GR 221 Day 7 6th Feb

6th Feb

Cooler today with a bit more cloud as I headed up the hill behind the Refugi.

Looking down to the Refugi 

The guide book said that today was the highest and toughest part of the GR 221. It is the highest but certainly easier than yesterday.

A stream with stepping stones 

I was just getting into the swing of the climb when I was out of the trees and almost at the Coll des Prat (4000ft).

Looking back

I had thought of climbing to the top of Puig de Massanella but there was a strong, cold wind and when the cloud opened the top section looked like a tough scramble, I decided that I was high enough already!

Coll des Prat, with the cliffs above

I passed a number of snow pits on the way down, these were built to pack snow into during the winter to have ice to sell in the summer months.

Snow pit

Once past the Casa de Neu (snow house) d'en Galileu there is a good stone track that zigzags down to the olives below. Presumably this was built to get the ice down quickly before it melted.

The zigzag track

Once down the zigzags the path goes down more gently through the olives and past a number of 'sitges' or circular platforms where charcoal was burnt, before arriving at the Santurai de Lluc.

Raised stone 'sitge' in the olives

The monastery was founded because a shepherd found a 'miraculous' statue of the Virgin here.

Santuaria de Lluc

It is a busy tourist destination now as well as still being a school and monastery. It has accomodation and also the only official campsite on the GR 221.

Nearly empty campsite