John Hayes Walks

A Circular Walk via Lewes

2013-05-08T12:44:00.001+01:00

If you live in Brighton Lewes is a great destination for a walk. It's an absolute gem of a place, lots to see, home to Harveys the local brewery, and with plenty of places to eat. The public transport links between Lewes and Brighton are excellent, both train and bus, and there are lots of ways of creating a one way trip either to or from the town.

I've been trying to work out the best way to do a circular route for some time, particularly one which took me away from the beautiful but, in my case, overused route along the edge of the South Downs from the west via Ditchling Beacons. The route I took was a long one, 20 miles, but it was easy walking, the weather was great and because it was a bank holiday there were lots of other walkers grabbing the chance to walk across the downs in the sunshine.

The walk starts at Saltdean, just past the famous art deco lido, and heads north across Telscombe Cliffs through a sliver of the downs separating Saltdean from Peacehaven. Both settlements, particularly Peacehaven, have an interesting history and owe much to the decidedly dodgy efforts of Charles Neville a speculative property developer who bought the cliff tops in the middle of the first world war. The ugly results were an important part of the eventually successful argument made by those calling for a stronger planning system to protect the best bits of the countryside.

We started walking just after 9 and the coastline was covered in mist. Climbing a bit, and 200 metres inland, we were in bright sunshine with clear blue skies.

Crossing Telscombe Down with a sea mist in the background

I think spring is about two weeks late this year, few of the trees are really in leaf, and despite the weather the countryside still has a pinched post wintry feel. The upside is the wonderful display of daffodils on the side of the road walking in the tiny village of Telscombe.

Beyond Telscombe the route drops down into the first of many beautiful dry valley's, takes you through a scruffy farmstead (we nicknamed it "cold comfort farm" - it has that feel) before joining the South Downs Way. The fields are full of cattle and a thin bit of wire provides the only barrier between us and a happy looking Aberdeen Angus bull.

Southease, which has a church with a round tower, was getting ready for a May Bank holiday fete on the village green which we passed through before heading down to the bridge over the River Ouse. Just to the north of our crossing point is the place where Virgina Woolf, who had lived in the nearby village of Rodmell, ended her life in the river in 1941.

From Beddington Hill down to a misty Newhaven

I think the views from Beddingham Hill, the next milestone, are some of the best on the South Downs. To the south Newhaven and the English Channel, which today was still covered in the early morning mist; to the southeast the cliffs at Seaford Head and beyond that Beachy Head; to the north, across the valley, and in the gap in the downs between Mount Caburn and Mount Harry, Lewes. Beddingham Hill itself is right on top of the downs with the cliff, facing north, carved out like an amphitheatre.

Glynde

Dropping down the scarp face the route takes you across the valley to the village of Glynde, a junior partner to Glyndebourne, with its opera house, but interesting non-the-less with lots of tiny little cottages suggesting a past which was a bit more industrial. "Trevor" is an important name in these parts with "Trevor" cottages and a pub called the "Trevor Arms". Glynde Place, which features a clock tower, dates back to 1569.

Paragliders above Mount Caburn

Turning west and climbing out of Glynde and up Mount Caburn it was hard not to stare at the dozens of paragliders hovering above the valley. They reminded me of the vultures I had seen in Spain a few weeks ago. Mount Caburn was the location for an Iron Age Fort and it is believed the site has been excavated more times than any other in the UK.

Looking down into Lewes

The descent to Lewes takes you through another stunning dry valley - a nature reserve - opening up at the western end to provide great views across the Ouse valley. When we were there we shared the walk with lots of other walkers and a herd of tiny cattle and a little white bull whose name, a nervous woman told me, was Robin.

Lewes is a lovely town with an interesting radical non-conformist tradition (was home for six years to Tom Paine during which time he wrote "The Rights of Man"), but on a sunny bank holiday it was packed and after coffee and cake, "entertainment" from the Morris dancers, we made our exit. On the way out of town the huge somber Victorian Prison, once home to the gangster Reggie Cray, reminds you that not everyone gets away so so easily.

The old racecourse at Lewes

After the prison the route takes you up through a hawthorn tunnel and back onto the downs past the old Lewes racecourse. The track is still used by trainers who occupy buildings located around the original grandstand.

