Day 7: Refugio de Lizara to Ibon de Anayet

A very pleasant night's sleep. From our sheltered spot I hardly heard the wind at all. It was a relaxed morning, with Matyas and I setting off at around 7:15am.

We passed a sheep enclosure protected by Pyrenean livestock guardian dogs. These large dogs are bred to live with the flock rather than herd it, protecting the sheep from predators such as bears and wolves. Walkers should give them plenty of space, stay calm and avoid walking through the middle of the flock if possible.

The route followed the broad Aragón valley, climbing steadily through open pasture beneath the impressive cliffs of the Aspe massif before reaching the ski area above Candanchú. It was straightforward walking with wide mountain views for much of the morning.
From the ski lifts it was a laborious 700m descent into Candanchú.

We stopped at a bar for lunch where I asked whether the chicken or pork was the more filling meal. The waiter recommended the chicken, which turned out to consist of two very thin strips. I can only assume the pork was a single rasher of bacon.

The small supermarket next door proved much more rewarding, and we spent a couple of hours there eating, shopping and escaping the afternoon heat.

We then headed towards our campsite at Ibon Grande de Anayet. Matyas set a cracking pace and we sweated profusely in the hot sun, needing several water refills and even a calorie boost before tackling the final 400m climb to the lake.

At the lake we discovered there were leeches, but I collected water anyway. I washed the clothes I had been wearing for the last three days, while all my drinking water was filtered before use.

Later in the evening we pitched our tents, cooked dinner and settled in for the night. I did notice that whoever had cooked in the pot the previous evening hadn't washed it afterwards. As I was cooking exactly the same meal, I could probably have got away with it, but decided it was better not to get into that habit.

Going to bed feeling clean, with clean clothes as well, was one of the highlights of the day. After three days of sweat and dust, it was a welcome change.