had changed to GR11.1 but we all silently figured that it was another country so - just a slightly different signage. Marta was ahead of us and ahead of her we could see the Spanish couple with the dog who were also going to the same place.

So we just followed.

Flat Andorra

There is mountain saying - Don't follow anybody. Because it's you that will get lost. Not them.

This turned out not to be 100% true as both Marta and we were lost.

We caught up to Marta at a refugi, we had been expecting a refugi so we were happy. Marta was deep in conversation, in English, with a young man both pointing animatedly at the map laid out on the rock.

I interrupted to tell her of the silhouette picture and get an email so I could send it to her. And that is when she told us that we were lost. We weren't where we thought we were. It seems that we had all blindly followed the wrong track. But it turned out to be a shorter track, than originally planned, which leads to the same destination. So obviously the saying should read.

'Follow anyone. You will get there quicker'.

While I talked to Marta, the family talked to the other three guys. In English. Then one of the guys said 'three' and my son spotted they were Slovak. As are the family. So the conversation switched to Slovak. Leaving Marta and I lost. The hard alcohol appeared from nowhere. A traditional Slovak greeting. The normal stuff. Then Grandma's stuff.

Empty track

Andorra is infinitely civilised. The tracks are well maintained and empty.

We found a supermarket and ate, when the restaurants finally started selling food, that is. We ordered almost everything on the menu. The waiter commented that he we had ordered... maybe too much. We know we responded - we are hungry.

He was right in the end - but just.

Typical Andorran cloud

Home again

We left Arinsal and walked to Arans. Where we looked for accommodation but it was full. The ladies did get a tour of a beautifully restored house, but it was full and prohibitively expensive.

We camped in the wild with Marta and Mr. Gruber not too far away,

We had a disco going somewhere below us. The music didn't keep us awake for long.

We were probably breaking the law by camping here too.

Que sera sera.

Spain - Day 28: Areu to Refugi de Baiau

Water anyone?

The plan was revealed over breakfast. We would give the shop another go.Lunch at the Refugi de Vallferrera and sleep at the Refugi de Baiau.

And yes that's 5 vowels. pronounced Baiau, by the way. We asked.

We knew that space in the Refugi was limited to 9. More in an emergency and we knew, had heard that it was popular. So we raced up the hill. In and out of waterproofs on the hot-wet cycle previously described but as we had an up of about 1,600m it was more hot despite the wet and to be honest - cold.

We knew that Mr. Gruber (an Austrian named after Paddington's friend) his real name we did not know, was ahead of us planning to stay in the same place. We knew people would come the other way. We knew that we wanted to stay there.

Not lost then

So we raced.

(BTW the shop had discovered a box of kit-kats)

The opportunities for water on the way were unappealing. We stopped at the Refugi de Vallferrera but they had no food left and were waiting for resupply. Could we wait?

NO WE COULDN'T

We needed to overtake - anyone and everyone. We didn't worry about people catching us - Go Mode but you never knew.

The terrain

The way up was pretty - but it was raining off and on and it was an unrelentingly up. 5 hours of up was our estimate.

We took Mr. Gruber - YIPEE!!! who didn't know he was racing.

       



We took some pictures but quickly.

                    We peed, but sparingly.


There were cows, and bridges and pretty Ibonitas. But we were in...

                         GO MODE

Our first view of the refuge (still some way to go)

And we went. As the Refugi came into sight so did a group of 5 in front of us. We hadn't come across these walkers - we hadn't heard of them. We we heart broken. There was no way we could catch them.

The attractive lake

But we tried. Ellie went into Chase Mode we all struggled to follow.

But it was futile. Their lead too great. Our packs too heavy.

But wait - did they have packs? We weren't sure if they were big or small.  We cheered as they turned off to the lake.



We scrambled. Climbed. Fell up the last bit of mountain leading to the Refugi. We went in.

And?

And?

AND???

THERE WAS SPACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Refugi de Baiau'

There were three people inside and a dog. We made seven. Mr. Gruber eight and a couple made 10. he slept on the floor.

It is magnificent

Them happy

It was cold outside but the metal shelter with 11 bodies soon was warm and sweaty. 

It was so cold that it had started to snow on us just as we got to the refugi. We were at 2500m so snow is what you expect. But the clouds were transient and some of the views when we braved the cold  (for the pees we had put off) were amazing. 

The view and cables tying the refugi down

But we were happy - we were in. The conversation was lively - maps no use as it was dark inside. But we got to know a little about everyone. Except Mr. Gruber we ate and went to sleep.

Just can't resist some more photos.

