HRP Day 40 Refugi les Fonts - La Cortado

Sunday 16 August 2015

Once you've cooked something to eat and sorted your stuff out, there is not a lot to do if you are on your own in a small Refugi, so I had an early night and woke up at dawn, which is about 6.30am hereabouts. I left about 7.30, walked back down to the trail and along to begin the climb up to the Pic del Clot de Cavall. It's 2587m, so about a 600m climb. It was really cold when I set off, I had both fleeces on and was regretting that my gloves were buried deep in the rucksack somewhere. I was amazed to see there had been a ground frost. The sky was clear and it was going to be sunny but I only got into the sun when I got right to the top of the climb, when I spent some time walking along the mountain ridge, warming up gently! The view up here, around 2600m,  is spectacular. I took a panoramic photo, don't know if it will come out.
Once along the ridge, it was a long, long descent down to the little village of Llorts.
I got there about 1.30pm, and the first thing I saw was a bar/restaurant, so in I went.
Now I regard myself, when abroad, as an English gentleman, perfectly at home in a chic restaurant. It did occur to me however, as I went in, that I hadn't actually seen a hot water tap for quite a while (ten days, since Salardu - I looked it up) so, no shower or shave or laundry since then. I couldn't help noticing this morning that my walking trousers now stand up unaided, whether I'm wearing them or not.
I must have looked quite a sight, but to their credit the restaurant staff were unfazed. The proprietor very kindly helped me to find a hotel for the night. . I am supposed to be walking up the valley from Llorts to El Serrat, but apparently the hotel there is full, so he has booked me into a hotel in the next village down the valley, la Cortada. This is not ideal, since I must go back up tomorrow, but since he kindly drove me down to the hotel after lunch, I can't complain. The meal was nice too.
Now I am in the hotel Sucara, a formula-1 type place of no great distinction, but it does have a nice bed, a good shower, and wifi :-)

you would do well to get a motor vehicle, even a motor bike, up this high in Andorra. 

view from the col

Looking down from the col towards Llorts. There was an izard when I took the photo, but I can't see it now! 

This is the English version of the menu in the restaurant in Llorts. . Sorry if it's a bit sideways. .. I was tempted by the sausages made from a friend, and the bunny tender, but settled for the lamb