Spanish Pyrenees
The GR11 from Col du Somport, via Ordesa to Bielsa
Spanish PyreneesThe GR11 from Col du Somport, via Ordesa to Bielsa |
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Guide and maps |
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If you share our love of the Pyrenees and you have never been to the Spanish side, you will get an impression here. In 1999 we visited one of the highest areas of the Pyrenees. It was impressive, as the pictures below will show you. |
Like the GR10 on the French side of the Pyrenees, the well marked GR11 on the Spanish side runs from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. Also like the "Grand randonnée", the Spanish "Senda Pirenaica" runs up and down the valleys which are directed North-South. Therefore, although it is not a difficult path, it is definitely tiring. The Spanish path is more quiet then the French one because the Spanish Pyrenees are far less populated.
As usual, we only had one week for walking. We planned to start from the Col du Somport (where the Camino de Santiago crosses the Pyrenees) and to end at the Tunel de Bielsa. People say the weather on the Spanish side is generally better than on the French side. They point out that mist and clouds linger in the French valleys, up to the border, whereas on the Spanish side a bright sun shines all day. And true, when we took the bus from Oloron St. Marie to the frontier, Col du Somport, it looked a dreary day. But - believe it or not - exactly at the border mist and clouds dissolved completely and we had splendid weather for the rest of the week. But first some practical things. |
 Climb to Collada de Piedrafita |
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The "sendero de gran recorrido" 11 is well marked. In recent years, Spanish maps and guides have been improved enormously. The "Comité Nacional de Senderos de Gran Recorrido" issues a series of guides with separate maps in full colour. Every single 1:50.000 map covers a day's walk. We used the 3rd edition of the guide "Muiga de Zuriza - Puente de Salenques", available from Prames, S.A., Sta. Cruz de Tenerife 5, 50007 Zaragoza.
The indication of walking times was quite optimistic. We doubled the indicated times which gave us a pretty good idea of our arrival time in the afternoon.
Take the fast train (TGV) from Paris to Pau, change for a local train to Oloron St. Marie and jump on the bus to the Col du Somport. You can do this several times a day. You can find the times of trains and busses on the fast German international railway planner (http://bahn.hafas.de).
The way back was not so easy because there were no busses connecting Spain with France through the Tunel de Bielsa. We chartered a taxi in Bal de Pineta that took us to St. Lary in France. It was not too expensive (I can't remember exactly, about 40 Euro) and very fast. Be prepared to make a telephone call in Spanish to hire this cab.
Already when I made the first steps from the Col du Somport, I regretted taking with me 2,5 kilo muesli, 1 kilo chocolate bars, 0,75 kilo sport drink powder, half a kilo mixed fruit, to mention the main ingredients of our diet. Joke only carried four packs of Knackebrod and I really don't understand how she survived. We passed some shops: the second day we found shops in Sallent de Gállego; we could have had a meal in the mountain hut Respumoso the same day; we had dinner the third day in Casa de Piedras in Balneareo de Panticosa; In Bujaruelo the fourth day we passed a restaurant; we could have made a detour to the village of Torla the fifth day but preferred to have lunch in the visitors centre of the National Park of Ordesa; and finally we had a good meal the seventh day when arriving in the Parador of Bal de Pineta. You get the point: have meals in the mountain huts whenever possible because shops are few and far between; I counted three villages with shops in eight days (Sallent de Gállego, Balneareo de Panticosa, Torla).
The huts up in the mountains were very crowded and we didn't stay there. The Casa di Piedras in Balneareo de Panticosa however was a quiet place with excellent food for a friendly price. There are no gîtes d'étappe, like in France. You either have to carry a tent, or make long days. Six of the seven nights, we camped in the mountains: peaceful, beautiful. I'll point out a few nice spots in the route description below. In the National Park of Ordesa camping is only allowed overnight above 2.000 metres. Park keepers will keep an eye on you.
The path is not difficult, but strenuous. This is due to the differences in altitude between passes and valleys. You go up and down, up and down since the valleys run North-South and the trail runs West-East. Most of the paths are steep tracks, with large granite boulders and sometimes loose scree. The descent from the Collado de Góriz o de Arrablo (after Ordesa) was fatigueing, but nothing compared to the descent from the Collado de Añisclo into the Bal de Pineta: a 1200 meters steep descent which makes you feel like a slammed octopus.
