The Pyrenees

Professor Higgins may have known a thing or two about phonetics but his understanding of Spanish meteorology was clearly flawed: the rain in Spain does not fall mainly on the plain. Neither does the snow! Our 5-day trek through the Pyrenees (and back again) gave us all 4 seasons with a healthy dump of snow to keep our minds focussed and our sun tan lotion firmly in our sacks. All turned out well in the end though and the trek ended with a memorable descent in hot sunshine through classic alpine pastures to a waiting ice cold beer on a sun terrace that required no ice axe!

The trek was based upon the French Pyrenean village of Gavarnie, seemingly the most visited village in the Pyrenees. Whilst it is a relatively small and unassuming place, it lies close to the head of the Gavarnie valley whose headwall is crowned by the very impressive Cirque de Gavarnie. This vast amphitheatre of vertical rock carries along its skyline the main Pyrenean watershed and international border between France and Spain. This impressive scene is further enhanced by Le Grand Cascade, Europe’s highest waterfall at 243m.

All We Got to See of the Cirque de Gavarnie

The trek started easily enough with an hour’s stroll up the busy mule track towards the Cirque (just follow the droppings). We stopped briefly at the Hôtellerie du Cirque, a rather drab square building which served up a fairly unimpressive lunch as we waited for the rain to start falling – which it duly did just as we left for the climb to the Sarradets Hut. The key to the climb via the steep Échelle des Sarradets route is a narrow path seen rising gently to the south-western corner of the Cirque. This scrambles up steep rock terraces with the occasional help of in-cut steps in the rock before the slope eases on the approach to the refuge. Regrettably, we were soon immersed in thick cloud and were denied any view across the towering cliffs of the Cirque. Painted flashes on the rocks mark the way up the terraces but seemed to disappear as we entered a broad rock-filled gulley with increasing snow patches and a marked drop in temperature! Eventually we reached the Col du Sarradets only to discover we couldn’t find the hut! How embarrassing! Thankfully, after a short ‘this way then that way’ search in the gloom, the square outline of our sanctuary suddenly materialised and we duly arrived at the Refuge des Sarradets (2587m). The hut is basic and modest but is well placed for the short climb to Spain which was to be our destination in the morning.

Approaching the Brèche de Roland - in Summer!

And that morning brought a continuation of thick cloud and a generous layer of fresh snow covering all the rocks. Mid-September felt very strange! After picking up the world’s most expensive packed lunches (er, I mean dry sandwich and apple), we filed up the steep snow slope behind the hut wearing almost everything we had been carrying in our rucksacks. We knew that just above us lay the Brèche de Roland (2807m), a huge gash in the frontier ridge between France and Spain. This was to have been one of the highlights of the trip but as it turned out, the most impressive thing about it was the way I almost broke my nose bumping into it! Still, the weather was bound to be better when we were to return a few days later.... Once in Spain there followed a tricky descent over snow-covered boulders of various sizes which concentrated the mind somewhat! Eventually, the sun finally broke through and the snow melted away to reveal a surprising number of edelweiss clinging on to the last vestiges of summer. We also saw the first of many, many chamois, a usually shy member of the antelope family which seems to have shed its inhibitions in this part of the Pyrenees. Marmots too were very much in evidence as they scurried about trying to grab a last bit of food before their long hibernation.

The Ordesa Canyon

A circling traverse over limestone terraces brought us at last to bright blue sunshine and the northern rim of the very impressive Ordesa Canyon. This we followed above the towering sandstone cliffs whilst bearded vultures or lammergeiers soared overhead to our home for the next 2 nights: the busy, but well equipped, Refugio de Goriz (2170m). This popular hut is the only manned refuge within the Ordesa National Park and it shows! It will certainly benefit from a new building and facilities which are currently under construction and due to open in 2010.

