27.19 Andorra: Climbing to Pic Besali and looping through Sorteny Natural Parc.
Striding to the peak on a typical Andorran 'trucking' day Perspective: The peak (above) viewed from Arcalis-Ordino a week later, at a higher altitude than from the trailhead (where we commenced). (Peak is left of center) We left from below Sorteny Natural Park, climbed and climbed, and made a circle through the always beautiful, big and bold Andorran mountains while looking down into the valleys of green grass, abundance of trees, colorful flowers, always flowing, and more often than not, gushing water as well as towns and villages nestled in, on and alongside the mountains. When we saw a diverting sign 'suggesting' Pic Besali, we took it and headed up further. This made the hike a little more strenuous but as always, climbing is what we prefer. The resultant cumulative gain was a little under 3,000 feet, usually enough of a workout for us. We regained the regular trail by crossing the mountain scree with some tricky manoeuvres that put us back on the forma...