The dry valley at Ashcombe Bottom

Instead of going all the way up to the Blackcap summit we cut across the down just to the south of Ashcombe Bottom heading across permanent pasture and into another beautiful dry valley. Blackcap is one of numerous National Trust owned sites along the South Downs and the difference between the permanent pasture and cultivated landscape provides a vivid illustration of what the National Trust has preserved.

Heading south and down in the Falmer valley the route (now the South Downs Way again) takes you over a footbridge across the busy A27 and back up onto the downs. The road is hidden at the bottom of the valley and once you've climbed up the views along the downs side eastwards towards Lewes are stunning.

Into Castle Hill Nature Reserve

Over the top of the down the final bit of walk takes you along another dry valley through the Castle Hill nature reserve. So close to Brighton and on a bank holiday Monday we still had the valley to ourselves, incredible.

Climbing out of the valley we walked along the little country road into Rottingdean. I'm sure we could have found an off-road alternative but the late afternoon views towards Brighton and the coast - the mist had burnt away a long time ago - more than compensated for a bit of tarmac.

We could have stopped for a pint at one of Rottingdean's many pubs but instead jumped on the bus and headed home after what was a perfect day's walk.

GR1 Sendero Histórico - a Review

2013-04-15T11:13:00.000+01:00

Starting at the beginning of March 2013, I walked for five weeks along the GR1 Sendero Histórico. Apart from the weather, apparently the worst in Spain since 1947, I had a great month, - the GR1 is an amazing walk and deserves to be much better known internationally.

The GR1 is a 1,200 kilometre trail running across northern Spain from the Mediterranean to the Asturias. As the name suggests, the route has a historical theme and was developed to take the walker along the boundary between Moorish and Christian Spain. Travelling along it, I visited some of the world's most important Romanesque sites (Sos del Rey Católico, Loare Castle, Besalú).

Fortified church at Olite

The sites along would make the route attractive to anyone with just the slightest interest in medieval history, but it also provides lots more.

The bridge at Besalú

It passes through spectacular unspoilt landscapes. The Cantabrian Mountain in the west and the Pyrenean foothills in the east are best described as "sub-Alpine" - similar to the Vercors or the Jura. In the middle - for 150 kilometres or so - there is a flatter section, where the route takes you across Navarre and classic Spanish plateau countryside.

Spectacular snow cover mountains

Perhaps the most memorable feature of the landscape is the huge red cliffs which you see in various places, on the approach to the Pyrenees in particular. Some of these cliffs, typically adorned with a church or the ruins of a castle, exceed 400 metres in height.

Red cliffs towering above Riglos

Compared to walks at similar altitudes in other parts of Europe, most of it is "tree lite", in particular there are hardly any of the commercial pine forests so common in France, Italy and Austria. Instead of looking at identical trees all day long you actually get to see something.

Ancient agricultural practices

The relatively limited amount of commercial forestry is partly a consequence, I think, of the fact that most of the upland countryside, until quite recently, was used for agriculture. The evidence of a more densely populated past is everywhere, particularly Aragon where the empty villages and even towns are almost "post-apocalyptic". I'm old, but not that old, and I find it incredible to think that the emptying of these towns and villages took place in my lifetime.

Abandoned villages in Aragon

The trail itself is, in large parts, a product of this more populated past. For a 1,200 kilometre route, there is very little road walking. Much of the route follows tracks used over centuries to link village to village. On the best parts, the original paving and dry stone walls are intact and ware and tare inflicted by ancient footfalls can still be seen.

Ancient pathways

The route also takes you through landscapes rich in wildlife, often with specially protected status. You are unlikely to see a bear (although you do walk through a reserve) or one of the wolves which are gradually being reintroduced, but you can easily encounter a wild boar. You would be very unlucky not to see one of the many species of deer or ibex that live along the route, especially in the Cantabrian mountains. What you will definitely see is amazing birdlife: storks, cranes, eagles and in particular huge griffon vultures, whose numbers have increased significantly in recent years.

