Ascent / descent: 1969m (46064m) / 1009m (44388m).
Altitude (start / end / highest): 1050m / 2010m / 2470m.
Weather: Sunny and blue sky, more clouds in the afternoon and towards the evening.
During yesterday evening I decided to put everything in one card and go straight to Lac des Bouillouses. And even under the threat of the wrath of the sky above me it became a great walk over a beautiful landscape. I was convinced that the route between Refuge de Bésines and Lac des Bouillouses would offer magnificent scenery and hence didn't want to walk it in bad weather.
The small and idyllic lake Lac d'Estagnas that you pass on the way up to Porteille des Bésines.
Above Merens d'en Haut the trail is passing by some hot sulphur-sources which it's tempting to jump into. I find Claire camping in the woods not far above, I convey the not so good news to her. I started walking early today so when I walk up the valley alongside the Ruisseau du Nabre towards Jasse de Préssassé (1832m) there isn't much sunlight down in the valley. I'm walking quite fast at the moment.
View from Porteille des Bésines, Pic Pedrous to the left in the picture and far below is Refuge des Bésines.
A small and idyllic lake is passed by, Lac d'Estagnas (2056m), where I probably would have taken a break next to under normal circumstances. It is steep up to Porteille des Bésines (2333m), with the mountainsides now more and more illuminated by the sunrays. There are almost no clouds on the sky. It's hard to believe that there is bad weather coming, it's so hard that I don't believe it and decides to not walk so fast anymore.
My original thought was to go to the Refuge de Bésines and then climb up to the summit of Pic Pedrous (2842m). Now the mountain is visible in its entirety from the top of the pass, well aware that I won't be setting my feet at the summit this time. I arrive at Refuge de Bésines (2104m) just after half past eleven, and has used one hour shorter on the walk from Merens than is estimated. That opts for a break.
Clotes de Bésineilles, the sky and the mountains are reflected in the clear water.
Up towards a nice lake with little water in it, Clotes de Bésineilles, where the blue water almost blends into the blue sky there is a nice walk. At Coll de Coma d'Anyell (2470m) I've officially left the Ariege behind me and put my first steps in the Pyrénés Orientales. The view is up there among Col d'Ayous, Col de Madaméte and Col de Bassiés. Below Étang de Lanos is swallowing my attention with Puig Carlit in the background, magnificent.
Étang de Lanos with Puig Carlit in the background.
After having walked down to Étang de Lanos (2213m) it's time for lunch, which is taken on a promontory with a great view of the lake, but a sour wind has started to blow over the mountain. And in the horizon there are now more clouds coming, but nothing that is threatening the peace of mind at the moment. A sparse Cabane de Rouzet is passed by before a green mountainside has to be negotiated up to Porteille de la Grava (2426m), with lovely view towards lakes on both sides.
Down the Coma de la Grava-valley there is a nice, but long walk. There are more clouds behind me now, but it is still the blue colour that the sky is most fond of. In the air there are several vultures circling, at one point I counted over twelve of them.
Nice walk down Coma de la Grava.
Lacs de Bouillouses (2016m) is a large lake where the sides of the water are covered by woods and the rest of the walk went on a nice path through the woods next to the lake. All the way at the end of the lake I can see the huge building of Hotel des Bones Hores. When I come to the end of the lake there is a huge dam that awaits me, in addition to considerably lot more people than I've met so far today. The dam is crossed before I arrive at the Chalet-Refuge des Bouillouses.
Lac des Bouillouses.
A very varied and undeniable great walk today, where I made no mistake in that it would be magnificent scenery along the way. I think I made a good choice by going straight here today. Good food and a nice host here, but the dinner feels a little bit solitary since my French isn't that good to keep up with the rest of the guests. The expected thunder storm I didn't see anything of, but during the evening it clouded over. I didn't see Claire anymore during the day.
<- Merens les ValsPuig Carlit ->
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