GR11 Day 14, An unintentional trip to France.

18th June

The day started well, good weather, a bit of cloud and a breeze to keep the temperature sensible.

Leaving Sallent 

The route up the Tena valley is beautiful with the path high on the side of the gorge with an occasional sheer drops to the river below.

The Tena valley 

As I started to clear the tree line the views to the hills and the dam high above opened up.

The Refugia de Repromoso is an amazing building perched on the hillside surrounded by a support structure that looks as if you cut one bit the whole thing would collapse into the lake.

I stopped for tea and soup but it didn't give off any welcoming vibrations.

Looking back to the lake

It was as I left the Refugia that it all went wrong! I hadn't read the guide book properly and, just remembering roughly what it said, I set off in the general direction. I followed route marks and cairns, passed an old Refugia and came to a lake with good campsites. All as mentioned in the Guide book, the trouble was they were the wrong marks, cairns, refugia and camping lake!

On the way up

I met a french couple coming down and asked about the snow, I didn't think to ask them where they had come from.

Getting 'interesting' 

The snow got interesting and relying on microspikes and faith I struggled up to the top admiring the view when my tenuous hold on terra Firma allowed.

It was when I got to the top I realised that all was not as it should have been, The National Park notice in French gave me a clue!

Newly sheared french sheep heading for the hills

I rooted in my rucksack and found a suitable map, located my position and, convinced that I wasn't going to try to go down the treacherous snowfield, saw there was a path down that led to a Refugio in France.

Little lake on the way down 

A few detours to establish exactly where the path was and I was on my way to stay at the smart fairly new Refugio de Wallen. I was too late for dinner but nothing was too much trouble and they served me up an excellent meal.

From (14) I went east over the border and the Refugio is in the top left corner by the church symbol

A really good day, some 'interesting' bits, great walking weather and a bit of excitement. An excellent days walk made even better when it started to bucket down with rain soon after I arrived.