Tuesday 9th Encamp to Refugi de L'illa 16 kms

A 16 km walk that would take us up 1300mtrs right next to the Andorra/Spain frontier. Just as we finish breakfast in the cafe in front of the hotel Riu Blanc, the worst hotel with the most depressing room in which we have stayed in the entire trip, CB realises that he left his camera behind in last nights restaurant. With more than 1000 photos of the trip this is a disaster. It is 8am and we go to the restaurant. It of course is closed but also the sign says it will not open again until tomorrow. Big problem. We go to the police station and explain the problem. A very helpful women sets to work on the telephone and computer and within 20 minutes locates the owners of the restaurant. Even though it is their day off they kindly offer to come from their home and open up the restaurant. The camera is inside. Relief all around. We set off climbing away into the forest away from the noise of Andorras main road, distracted a little as we pass through an area where dog owning Andorrans obviously take their pets to go toilet. After 2 kms (and 350 vertical mtrs) we arrive at Estany d'Engolasters, a pretty lake and then we climb into one of the few valleys in Andorra that has no road and therefore is not full of buildings. We walk up and up beside the river Madriu. The sun shines intermittently and it really is a pretty valley. We arrive at the empty refuge at 5pm. The day has cooled right down. At 2500 metres the solid stone refuge is a cold place. We cook dinner and with no electricity and no fire its into the sleeping bags as the sun sets.