La Guingueta d’Aneu to Estaon

30 August

The hotel is full of surprises; this morning the most impressive buffet breakfast was laid out for us.

Full of local cheeses, yogurts, fruit, breads and chocolate. An indulgent start to the day.

The day started with a climb to a small hamlet nestled in the high levels of a valley. Most of the dwellings are derelict, an indicator of the shifting agricultural practices over the years. It won't be long before these properties are bought and turned into holiday dwellings as I've seen in other villages.

The walking today is through forests and brushland, a welcomed change from the boulder fields and stony pathways of the last weeks.

I'm amazed at the design and location of some of the older pathways which traverse the valleys, constructed out of the rock face and hugging the valley side.

A wonderful small cosy refuge appeared over the edge of a ridge; the only place to stay in the village of Estaon and holding a central position in the main 'street'.