Day 3 started cool with cloud on the tops and we wasted no time in starting up the well-cairned path which was to take us to our goal for the day: Mt Perdu (Mt Perdido to the Spanish; 3335m). The path climbs up and over a series of grass and rock terraces until you come to a very British mountain scene – a small glacial lake, Lago Helado. Today this marked not only a sharp right turn in the route, but also a change in seasons. Suddenly we were in full winter conditions as we climbed through the gloom, first along a thin rocky ridge and then steeply up a broad snow-filled gully. The snow was soft enough to preclude the need for ice axes and crampons and we had the advantage of other climbers’ boot-steps which prevented the climb from becoming an unremitting slog up to an unseen skyline. Eventually though, the slope eased and a snowy saddle led us on to the final summit pyramid and the fairly modest summit of the third highest mountain in the Pyrenees. No view of course but that didn’t detract from the elation of achieving one of the main aims of the trek, particularly in very challenging conditions. We returned to the hut by the same route to be greeted by hot early afternoon sunshine which called for a few hours’ sunbathing and a welcome respite from walking with a sack. Another night in the Goriz Hut enabled us to once more sample the delights of a large number of fellow humans attempting to sleep the night away in close proximity!

The Summit of Mt Perdu

The next day promised to be the highlight of the trek with a traverse of the southern cliffs of the Ordesa Canyon, a steep descent to the canyon floor and a long climb back up and over the Brèche de Roland to the Refuge des Sarradets. In the event, things turned out rather differently – although the day ended well and in some comfort! From the hut, a gradual descent leads to a rock step which forms the canyon’s headwall (the Circo de Soaso) down which the path zig-zags before picking up the 1900m contour which it then follows. This path is known as the Faja de Pelay. As the canyon floor descends, you end up getting higher and higher above the fast-flowing Rio Arazas and views start to open out northwards towards the main Pyrenees watershed.

Mt Perdu & the Ordesa Canyon Headwall

Three hours from the Goriz hut and shortly after pausing at the Mirador de Calcilarruego, a small walled viewpoint which offers spectacular views in all directions (including vertically downwards), a steep 600m descent leads down to the canyon floor where a convenient bridge provides the crossing point for the river. Our plans to climb up to the Brèche were dealt a mortal blow when 2 groups coming the other way announced that the climb out of the northern side of the canyon involved not a steep path with chains (clavijas) for assistance, but full-on via ferrata for which we were not at all equipped. After some rapid re-planning and with the help of some local park rangers who just happened along, we decided to retrace our steps back to the canyon floor and follow the GR11 footpath to the western part of the Park and aim for a small refuge at Bujaruelo. This all worked like clockwork and the day ended with us ensconced in a very comfortable accommodation with comfy beds, a choice of food and an operating bar! Sheer luxury lad!

Canyon Colours and Autumn Shades

Our final day was reminiscent of a Scottish glen with a steep climb up through a hanging valley to a high pass (Port de Boucharo) and a re-crossing of the French/Spanish border. The trail resembles a Highlands stalking path as it zig-zags up grassy slopes. As we approached the col the apparently random flight of a few butterflies materialised into a steady stream of them flying quite purposefully over the border. It was André (who is an authority on such matters) who pointed out that this col is a high point on a key migration route for winged creatures heading to Africa for the winter. So deliberate was their flight that we had to duck occasionally to avoid them flying into us! There followed a memorable descent in bright warm sunshine down through the grassy Vallée des Pouey Aspé, across the delightful Plateau de Bellevue and down finally into Gavarnie itself.

Vallée des Pouey Aspé

This 5-day trek takes in all the major scenic features of this part of the Pyrenees: the Cirque du Gavarnie with Le Grande Cascade, the Brèche de Roland and the Ordesa Canyon. For good measure, the ascent of Mt Perdu adds an interesting climb to an already impressive trek. But don’t forget your ice axe, particularly in summer!

Check out my future plans for similar walks on: http://www.hillways.co.uk/alpine/alpine.htm