GR10 Day43

Today was a long walk as we circumnavigated the Pic Canigou.  There are lots of valleys running down the sides of the mountain, so our path would lead us into one, across the boulder field in the middle, and then gradually over the ridge and into the next valley.  There was an initial accent, before we lost quite a bit of height.  This took us down to a wide road in the forest, which only lasted a few hundred metres before we were back onto forest tracks and climbing again.  During the day our view northwards was continually changing as we worked our way clockwise round the mountain.  We finally crested the last, highest ridge and before us we could see the plain with Perpignan, and beyond it the blue of the Mediterranean.  It may look close, but it’s still five days away and we have another range of hills to get over.  It was a short walk down to the refuge.  We sat outside, but had to move in because of the cold, strong wind.  It seems to be getting colder as we get towards the Mediterranean weather than warmer!