Pic des Trois Comptes

We set out from Pla da Lau at 9.00 and made quick progress up into the vallée de Peyralade. No problem crossing the river after the cabane and the even the climb upto the cabane de Barlonguère went fairly easily. 

Cascades in La Cassade

Just below the cabane de barlonguère

It was hot by now and it was a relief to reach the Port de Barlonguere 2400m and get some fresh breeze coming up from the Etang Long far below. Here we turned right and after the following the ridge for a few hundred metres we dropped to the right to make a col to the right of Tuc Blanc 2588m;

Tuc blanc from the Port de Barlonguère

The views from here are spectacular - particularly into Spain towards Aneto, Posets and the Encantats. We dropped to the col at 2524m (the last I was here was 25 years ago), where susie took a rest whilst I nipped up Pic des Trois Comptes 2689m. The views from here are even more spectacular.

Pic des Trois Comptes

From the summit looking towards Pico Aneto

From the summit looking towards the East summit

I rejoined Susie at the col and we returned to the Port de Barlonguère, this time on the other side of Tuc Blanc with great views towards Mont Valier and Pic de la Pale de Clauère above Etang Long.

We descended steeply to Etang Long and skirted the Lake, watching the trout rising for flies in the crystal clear blue waters.

We ate the last of our lunch at the outfall of the lake gazing down to the Etang Rond far below, past which I descent lay. From there the normal route down past the Cascade Nerech and finally after 9 hours of walking the car. About 1750m of height gain and a grand day out.

Etang Rond from above...

...and below.

Cascade d'Arcouzan

We'd planned a long walk up to Barlonguère, but a poor nights sleep and continued hot and humid weather persuaded us to have a lazy morning and in the afternoon we strolled up the Vallée d'Estours to the cascade d'Arcouzan.

Glacier d'Arcouzan

Cascade d'Arcouzan

Yesterday, we had an enormous but brief storm, which dumped over 12cm of rain in an hour including some prolonged hail downpours with hailstones the size of marbles. The road and the path to the gite were rivers, the pond overflowed and we had water in the house and gite...as did all our neighbours. The plants in the garden were shredded by the hail or flattened by the water and wind. Half a mile away the storm was nothing exceptional.

Shots of lightning over Valier

Pujada

Every year on the Port de Salau there is a meeting of people from either side of the col - from Catalonia and Ariège for an exchange of gifts, culture and a general celebration. This year we decided to go with Alun and Breezy. 

We were late, setting off at 11.00 and it was blistering hot all the way up which took a little over 2 hours. On the port it was much cooler with strong wind blowing, something of a relief. Plenty of independent Catalonia flags and over 200 people.

Some more little experiments with my new camera last night.

Gite guest with a drone

Plenty of Cep

Etang Garbet, Etang Bleu and beyond