Le Pla Guillem from the Cabane Pastorale des Forquets

Head to Prats de Mollo, setting off towards La Preste. Just before reaching La Preste, turn right onto the road to the Las Conques refuge. At the final fork in the road (1,584 m), continue right, towards “Les Forquets”, for 800 m.
Park in the car park at the Cabane Pastorale des Forquets.

(S/E) Head due north, then east along the road closed to motor traffic. The road deteriorates and becomes a wide track. Continue for 1.5 km until you reach a wide right-hand bend.
Look out for short wooden posts and a signpost on the left-hand side of the track.

(1) Turn left and head steeply uphill through the grassy slopes, on the right bank of the Còrrec de la Bagassa.
You must follow the small wooden posts, marked in yellow, and the cairns, heading towards a grassy pass.
Pass a drinking trough. Continue climbing due north. Yellow markings and cairns.

(2) Crossroads: track and path. Cross the track and head straight ahead, climbing steeply northwards.

(3) Coll de Bise. Turn left. Yellow markings and cairns, heading north-west. The path, marked on the ground, climbs very steeply through overgrown pasture, following the grassy ridge.

(4) Track and path junction. Leave the track at the hairpin bend. Head straight ahead, north-west. Yellow markings and cairns. Pass the 2094m altitude. Stunning views. Descend towards the pass.
See practical information (1).

(5) Crossroads: track and path. Cross the track, head straight ahead, north-west, climbing steeply. Yellow markings and cairns. Cross the track. Continue climbing.
Join the track. Head left along this track for 150 m.

(6) Track and path junction. Leave the track at the hairpin bend to the right. Climb up a well-marked path. Yellow markings and cairns.

(7) Join the track. Turn left onto this track and continue for 200 m. Yellow markings and cairns.

(8) Collada de Roques Blanques. Crossroads: track and path. Turn right, northwards, onto a very rough track. Red and yellow markings of^{the GRP®®} Tour des Réserves Naturelles. Simply continue along this footpath.

(9) Collada del Vent. Continue left along the^GRP®® Tour des Réserves Naturelles or Camí Ramader de Campmagre al Pla Guillem for approximately 500 m. Superb balcony path.

(10) Look for a track on the left, heading due north, at the large boulder, which leads through the pasture towards the erratic boulders clustered on a hilltop; keep these on your left. Continue towards a grassy ridge, heading due north. No further markings.
If in doubt: see practical information (2).

(11) A stone cairn on your left marks the correct spot. Do not descend into the valley. Continue due north, climbing. The path is easier to follow by simply following the standing stones that indicate the direction to take. Cross the grassy ridge (alt. 2305 m). Then, further down, a large pointed cairn and an old orri-style hut serve as landmarks. Descend.

(12) Hut (large stone shelter without a roof structure) and pointed cairn. Continue a short distance towards a group of rocks where another large cairn is located. Unobstructed view of the valley leading down to Mariailles and the Crête des Sept Hommes. Descend towards the large red-roofed refuge; this is the unmanned Pla Guillem refuge. Refuge in very good condition for the 2024 season.
Option to continue to the Pic de la Roqueta.

(13) Return to the previous junction located after the refuge.

(12) Turn left onto the^GR®® T83 and^GRP®®, marked in red and white.

(14) Junction. Turn right onto the^GRP®® Tour des Réserves Naturelles or Cami Ramader de Campmagre al Pla Guillem, marked in yellow and red. Return to the junction passed on the way out.

(10) Follow the route back in the opposite direction to reach Collada del Vent. Here, make use of the stone table and fire pit, right at the far left, at the pass

(9) Leave the^GRP®® here^. Turn left, climbing slightly, along a path clearly marked on the ground, heading due south. Yellow markings. This is once again the Camí Ramader de Campmagre al Pla Guillem, which continues along the mountainside.

(15) Collada de les Voltes. Turn right onto a narrow but well-marked path. Yellow markings.
Descend steeply along this path, which will then continue more or less along the mountainside. The Coll de les Molles is the landmark. You can top up your water supplies at a spring, or at the stream feeding it, before this pass.

(16) Fork in the path. Turn left. Caution: confusing area. Pass the shepherd’s shelter on your right. Find a well-marked path. Yellow markings on small wooden posts. The path remains almost entirely along the mountainside. Continue towards Coll de Bise.

(3) Coll de Bise. Head left. Yellow markings on small wooden posts and very sparse cairns heading south-east. You will need to look for the path, which is poorly marked on the ground. I have re-placed some cairns. The path starts on level ground above the forest track below on the right.
If in doubt: see practical information (3).

(17) Cabana d'en Miquel (large stone shelter without a roof structure), on the right-hand side. The path then turns 90°, due east, descending towards Coll de les Basses, which is in sight. Yellow markings on small wooden posts and cairns.

(18) Crossroads of tracks and paths. Pass a drinking trough on the left. Descend along the track. Continue round the bend. Pass through a fence via a designated gap. Descend along the wide track, south-west.
Return to the original fork from the outward journey.

(1) Follow the route back in the opposite direction, descending along the track to return to the car park at the Cabane Pastorale des Forquets (S/E).

(1) At (5), three sheepdogs present in season. Stay on the marked path and do not cross the flock of sheep. There is no problem, even if the dogs bark: they will keep their distance.

(2) At (10) If you cannot find the path on the left, continue towards (14) and then carry on.

(3) At (3) If you cannot find the path on the left, continue towards (2) and (1) (the outward route).

This is a mid-mountain area. So, as you’d expect, you’ll need: rain gear, water, snacks, route map, description, map, GPS, camera, good walking boots, a walking stick.
Often windy area. Filter bottle or water purification tablets.
Shelters (11), (12), (17). 200 m before (15) there is a small shelter on the left (before the steep descent).
Water at the trough before (2), at the springs (16), and at the trough near (18).

Four separate nature reserves, situated next to one another, in this area: Prats, Py, Mantet, Nyer.

Nature Reserve