Where the road ends and a gravel path begins, any navigation system is lost. Fortunately, it only goes straight ahead. We are not alone on this wonderful morning, lit by the morning sun. We pass a small group of hikers, then a bay with three cars, until we come to the small weary spot that we choose as our parking lot.

From here, we only have to walk a few meters along the gravel path before we come to a wide path from where the route begins. We leave this path after just a few meters and follow a narrow path up the hill. The coniferous forest opens up again and again and we have a breathtaking view of the mountains and valleys in the area.

I can’t yet fully enjoy this first phase of the hike. I always need a certain amount of time on a hike before I really get there. Only then do my senses fully open up to the surroundings in which I am moving. It’s not just like this here and now, it’s almost always like this.

The climb goes up to the top of the Cogulló de Cal Torre. At 873 m, this is the highest point on the route. However, it is not the last high point we will reach. From here, we descend into a valley. The descent is strenuous, as the path is not a real hiking trail, but a sluice of scree, dried earth, rocks and loose stones.

From the valley, it’s straight back up again. The same arduous path as the descent just now, sometimes even more demanding and strenuous. Three crosses stand at the highest point of the Turó de les Tres Creus , here at 801 m above sea level. From here, the horizon is even wider than before at Cogulló de Cal Torre . In addition to the hilly valleys, which are immersed in a gentle mist, the snow-covered peaks of the Pyrenees can be seen on the northern side.

After a short break, we descend. Steeper than ever before, the rocks bigger, the ground more slippery, our knees don’t thank us for it. We’ve lost our way here, but climbing back up and taking the longer route is no longer an option. Getting down somehow, that’s the motto. And luckily for us, we do.

Our feet hit solid ground. Finally, we can just walk. The view opens up onto a magical landscape of fields, forests and the peaks that rise into the sky behind this splendor. I feel a genuine sense of happiness here. I am glad that we are here and that we are living this life. After the previous effort, this is a well-deserved reward.

Once again, we leave the small paved road and have to climb up a wide gravel path. The gradient is gentle, but it still challenges me. I am at the end of my tether and eagerly await the sight of the car, which we reach shortly afterwards. A wonderful Sunday afternoon is behind us, followed by the recovery phase.