Collada del Vent – Puig de la Collade Verda – Collada de Roques Blanques

Red and yellow markings.^GRP® Tour of Nature Reserves; Canigou Circuit

(S/E) From the car park, with the refuge on your left, go through a gap in the fence and head up into the pasture.

(1) Coll Baix. Junction of several paths. Post with directional signs. Follow Les Forquets (10 June 2020). Turn right and walk for about a hundred metres.
Caution: do not head into the forest on the left. Ignore the red and yellow-marked path.
Turn right again towards Conques – Les Forquets.

Unmarked section

Continue to the right, following wooden posts with arrows fixed to their tops.

(2) Sign for Les Forquets. Turn left, heading due north into the forest along a good path. A cairn on the left at the edge of the forest marks the start of the path. Ignore the sign for Conques on the right (wooden sign).
After this, there are no further signposts or cairns. The path is clearly marked on the ground and widens.

(3) After about 400 metres, you’ll reach a clearing. Head straight ahead along the track to the right.
A track not shown on maps climbs to the left at this point.
Continue along this lovely grassy track.

(4) You’ll reach a large open area. There’s a painted concrete shelter here. Head down a few metres onto another track. Turn left onto this track, which is suitable for vehicles.
On your right, there is a bench and a designated barbecue area.
Pass the Còrrec de la Font del Garber. The track turns almost 180° and heads north-east.
Pass another còrrec, now heading south-east towards a large open pasture.

Red and yellow markings.^GRP® Tour du Canigou.

(5) Forquets Shepherd’s Hut. Please respect the peace and quiet of this inhabited area. Thank you.
Join the small road below on the left. Cross it and head down towards a very large orri. Go round it and reach the car park at the end of the small road, which is closed off by a barrier.
An information board on the right explains why this area is a nature reserve.
Go through the barrier and follow this small road, which is closed to all motorised vehicles. Head east. The road then deteriorates and becomes a track suitable for vehicles.
Just after this, as you pass another còrrec, there is an information board. You will need to leave this track.

Yellow ^PR®markings on numerous wooden posts and cairns

(6) Turn left, heading due north. Signpost for Coll de Bise. Go through the fence at the designated point. Then climb very steeply up through the pasture. Numerous painted wooden posts and cairns help guide your way.

(7) Water trough. Unfortunately, there is no tap. A very beautiful spot with a clear view over the valleys. Follow the posts and cairns carefully.

(8) Track suitable for vehicles. Cross the track and continue climbing steeply due north, leaving the Coll de Bise itself on your right.

(9) You’ll arrive at this vast area of the Coll de Bise. Two yellow-marked paths run on either side of the ridge.
Note: head right of a large rock along a path that is flat at the start. You’ll immediately come across the yellow-marked wooden posts and continue on a gentle climb towards the north-west. Do not go downhill.

(10) About 400 metres further on, you’ll come to a yellow sign indicating a left turn. Continue to follow the yellow markings as you climb. Do not go downhill.
As you approach the shelter, there may be sheepdogs. You must keep your distance from them.
No dogs and therefore no problems on 11 June 2020. Still no flocks of sheep.

(11) Fork in the path. There are springs here, or more precisely, resurgences.
Signpost: Refuge-shelter (on the left as you climb) – Col de Bise (where we’ve come from)
=> Coll del Vent: this is the way to go – north-west then north. Always follow the yellow markings on wooden posts and cairns. Further on, the posts disappear and you’ll need to follow the numerous cairns.
Follow the Cami Ramader from Campmagre al Pla Guillem, which stays well below the ridge. This lovely path climbs gently but steadily. It then becomes steeper as it turns north-east.

(12) Collada de les Voltes. Turn left towards the north-west, then north, climbing slightly. The path remains almost flat as it heads towards the pass. There is a picnic table and a designated campfire area. Everything suggests that it used to be possible to reach this spot by car.
At this pass, to the right, via the^GRP®, the route leads to the beautiful spot of Pla Guillem and its self-catering refuge.

Off the marked trail

(13) Collada del Vent. Turn left and head steeply uphill along the ridge, heading south-west. You will need to cross several small peaks whilst following this ridge, which is safe unless there are strong winds.
==> In the event of wind or sudden bad weather: see the ‘Practical Information’ section (¹).

Hike by sight, passing the cairns at the 2,393 m and 2,273 m altitudes.

(14) Puig de la Collada Verda. 360° panoramic view. This spot is ideal for a lunch break.
Note the huge piles of stones that were removed from this area a very long time ago in order to increase the grassy surface area of these high-altitude pastures.
Now continue downhill, keeping as close as possible to a fence, still heading south-west.

Then cross to the other side of the fence as you approach the pass.

Red and yellow^GRP® Nature Reserve Trailmarkings

(15) Collada de Roques Blanques. Very white rocks dot this area.
Please be aware of the warnings regarding herding dogs. You must keep your distance from them.
Cross the wide track and head right into the pasture, following the markings. Head towards Mantet, HRP, Porteilla de la Rotjà.

Red and yellow markings:^GRP® Canigou Circuit

(16) Porteilla des Avents (not shown on the IGN map). Leave the beautiful Esquerdes de Rotjà ahead of you.
Turn left, heading down towards a gap in the fence. Head towards Baix and Conques.
After the spring, which is channelled beneath a slab on the path, the descent becomes steep as you re-enter the forest.

(1) Coll Baix. Turn left and head down the path you took on the way up to reach the Refuge de Las Conques (S/E).

You should definitely avoid the hottest periods of the day.
(¹) If the wind picks up, the ridge can be bypassed via the^GRP® Tour des Réserves Naturelles from (13) to (15).
The estimated time of 7 hours is reasonable, taking into account breaks and the ridge walk.
Resurgences and tapped springs at (11) and after (16) before returning into the forest beneath a rock slab above the resurgence at a right-hand bend.
Refuge des Conques at (S/E).

This is a mountainous area: bring rainwear, water, a packed lunch, a GPX track, route description, map, GPS or the Visorando app, a camera, good walking boots and a walking stick.
==> A filter or water purification tablets are recommended if collecting water during the grazing season.

From (6) to (16), this is an exposed hike. You’ll need to set off early during hot weather. The wind can pick up quickly. A windbreaker and warm clothing were necessary on 11 June 2020 from (13) to (16).

Las Conques mountain hut