I personally like the Pyrenees very much, much better than the Alps. They are less crowded, greener and the landscape is prettier, generally speaking of course. In the end, it's a matter of taste. Recently, skiing has boomed here as well, but it's not yet a reason to stay away, like in the Alps. As said before, the path is steep all the time, but the good thing about that is the continuous change of the landscape.
This part of the Pyrenees is marvelous. It starts with some green valleys and small mountain lakes. From the second day onwards the path traverses whitish granite formations, goes up high and passes very fine lakes. Once in view of the Vignemale, one passes through a lush green valley - one of the few level stretches, and ends at the entrance of the famous valley of Ordesa. The end of this valley is marvellous - have a look at the pictures below. Then the strenuous part starts. After climbing out of the valley and going over a pass, the mountains get rough, and some very steep descents follow. These are the highest parts of the Pyrenees, with the Monte Perdido and the Vignemale.
You can pay in French currency if you need to. Well, in a few years time there is only one currency in Europe.
There is much more information about the Pyrenees. Look for instance on my page on France, or go to the search function.
Day 1 - Col de Somport - Ibons d'Anayet
Day 2 - Ibons d'Anayet - Entibo de Respomuso
Day 3 - Entibo de Respomuso - Balneario de Panticosa
Day 4 - Balneario de Panticosa - Puente de Ordiso
Day 5 - Puente de Ordiso - Refugio de Pastores (Ordesa)
Day 6 - Refugio de Pastores - Collado de Añisclo
Day 7 - Collado de Añisclo - Bal d Pineta
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Day 1: Col de Somport - Ibons d'AnayetWe arrive at the Col de Somport by bus, from Oloron St. Marie. Once having crossed the border, the clouds disappear. It is a splendid, bright day. The first thing we see is a modern skiing resort. An hour later, we leave the road and the inhabited valley behind. The Canal Roya is the northern alternative of the GR11, a green valley with large blue lilies. At the end, the valley floor widens. White cows and dark brown horses graze here. Good camping place, but it's better to go on for three quarters of an hour. |
 Canal Roya |
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Climbing out of the valley, we spot the first vultures above the valley ridges. Griffon Vultures abound here. You can't miss them, but you have to keep an eye on the sky and ridges. They circle and glide high up in the air. The vulture stays in small groups. The other large bird, the Golden Eagle, usually is solitary or with a partner. Also, the wings of a vulture are slightly bent and the light colour of their head and front part of their wings contrast with the dark rest of their body. At a height of 2.200 m we reach some small shallow lakes, the Ibons d'Anayet. A great place to put up the tent, silent and clear. So we do. In the north, the Pic du Midi d'Ossau looms up, a massive French mountain, popular with climbers. Late in the evening, we spot some deer. |
 Pic du Midi d'Ossau from Ibons d'Anayet |
From the Ibons d'Anayet the path descends. In the East the high peaks of the Pyrenees are visible. While we go down, many walkers pass us going up: it's weekend. We pass some premises of a skiing resort. From here on until the village Sallent de Gállego, the hike is not very interesting. First these ugly buildings and ski lifts, then the busy road we have to follow for about five kilometres.
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The first bar along this road is ours: tapas and Fanta. I love the screaming swifts that abound in old towns and cities. Sallent de Gállego has many of them. They make more noise than the cars in the streets and the tourists chatting and drinking outside the bars. Above Sallent de Gállego the path continues north, gently climbs through bushes and fields and hits a long, small reservoir. The place is popular with people, because you can drive up to the end of the lake, park your car and put up your tent here or walk into the valley. |
 Embalse de la Sarra near Sallent del Gállego |
It's a steep valley, with a lot of water in a deeply carved ravine. Falls splash on the path, a refreshing thing on a very hot afternoon. It's very crowded with people who are making a trip to the reservoir high up the mountains and return to the car park. Granite country starts here, with large loose boulders that make comfortable walking impossible.
