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| CHALET L'ALBERE |
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| PIC SAILFORT - WITH GUARD DOG? |
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| BY REFUGE TOMY ON PIC SAILFORT |
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| BANYUL-SUR-MER AHEAD |
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| BANYULS IN BOTH CATALAN AND FRENCH |
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| BANYULS BEACH |
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| BOOTS LOOKING A LITTLE THREADBARE |
So up I plodded to Pic Neulos - at 1,256m, my highest point of the day. Great views from here. Then it was 5 or 6 miles of walking eastwards along the border ridge to Pic des 4 Termes (1,156m) and Pic Sailfort (981m).
It was intetesting to be walking along the border with my left leg in France and my right in Spain, although I was impatient to get to Pic Sailfort because I thought I would get an uninterupted view of Banyuls from there.....and, sure enough, I did.
I sat by a big pile of rocks on the summit of Sailfort and had a late lunch whilst trying to identify from the map everything I could see. Just behind me was a tiny refuge tucked into the rock pile with a sign labelling it as 'Refuge Tomy'. I don't think it was official and I guess it was someone's hobby. I signed the refuge logbook to say I was there and noted down my blog address.
At about 4.30pm I left the border for the last time and headed down the French side towards Banyuls. I was looking for somewhere near the path to camp, however, as I didn't actually want to arrive in Banyuls that evening. Unfortunately for me, there were few areas of flat ground, and those that did exist were occupied by grapevines.
Eventually I spotted 'La Pinede' municipal campsite on the edge of Banyuls and pitched my tent there. It's the first time I have actually had to pay to camp on this walk, and it was the worst pitch yet. The ground may have been flat, but it was rough and stony.
I was awoken at 6.30am next morning by a huge thunderstorm, of the same sort of magnitude that sent me scurrying down to the Jeandel refuge a month ago. So much for the no-rain prediction! The whole tent illuminated as the lightning flashed, and I counted the seconds before the roll of thunder. When the flash and the bang became almost simultaneous I knew it was really close. It went on for over an hour, and I could still hear it rumbling in the distance when I eventually dared to leave the tent.
Unfortunately, my boots, which I had left in the gap between the flysheet and the inner tent, had somehow migrated outside. Perhaps, having walked so far, they didn't know how to stop? I had to tip them upside down to drain the water out of them.
I wandered down to the on-site cafeteria to get a morning cup of coffee, and met with frustration there. First I put 50c into a dispensing machine to receive only half a cup. Then I pushed the boat out and I paid three times that amount for a decent sized cup over the counter, only to find it was barely lukewarm. I gave up.
It stayed cloudy during the morning and kept threatening to rain again, so it took a while for my tent to dry. I didn't want to be charged for another night so I left the site at midday and strode the last mile to the sea. Naturally the sun came out in the afternoon in this fickle climate.
With a brief ceremonial sticking of toe of my already wet boot in water, the walk was officially over. Indeed, looking at the state of the stitching on my boots, I think that they are officially over too.
The only problem was what to do now. I had reached Banyuls earlier than expected because of the sections of the walk I'd skipped due to snow. I had also pursuaded Chris to come and meet me in Barcelona, but she wouldn't arrive until Tuesday 29th, four day's time. She was reluctant to come at first until her eldest son told her that it was his favourite place. Clearly, that was good enough or her, so the plane and hotel were booked.
So, what do I do between now and then? I'm sure I will think of something.