How hard it is to get out of the little bed, though not very cozy, that welcomed us for the night! A breath of already warm air sweeps through the dormitory, the smell of hot coffee is everywhere. We linger a bit over breakfast while trying to make ourselves understood by our roommates, who also seem to be doing the Anillo de Picos. It must be said that very few Spaniards speak English here, so we improvise with sign language.

Once we finally manage to extract ourselves from this little cocoon, the real heat sets in as we descend from the village, and it will not leave us until sunset. We find the dusty trail from yesterday, which leads us to the foot of pastures, which we climb up by a steep path.

Soon, the first refuge, La Terenosa, where we just grab a soda before leaving again. This little dose of energy is necessary, given the climb that awaits us to get back up to the foot of Picu Uriellu, where the refuge of the same name is located. Around one o’clock and under an oppressive heat, we arrive. This gray and ochre peak rising six hundred meters above us commands respect.

After a quick lunch, we decide to continue toward Los Cabrones, which seems perhaps a bit more welcoming… Unfortunately, we take the wrong path, and after a few dozen minutes of wandering, we decide to retrace our steps and set up camp here. Not easy to escape the blazing sun; everyone takes refuge in the shade of the refuge, which fortunately provides beer in industrial quantities.

Finally, the afternoon passes quickly, between small laundry loads, the quick shower, and the inevitable aperitif. I even had the honor of removing my first tick of the trip. We settle comfortably in a little circle of stones, hoping the wind will leave us some rest tonight. Slowly, this large refuge and its dozens of campers fall asleep, as the last rays of sun just barely light up the valley.