Well after a restless night, it was clear from Paul that we were not going anywhere today. Booking in for another night at this hotel, we returned to sleep some more, as well as watching some bad Spanish day time Tv. We did make it out briefly together for a small lunch of coffee and toast but soon after eating, Paul needed to get back to the hotel room. I had another mini explore and checked out the other supermarket this time before also returning to the hotel to chill.
Feeling a bit better, we ventured out for dinner, returning to the original bar we went to when we arrived yesterday for their veggie menu. back by the guy, we enjoyed tasty onion rings, garlic bread and the veggie Wok; delicious. With no instant need to find a toilet, Paul seemed to be feeling better and we returned to our hotel to repack our bags ready to go again tomorrow.
nights sleep we got ourselves up and ready but we were still not feeling 100% (my tummy was also grumbling this morning). We agreed we should be ok to get going and hopefully make it to Encamp, so set off by 7:30. Out walking again, we were feeling good and followed the winding road up out of Arinsal to the track path on the left, which quickly steepened. Back in the trees, we steadily climbed the rocky but easy path one zigzag at a time.
Unfortunately, about half way up, Pauls gut decided it had had enough and we made an emergency stop. Knowing we might as well keep going to the next town, we managed to finish off the climb and have a snack break at the top. Feeling ok in himself, we soon began the descent, enjoying the tall trees filtering the sunlight, when it struck Paul again. Eventually making it to the bottom and along (some dry and slippy pine cones&needles on this section) we pulled over at a bar for a drink and rethink.
We found a trail that stayed lower along the river to Ordino we could take, rather then the higher ridge
walk, but there was still then the rejoining of the GR11 in the next valley where another big up&down was needed to get to the planned town of Encamp. Not feeling up to this, we had a quick hotel search and found options in Ordino were limited and expensive. However, a hotel just across from us in La Cortinada did have a reasonable rate and room available. Hotel Mu, with cow pattern design and a spa, seemed too good an option not to take. So here we are, resting and recovering some more, (and managing to drink beer ok eh Paul?), taking the meaning of slow&steady to a new level.
Waking and feeling better, we enjoyed the hotels coffee&croissant deal, making friends with the staff again who seemed keen to visit Plymouth, before setting off back on the trail. Well, kind of, as we actually stuck to the easier, lower, less up&down route, along the river to Ordino. Wed this path too, as its
actually a really well maintained, gravel&board walk path along the river and importantly off the road. You then have to turn off into Orindo and head straightish up into the valley to rejoin the GR11; simple and interesting.
Its here the incline begins, and whilst it was long, it was also pretty as it followed easy tracks through woodland again, passing a picnic area with pool (which clearly says no swimming; differing from the guidebooks advice), zigzagging further to another pic is spot. Now we did stop here for a snack break and water top up and, to Pauls surprise, another toilet situation. I enjoyed sitting in the slowly warming sun though, chatting to a few other hikers who passed us here, including a French guy who was super friendly but obviously way faster then us as he only started on the 4th August!
Eventually finishing off the last bit of the climb, we enjoyed the open top briefly before following the increasingly rocky path downwards again; with a few brief rocky steps to hop down. The sun was getting hotter now, and the descent, pretty steep in parts, did begin to feel a little too long
towards the end.
