Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
Pyrenees GR11 2003 - Day 19: August 27th
Wednesday 27th August
It was clear at dawn, but had clouded over by the time I left at 8.30am. An easy
descent down a pista led to Es Plans where there was a youth camp, already closed at the
end of the season, and then an ascent up to Viados with a commercial campsite. From
here the GR11 climbs up a V-shaped valley to the Plan d’Anes Cruces with its high sheep
pasture, overgrazed by a huge flock. This is where the HRP and GR11 go there separate
ways as the HRP returns to France and the GR11 heads for the 2592m Puerto de Gistain.
As I headed up to this col through steep, rough and rocky pasture, there was a strong
breeze blowing. There was a brief shower and thunder could be heard in the distance.
There was a herd of about 20 deer, possibly chamois at the head of the valley.
From the col I dropped steeply down rocky scree and into the Estos valley. I lost the
trail lower down and followed animal tracks through the increasingly wooded valley. I
took a break at 1870m where I should have come across the popular Refugio d’Estos. I
found that I had bypassed the Refuge as I hit its access pista. This pista used to be open
to private cars, but now only allows access on foot or by bicycle. The Spanish Authorities
are gradually reducing road access into the mountains and they have banned wild
camping up all the motorable valleys. 4WD cars are common in Spain and the valleys
were getting inundated with Spaniards driving up into the mountains and camping by the
roadside. These bans inconvenience the backpacker who is caught up by these new
restrictions. I followed this down into a narrow wooded gorge, which led to Puente de
Sant Jaime where the main road bridged the Rio Esera. Puente de Sant Jaime seemed to
consist of 3 campsites.
After leaving Sant Jaime I was looking for somewhere to camp, which would not be
visible from the road or pista. I found a spot in a small clearing in the woods.
Unfortunately the hordes of flies drove me into the tent. There was a thunderstorm in
the early hours of the morning.
It was clear at dawn, but had clouded over by the time I left at 8.30am. An easy
descent down a pista led to Es Plans where there was a youth camp, already closed at the
end of the season, and then an ascent up to Viados with a commercial campsite. From
here the GR11 climbs up a V-shaped valley to the Plan d’Anes Cruces with its high sheep
pasture, overgrazed by a huge flock. This is where the HRP and GR11 go there separate
ways as the HRP returns to France and the GR11 heads for the 2592m Puerto de Gistain.
As I headed up to this col through steep, rough and rocky pasture, there was a strong
breeze blowing. There was a brief shower and thunder could be heard in the distance.
There was a herd of about 20 deer, possibly chamois at the head of the valley.
From the col I dropped steeply down rocky scree and into the Estos valley. I lost the
trail lower down and followed animal tracks through the increasingly wooded valley. I
took a break at 1870m where I should have come across the popular Refugio d’Estos. I
found that I had bypassed the Refuge as I hit its access pista. This pista used to be open
to private cars, but now only allows access on foot or by bicycle. The Spanish Authorities
are gradually reducing road access into the mountains and they have banned wild
camping up all the motorable valleys. 4WD cars are common in Spain and the valleys
were getting inundated with Spaniards driving up into the mountains and camping by the
roadside. These bans inconvenience the backpacker who is caught up by these new
restrictions. I followed this down into a narrow wooded gorge, which led to Puente de
Sant Jaime where the main road bridged the Rio Esera. Puente de Sant Jaime seemed to
consist of 3 campsites.
After leaving Sant Jaime I was looking for somewhere to camp, which would not be
visible from the road or pista. I found a spot in a small clearing in the woods.
Unfortunately the hordes of flies drove me into the tent. There was a thunderstorm in
the early hours of the morning.
Sheep above Plan
d'Anes Cruces
d'Anes Cruces
Viados
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