Refuge de Colomers to Espot

27 August 2022

We had fish for dinner last night - a first and a strange thing to have half way up a mountain.

Our communal dinners are multi-coursed; last night's was soup, lentil stew, fish and salad and creme brulee.

I'm now able to walk well on ascents and flat sections. It's the descents that kill my knee. Today was great in the morning; up along the mountain passes and through the lake lined valleys. The descent through a beautiful valley was a strain but doable; the boots held out.

I got down to a car park where there were many tourists milling around a reservoir. I realised that a taxi service was bringing people up here from Espot. Result!!!

I grabbed a lift in a land rover down to Espot saving another 4km of downward slog. Weird that I was asked to wear a mask as a passenger. You forget about Covid completely in the mountains.

I negotiated a rate for a beautiful comfortable room in a new hotel in the village. As usual, it is amazing how your energy returns once you have a shower, get clean, get good food and know where you are going to be sleeping.

The decision was made - the old boots will not be able to manage with a super glue repair job. Luckily I was able to find a pair of new boots at the outdoor store. Love the brand name!

I found a great little Tapas bar and tried a tasty local cheese dish.

 In the morning, after a later breakfast and a leisurely start chatting to a Dutch couple, I've decided to take a rest day today and enjoy no walking. The weather after the rain last night, is glorious. I've walked around in my new boots, sat and drank lots of tea and generally had a lazy Sunday. Bliss.

I'm hoping for a knee recovery and a great day tomorrow into the foothills of the Pyrenees.