A griffon vulture

Generally speaking the GR1 is easy walking and apart from one tiny stretch just before the descent to Avià, you definitely don't need a head for heights. I tried to fit in as much as possible, though had to scale my ambition down towards the end and make more use of taxis to shorten the walks than I would have liked. Generally speaking, there is accommodation on or close to the trail at feasible day hike intervals.

The GR1 has all the attractions of a great walk. It uniquely combines historical interest with great scenery and rich wildlife. You are also walking in Spain which has many good points as well as a few niggles.

Great March weather and the church at San Bartoleme

Spain is a great early season, late season destination. Despite the fact that I managed to choose what was supposed to be the worst March, weather-wise, in Spain since 1947, from the perspective of an Englishman abroad it wasn't that bad. I had 37 wet days and three seriously wet days, including one day when I decided not to walk. This year I would have been better off going a couple of weeks later, it would have been greener and the trails would not have been so wet or in some cases full of snow. Normally though, March, April and May and September/October are the best months for walking.

Spain, in general, and this part of Spain in particular, provides a wide variety of great value, good fun, accommodation. I stayed in every type - from a room above a bar to a boutique/spa hotel - and rarely spent more than 40 euros for dinner and bed and breakfast (and this price includes drinks). The "casa rurales" and "hostals" were particularly good; many of them majoring on locally produced food - sometimes produced by the establishment itself. The categories seem to be fairly broad, with a "casa rurales" extending from a room with facilities in a house to something close to an informal hotel, whereas a hostal seemed to be a rural hotel a bit like an "auberge" in other countries. In you want to find out where I stayed then go to this link

On the niggle side you have to live with the fact that waymarking varies from region to region, that the route changes over time and that it is not defined in a consistent way on the map base. I navigated using a GPS trail that I downloaded from Juan Holgado's website and a digital map base which I bought when I walked the E4 via the Complegps website - although you can now get them bundled up with lots of types of GPS software. Juan's trail is not 100 per cent "the GR1" because sometimes it changed since he walked it and sometimes he chose to go a different way but it will definitely get you where you want to go. I've now got my own GPS trail, part Juan, part waymarks on the ground and when I get round to it will publish a cleaned up version.

A tiny niggle, but one which will strike some people new to walking in Spain, is that there are a lot of dogs. In rural Spain, houses are typically surrounded by a high fence and inside the fence are one or a number of dogs. These dogs bark, what is initially a little intimidating soon becomes just mildly annoying. Surprisingly, dogs not constrained by a rope, chain or fence, don't bark as much as those that are and if anything are timid creatures. In over 100 days of walking in Spain, I never seriously felt threatened by the dogs although I do find that walking poles provide an occasional but necessary bit of assurance.

Agüero

So my current nomination for the best long distance walk in Europe is the GR1 Sendero Histórico. It's got the perfect combination of stunning countryside scattered with great hilltop towns, fortified hamlets, Moorish lookout towers and isolated little churches, wonderful wildlife, interesting quirky accommodation, great food, great value and, if you're just a bit luckier than me, fabulous weather.

If you want to read a daily account of my trip of along the GR1 then please go to the following links.

Day 1 GR1 Camporredondo
Day 2 on the GR1 - to Cervera de Pisuerga
Day 3 GR1 to Brañosera
Day 4 GR1 to Reinosa
Day 5 GR1 to Neva
Day 6 GR1 to Oteo
Day 7 GR1 to Boveda
Day 8 GR1 to Espejo
Day 9 GR1 to Miranda de Ebro
Day 10 GR1 to Lagran
Day 11 GR1 to Santa Cruz de Campezo
Day 12 GR1 to Los Arcos
Day 13 GR1 to Larraga
Day 14 GR1 to Olite
Day 15 GR1 to Ujue
Day 16 GR1 Sos Dey Rey Catolico
Day 18 GR1 Murillo de Gállego
Day 19 GR1 Bolea
Day 20 GR1 Arguis
Day 21 GR1 Nocito
Day 22 GR1 Paulas de Sarsas
Day 23 GR1 Liguerre de Cinca
Day 24 GR1 to Salinas de Trillo
Day 25 GR1 to Graus
Day 26 GR1 to Roda de Isabena
Day 27 GR1 to Puente de Montañana
Day 28 GR1 Noguera-Palleresa
Day 29 GR1 Sant Cristofol
Day 30 GR1 to Oliana
Day 31 GR1 Sant Llorenç de Morunys
Day 32 GR1 Gironella
Day 33 GR1 to Lluçà
Day 34 GR1 to Ripoll
Day 35 GR1 to Oix
Day 36 GR1 Banyoles
Day 37 GR1 L'Escala

