The
General’s Will In
the early 1950s there was a flurry in the valleys when it
was announced that no less a dignitary than General Franco
himself would be paying a visit to inaugurate a couple of
hydroelectric projects. For the first time in its long history,
the track between the Estany de Sant Maurici and Aigüestortes
was rolled and graded, while liberal quantities of whitewash
were splashed around.
The cortège
swept by. The General – a keen fly fisherman when cares
of state allowed – was so impressed by the spectacle from
the smart new road that he ordered the creation of the Parc
Nacional d’Aiügestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici, which
was duly inaugurated in 1955.
Once the
dust from the cavalcade had settled, the road scarcely saw
another vehicle. Eaten away by ice, sleet and rain, used
again but briefly for equestrian outings, it was formally
closed to all motorised traffic in 1995. Nowadays, there
are still lingering traces of the General’s route, but in
a decade or two all evidence will be lost and nature will
have reclaimed her own.
This
national park is one of only two in the Pyrenees (the other being
the Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido, described later
in this chapter) and of 10 in the whole of Spain. Despite its
relatively small area (20km from east to west and a mere nine
from north to south), it encompasses more than 50 lakes and tarns
and includes some of the Pyrenees' most stunning scenery. The
national park lies at the core of a wider wilderness area whose
outer limit is known as the zona periférica and
includes some magnificent high country to the north and south.
We describe
three walks in the national park, all of which set out from the
Estany de Sant Maurici, 8km west of Espot. These walks, however,
far from exhaust the park's potential.
History According
to a well attested story (see the boxed text to the left), it
was by order of Generalissimo Franco himself that, in 1955, the
area was declared a national park. The park was expanded in 1996
to incorporate an additional 3890 hectares, so that its total
area including the buffer zone is now 40,850 hectares.
Information
Sources If
you intend to make Espot or even Boí the base for a walking
holiday, call by the national park information office in Espot
(Tel: 973 62 40 36) or Boí (Tel: 973 69 61 89) for more
walk suggestions. Each is open from 9 am to 1.30 pm and from 3.30
to 6.45 pm daily.
The office in
Espot runs an audiovisual introduction to the park at midday (Catalan),
5 pm (Spanish) and 6 pm (Catalan). Even if you don't speak a word
of either, it's worth going along to enjoy the images, which will
give you a general orientation and feel for the park.
A
lake-to-lake traverse of the park along a classic route. Magnificent
views continue from the intervening pass of Portarró d’Espot.
Crossing
the park from east to west, this is a classic walk not only because
of the spectacular scenery but also for its antiquity. In medieval
times, the trail was a conduit for goods, people and animals travelling
between the lands of the Count of Pallars in the east and those
of the fiefdom of Erill to the west. In the first half of this
century, it became a fashionable leisure route as visitors travelled
on horseback between Espot and the small thermal spa of Caldes
de Boí. Nowadays, it's closed to all motor traffic.
The walk begins
from the Estany de Sant Maurici. Most walkers do this route as
a return trip in a day. It's also possible to stay overnight at
the Refugi d'Estany Llong (advance reservations essential) or
continue via Aigüestortes to the small village of Boí,
about 9km further along the trail.
For map references
to this walk, see Maps under Planning in the introduction to this
section.
The
Walk(see map) From the
Refugi de Ernest Mallafré follow the track around the south
side of the Estany de Sant Maurici and through a wood. About 45
minutes from the start the track passes a turn-off on the right
to the Mirador de l'Estany (where `mirador' in Spanish means lookout)
and then swings west, following and occasionally crossing the
stream which tumbles down from the Portarró d'Espot
pass (2425m).
It's worth pausing
at the col to savour the views. To the west is the Estany Llong
(2000m), 3.5km and about one hour's steep descent away. The
route here, as throughout the walk, is easy to distinguish.
At the western
end of the lake is the Refugi d'Estany Llong (Tel:
973 69 61 89 or 929 37 46 52), the only refugio run by the national
park authority. With capacity for 36, reservations are essential.
Serving meals, snacks and drinks, it also makes a pleasant rest
stop before the return trip. If you still have energy, consider
continuing for a further 1½ to two hours as far as the particularly
fine scenery at Aigüestortes.
From Aigüestortes,
you can pick up a Land Rover taxi which will take you as far as
Boí, from where you can head out of the valley to Lleida
by bus. (For details of accommodation in and transport to and
from Boí, see Places to Stay & Eat and Getting to/from
the Walks in the introduction to this section.)