5 hours up but worth every minute

500 km to get here but worth every single one

500 km

Sleeping in a tin shed

Altitude: 2517m

Attitude: over the bloody Moon

Company: couldn't be better

(some alcohol would have gone down well)

We had very little food. Some nice Czech people (it was a Czech tin anyway) had left a tin of meat. We were offered this. We were tempted. But this wasn't an emergency. Someone may really need it. So we left it.

And were hungry.

Spain - Day 27: Lladorre to Areu

Morning road walk

The plan was in action. But it meant a long day today or tomorrow. Eventually, the weather decided for us. Along day tomorrow. Tomorrow night was the fruition of our little scheme. And 'they' still didn't know. They won't be happy - at first.

As we left the campsite the swimming pool was steaming. Not because it was heated but because it was so cold outside. And we had worried about the heat. Ha.
Up the road to Lladorre then up the mountain road to Boldis Sobira to rejoin the GR11. It was a serious up, with switch backs and everything. We abandoned the thought of the path and followed the road, which also had switchbacks. A mountain cycling stage.

Down into the valley

We stopped for a snack and a water top up in Boldis Sobira and met a young English couple that we had first met in Estaon, pronounced Estaon, we asked.

He had 'rescued' a dog from a shelter and three of them where walking together. The dog had unfortunately, been frightened by a cow and had run off. They were waiting for it to come back. We never saw them again.

Another view

Most of the day was spent in the forest and the weather was looking progressively more iffy (a meteorological term). The rain from the plain was on another short break and was visiting the hills. It spat at us on and off most of the day. A case of coats on - too hot - coats off - too wet - coats on - too hot. Maybe you can see the pattern emerging.

Coming down into Areu it started to spit with more persistence and the clouds dropped to inches above our heads. Not promising at all. Not that we had bee promised much by anyone. There was accommodation but hidden. They were very low key. We went into the campsite in the rain. Reception, or what we thought was reception, was closed. The site noisy and not welcoming, especially in the rain.

An on moment

We left and went into the village. Then back up the hill in a fruitless search for a hostel by the church, advertised on a sign. There were two churches. Not a helpful sign. Back to the village. We found a shop. Closed. But we needed food so we waited.

Looking for a manger

An old Spanish Lady, with a definite capital L, appeared. She owned the shop which would open at 4pm and she owned the hotel opposite which served wonderful food. I mean we didn't have much choice. But she was right about the food. Eventually, we asked about the cost of a night and said great we'll take it. Only to be then told it was full. They gave us directions to a pension 'by the church' . Ha, and we took the last rooms there.

Areu

The shop when it did open was shit. If you wanted to by baby sized walking boots, it was the place place for you. If you wanted novelty honeys it was the place for you. If you needed food. F--k O--. We bought what they had, but it was meagre. We needed food as the place we planned to stay the next day had nothing. Literally, nothing.

We ate, again, in the hostel. Despite our constant eating we were losing weight. Chocolate and bread and pasta and sausage must be good for dieting. We are living proof.

The actual Church

Our room was indeed a room with a view. If you hung out of the ceiling window and twisted around.

There was nothing in or around Areu.  Just steep sided hills. Which is why it is so nice, even in the rain.

Every year they have a running race - straight up the side of the valley and everyone stays in the hotel. The valley side is basically straight up - so it would be a sight worth seeing.

The weather as you van see is shit. But we are well positioned, if not well provisioned for tomorrow.

There is a refugi half way - so food. And Ellie's and my secret goal near the top.

The weather

It can't be green without rain. And, at the end of the day our skin is water proof. At least from the outside in.

There is no such thing as bad weather. Just bad clothing.

We hate the rain!

Spain - Day 26: Estaon to Lladorre

Some days are sort of fill in days. Days that have to be either this long or short or otherwise the following days will not work. And Ellie and I had a plan. we wanted to get somewhere at a specific time to be able to sleep in a box on a mountain. We hadn't shared this - but the plan was in action.

Estaon Church

We said our goodbyes in Estaon as the hero left for their respective journeys. Our plan was less grand but more cunning. Baldrick could not have been better.

We decided that there was no need to go to the the book recommended stop of Tavascan. We would miss another cool bridge but we would live. We decided to cut off a long boring long forest walk by dipping into the valley. Camping at the bottom and climbing out the next day. Plus Tavascan has no campsite.

We set off up the valley, through open woodland and up to the abandoned settlement of Bordes de Nibros. It didn't have a real road as far as we could see. Therefore, no one wanted to or could I guess live there. Plus it won't have sewage or treated water. Or electricity. All these things could be fixed. But there are abandoned villages with better access and amenities.