Day 37 GR1 L'Escala

2013-04-07T11:54:00.001+01:00

Arrived in L'Escala, the end of the GR1 Sendero Historico on the Mediterranean, at about 5 o'clock. It was freezing cold with a biting north wind, almost as cold as when I started the trip at the beginning of March. Christine's swimming costume was staying put in her bag.

It wasn't nearly so cold when we rejoined the GR1 at Orriols after breakfast. I had anticipated an ugly walk across a coastal plain for the last day but it turned out to be nicer than that.
The countryside was rolling rather than flat, a mix of woodland and arable, very green, and reminded me of Christine's home county Suffolk.

Lush spring meadows

The views of course were better than those in Suffolk. In the distance to the north the Pyrenees were clearly visible and it looked like they had been given yet another coat of fresh snow.

After some seriously confusing way marking (they had put the GR1 sign on a St James's Way feeder route sending you south rather than east) we set off towards Camållera. It was sunny, almost warm and the banks along the side of the trail were full of wild flowers. At Camållera
we stopped for coffee and sat outside in the sun. The toothless man next to us was smoking a distinct type of black cigar and the pile of stubs under his chair suggested he was rooted to the spot.

It was even warmer as we left Camållera but just after the pretty little village of Pins someone changed the settings and almost instantly a savage north wind kicked in.

We got our first view of the sea on a little ridge to the east of Valldavià. The beautiful Gulf of Roses to the north-east was clearly visible.

There was lots of activity in the woodland round and about, people with bags looking for things. The treasure they were hunting turned out to be wild asparagus and a couple of particularly successful gatherers were more than happy to pose with their bounty.

Asparagus hunters

By the time we got to Viladamat Christine was frozen and insisting on lunch. We stopped at a restaurant on the edge of the village, very nice Spanish atmosphere and chose Paella. Looked a lot better than it tasted, the fish was dreadfully overcooked.

Paella

We followed Juan's route into L'Escala which takes you straight along the road, not a nice way to end a wonderful walk. I think there might be a more meandering alternative but at this stage and in the freezing gale fast was best. I wanted to get to L'Escala in time to look at the famous Ruïnes d'Empúres.

What we hoped was a short-cut at the end was the opposite and we had to walk round the whole site to get access. Rain was now mixed with the wind and Christine had had enough leaving me to wander around the ancient ruins on my own.

The Greek settlement dates back to the 8th Century BC and sits on a small hill to the south of the silted up harbour the shape of which, in what is now a field of barley, is still visible. Out to sea is the remains of the old harbour wall. The ruins themselves are the foundations and cellars of the old town with the street pattern, the old town square, and the functions of the buildings clearly discernible. It's a fitting end to a route which themes itself on history.

Ruïnes d'Empúres

At the hotel we are joined by Javier from Branosera who is staying with a friend from Barcelona. They have driven up from Barcelona to congratulate us on the completion of the walk. It was very kind of them to do that although of course my lamentable lack of Spanish means I couldn't adequately express my thanks.

Having walked right across Europe, and walked in many places around the world, I think that the GR1 Sendero Historico, although not well known, is one of the best long distance trails there is. Many thanks to all of those who have helped me along its route and made my trip so enjoyable.

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Day 36 GR1 Banyoles

2013-04-06T07:27:00.001+01:00

Heading down on the final descent to the Mediterranean the weather is a real disappointment. Instead of the blue sky, sun and sea it's all cloud, rain and greyness. It's a shame and adds to the stew of mixed emotions inevitable at the end of a 37 day trip.

Misty morning in Oix

To be honest the weather forecast was so bad last night that I didn't think it we'd be walking at all today. Finding that all we had to contend with this morning was cloud and mist was a pleasant surprise. Adding to the initial sense of good mood as we left Oix was the hotel bill, amazing value for such a lovely place.

