Day 16: Beyond Lac de Rius to Espot

After a warm night and at least six hours of sleep, I was awake at 5am. Still feeling tired, I stayed in bed until 6am before getting up. I was packed and away by 6.30am.

The day started by heading down the valley in the cool shade before the sun crept over the surrounding mountains. The first hour was on a very rocky, uneven path before a gentle climb to the first refuge of the day, Refugi de la Restanca. I walked straight past and continued climbing into the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park, one of Spain's finest mountain landscapes, with countless lakes, granite peaks and fast-flowing streams.

It was tough going underfoot all day. Combined with the heat and the fatigue I've been carrying, it made for hard work. Despite the scenery, I spent more time looking at the ground than the views, carefully choosing where to place each foot. The only exception was a 30-minute lunch break overlooking one of the many lakes.

By early afternoon I was seeing plenty of day walkers and families who had come into the park for a few hours to enjoy its beauty. How lucky. They drive in, walk a few kilometres with a light backpack and have time to take their shoes off and cool their feet in the crystal-clear streams. Meanwhile my shoulders are bruised from the rucksack straps, my lower back is red raw from the sweat and friction, every chance I get is spent topping up my water bottles, yet I never seem to feel properly rehydrated. My feet are improving, apart from my little toe, which still complains about being cramped and squashed with every step.

Feeling tired, I decided to finish early at the commercial campsite in Espot.

There was nobody at reception, so I called the number on the door. I was told to book online and pitch my tent wherever I liked. I found a quiet corner near the facilities. There were only two campervans on site and no other tents.

The sprinklers were watering the grass after what must have been a busy weekend. One hose was in my way, so I moved it. That changed the angle of the sprinkler and it started spraying everywhere except the grass. I tried to fix it, got a bit closer, moved the hose again, and the sprinkler flipped over completely. I had to pick it up and put it back the right way while it was still spraying. That was my first shower of the day, and I ended up completely soaked.

A proper hot shower followed, then washing clothes, hanging them out to dry, a trip to the shops and recharging all my electronics. Luckily there were two small convenience shops open, even on a Sunday. I suppose that's why they're called convenience shops.

Time to eat, upload today's route and photos, write this blog and maybe get some rest. Well... perhaps not. The hydroelectric power station on the other side of the river has just started up. It now sounds like I'll be sleeping next to a waterfall.