Global Sport Stories

I’ll admit to being a tad naive when it came to crossing the Pyrenees. However, a journey into the unknown jubilantly produced the most memorable week, consisting of crystal clear, icy waters, deserted sunrise peaks and the most glorious, varied landscape. 

We are now on to our third week in the van. Endeavouring to say adiós to one group of friends in Cantabria, to say ciao to another set in the Italian dolomites, it made sense to break up the journey with a trip to the mountain range conjoining France and Spain. 

As the first Pyreneean peaks appeared on the horizon, our excitement grew with the ever nearing mountains. This new environment was really what the trip was about and it was time to get right into the thick of things.

First stop Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park.

Along with the glowing reputation the national park possesses, the narrow, busy roads indicated that perhaps we had entered our first proper tourist trap of the trip. Nevertheless, we found a glorious spot backed on to a river to pass the night – and actually ended up hiking back past having gone and parked at a marked trailhead the next morning!

This hike was a gentle one, something to ease into things for more challenging hikes we were expecting in the future. What was the first real takeaway from Ordesa though was the spell binding water. Never, I don’t think, had I experienced clearer, which made it a real treat to dive in and wash off the sweaty hiking remains – even if it was a little glacial in temperature.

The next day we took things up a notch, quite literally. By the means of climbing up the side of a waterfall. This marked our first Via Ferrata of the trip and boy was it a good one. Not too technical to wreck your confidence but exposed enough to mean keeping your concentration was certainly a must. The route scaled a fairly vertical rock face, with the same icy water cascading down close by to the right. 

Once at the top, the route then took you through the rock, having to suspend oneself above the torrent of water flowing just beneath you before eventually tumbling away. This kept the Ferrata fresh and we were left to discuss the joys of Via Ferrata on the hike back down. 

For those that may not be aware, Via Ferrata translates to iron walkway, and constitutes a steel cable along with rungs suspended on to cliff faces, often making areas accessible that wouldn’t ordinarily be so through merely hiking. Don’t worry though, safety is ensured (just) via clipping yourself to the steel cable via two carabinas and a climbing harness. This means that this form of climbing is nicely accessible to even novices like me. 

They are a common feature in the European mountains, so we were hoping this would be the first of many, as our appetite was well and truly whetted.

Our remaining time in the Pyrenees was spent hiking, with over 2000 metres elevation split over two separate hikes. The first, dubbed the “Balcón de Pineta,” consisted of 1300 metres elevation, eventually reaching a vantage point (you guessed it, resembling a balcony) overlooking the valley down below. There also was the option, which we of course took, to extend across to a nearby lake. 

This hike had it all. Mainly, a lot of sweat and catching of breathe. This aside however, and the panoramic landscape, the diverse scenery and the feeling as though you’d visited three or four different climates on the same hike, all took over – combining to produce an awe inspiring route. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves. 

It must be said however, we were not alone. We’d not started as early as we’d have liked meaning we were joined by chatty solo hikers, families and even a large school group. 

The same could not be said thankfully, for our concluding hike in the remarkable region. The Cagire Loop. 

Having left Ordesa and Monte Perdido, we were now in the French half of the Pyrenees – which trust me causes havoc for getting your head around what language to speak. 

Having spoke Spanish to a few French locals, we settled down for the night with our alarms set for 5:30. Tomorrow we’d go for sunrise. 

Despite our best intentions, there was over 800 metres in elevation between us and watching the sunrise truly. That being said what a difference it made to hike in the morning coolness; and we still got some beautiful morning colours, even if it wasn’t from the summits.

We were hiking for over five hours – maybe over six if you count our failed attempt to cook breakfast at the summit… But the crazy thing was, aside from the outrageous views, we saw four people in total the whole time – two being Shepard’s. It was truly a special experience, and to be some of the few that experienced it that morning made it all the more sweeter. 

This concluded our short but sweet Pyrenean adventure, where we were left with the feeling as though we’d hit a hidden gem. Of course there were fellow tourists, but all somewhat local and by no means did it ever feel over crowded. As we drove away, heading eventually for Italy, it was easy to predict that the place is going to blow up over the next few years. Perhaps we hadn’t hit the tourist hot spots after all…