Virburnum

The first couple of hours walking took us up over mixed wooded upland countryside. The virburnum was in full flower and combined with mushroomy smells of rotting leaves made for lovely smells. The way marking was poor and the signs confusing but eventually we found ourselves heading down into arable countryside and towards Tortellà. Before the final approach you have to cross a little gorge spanned by a stunning stone bridge, the shape of which seems to a feature of the bridges around here.

Pont de Lherca

It was about 12 when we stopped for a coffee in Tortellà and our luck with the weather started to run out although it was drizzling rather than raining.

The route between Tortellà and Besalú was not nice, the way marking dreadful and we missed the trail, there was a horrible bit of motorway to navigate, and at one point we found ourselves crossing a muddy field in pouring rain.

When we arrived at Besalú we decided that enough was enough and a taxi to Banyoles was going to be the next step.

Besalú however was wonderful, a medieval town packed with Romanesque buildings. The Count of Besalú was Wilfred the Hairy and he is accredited with the unification of Catalonia which may explain the huge number of Catalan flags which adorned the town.

Bridge at Besalú

Perhaps the most memorable feature was a 12th Century bridge was spans the river to the east, There is a gate at the town end and a gate in the middle of the bridge.

Sant Pere

Having decided we were going to finish at Besalú we stopped for lunch in a restaurant in the main square which features the 11th Century church of Sant Pere. Having eaten the good but overpriced food we struggled to get a taxi and, partly to compensate for being ripped off in the restaurant, decided to walk to Serinyà. The rain held off for the 90 minutes it took us to complete the trip, and when the bus turned up on time and only charged 1.5 euros to get to Banyoles we felt that we had definitely done the right thing.

Banyoles is to the south of the GR1 and we will be getting a taxi to rejoin the route. Will have a look at the weather in the morning to decide how much we do.

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Day 35 GR1 to Oix

2013-04-04T18:15:00.001+01:00

After complaints about yesterday's walk being too long it was essential to come up with something shorter today. The original idea was to take a taxi along the busy valley to the east of Ripoll and start at Sant Joan de les Abadesses but on a cold, drizzly day 33 kilometres seemed too long. Instead we asked the taxi to take us further to Sant Pau de Segúties, leaving a very manageable 20 kilometres.

When we arrived it was market day and the bar we dropped into for coffee was busy and full of men topping up their alcohol levels (about 9.30 in the morning). Apart from us, the only person not drinking was a young guy wearing the cyclist's uniform of baggy shorts and tights and he turned out to be a German reaching the end of his Berlin to Barcelona bike trip. Really nice guy, and great to share a bit of time with another long-distance travelling nutcase. He had hauled his 35 kg bike and gear over the Pyrenees in the frost last night and was now stopping at the bar to buy cigarettes! Apologies for the photo which seems to capture two drinkers emerging from the bar rather than the cyclist and his bike.

Chatting to a German cyclist

It was very cold today but despite that, and as we get lower and nearer the sea, there is a definite feeling that spring is about to spring. Things are late this year but the trees are definitely changing colour as the trees start to come into leaf. Today for example the beech tree buds made whole patches of hillside look distinctively pink. There were also lots of interesting flowers bursting out which neither Christine or I could put a name to. To be honest, in an ideal world, I would walk the trail a couple of weeks later when things would be lovely and green.

An orchid?

By the way we have been listening to cuckoos for 10 days or so and today heard two woodpeckers banging away almost in unison.

It was a good walk if not exactly memorable, mainly along narrow little forest paths which linked a series a masias ( Catalan for finca or large country farmhouse) and ermitas together. Some of these masias had been beautifully restored and some were offering accommodation.

Chasing lunch

Someone asked me on an earlier blog if Spain's economic problems were obvious as you walk the route. I said that in all honesty they weren't and, apart from the unfinished blocks of flats around any settlement of a significant size, that remains the case. What is surprising though as you walk through Catalonia is the amount of pro-independence regalia, particularly the stripped flag with the blue star, which features everywhere. At the same time national political institutions seem to be loosing their credibility.

