Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
Pyrenees GR11 2003 - Day 12 : August 20th
Wednesday 20th August
There was a Red Squirrel in the woods opposite my camp. It is always a delight to see
these squirrels, rather than the introduced American Grey Squirrel, which has driven the
indigenous Red Squirrel out of most of Britain.
The valley gradually widened into a U-shaped valley and then into a magnificent crag-
walled corrie, only lacking a corrie lake. There was an ancient burial
mound in the middle of the corrie. There were Deer in the corrie in addition to the
inevitable cows and a flock of sheep. An eagle was soaring around the crags and there
were many Black Redstarts, small black birds with a distinctive red tail, flitting around
catching flies. The path wound its way up ramps between the slabs forming the headwall of
the corrie. Easy, but it had looked impossible from below.
I arrived at the biggest of the Ibon d’Anayet after 2½ hours climb. This popular site
was beautiful, with views across to the distinctive Pic du Midi d’Ossau in France. I had a
break. I had been hoping for a swim, but the water was too shallow. I noticed walkers
going over a rise and wondered where they were going. I explored and discovered the
smaller of the Ibon d’Anayet lakes and I dropped down to this lake. This was deeper and I
joined some children, from a large group who were swimming in the chilly water.
I then set off on the steep descent down to the ski resort of Formigal. There were
Dippers in the small mountain stream. The slopes above Formigal was an eyesore because
they had been bulldozed to make them safe for skiing. T be fair, it might have been a
mess anyway as there was a lot of spoil for the closed down mines. I then descended the
ski road to Corral deras Mulas, an old stables where I took a tea-break by the stream.
There appeared to be views ahead of a mountain with a big glacier. On closer inspection
the glacier turned out to be the huge white slabs of rock on the Picos de l’Infierno.
I dropped 5km down by road and pista to the tourist town of Sallego de Gallego. I
bought some fruit juice and beer, before starting the 1500m climb to the Collado de
Tebarray. I followed a pista out of town, past unofficial rubbish dumps, before climbing
the small steep path up to the road to La Sarra (reservoir). From the dam forming the La
Sarra reservoir, the GR11 followed an old industrial (mining?) track, through woods, high
above the shores of the ugly reservoir.
I camped when I found a small patch of grass for my tent. On the opposite side of the
reservoir was a hydro-electric power station. A pipeline lead down the steep mountainside
from Ibon de Respomuso and, more surprisingly, the ruins of a railway dropping 1200m in
about 2km. Presumably this had been to service the mines high up in the mountains.
There was a Red Squirrel in the woods opposite my camp. It is always a delight to see
these squirrels, rather than the introduced American Grey Squirrel, which has driven the
indigenous Red Squirrel out of most of Britain.
The valley gradually widened into a U-shaped valley and then into a magnificent crag-
walled corrie, only lacking a corrie lake. There was an ancient burial
mound in the middle of the corrie. There were Deer in the corrie in addition to the
inevitable cows and a flock of sheep. An eagle was soaring around the crags and there
were many Black Redstarts, small black birds with a distinctive red tail, flitting around
catching flies. The path wound its way up ramps between the slabs forming the headwall of
the corrie. Easy, but it had looked impossible from below.
I arrived at the biggest of the Ibon d’Anayet after 2½ hours climb. This popular site
was beautiful, with views across to the distinctive Pic du Midi d’Ossau in France. I had a
break. I had been hoping for a swim, but the water was too shallow. I noticed walkers
going over a rise and wondered where they were going. I explored and discovered the
smaller of the Ibon d’Anayet lakes and I dropped down to this lake. This was deeper and I
joined some children, from a large group who were swimming in the chilly water.
I then set off on the steep descent down to the ski resort of Formigal. There were
Dippers in the small mountain stream. The slopes above Formigal was an eyesore because
they had been bulldozed to make them safe for skiing. T be fair, it might have been a
mess anyway as there was a lot of spoil for the closed down mines. I then descended the
ski road to Corral deras Mulas, an old stables where I took a tea-break by the stream.
There appeared to be views ahead of a mountain with a big glacier. On closer inspection
the glacier turned out to be the huge white slabs of rock on the Picos de l’Infierno.
I dropped 5km down by road and pista to the tourist town of Sallego de Gallego. I
bought some fruit juice and beer, before starting the 1500m climb to the Collado de
Tebarray. I followed a pista out of town, past unofficial rubbish dumps, before climbing
the small steep path up to the road to La Sarra (reservoir). From the dam forming the La
Sarra reservoir, the GR11 followed an old industrial (mining?) track, through woods, high
above the shores of the ugly reservoir.
I camped when I found a small patch of grass for my tent. On the opposite side of the
reservoir was a hydro-electric power station. A pipeline lead down the steep mountainside
from Ibon de Respomuso and, more surprisingly, the ruins of a railway dropping 1200m in
about 2km. Presumably this had been to service the mines high up in the mountains.
Pico d'Anayet over
Ibon d'Anayet
Ibon d'Anayet
Pic du Midi d'Ossau
over Ibon d'Anayet
over Ibon d'Anayet
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