Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
Pyrenees GR11 2003 - Day 33: September 11th
Thursday 11th September
Despite poor waymarking, I continued easily down path and pista to Queralbs and started
the long climb up the Nuria Gorge to the Sancturio de Nuria. There were hundreds of people
on the path and even more taking the mountain railway up to Nuria.
It wasn’t until the following day that I found out the reason for the crowds. The 11th
September is a National holiday in Catalunya celebrating (not really the right word!) the defeat
of the Catalan forces by the Spanish in the early 1700s and the end of independence for
Catalunya. There are a lot of people on both sides of the Spanish and French border who would
like a return to independence. The campaign for independence is as strong as in the Basque
Country, but it doesn’t get the same publicity because it is a non-violent campaign.
The Nuria Gorge is spectacular with steep cliffs hemming in the stream. The rack and
pinion mountain railway finds its way up the gorge, but there is no access for cars as there is
no road or pista. The Sancturio de Nuria is a big surprise. It is a former monastery, now
turned into a ski-complex with surroundings that would be more at home in a city park than at
2000m in the mountains. Music was blasting out, and there was country dancing taking place
on the big lawn in front of the monastery buildings. The old trains had only recently been
replaced, suggesting that the complex was doing well financially. There were lots of sideshows
to entertain the crowds. The tourists could get higher into the mountains using the ski-lifts or
by pony-trekking. As I climbed on up, the monastery bells were ringing out. I stopped for a
break at 2200m by which time the crowds were thinning out.
The GR11 was signposted up to the Collado de Noucreus, but shown on my map and
guidebook to the Collado de Noufonts. I climbed up to the 2645m Collado de Noufonts, where
the GR11 was joined by the HRP. There was a strong gusting wind blowing from France. This
wind increased in strength as I traversed the 3+ km ridge and I was soon having trouble
staying on my feet. It was impossible study the map to pick up features on the ground in these
conditions, but I passed over Pic Superior de la Vaca, at 2824m, the highest point on the GR11.
Surprisingly the highest point on the trail was after the high mountains had been left behind
and on the last day above the 2000m contour. There was no sign of the 2 groups who were
intending to follow me along the ridge. I imagine they must have (sensibly?) given in to the
wind and turned back. From the Collado de Tirapits, 2791m, I descended into the valley of the
Torrent de les Barranques where I intended to camp. Unfortunately I was in an area of marble
and the stream marked on the map wasn’t running. Presumably it was flowing underground. I
was now expecting another long day, but fortunately the next small stream was running and I
was able to camp after 7½ hours of walking.
The wind could still be heard roaring over the ridges, but in this sheltered valley, despite some
gusts, the conditions were reasonable for camping.
Despite poor waymarking, I continued easily down path and pista to Queralbs and started
the long climb up the Nuria Gorge to the Sancturio de Nuria. There were hundreds of people
on the path and even more taking the mountain railway up to Nuria.
It wasn’t until the following day that I found out the reason for the crowds. The 11th
September is a National holiday in Catalunya celebrating (not really the right word!) the defeat
of the Catalan forces by the Spanish in the early 1700s and the end of independence for
Catalunya. There are a lot of people on both sides of the Spanish and French border who would
like a return to independence. The campaign for independence is as strong as in the Basque
Country, but it doesn’t get the same publicity because it is a non-violent campaign.
The Nuria Gorge is spectacular with steep cliffs hemming in the stream. The rack and
pinion mountain railway finds its way up the gorge, but there is no access for cars as there is
no road or pista. The Sancturio de Nuria is a big surprise. It is a former monastery, now
turned into a ski-complex with surroundings that would be more at home in a city park than at
2000m in the mountains. Music was blasting out, and there was country dancing taking place
on the big lawn in front of the monastery buildings. The old trains had only recently been
replaced, suggesting that the complex was doing well financially. There were lots of sideshows
to entertain the crowds. The tourists could get higher into the mountains using the ski-lifts or
by pony-trekking. As I climbed on up, the monastery bells were ringing out. I stopped for a
break at 2200m by which time the crowds were thinning out.
The GR11 was signposted up to the Collado de Noucreus, but shown on my map and
guidebook to the Collado de Noufonts. I climbed up to the 2645m Collado de Noufonts, where
the GR11 was joined by the HRP. There was a strong gusting wind blowing from France. This
wind increased in strength as I traversed the 3+ km ridge and I was soon having trouble
staying on my feet. It was impossible study the map to pick up features on the ground in these
conditions, but I passed over Pic Superior de la Vaca, at 2824m, the highest point on the GR11.
Surprisingly the highest point on the trail was after the high mountains had been left behind
and on the last day above the 2000m contour. There was no sign of the 2 groups who were
intending to follow me along the ridge. I imagine they must have (sensibly?) given in to the
wind and turned back. From the Collado de Tirapits, 2791m, I descended into the valley of the
Torrent de les Barranques where I intended to camp. Unfortunately I was in an area of marble
and the stream marked on the map wasn’t running. Presumably it was flowing underground. I
was now expecting another long day, but fortunately the next small stream was running and I
was able to camp after 7½ hours of walking.
The wind could still be heard roaring over the ridges, but in this sheltered valley, despite some
gusts, the conditions were reasonable for camping.
Nuria Gorge
Stream above Nuria
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