All the time I've been here the news has been dominated by stories of political corruption. The latest and biggest one is striking at the heart of the royal family and the king's youngest daughter, Princess Cristina. From the perspective of the UK, politics are a bit noisier here - for example a big anti-fracking campaign - and it may be that I'm just not used to this level of visibility, but from that perspective you have to wonder whether Spain can hold together.

Roman bridge at Oix

Anyway while I was worrying about Spain's future, Christine was marching to Oix. She had decided that we could get there for lunch and was walking in double quick time. We did and it was a lovely lunch in a smashing hostal. She intend's to have dinner as well so, on a the day we did a small 20 kilometre walk, we're going to blow out on two huge meals. From famine to feast in two days.

If you want to see where we went today then go to the following link

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Day 34 GR1 to Ripoll

2013-04-04T07:43:00.001+01:00

Normal service resumed, the walk was longer than expected and I was in trouble as we made the final, extra long approach to Ripoll. Not sure what the fuss was about, 38 kilometres instead of 33, but I was blamed for all sorts. Shame because I got everything else right, nice walk and near perfect weather.

Left the hostal, really a casa rural, at Lluçà at about 8.45. Great food last night (despite having forgotten we were coming, the owner produced a feast : a perfectly dressed salad, a bowl of puy lentils and vegetables, grilled chicken with wild rice and then strawberry fruit salad); and a lovely breakfast.

Llucà - Ermita de Santa Maria

It was a perfect morning, bright clear sky and the sun was busy clearing the remains of any overnight frost. We were joined for the first couple of kilometres by a black labrador dog who I managed to persuade to go home after he started to get interested in some cows with their calves.

Early morning views of the Pyrenees

It wasn't long before we were getting what turned out to be a series of wonderful views of the snow covered Pyrenees. One mountain in particular stood out, I think it was the Puigpedrós but I could be wrong.

Miniature daffodils

The countryside between Lluçà and the village of Santa Eulàlia de Puig-Oriol was a mix of open meadow and trees, really nice, particularly the dense displays of miniature daffodils.

After Santa Eulàlia de Puig-Oriol we followed an old transhumance trail through trees up to Ermitá de Sant Cristòfol de Borrassers and then down again towards the village of Alpens. At a place called El Graell there was large strange but spectacular old building, which we think was an elaborate barn, built perhaps for drying hay.

Barn at El Graell

After we had eaten our sandwich at Alpens we set off on the only climb of the day, a 400 metre climb up to the Ermita de Santa Margerita. A sign said 20 kilometres to Ripoll, a bit of a blow, but Christine didn't seem bothered, she was enjoying the walk and the weather.

Ermita de Santa Margerita

The Ermita de Santa Margerita was set in a stunning location; however the fortified mesia, just down the hill at Portavella, with its tower and adjacent little church gradually becoming overcome with ivy, were even better. Almost defining ancient decay they could have been some elaborate folly in an English country park.

Fortified masia at Sant Martí de Vinyoles

Sant Martí de Vinyoles

We then started to walk steeply downhill on a concrete farm road. I think it was the hard surface which sapped Christine's energy but the dodgy information on the sign's didn't help. At 4 o'clock we saw a sign saying Ripoll was 4 hours 30 minutes away: there wouldn't be time for a shower before dinner!

The concrete farm road went on for about 9 kilometers and the only variance was a short tarmac interlude and a small but unpredicted climb at the end. To make matters worse we were heading north, sometimes west, when Ripoll was to the east.

Terraces and masia at Arquers

When we did turn east everything improved. The light was now excellent and the final descent to Ripoll was along the side of a valley adorned with a series of enormous masias set in dark green terraced fields.

I turned my trip recorder off as soon as we got into Ripoll, it was 36.61 kilometres. We did however have to walk about another 2 to find the hotel. Definitely not enough time or energy to look at the monastery - still we were drinking our first beer by 6.30. Spoke to Juan while drinking the beer, he has ordered a taxi for the morning and tomorrow's walk will be shorter.

If you want to see where we went on a map then please go to the following link

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Day 33 GR1 to Lluçà

2013-04-03T18:06:00.001+01:00

Today must be the first day when I managed to estimate the distance correctly. Normally I am horribly over-optimistic but today almost everything when to plan. 29 kilometres, two of which were accounted for by the location of the hotel in Gironella, a nice relaxed 8 hour walk.

