DAY 27. June 24th. Refugi d’Amitges a La Gingueta

Orderly camping in La Gingueta

Walk to the van after another sleepless night. Campsite in La Guingeta where MandM leave us. Relax all afternoon, sleep, sunbathe and listen to music. Colin updates his blog. Dinner of salad and torrades (toast) in the campsite. Recuperated. Just need good news about the conditions to come in Andorra.

DAY 28. June 25th. La Guingeta to Bordes

The bordes after Estaón

Leave very early as it’s hot and is a long climb. Get lost a lot. Pass through abandoned village (except for angry man and his goats). Meet the first person doing the whole GR11 (in the other direction). He is doing it on his own in 35 days. Arrive in Estaón hungry and hot but we don’t want to stay here as we want to make progress. Senyora Rosa Feliu makes us a very welcome salad, egg and chips and lets us rest in her house during the hottest hours. She tells us that the boy we met had stayed with her and had told her that he was trying to complete the GR so quickly as a promise to his recently deceased father. We weeped at the story but have never found out if he did it. On towards Tavascan but even too hot after 4pm. Camp near bordes but we are eaten alive by mosquitoes and battered by rocky ground.

DAY 29. June 26th. Bordes to Tavascan. The start of storms.

Arrive in Tavascan very hot and drink Fantas and beer. Need to buy provisions but the shop says to ring the bell as the owner is out….then noone answers. Have crisps, olives, berberechos. Eat at Hotel Marxant which looks like the cheapest option but it is expensive and dried up. Back to the shop but we are informed that the woman is having her siesta. Leave as it is now cloudy. Up that horrible hill that we came down when we did the Porta del Cel. Have a rest, continue but rain, thunder and lightning start. Can’t camp, get soaked and storm gets more intense so we have to head back to Tavascan. Very wet. Hotel Llacs is full so we go back to the Marxant. Run down and not cheap but the nice woman gets up to give us breakfast at 6 which is a big help. I'm sorry I stole a napkin but it came in handy for the sun on my neck.

DAY 30. June 27th. Tavascan to Areu.

Early start and heat is very light. Quite hard day for hills but very pleasant and lovely views. Final descent to Àreu is a boring and long pista which suggests that you could find short cuts between the corners but you never dare due to the steep hills. Campsite full of teenagers and we are impatient and hungry. They make us not very good sandwiches. Rest and wash clothes then visit the town. Have a nice dinner in the hotel which is expensive (€78) but different and good.

DAY 31. June 28th. Àreu to Vallferrera.

Since getting to Encamp would be too much we treat ourselves to an easy day and Manel has managed to contact the refuge at Vallferrera to book us in (the only guests). One of the problems of the GR11 has been reception on the mobiles which is understandable in the mountains but it doesn’t help that in Catalunya there is a new system of centralized reservations which has a limited timetable to call which makes it almost impossible. Someone in “civilization” with time to call is essential as back-up. The refuge is being rebuilt but the same efficient and friendly woman is working there so we had a great afternoon and lovely dinner (best chips of the trip). No storms today. Colin darns his socks. A few nerves about the state of the snow tomorrow as it’s one of the highest spots of the route. Early start to hit the snow before it gets soft.

DAY 32. June 29th. Vallferrera to Arans.

Early start after a good night’s sleep. Pleasant walk up to the refugi that looks like an American trailer tied to a rock. Colin loves it and he’s right. The English book explains that we can take an easier route if we find snow but it’s not too clear about which way to go. The marks seem to disappear and there is snow and scree but it’s not dangerous. Over the pass however there’s masses of snow. Starting early was our saving grace and the snow is hard  and in shade. Maybe 3 hours of walking on snow in total. After the snow we come across another refuge which is just a tin shed and wonderful views of the valley of Arinsal where it gets greener and greener as you go down. Arinsal is a dump and we have a bad pint of Guinness on the high street and then find a cash-point. A steep climb up from Arinsal and we meet a Dutch couple coming down who warn us that it’s a long way up. As we start our descent the storm hits and we try to run although it’s very slippery and steep on the way to Arans. Unbelievably heavy rain and we get to the edge of Arans and seek whatever shelter the entrance to a private garage can give us. I can’t find my camera for a moment and when I do we dance for joy in the rain. Soaked, soaked, soaked. A hotel is not far and it’s an aparthotel with a BATH! Put everything out to dry but the heating’s not on. Walk to the next hotel for an average dinner and the heavens open again so we stay in the bar with the Germans watching the football.

DAY 33. June 30th. Arans to Encamp.

Can’t remember too much of this day. We turn out to be on the road that we have driven several times which takes us to Ordino where we have a nice sandwich. Arrive in Encamp under light showers and check into the Internacional campsite which is curiously situated in the middle of the town. Supermarket, internet, look for recommended restaurant but it is shut for holiday. We go to the other one, “Pierrot”, recommended to us by the campsite and it is so bad that we walk out at the second course. We end up in the Hotel Paris which is not bad although the owner is mad. We don’t like our Andorran experience but the moutains and the open refuges are great. Cold night in the tent thanks to useless Ferrino sleeping bags.