I still had to climb out of my tent once early in the night but after that (and an Imodium) it was very quiet. I slept like a baby. And when I woke up I felt fresh and good again… 🤷♂️
7.30am and I was on my way to the first climb.
And then I reached the Collada dels Meners (2713m). One thing I had noticed already yesterday but was to weak to write about was how well organized and clean Andorra was. I would even go so far to call it the little Switzerland of the Pyrenees – meaning that in a very positive and acknowledging way. Just all the little things. Roads were amazing, they had signs and reflectors everywhere and trash bins in every corner which also seemed to be emptied on a daily basis. Everything also looked very solid well designed. Even the little distribution boxes and houses for electricity in the mountain area were build solid but then decorated with the rocks from the surroundings to blend in with the landscape. We don’t even have to talk about the trails and way markers. Sometimes I didn’t even know which of the five to look at first.
But today I found the reason behind it! They are so smart! They have a joint and dedicated department for “Tourism and Ambience”. No surprise everything looks so sharp. Well done guys!!!
And another surprise on the way down. Jan! You never told me you had your own Cabane in the Pyrenees…
A bit further down in the valley again.
…and you know this by now – up again on the other side to the Refugi de Juclar. And guess who I spotted on the trail!
I was a bit careful with my stomach today. Didn’t want to overdo it with healthy stuff, vitamins and antioxidants. But I had a few. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.
Up to Juclar and besides the usual 1000-calorie-double-Coke-doping I also couldn’t resist this bad boy…
So glad my appetite is back. The rest was not so spectacular anymore. The Juclar lakes though are really pretty. Reminded me much on the Lac de Mar area.
Up and over Coll de Alba which also meant to leave Andorra already. Thanks! You really made an impression on me!
The other side – France – was not to bad either. And if they knew what I was about to write about Andorra tonight they send a guy from the Alpince Club up to put new way markers on the trail. Not kidding – I met him painting the rocks… 🤣🤣🤣
I was 1km short of l’Hospitalet-près-l’Andorre at 19.15. But since it is a Sunday today and I couldn’t find any information about the opening hours of the one and only little shop in town I decided to stealth-camp just outside of the city. I was afraid it would be closed and I had to walk 500m out of town to the camp ground – this would have meant 1.000m extra and off-trail kilometers. Never ever! So I will cruise into town early tomorrow and hope they don’t open at 10am only 🙈