Gironella is not somewhere you would choose to visit on a weekend - some of the small Spanish towns are wonderful, but on first impressions this isn't one of them. We walked through the old centre, past the cathedral, in and out of a bread shop, and then out of town. The trip out of town was pretty depressing, lots of uncompleted residential accommodation and a new industrial estate which has only got as far as the road layout.

Strange rocky landscape past Olvan

It was all pretty messy until just past Olvan, 6 kilometres east of Gironella, and then the countryside lost its urban fringe feeling and settled down. It's not exactly a stunning landscape - Mediterranean scrub with the occasional patch where the soil is thick enough for some arable cultivation.

A single to turn

After the tough walking of the last few days it's now altogether easier, and it feels like a different sort of countryside. The way marking was also excellent - a real strolling day.

Segàs - Ermita de Sant Jordi

The highlight for me was Sagàs. I knew that I would be crossing my 2011 E4 route somewhere today but hadn't bothered to work out where. Sagàs was a place I knew from the E4 but it had been given a different name on the local signposts and we were approaching it from a different direction. I still didn't recognise it when we were having a break next to the church. Bizarrely as we followed the GR signs out of the village I suddenly recognised the route. We were on the wrong GR and heading along the E4, magnetically I was being pulled to Budapest.

Getting back on the right trail the lowlight of the day came about 45 minutes later. Travelling through pig farming country (no much evidence of free range anything here) we approached a farm with what looked like a dog prison. About 20 dogs in a cage. Not sure what they had done wrong but they were definitely not repentant and went totally nuts when they saw us. The noise was pretty scary and they sounded as if they hadn't been fed for a couple of days. What is it with the Spanish and dogs - over a period of about a hour we must have been barked at on six separate occasions.

Nice road side hostal at the Pont de Vilalta - if we hadn't bought lunch with us it would have been a nice place to stop. The locals were all tucking into excellent home cooked food.

The afternoon trail took us gradually up along a winding track through scrubby pines. It went north before swinging east and higher still, and looking west we got great views of the mountains we had been walking in over the last few days, some with fresh snow. We also saw a huge black cloud approaching from the Pyrenees and before we knew it it was raining and hailing and the Gortex was quickly donned.

Masia

The road down to Lluçà was long and winding but it did give us perhaps the most impressive of a series of huge, often wonderfully restored farmhouses (masia) we had been seeing all day. These huge farmhouses are typical of Catalonia and apparently you can date them by the style of the main entrance. An arch means it was built before the 16th century and a lintel means it was built. Some would have been based on Roman villas.

The guardians to the sanctuary at Lluçà were just leaving as we arrived at the hostal so we missed out on seeing its mural which is supposed to be excellent. Very nice little hotel/hostal/casa rural here, can't really work out the difference but the food here was particularly good.

If you want to see where we went today then go to the following link

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Day 32 GR1 Gironella

2013-04-01T19:36:00.001+01:00

If all or even most days were like this, than I would definitely not be doing long distance place to place walking. Still it had some memorable features.

First the good news. We now have a contender for the purveyor of the best sandwich on the GR1 Sendero Historico. Hotel Casa Joan in Sant Llorenç de Morunys was a fairly modest place but great value, and the owner was only too pleased to provide a sandwich for our lunch. It was a masterpiece, double decker tortilla with olive oil and tomato juice soaking into the bread - perfectly seasoned - it was still warm when we removed it from its foil wrap four hours after leaving. We would not have survived without it.

Sandwich masterpiece

My original plan to walk from Sant Llorenç de Morunys to Alvia or Gironella was hopelessly optimistic, particularly as the weather has now taken a turn for the worse. Agreed with Juan that the best thing to do was to get a taxi to the Pont de Llinars and take a great slice out of the first part of the walk. For some reason Juan and I had concluded that this would reduce the total to 20 kilometres and as usual this turned out to be an underestimate.

