Area: Ariege, Pyrenees
I was planning to camp at the Port de Lers but storms were forecast so I prudently stayed in the valley at the same site near the bouldering. The storms took a while to arrive, and it is always disorientating in steep-sided valleys as you can often see near-constant lightning but not hear very much unless it is right overhead. It was a fairly interrupted night's sleep, and the temperature had dropped by almost 25c when I woke up (not an exaggeration, mid 30s to single figures). It was dank and misty in Vicdessos so I had cafe, local yoghurt and croissant at a delightful deli while I pondered my options. The rain had stopped, so I decided to go back up the Port de Lers and see how far I could get on the grassy ridge that lies above, where three peaks seemed doable. It was still dry when I set off in thermals, shell, hat and gloves - all quite a contrast! I was soon into the mist, and it felt like the Beacons or Yorkshire Dales. Higher up, it started to rain, horizontal stinging blasts which further reminded me of home. I decided to sack it after the first peak (Fontanette) - which had a pleasant and quite narrow ridge leading to it. I scampered back down to the Port de Lers and tried to dry off at the Etang de Lers, looking very different from yesterday. Inevitably it started to clear as I drove to Massat but I still felt it was the right decision - a transition day and a semi-rest day (although I had rather stupidly done well over 500m of ascent in 'fell race style' up to Pic de Fontanette in 30 minutes). After a superb chicken tart from a Massat Deli (it was almost uncomfortably cold outside) I drove via a St Gaudens coffee to Aurelle, and then the Col d'Aspin, where I spent a misty and atmospheric night. The weather remained unstable all day.
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