Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
Pyrenees GR11 2003 - Day 16: August 24th
Sunday 24th August
I decided not to rush in the morning after my long day yesterday. Then, just as I was
about to pack up at 9am, it started raining. I thought it was just a shower so I read a
book for a while. Eventually I decided to make a move and headed off into the rain at
10.30am. By the time I reached Goriz Refugio the weather looked set for the day. There
were lots of tents around the refuge, illegal at this time of day, but most of the campers
were waiting for the rain to stop.
I climbed easily up to the Collado de Arrablo with thunder and lightning not far
away. The GR11 splits at this point. The old route, which I had intended to follow,
traversed the steep limestone crags of the Soum de Ramond, but this involved narrow
ledges, protected by wires in places. This route didn’t sound as if it would be a good idea
in a thunderstorm. The newer official, route was promoted because, as less experienced
walkers were now walking the GR11, it was thought that a safer route was needed. I
followed this route as it dropped steeply for 650m down the Barranco Arrablo. The path
found a tortuous path down crags and grassy ledges, with much scrambling down wet
rock. As I reached the stream the sky suddenly started clearing. I had to take boots and
socks off to wade the Barranco Arrrablo as there wasn’t a bridge or suitable stepping-
stones. By the time I had climbed steeply down to the Rio Belles in the main canyon, it
was a lovely day. I took a break and took advantage of the sunny weather to wash all my
clothing and dry the kit, which had got wet in the storm. This was a lovely spot and one
of the most beautiful in the Pyrenees. The Fuen Blanco waterfall fell magnificently from
the buttress of Mallo Escuro. The stream appeared mysteriously from the bottom of the
buttress. The source of the stream must have been a long way away and flowed
underground to reach this spot. Underground rivers are common in this limestone
terrain as streams disappear down sinkholes, to reappear many miles away. I believe
this stream was sourced by rain falling on the northern side of the watershed and should
have been flowing north into France, rather than travelling underground to the south,
and emerging in Spain. The steep descent had taken me an hour longer than the
guidebook time. You need young knees and strong nerves to make a fast descend of
such a steep slope.
It was 2.45pm before the first hikers of the day appeared. Not many walkers start
off in rain! The 750m climb ahead to the Collado de Anisclo was steep, but easy. The
stream dropped down the canyon in a succession of waterfalls, which were bypassed on
the steep grass slopes. Several more underground streams flowed from the foot of the
crags to join the main stream. There must be a layer of impervious rock beneath the
crags. There were 100s of Alpine Choughs flying around the canyon. This is an elegant
black bird with yellow bill and red legs, which nests on high mountain crags. There were
also 20 deer up the valley, possibly chamois. I stopped fairly early at 2200m on a grassy
shelf, with about 45 minutes still needed to reach the col. Storm clouds were gathering
again and there was the sound of distant thunder. In the evening I only got hit by a light
shower, but there were big storms down the canyon.
I decided not to rush in the morning after my long day yesterday. Then, just as I was
about to pack up at 9am, it started raining. I thought it was just a shower so I read a
book for a while. Eventually I decided to make a move and headed off into the rain at
10.30am. By the time I reached Goriz Refugio the weather looked set for the day. There
were lots of tents around the refuge, illegal at this time of day, but most of the campers
were waiting for the rain to stop.
I climbed easily up to the Collado de Arrablo with thunder and lightning not far
away. The GR11 splits at this point. The old route, which I had intended to follow,
traversed the steep limestone crags of the Soum de Ramond, but this involved narrow
ledges, protected by wires in places. This route didn’t sound as if it would be a good idea
in a thunderstorm. The newer official, route was promoted because, as less experienced
walkers were now walking the GR11, it was thought that a safer route was needed. I
followed this route as it dropped steeply for 650m down the Barranco Arrablo. The path
found a tortuous path down crags and grassy ledges, with much scrambling down wet
rock. As I reached the stream the sky suddenly started clearing. I had to take boots and
socks off to wade the Barranco Arrrablo as there wasn’t a bridge or suitable stepping-
stones. By the time I had climbed steeply down to the Rio Belles in the main canyon, it
was a lovely day. I took a break and took advantage of the sunny weather to wash all my
clothing and dry the kit, which had got wet in the storm. This was a lovely spot and one
of the most beautiful in the Pyrenees. The Fuen Blanco waterfall fell magnificently from
the buttress of Mallo Escuro. The stream appeared mysteriously from the bottom of the
buttress. The source of the stream must have been a long way away and flowed
underground to reach this spot. Underground rivers are common in this limestone
terrain as streams disappear down sinkholes, to reappear many miles away. I believe
this stream was sourced by rain falling on the northern side of the watershed and should
have been flowing north into France, rather than travelling underground to the south,
and emerging in Spain. The steep descent had taken me an hour longer than the
guidebook time. You need young knees and strong nerves to make a fast descend of
such a steep slope.
It was 2.45pm before the first hikers of the day appeared. Not many walkers start
off in rain! The 750m climb ahead to the Collado de Anisclo was steep, but easy. The
stream dropped down the canyon in a succession of waterfalls, which were bypassed on
the steep grass slopes. Several more underground streams flowed from the foot of the
crags to join the main stream. There must be a layer of impervious rock beneath the
crags. There were 100s of Alpine Choughs flying around the canyon. This is an elegant
black bird with yellow bill and red legs, which nests on high mountain crags. There were
also 20 deer up the valley, possibly chamois. I stopped fairly early at 2200m on a grassy
shelf, with about 45 minutes still needed to reach the col. Storm clouds were gathering
again and there was the sound of distant thunder. In the evening I only got hit by a light
shower, but there were big storms down the canyon.
Barranco Arrablo
Rio Belles
Rio Belles
Rio Belles
Camp below Collado
de Aniscola
de Aniscola
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