Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
Pyrenees GR11 2003 - Home
Walking the GR11 through Spain
from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean
My final expedition of the summer of 2003 was a traverse of the
Pyrenees from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. The direct
distance is only just over 400km, but any walking route is likely to be
more than 800 km long, with much steep climb and descent. There are
three main walking routes across the Pyrenees: GR10, High Level
Route (HRP) and the GR11.
The GR10 is the best-known and most walked route and it remains
totally in France. Because of the geography of the Pyrenees, this is the
lowest of the three routes, spending more time in the wooded foothills,
but it has the most climb as it goes against the grain of the land,
crossing a succession of ridges. It is the easiest of the three routes as it
is on good paths all the way.
I have walked the HRP twice before, as well as walking it in
sections. It frequently crosses the border between France and Spain as
well as passing through Andorra. It isn’t so much a path as a suggested
route with many variations. It is more of a mountaineer’s route, using
rough paths and going cross-country over difficult pathless terrain and
glaciers as well as following easier paths. This is the highest of the three
routes, staying as close as possible to the main ridge.
The GR11 stays in Spain, apart from a short excursion into
Andorra. I had thought that it would be easier than the HRP, but it also
took in some very rough terrain and because it dropped down into deep
valleys and there was more climb than on the HRP.
from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean
My final expedition of the summer of 2003 was a traverse of the
Pyrenees from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. The direct
distance is only just over 400km, but any walking route is likely to be
more than 800 km long, with much steep climb and descent. There are
three main walking routes across the Pyrenees: GR10, High Level
Route (HRP) and the GR11.
The GR10 is the best-known and most walked route and it remains
totally in France. Because of the geography of the Pyrenees, this is the
lowest of the three routes, spending more time in the wooded foothills,
but it has the most climb as it goes against the grain of the land,
crossing a succession of ridges. It is the easiest of the three routes as it
is on good paths all the way.
I have walked the HRP twice before, as well as walking it in
sections. It frequently crosses the border between France and Spain as
well as passing through Andorra. It isn’t so much a path as a suggested
route with many variations. It is more of a mountaineer’s route, using
rough paths and going cross-country over difficult pathless terrain and
glaciers as well as following easier paths. This is the highest of the three
routes, staying as close as possible to the main ridge.
The GR11 stays in Spain, apart from a short excursion into
Andorra. I had thought that it would be easier than the HRP, but it also
took in some very rough terrain and because it dropped down into deep
valleys and there was more climb than on the HRP.
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Click on the links on the left to access the journal entries and photos for each day. (Owing
to a camera fault the photos are not up to my normal quality)
The Summary is a short article I wrote on the trip in 2003.
There is also a daily schedule which should help anyone planning to hike the GR11.
There are a few naturist photos included in with the journals. Please leave the site if these
would offend you.
to a camera fault the photos are not up to my normal quality)
The Summary is a short article I wrote on the trip in 2003.
There is also a daily schedule which should help anyone planning to hike the GR11.
There are a few naturist photos included in with the journals. Please leave the site if these
would offend you.
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