Already yesterday night I tried to figure out my options concerning the weather. The thunderstorm was originally forecasted for the night from Thursday to Friday – meaning this night. This is why I tried to be in the city for that. Already yesterday this thunderstorm kept on coming in later and later. The night was quiet.
When I checked the weather this morning the forecast was a rainy today and thunderstorm in the evening and all Saturday. That created a completely new situation. If I wanted to wait out the whole thing I would be stuck in Gavarnie for two full days now. This would also mean if the prognosis would change again I might have waited for nothing. hypothesis after hypothesis and question after question… Just when I finally wanted to get up and leave the tent it started pouring on me.
Finally I did get out and decided to wash my t-shirt for the first time since the beginning of this trip. I had rinsed it a few times in streams already but never washed so far. I found a piece of soap and gave it a quick wash in the sink. It is at least better than before now 🤣! But I thought if I will stay an entire day in a cafe or restaurant it might be nice to not smell as bad. I realized that last night when I was offered a table around the corner on the patio 🤣
Well, down to town. At 9 o’clock no bar or cafe was opened for food yet. Only one served (really shitty) coffee – and I went into the trap. I checked the weather again and today still looked ugly with rain all day and thunder at night. So at least I wanted to be somewhere tomorrow where I could maybe go inside and not have to sit out a storm in the tent all day. A full day would bring me right on to a high plateau for the night – not a good idea. But 18km out and a out 2.500m of climbing would bring me to Heas which has a Refugio with spaces for tents. That was a good setup and gave me a few options. Sitting inside drinking coffee and eating all day, hiking out in the morning over the high pass if the weather would be bad later or the other way around. I was finally happy with the decision. So I went to the supermarket and bought supplies for three days. Today, waiting out an entire day somewhere and a full day to get to Parzan with the next supermarket.
The other amazing stuff about hiking in the Pyrenees is the food. You just buy this in a tiny supermarket or gas station everywhere!!
After a full baguette with 500gr of Brie I left town at 11am. The stretch was estimated with 7 hours so probably 5h for me and that would get me in early enough. I started in full mist and this would switch with rain for the first two hours. There were a few moments when the clouds just lifted a bit
But on the way up the wind was picking up together with the rain and it was really nasty. At one point of time I even had to stop and put on my sweater because I was really cold. I dropped into the famous Cirque d’Estaub.
Then it cleared up and even the sun came out for a while.
I stumbled my way down the valley to Heas. But of course not without kicking a rock with my right heel into my left ankle. Uhhh that hurt. I can still feel it now and it is a bit swollen. Idiot!
Last meters up the Heas Valley to the Auberge de la Munia.
The latest weather was still upside down so I had a short nap and went to dinner. Shared the table with two nice elderly Aussie also on the HRP. We had good food and exchanged a few hiker stories before going to bed.
Latest weather: thunder & lightning at 3am, 9am and 12am. And in between and after that 100% chance of rain. Hoping for better news tomorrow morning…