We played tag with a group of three other walkers on the climb but they eventually left us behind on the descent. They were bound for Tavascan, we had been told last night.

Bordes de Nibros

The steep climb was a bitch. Steep, overgrown and steep. Did I mention it was steep? The top Coll de Jou, pronounced Jou, we asked, was a welcome sight.

Luxury accommodation

Then path down had an erosion issue. Which if not fixed would soon require a change in the maps as a new valley would be born. We struggled down, in and out off the path. Had lunch above Lleret. The village where we would take our diversion.

We met an old lady carrying two big buckets of produce and offered to help. She declined so I just took one. Politely. She seemed happy as Martin took the other. We carried them as far as our common journey took us. She gave directions and we parted.

A roof

There was a path straight down, but Martin's knees were still painful so we took the longer but easier road. Oh for a bike.

At the bottom we marched down the valley, again on the road, to a campsite. Despite having the most colourful entrance to a campsite that we had ever seen. They too hated walkers but the restaurant staff were nice and the pool cool and fresh. I am not sure why having flowers should make them like walkers. But in our minds it goes together.

Campsite entrance 

We had two meals for 4 plus drinks in the restaurant. Our spend per day was significantly higher than the people with big car drawn tents. But I think the economics escaped them.

Spain - Day 25: La Guingueta d'Aneu to Estaon

Ripples in reality...

Today we only have 10km to do. But and there is always a But. We have one each and they are getting firmer. But - It involves 1,400m up and 1,100m down. The book says 5 hours 10 minutes walking. So around 8 hours for us, with stoppy time added. That's 1.25km per hour. People ask how fast we walk. The answer is, on average is not very. But historically, we seem to average, when moving, about 3km per hour, weighted. But we don't move - a lot it seems.

From the campsite back to the lake, we had scouted the route the previous night. Today was another war time archaeological highlight. Apparently '17 machine gun nests were built around La Guingueta as part of Franco's Pyreenean defense line...' Cicerone

Less than advertised...

And one of the better preserved ones was next to the lake. Martin had been looking forward to this for weeks. The picture in the book looked impressive. But when we got there. Well, the picture in the book certainly didn't lie, but neither did it give the whole story. It sort of implied, but never said, that it was perched up high in an inaccessible spot. The truth. Well judge for your self.

Dorve - dower upper

Disappointed.

We walked up to Dorve, an almost totally abandoned village. To us there was no difference between Jou and Dorve. But Dorve had been spared the restoration and re-population that Jou had suffered. And consequently was quietly falling down. One house in the village looked occupied and the water sourced still sourced water.

Still up after Dorve to the Coll de Montcaubo (2201m) then down.

The remaining walk took us through peaceful (I can spell tranquil) forests and open meadows. A distinct change from the rocky mountains of the past few days. Green as opposed to grey. It was easy and pleasant going.

With the odd fallen tree

Of course nothing is too easy and nature has its own way of getting its own way. We know that if a tree falls in the forest and there is no-one to hear it that it makes any noise. But when you find that same tree, it seems, that you still have to walk around it.

A feat which is not always that easy

Down to Estaon which refused to come into view until the very last moment. But when it did, it provided a wonderful view of it's slate tiled roofs.

Estaon from above

The Refugi d'Estaon was a beautifully restored building with a tarpaulin strung over the street to make sitting and drinking your beer outside more comfortable. We booked in and washed. An essential thing for any walker. We had a slow walk around the hamlet (10 minutes) and went back for that beer.

A view

Another view

Two young Spanish girls had arrived. They were going in the opposite direction and planned to do the whole trip in 23 days (us 46 or so). They created quite a stir. Young, fit and pretty. Lots of maps were pored over to see if their feat was possible in the other direction. With many, exclusively middle-aged men, deciding to do what was previously planned as two days in one. If mere girls could do it, so could we, type of reasoning. We thought about it but quickly dismissed it. Stupid. Even if we could why do it.

Over dinner we chatted with Rico, a Spanish guy, who loved to be listened to. He was now a two in one candidate. He regaled us with his exploits while we ate and drank. We listened  and laughed with the rest of the group. Dinner was a fun event.

A coming together of like minded people with tall tales of past accomplishments and disasters, mainly disasters. They indulged our children. Where are you going (little children)? Where have you come from?   They may be young but they have walked so when they said what we had done and where we were going... the smiles faltered a little.

They may be young but they like to walk. This year will make over 4,000km hiking*. Not counting casual walking.

Quick - before Estaon moves

*
Pennine Way in England
Across Slovakia (over two years)
GR11

Plus school related activities.

Kids can walk!

Honest.

Just start them early.