Estany de Juclar and the Juclar hut from the Vall d'Incles

Start at the car park in the Vall d'Incles and take the Camí del Riu de Juclar east: a forest track at first, then a path that climbs the sunny mountainside, steeper below the Juclar plain, and crosses the river to the lakes. It passes the Refugi de Juclar, a staffed hut at about 2,310 m, and the first lake, Estany Primer de Juclar, then goes round it to the second, Estany Segon, where the walk turns back. Come down the same way.

It is 9.2 km out and back with 493 m of ascent (Visit Andorra gives 4.57 km and +465 m for the walk to the second lake, 2 h 10 min up and 1 h 40 min down); allow about 3¾ hours. The grade is Moderate, as Visit Andorra rates it: a mountain path for most of the way, between 1,830 and 2,330 m.

Visit Andorra says the first lake is home to the Pyrenean newt and that the hut serves meals in summer, and calls Estany del Juclar the biggest lake in the country, at 21 hectares. It advises routes above 1,700 m between the end of June and the end of September. Mountain weather can change quickly, so carry warm and waterproof clothes.

Visit Andorra says the Vall d'Incles is closed to vehicles in summer, with an electric buggy to the valley floor from the middle of June until early September; tickets are sold at the information booth beside the car park, and the Canillo office is on +376 753 600. Visit Andorra gives the start as km 3 of the valley road after the Baladosa bridge; the car park is 100 m before it.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.