The
War That Went On
It looks like the ruins of a fine, baroque chapel up there on
the hillside above the Estany de Sant Maurici. In fact, until
the 1960s it used to be a military barracks. Why, you may ask,
in remote country not far from the frontier with a friendly neighbour
and with no major population centre nearer than Lleida (several
hours drive away) would anyone want to build barracks?
Their origin
relate to the end of both the Spanish Civil War and WWII. In 1939,
defeated Republicans and their families streamed across the passes
into France, seeking refuge in exile. After 1945 Republicans returned
and infiltrated the valleys along the frontier to mount a limited
guerilla struggle, which was savagely suppressed by the victorious
Nationalist army. For a brief time the guerrilleros (guerillas)
controlled the Vall d’Aran and large areas of what is now the
national park.
The barracks
were constructed to drive out the Republican bands and cow the
valleys’ residents lest they be tempted to give support to the
distant, lost Republican cause.
Duration
2 days
Distance
22km
Standard
Medium-Hard
Start
Estany de Sant Maurici
Finish
Espot
Public
Transport Finish only
Refugi de Colomina
Easy
walking to Estany de Monastero. The gradient increases, culminating
in a steep final clamber to the Coll de Peguera, then downhill
all the way to the Refugi de Colomina. A return to the Riu Escrita
valley via the Collada de Saburó.
We
describe a two day walk starting from the Estany de Sant Maurici,
graded medium-hard because of a very steep ascent to the Coll
de Peguera, with an overnight stop at the Refugi de Colomina.
A
return trip of about 2½ hours as far as the Estany de Monestero
makes an easy, scenic option. Alternatively, you can stretch yourself
a little more, add on another 1½ hours to the day's total time
and continue to the cirque at the head of the Riu de Monestero
valley before turning back.
For map references
to this walk, see Maps under Planning in the introduction to this
section.
THE
WALK
Day 1: Estany de Sant Maurici to Refugi de Colomina
5½ to 6 hours, 10km
From
the Refugi de Ernest Mallafré take the path southwards
to follow the Riu de Monestero. Beyond a boulder field about an
hour out you pass a tiny pool to reach the Estany de Monestero
(2170m).
Climbing gently
along the true left bank of a stream which flows into the Estany
de Monestero, thread your way through another jumble of truly
huge boulders (the massive square one marks an end to the scrambling),
eventually crossing the stream to the true right bank.
Once you reach
the cirque at the head of the valley the path climbs abruptly
south-south-east. Stick to the east side of the bowl where the
walking is easiest. Over the lip of a false col, reached after
two to 2¼ hours, descend into a large, arid basin. Here begins
the much steeper ascent to the Coll de Peguera (2726m)
between Pic de Peguera (2982m), the highest summit in the park,
and Pic de Mar (2803m) to its west.
From the col,
follow a sign to the Refugi de Colomina and walk southwards to
the Estany de Saburó. Ignore the dotted path along
the lake's western bank marked on the Editorial Alpina map – it's
sheer and impassable – and instead pass close to the eastern shore
of the Estany Xic de Saburó.
Passing by the
west shores of the Estany de Mar and Estany de Colomina (2408m)
you reach the Refugi de Colomina (Tel: 973 25 20
00) after less than an hour's walking from the Estany Xic de Saburó.
The attractive wooden refugio has 40 places and serves meals and
drinks. If you prefer camping, descend to Estany Tort, a short
distance to the west, where there are plenty of camp site
possibilities.
An alternative
to continuing on to Espot is to exit via Capdella and Vall Fosca.
Pick your day carefully, however, as transport options from Capdella
are limited (for more details of accommodation in and transport
to and from Capdella, see Getting to/from the Walks in the introduction
to this section).
Day
2: Refugi de Colomina to Espot
5 to 5½ hours, 12km
After
overnighting at the refugio you can either retrace your steps
over the Coll de Peguera or vary the return journey by crossing
back into the main valley via the Collada de Saburó.
The latter route
is a variant of the GR11 and is well marked with the familiar
red-and-white trail markers. Head north-east from the refugio
to follow the west bank of both the Estany de Colomina and Estany
de Mar. After ascending a steep, barren gully, pass a ruined building
and descend to the dam head of the Estany de Saburó; cross
over. Curl around the lake and climb to the Collada de Saburó
(2670m) at the border of the national park.
