Pyrenees Cataluña
A profusion of glacial lakes running east from the border with Aragón region as far as the town of Espot creates one of the most extraordinary areas of the Pyrenees. Much of this Cataluña lake district falls with the borders of the Aigüestortes y Estany de Sant Maurici national park. It is replete with waymarked footpaths which provide spectacular routes taking in dozens of lakes. The star mountain in Cataluña, which lies further to the east, is Estats (3,143 metres) and fantastic walking can be found all along the mountain chain as it progresses towards the Mediterranean Sea.
Cataluña lake district
If you love lakes of the glacial variety then this is the place to visit. There are more than 200 of them packed in between peaks which soar up to nearly 3,000 metres. Looking at the map, there appears to be more water than land in some areas. Footpaths weave between...
Espot – entry from the east
Ice ages have left their mark in a dramatic fashion on this part of the Pyrenees. And many of the glacial lakes lie inside the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici national park, which measures some 14,119 hectares in the province of Lleida. Entry from the east can...
Epsot – Peguera valley walk
This route on the GR-11.20 ascends the beautiful Peguera valley, following the tumbling Peguera river – which is really a lusty mountain stream – along forest trails which criss-cross the watercourse on wonderful wooden bridges. The suggested finish point is the...
Vall Fosca; a southern sojourn
Being able to park a car at 1,780 metres above sea level at the Sallente lake and hydroelectric station means that very high places can be reached on day walks from this spot at the head of the Fosca valley. And the highlighted route below allows the walker to view no...
Cataluña lakes – Vall de Boí
Another approach from the south to Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici national park is via the Vall de Boí. At the head of this valley, which feeds up from a point close to the town of El Pont de Suert, is the Cavallers reservoir. The wall of the dam, which is...
GR-11 lakes hike – part 1
Entering from the west for a multi-day walk is a great way to see the Catalan lakes. The route on the GR-11 – the long-distance footpath which crosses the entire Pyrenees mountain chain – requires a serious amount of effort, with views of epic proportions the main...
GR-11 lakes hike – part 2
Day 3 – Restanca to ColomersThis is a much shorter day, a welcome break for the legs. Despite the lack of length, spectacular mountain scenery abounds from start to finish, predictably with lots of lakes. Any day of walking which is spent entirely above 2,000 metres...
The Val d’Aran
The Aran valley is a fascinating place for many reasons – not least because it is in Spain/Cataluña, but on the French side of the Pyrenees. Normally when you pass through a long road tunnel to the northern side of the mountain chain you head into France, but not in...
Val d’Aran route to Ratera pass
This route takes in another landscape dominated by glacial lakes and ascends to the wonderful mountain area around the Port de Ratera pass, which is the high-point of the walk at 2,594 metres. It almost a round walk, with the path circling the Tuc de Sendrosa mountain...