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After a long ascent, exhausted, we finally reach the reservoir at 2.160 meters. A storm is building up deep in the mountains. Maybe, we'd better take shelter in the Refugio de Respomuso. They turn us back, however, because they have no place left. Well, it is indeed very crowded inside the mountain hut, and not attractive at all to spend the night in a hot, damp dormitory. It is a ten minute walk to the place where the lake is fed by some streams. A glacier of ages ago left its debris here, and small fields offer very good camping ground. We put up our tent next to a tent of two French who are feasting on whiskey and a hot meal. Not for long however, because the storm soon starts, instantly in a high gear, which means a incredible noise of thunder and rain. The French turn their radio as loud as possible, in an attempt to charm the storm. When the rain ceases, we watch the lightning forming varicose veins against the sky. |
 Refugio de Respomuso |
A splendid, fresh and clear morning. We intend to walk less today. Yesterday we walked a theoretical six hours, according to our guide, but in reality we walked from eight till nine.
The GR11 takes us up to a pass of 2.782 meters. It's a beautiful climb, not to steep to start with, through a green valley and later over a bare, steep slope with loose scree. A different type of rock interrupts the abundant granites of this area. We need to climb a little to arrive at the Cuello de Piedrafita. Since many people are coming down here, we pay attention to the stones falling down. A rewarding climb: a high alpine pass, a round and icy blue lake on the other side below us, and a little bit further on a second pass. Some 50 metres above the lake we walk level to this second pass.
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From the second pass we look out over a very typical granite landscape. The ice of former eras has smoothed the granite. Although originally white, it has become greenish white. Deep below are a series of lakes. The first lakes are shallow, in the middle of some attractive fields. Through my binoculars I observe many people camping here and enjoying the sun. Further down are larger artificial lakes, but still very attractive as well. Descending through boulders and grit, we soon arrive at the first series of lakes, and we join the other walkers in sun worshipping. |
 Ibón Azul Superior |
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In the afternoon we make a long, long descent to the old majestic village Balneario de Panticosa. Because of the large rocks on the path, we get very tired. Lucky for us, clouds keep the hot sun away, so it's not too hot any more. It's crowded again: many people are leaving the mountains this Sunday afternoon. Balneario de Panticosa is a detoriated health resort that has been taken out of the mothballs in recent years. Grand buildings create the atmosphere of a glorious past. The place is definitely worth a visit. We stay in the Casa de Piedras, a friendly mountain hut with few visitors (Sunday night), where we chat with a Spanish colonel who is making tours with a rather scared English guy. While we are eating, another storm rages. |
 Entibo de Bachimaña |
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The path leaving from the health resort is a good one, for a change. We climb out of the valley, in gentle loops. Finally a quiet day: the Spanish are back to work. The first lake on our route is a reservoir, not very interesting. But then, at a height of 2.550 metres, are some very beautiful small lakes, the Ibons Altos y Baxos de Brazato. On the other side of the Cuello de Brazato - a pass - a spectacular view awaits us: the Vignemale from the Spanish side. |
 Ibons Alto d'o Brazato |
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The path winds its way through very large boulders. Half an hour later, more gentle slopes and soft grass take over. The Vignemale, towards which the path is heading, quickly gets closer. Then, we reach the bottom of the valley, where we join the valley of the Rio Ara, in the shadow of the Vignemale. We are heading South now, on a comfortable path through a very nice valley. Gradually we descend. The number of flowers increases. Amazingly, even the thistles are coloured blue. Sometimes the valley narrows, and then it widens again. |
 Vignemale in clouds, from Collado d'o Brazato |
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Although there are many good camping sites on our way, we push on and stop at the Puente de Ordiso, where two streams join, one of them after a impressive fall. We enjoy a quiet evening this time, and sleep with the gurgle of the river. |
 Valley of Rio Ara |
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The National Park of Ordesa is well known abroad, especially among my fellow countrymen. Skip it, if you can, or visit the park very early in the morning., because it can be very crowded here, not unlike the Champs d'Elyssée. The same applies to the Refugio de Goríz - the mountain hut above the valley. It reminded me of the battle of Waterloo, with some 200 scouts camping around it. It's far better to continue to the Collado de Góriz at 2.300 metres and put up your tent there: very nice place for camping indeed! You will have a magnificent view over the Ordesa. |
 Valley of Ordesa |
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An easy day for us. The path descends a little. San Nicolás de Bujaruelo is a nice place for camping. The place has a bar, restaurant and parking place. Still further down we cross the tourist road, at 1060 meters. A broad path leads into the valley of Ordesa. On the other side of the river is the tourist road. Most of the time we are walking through the forest. An hour later we pass the parking lot, with loads of cars and busses. You can have something to drink and eat here, and buy some food. Then, we join the masses, hundreds of other walkers making a day trip up the valley and back. Since the valley floor is forested, most of the time we don't see much. |
 Gradas de Soaso |
Later, when we are at about 1.600 meters height, the forest ends and the valley broadens. Most other walkers are heading for home now. Late in the afternoon, the light of the sun softens. Maybe this is the reason why this valley, the Circo de Soaso, is so very beautiful. The steep walls encircle the valley in perfect symmetry. The Monte Perdido and its twin Pico d'Añisclo tower above it. We stay near a little hut, the Refugio de Pastores, too dirty to sleep in. We observe the cows wandering through the valley, and a large group of scouts trying to find a way out of the valley.
