27.3 miles; 2923 feet

We were up and away soon after 08.30 – the old packing routine seemed very familiar. The local village had a small cafe/bar and so we called in for breakfast. It was a beautiful morning and, sitting in the sunshine at the start of a 3 week trip, life didn’t get much better!

Our route took us first across the flat valley floor on quiet lanes. Then a short, steep climb to reach the bigger road heading over the pass to Ripoll – our lunch destination. This was where the real climbing started. It was already getting very hot as we set off – very slowly – up a 6 mile climb of nearly 2000 feet. We took a couple of breaks, one where the road reached the top of the ridge and gave great views.

The final section to the top was easier, and the descent to Ripoll was beautiful. There was very little traffic.

Waiting for Spanish restaurants to open at 8pm never suits us, particularly since we are usually bedding down in the tent as it gets dark around 9.30. So midday meals are the thing in Spain, and then picnic food in the evening. So we had an excellent pasta lunch in the main square in Ripoll. This is quite a big town on the main road over the main pass to Andorra and France. There are some grand buildings in the centre.

After lunch we had to do a short section of the main road before turning off at Campdevanol to take a quieter road over the mountains. After just a couple of miles of gentle climbing up the side valley we stopped at Camping Moli. This turned out to be a lovely, family run campsite, based on an old mill building and farm. As we arrived the afternoon storm clouds were building up and, as soon as the tent was pitched and the washing done and hung out, down it came – torrentially. We sheltered in the mill drinking beer until the worst passed over. Checking the tent afterwards revealed a serious flood. Water had run down the slope to puddle in the porch. More rain threatened so we unpegged it and dragged it to the only patch of field that was not under water! No harm done to the bedding, but putting on soaking wet cycle shorts and shirt the following morning was no fun!

At dinner that night the family’s eldest daughter told us about her cycling trip along the towpath of the Canal du Midi from Carcassonne to Toulouse. But she couldn’t quite believe that we intend to cycle over the Pyrenees to get there.;