DAY 24. June 21st. ANETO AND BACK. 9.30 hours. 1200m up, 1200m down.

The scarey scree. The damn dam

Boiling hot sun after long taxi ride. Find it very hard. Into another valley and head for Estany. Then we see the dam wall and the path starts to get treacherous. Find ourselves in a barranco with loose scree, ice and snow. NO DESIRE FOR MORE DANGER and we know that there is probably worse to come as we are not at the top so we head back to the village of Aneto. Boiling sun, pissed off, had enough, feet sore from the heat. Drinks on terrace of casa rural in Aneto but it’s San Joan so there’s no room at the inn. They tell us to get a bus to Vielha. Call Manel who says he will come to Vielha tomorrow and we can take it from there. Pension Casa Vicenta in Vielha, €65 for room for 3 with ensuite, very comfortable beds but very unfriendly man. Dinner at All i Oli, C / Major 9, €86 for big, big meal. Maybe our favourite restaurant so far and they are friendly too.

DAY 25. June 22nd. Vielha to Refugi Pont de la Font. RESCUED!

Refugi Pont de la Font and The All i Oli in Vielha

Great night’s sleep. Left hotel at 11am and sat on bench by the river behind the hospital. Set out our clothes to dry and waited for Manel and Maria. Feeling demotivated and wanting to give up. Very hot. Lunch with Manel and Maria in the All i Oli, lovely again. Drive to the refugi which is in a lovely setting but a little hippy in atmosphere. Food rubbish and people come to bed drunk and noisy and then snore. Very little sleep. Horses nice and great to see Manel and Maria who are keen to motivate us.