Where the path
divides, take the right fork. Leaving three small lakes to your
left, drop to the Estany Negre. Once across the dam head, take
a path which leads off north. From it, a short detour leads left
to the Refugi Josep Blanc (Tel: 973 25 01 08), with
capacity for 40 and normally full to the gunnels. Here you can
get a drink or snack.
Continue until
you reach another small lake and a forest refugio (not open to
the public), from where the path descends in parallel with the
Riu de Peguera to emerge on the sealed road on the outskirts of
Espot.
Duration
4½ to 5 hours
Distance
14.5km
Standard
Medium
Start/Finish
Estany de Sant Maurici
Public
Transport No
Port de Ratera d’Espot
Superb
views as you leave the crowds behind taking in Estany de Ratera,
the lake and refugio of Estany Gran d’Amitges and the Port de
Ratera de Colomers. A return via the Mirador de l’Estany.
This
circuit of medium difficulty starts from the Refugi de Ernest
Mallafré at the Estany de Sant Maurici and follows the
early part of Day 7 of the Pyrenean Traverse (see the Espot to
Refugi de Colomers walk in the Catalan Pyrenees section), diverging
to take in the three Estanys d'Amitges on the outbound leg and
the Mirador de l'Estany on the way back.
For map references
to this walk, see Maps under Planning in the introduction to this
section.
The
Walk
Follow
the Day 7 route from the Estany de Sant Maurici as far as the
instruction to ‘take the right fork towards Refugi d'Amitges’,
a little beyond the Estany de Ratera. Here, if you fancy
nothing more taxing than an easy 2½ hour stroll, you can turn
left to pass by the Mirador de l'Estany and return by the south
bank of the Estany de Sant Maurici. Otherwise, where the Day 7
route turns left after 100m, continue straight along the main
track in the direction of the refugio. Now climbing more steeply,
the track nudges out of a pine forest to enter a wild, rocky world
with only an occasional copse of trees. Stay with the 4WD track
all the way to the Estany Gran d'Amitges, the largest of
a series of three tarns, behind which rise the spiky Agulles d'Amitges,
the twin Pics de Bassiero and the Tuc de Saboredo.
No more than
212m of vertical distance separate the shores of lakes Ratera
and Amitges, but the contrast between the former's pine-clad charm
and the latter's harsh, denuded splendour is total.
The refugio
(Tel: 973 25 01 09) beside the Estany Gran d'Amitges (2362m),
reached after about 1½ hours from the start, is another popular
overnight spot. It does meals, snacks and drinks and makes a congenial
rest stop. A trail leads from it between the two upper lakes and
across scree (here lies the only difficulty in what would otherwise
be an easy walk). Continue up to the Port de Ratera d'Espot,
which you reach after a little less than another hour. At this
point the trail rejoins Day 7 of the Pyrenean Traverse. It's worth
following it for another 10 minutes or so along the saddle as
far as the Port de Ratera de Colomers, from where there
are great views of the necklace of lakes falling away to the south-west.
Back at Port
de Ratera d'Espot, take the Day 7 route in reverse around the
Estanyet del Port de Ratera and follow it until it rejoins the
main track. You've now come full circle. One hundred metres beyond,
where the paths meet turn right to the Mirador de l'Estany
with its unrivalled vistas of the mountains reflected in Estany
de Sant Maurici. Continuing, you soon reach the trans-park route
which links Estany Llong with Sant Maurici. Turn left along it
and return by the south bank of the Estany de Sant Maurici to
your point of departure.
Information
Books Fourteen
signed walks for the Benasque region, ranging from 30 minutes
to four or five hours, are summarised in the free leaflet
El Placer de Caminar (The Pleasure of Walking), available
from the tourist office. These same walks are described
in detail in the excellent Senderos de Pequeño
Recor-rido: Valle de Benasque (1500 ptas), published
by PRAMES, with accompanying maps at 1:25,000. Even if you
don't read Spanish, the maps alone are sufficient to guide
you.
Information
Sources The
visitors centre at the Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte
Perdido (see the Parque Nacional De Ordesa y Monte Perdido
walk later in this section) has interactive displays on
flora and fauna of the park and also sells books and trail
maps. It is open daily from 9 am to 1 pm and 3.30 to 7 pm
(shorter hours in winter).
