Els Pessons

After a first ascent, first over a good gravel path, then through a stretch of forest, the Estany Primer de Pessons is reached, from where the peaks of the Pessons cirque are clearly visible. It is the lowest of seven lakes the chain of which reaches up and into the cirque (eight, if one includes a very small, pond-like lake designated on some maps as the Third Lake). They are connected with each other via differently shaped steps of the terrain. After each intermediate ascent, the hike provides another aspect, new perspectives and impressions.

At the southern end of the lake, the tour crosses the Riu dels Pessons and, on a path with a few meters of easy climbing, goes to the southern edge of the second lake (Estany Forcat). It continues to the Estany Rodo, leaves there the valley bottom and leads uphill along the mountainside to the Estany Meligar. The path strongly gains in altitude up to a nameless lake. The view extends over three of the lower lakes far towards the northeast and the Envalira Pass and beyond, and to the south, west and north the Pessons cirque that temporarily got somewhat out of sight appears in full breadth. The path becomes almost flat, and a little later it reaches the Estany de les Fonts at the foot of the cirque. Above is a rough, high-alpine landscape in a wide semicircle with gravel fields, steep slopes, ridges and the faces of the surrounding peaks. At the lake, the way turns into a steep, winding path uphill over stony and rocky terrain to a point where the Estany del Cap dels Pessons located just below the path comes into view. Here the highest point of the hike is reached, with great views of the peaks in the cirque and down the valley to the chain of lakes.

The hike goes back and past the Estany de les Fonts. Shortly after the lake, it leaves the original ascent trail, turns north / northeast and, after crossing a slight rise, reaches a valley parallel to the ascent route, separated from the Pessons chain of lakes by a low range of hills. Along the Estanys de la Solana, a group of smaller lakes at the feet of the Pic Alt del Cubil, it leads stepwise downhill on the right side of the valley on flatter stretches and sections with different slopes.

After a very small lake, not shown on some maps, the path reaches a point above the Estany Forcat with a magnificent view to the south. After a short descent, it reaches the northern shore of the lake, on the opposite side of which the hike already passed during the ascent. Another short, steep descent brings the tour back to the Estany Primer. From there it goes back down to Grau Roig and the starting point of the hike.