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Early in the morning, we continue towards the Refugio de Góriz. It is necessary to climb a few stretches, using our hands. Then, we arrive at a kind of balcony. At our feet lies the valley of Ordesa. North, towards France, lie arid mountains. This area is one of the highest parts of the Pyrenees. It is a busy part as well. When we get near to the Refugio the Góriz, many people cross our path and around the mountain hut some 100 or 200 people are camping, the Battle of Waterloo? Hut closed, no coffee, no water even. We carry on. |
 Looking down on the Circo de Soaso, Ordesa |
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By the way, if you want to stay around this place, climb a little further, till the pass South-east of the hut. Down west of this pass is a good camping site. We go over the pass (2.300 meters). The next valley is steep, the path is rocky and tedious. If you look well, you will see Edelweiss. Of the two alternative routes, we choose the safe one albeit not a comfortable one, the one that descends first into the valley and then climbs out again. The other alternative stays high but is difficult. So, we go down to where we hit the next valley. Here, you can watch a large waterfall, which is named Fuen Blanca. We meet some other people here. Well, it is hot, and most people prefer to have a siesta this time of the day. |
 Looking north towards Pico de Marmuré (French Border) |
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At four o'clock, we continue climbing north, towards the next pass. We intend to put up our tent. Since the valley is formed in terraces, some little flat spots for camping can be found everywhere. Quietness surrounds us now. We sit on a stone, and when looking into the sky, a dozen vultures seem to take an interest in us. Among them, we spot two very rare Bearded Vultures, unmistakably, and we are very much exited about it. The sun sets the rocks around us in fire. Far south and below us, we see grassy plains. Imagine, it's getting dark, and we are still sitting outside the tent, a quiet, warm evening. |
 Bal d’Añisclo, looking south |
This day will be hard. We now understand the paths here are nothing more than marked traces, going straight up and down the slopes. Since the slopes are steep and rocky, it's hard to go down.
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First we have a nice climb to the Collado the Añisclo (2.440 m). Just before the pass is a good, protected and flat camping place, and water is only 50 meters away. We see some deer. From the pass, we have a spectacular view straight down into the valley of Pineta. It looks like a sheer drop, 1.200 meters down to the campsite along the river. The point is that the way down is not a very comfortable one. We shuffle through scree and stones, accompanied by a handful of vultures above our heads. We have to pass some rocky ridges, but the passage is easy because we can use our hands. Further down we go over some nice fields with good views. On the opposite site of the valley, the path of tomorrow is visible. Still lower down, the forest starts. One goes through all these different biotopes in a relatively short time. It's a nice walk, from that point of view. |
 Looking from the Collado de Añisclo into the Bal de Pineta |
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Six hours later (!), we hit the valley floor. Our feet and knees are sore.
A few kilometres North is a camping, and on the other side of the river is the parador. Excellent place for a drink and a good meal. We are surrounded by steep rocky walls, cut out by the ice long ago. When you go to the bottom of the valley and climb out of it towards France, you will end in Gavarnie. In fact, there is a "Tour de Gavarnie", basically going up and down in a very limited area.
We decide we had a good time. Let's put up our tent, have a glass of wine in the bar this evening, and call for a taxi for tomorrow. Yes, we skip the last day. We will return one day, in excellent condition, and walk all the rest of the GR11.