The Parque
Posets-Maladeta visitors centre, 1km from Benasque just
off the road to Anciles, has display panels and a good video
about the park. Summer hours are 10 am to 2 pm and 4 to
8 pm.
In Benasque,
Els Ibons sells a range of walking books and maps, while
Rodolfoto bookshop also has a good supply of maps.
The Aragonese Pyrenees
With
the transition from Catalunya to Aragón on crossing the
Coll de Mulleres, you enter the land of the giants. Of the 12
tallest peaks in peninsular Spain, 10 rear up from Aragón.
Three of these mountains – the Pico de Aneto, Posets and the Pico
de Monte Perdido – are within easy reach of the Pyrenean Traverse.
The climb to Monte Perdido (335m) is described in the side trip
at the end of Day 19B on the Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte
Perdido walk later in this section.
If
peak bagging and glacial heights leave you cold, there are also
plenty of gentle valley walks to enjoy. This is tough country,
however, with challenging passes between each valley and the probability
of snow underfoot late into summer.
The rock around
you subtly changes as you progress towards the setting sun. As
you climb steeply out of the upper Noguera Ribagorçana
valley, you'll be scrabbling over shale and slate. Further west,
the original granite bedrock pokes through more frequently, especially
around the Maladeta and Posets region. In some areas, such as
the Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido, bedrock is overlaid
or cut through by limestone, with its characteristic underground
rivers, potholes and caves.
But nothing
is regular or ordered. The clash of the European and Iberian tectonic
plates and later upheavals on a scale difficult to grasp have
left the land folded, crumpled and profoundly askew.
Both east and
west of Benasque the route passes through the Parque Posets-Maladeta.
Established in 1994, the 33,267 hectare park contains 13 glaciers,
the Pyrenees' highest peak (Pico d'Aneto) – and about 2000 varieties
of flora.
Accommodation
& Supplies Benasque
is the only town within easy reach of the Aragonese Pyrenees which
has a selection of sports and mountaineering equipment shops.
Deportes Aigualluts is well stocked, while Barrabés Ski
Montaña has two megashops on the Avenida de Francia. (The
Compañía de Guías de la Valle de Benasque,
the local guides association, is based on the 2nd floor of one
of them.) Vit's shop in the Plaza Mayor hires out crampons and
ice axes.
Getting
there & away The major
transport hubs of the Aragonese Pyrenees are Barbastro, Sabiñánigo
and Jaca. Though of little intrinsic importance in themselves
for walkers, they're linked by numerous bus services (and trains
from Sabiñánigo and Jaca) to destinations beyond
the Pyrenees. For information on getting between Barbastro and
Sabiñánigo and different stages of the Aragonese
section of the Pyrenean Traverse, see Getting to/from the Walk
in the introduction to each walk.
Barbastro
Barbastro is 53km east of Huesca and 69km north of Lleida on the
N240 road. There are four return trips a day to Barbastro from
Barcelona, four a day from Lleida and up to seven from Huesca.
There are also six services a day to and from Monzón, where
you link in with the train system.
Sabiñánigo
& Jaca
Sabiñánigo, 54km to the north of Huesca and 12km
east of Jaca on the N330 road, is another key access point to
the Aragonese Pyrenees.
There are four
return bus services a day to Sabiñánigo from both
Huesca and Jaca. There are also three trains a day to Sabiñánigo
and Jaca from Zaragoza (Saragossa), leaving at 7.15 am, 3.20 and
6.30 pm. In the opposite direction, trains leave Jaca at 7.36
am, 2 and 6 pm, calling by Sabiñánigo 20 to 30 minutes
later. Change at Tardienta or Zaragoza for Barcelona (for Barcelona
train times and connections, ring RENFE in Barcelona on 93 490
02 02). For current information on both buses and trains, ring
the tourist office in Sabiñánigo (Tel: 974 48 00
05).
Camping
Wild in Aragón
As everywhere in the Pyrenees, camping is normally forbidden in
national parks and designated conservation areas such as the Parque
Posets-Maladeta.
Outside these
areas, regulation 79/1990 of 8 May 1990 decrees that above 1500m
you can camp anywhere that’s more than two hours walk from a vehicle
access point. Below 1500m, you have the right to pitch your tent
anywhere more than 5km from a designated camping ground and 1km
from an urban centre. It’s forbidden to camp within 100m of a
river or road. If anyone should challenge you, just quote decreto
79/1990 del ocho de mayo back at them!
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