Another glorious day. After brekky on the terrace big fruit salad and coffees we headed off to go for a walk and a picnic. Quite difficult finding a not too steep a walk around here but I think we succeeded today.

We strolled up to the cirque, stopping and seeing loads of wild orchids, butterflies and flowers on the way. When we got up to the meadow areas where it all opens out it was looking the best we have ever seen it. About 4 waterfalls full with snowmelt which is still pouring off the mountains, in sunshine offering FAB views. We found a good picnic spot right by the river with some shade and some sun. Sandwiches, fruit and chocolate and chilled beer well deserved.

The walk back down we continued to see lots of flowers and butterflies of all sizes and colours, should have bought my butterfly book with me!!!

We stopped at the auberge on the way back for a couple of drinks before back to the barn for solar showers, yet to hear what Dad thought of it!!!! and now we are about to prep for a meat paella for supper tonight. Lovely day and so pleased the weather has been kind to us this year for Dad unlike last year where it was fairly wet and miserable.

Another early start and another glorious day. Had a basic hut breakfast but lots of coffee for Al which is always the main thing! and we wer out the door at 745am and in the sun about 15 minutes later. It was lovely just being up high, early and in such glorious weather. We were really lucky to see 2 Chamois just 10 minutes from the hut.

It was an easy 300m climb up to Col de Certascan at roughly 2500m where we met 2 local French guys and then a slightly steeper ascent up to the summit of Certascan 2853m, incredible views all around and again great to be able to piece together a bit more of the area down here. Great to be up at the top by 930am! but now only 18oom descent!

Let the challenges begin. We had chatted to the guardian of ridge options etc so knew the route towrds Tuc de Montabona was going to be quite tricky scrambling but weather was good and we felt like giving it a go. the 2 French guys and their lovely dog were heading off the same way initially. The first part was very loose rock and we really were very careful on hand and foot placement. The French guys knocked off some rocks and the speed the rocks went down and the distance made us even more sure footed. We kept our distance from them and opted to scramble around on the sunny side away from them so not to knock anything on to them either. Really good fun scrambling but not to be done in bad weather at all. It took us a couple of hours scrambling down.

We could see Tuc de Montabona but that was beyond us from this angle without ropes so we skirted to the ridge to the right of the summit boulder hopping on huge granite boulders great grippy rock.

From the ridge we had options for the descent back down. We had found the cairned path towards Etang Hilette but we opted to make a full circuit skirting above Etang Alet and back to Vinnie. The path we did not find until 3/4 of the way along it or off it as such but we kept trundling at roughly the altitude where the path was and did find it in the end.  Again wonderful views which my words can’t describe at all. We had lunch at around 2pm just above the Cabane Lacarde.

The rest of the 2 hours down was not great, very steep and not a great path, our knees hurt!!!! We did find some bilberries on the way down so stopped for 20 mins to pick and make a tart with them but the knees were worse after that getting down. I think we were both happy when the last 2 hours were over, feet were out of boots and we had new clothes on!!!! A fabulous 2 days away batteries re charged and bodies suitably pooped!!!!

We stopped and caught up with Anouk and Jean Claude at the bar on the way home which was a nice finale.

It was then full on back at the barn, hot showers, brambles to pick, e mails to respond to, dinner to make, kit to unpack and fizz to eat with supper!!!! An even better way to end our mini break. We will sleep well tonight!

So something we have been thinking about for ages was to head into Spain walking and have a night in a refuge in Spain. Maps had been browsed and plans made. We had already changed dates  due to bad weather but the forecast for the next 2 days was good so we decided to make a go of it.

Early start 6am up, fruit salad made up for brekky on arrival, butties made for lunch and out the door by 7am.

We headed to Cirque to Cagateille parking as the start point. Yummy fruit and yoghurt brekky once we got there to get us going for the day. We have done the walk up to Etang Hilette before but never any higher up. We were feeling fresh and raring to go and made good time up to Etang Hilette and Col de Couillac in roughly 3.5 hours up 1400m. We were luckily in the shade most of the way up which made things much easier. Views from the Col were stunning although a little hazy. Overlooking Spain you have some wonderful picturesque lakes to look at and walk past. Too early for lunch at the Col so we thought we would aim for the middle lake for lunch. the hazy sunshine disappeared and full on sun returned for us which was  gorgeous, sitting by the lakes taking in the new views and just going WOW! a really gorgeous area.

We then had a tiny col to go over and we could then see the Refugio Certascan perched on a rocky outcrop just above a stunning waterfall.

It was lovely to have the time to sit at the col with map out and piece bits and pieces together.  An easy traverse across to the refugio where we sat in the sun and relaxed. A 4o bedded refugio run by the same chap for 30 years. Clean and warm with good food. We were the first to arrive but there were also 2 French lads we had dinner with who had come the same way as us and also a group of 8 retired Frenchies on a 2-3 days hike too in Spain. Good atmosphere and we slept well after a good meal.

Early start as we planned a trip to Col de la Core for a little explore walk to a lake as the forecast was hot, hot, hot. Lovely breakfast of our usual fruits and yoghurt before we trundled off in Vinnie. Col de la Core is about 50 minutes away from us.

A relatively easy hike to Etang D’Ayes. We were going to climb a peak and do a ridge walk but opted for a more leisurely day with time at the lake to relax. A steady 2.5 hours walk there and once there the lake was too tempting for the lasses, we were in but Al was not tempted. Refreshing swim in a gorgeous lake and not too busy.

It was only a couple of hours back with time for sme bilberry and raspberry picking on the way.

A quick stop in Seix for a cold drink and we bumped into Annie so she joined us as well. Then back to the barn via a quick rose at the Auberge.

Hot showers and luckily Al had already marinaded the pork so food was not far behind. A glorious evening with Balsamic marinaded pork, a sweet potato, beetroot and feta salad plus the usual green salad mix from the garden.

We had dinner down by the outbuilding and spent hours looking at the amazing starry night before crashing pleasantly pooped!!!

Another walking day with all 3 of us but not before Breezy and I have had a fried breakfast with some of the bacon that Laney brought out with her.

Then off to Col de la Pause to set off on the traversing path under the ridge towards Pic de Fonta. It is a lovely path in and out of the trees and very easy to follow. A better option than parking at Lasserre and walking all the way up in the heat of the day (especially on a fried breakfast).

The traverse meets the path up from Lasserre about 200-300m below the summit to gain the ridge which we then followed all the way back to Col de Pause. It has got to be one of my favourite short walks with a little scrambling and fantastic views over to Mont Rouch and Valier. And we did not see a soul once we left the parking.

Breezy let me choose the walk for the day so we set our alarm early and got a packed lunch sorted and headed for Port D’Aula. Having done some exploring of the frontier to the West of Port de Salau last year, I wanted to walk the ridge from Port D’Aula towards Port de Salau.

We parked at Col de Pause and trundled up the hill to the Port then turned left and headed towards Port de Salau.

Absolutely stunning views and hot weather.

Rather than complete the section to Port de Salau we dropped off the ridge before Pic de Montaude at Col d’Aurenera and traversed back to the van at Col de Pause. A great walk, and a definite one for the more adventurous visitors when we can walk back to the barn and retrieve a vehicle later.

Shower and BBQ on the terrace.