A house in the forest

Started walking at about 9.30. It was raining, somewhere between drizzle and rain, and the visibility was very poor. You had the sense that it would have been a good walk on a nice day, but there was so much gloom it was hard to tell. Walking along an easy trail through a gorge next to a river, the first highlight was the stunning little Romanesque church of Sant Pere de Graudescales tucked away in the valley miles from anywhere. Very pretty, and one of the best churches on the route.

Sant Pere de Graudescales

We then started to go uphill with the path twisting and turning and going ever higher. We were still on the strange conglomerate rock we've been on for the last few days and it erodes into nasty nobbly stones that are really uncomfortable underfoot. In addition the path was continually blocked by a series of pins which had blown over in a recent gale. Christine was moaning and groaning by now, saying she hadn't expected so much uphill. The rain continued.

After the storm

We finally got to more level ground, a sort of upland grazing area at around 1400m. The rain was easing off too, though we were still in cloud and couldn't see anything much. Time to stop for the tortilla sandwich.

On the top

Pressing on we walked for several kilometres along a high altitude ridge that would have been stunning on a good day. The route was quite hairy in places and thoughts of the sheer drops below and 'touching the void' came to mind. At one point we had to scramble up a steep lump of exposed conglomerate cliff and just hope for the best.

At around 3pm we saw a little ruined church on the top of the ridge ahead and made for it, somehow loosing the way marks in the process. We messed about taking the wrong routes down for a while and finally came across some yellow way marks and a sign to Alvia (not the GR1 Sendero Historico but by all accounts a quicker route).

We set off on a steep but good downhill path and congratulated ourselves with chocolate. The trail seemed very well marked and we were feeling smug. Christine said she preferred the yellow route because there were fewer churches on the top of hills.

The yellow marks took us over a small road and into a wood. OK for a bit, but then things started to unravel. First the marks petered out, then the path turned into cow churned ankle deep mud with whatever had been the route now invaded by box trees. We were still 1,000 metres up the side of a cliff, very frustrating and perhaps a little dangerous.

Having completely loss the way marks and after floundering around we saw a farm trail and made for that, desperate for some firm footings. A few yards along the trail the yellow markings re-appeared almost mocking us. We were surrounded by cliffs and at the top of a huge gorge. After 30 metres or so the markings pointed once again into the undergrowth and not without some hesitation we followed them steeply down. After 200 metres we were confronted with a gushing river. The final test or the final straw? We persevered and in the pouring rain removed our shoes and waded to the other side. Having passed the test we were rewarded with an easy but long path all the way down the Alvia - found a bar and secured a taxi. Sitting drinking a beer we couldn't believe we had only walked 26 kilometres.

If you want to see where we went today on a map then go to the following link.

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Day 31 GR1 Sant Llorenç de Morunys

2013-04-01T07:12:00.001+01:00

After Christine's guest blog it's back to business as usual with me reporting on the first day of the final week of my trudge across northern Spain.

Unfortunately because of insistence on full implementation of the "walking time directive" the day had to finish 10 kilometres before the end. In fairness to Christine, completion would have required a very early start, possibly before breakfast, which would be in breach of regulations. As it was both we and the Hotel seemed to miss the fact that the clocks had changed so instead of 8 o'clock we didn't get away until 9.

Perfect sunny day and the big red cliffs which span the northern horizon of Oliana looked fantastic. Bit of a road walk to start with but I think that was because we missed the beginning of the GR1 which was probably more to the centre of town than we thought.

The countryside by the way has changed completely over the last couple of days. As well as being higher it's now properly "Mediterranean" - more scrub and less arable. The abandoned villages have disappeared and it doesn't look like the land ever supported large numbers of people.

Ermita de Sant Just

Once we got off the road it was a lovely trail, and as we got higher the views went from good to fantastic. Climbing up past the little Ermita de Sant Just we followed and then crossed what turned out to be the first of many ridges.

Tour de France statue at Cal Serra-seca

Perhaps the best views of the day came about 45 minutes later when we got to the top Cal Serra-Seca. To the south-east you could see the strange, profile of the Montserrat range, to the east the huge cliffs we were going to walk underneath later in the day, but the best views were to the west and this massive valley with cliffs on both sides. There is a cyclist statue on the pass commemorating a year when the Tour de France came through and a couple of cyclists were posing against it as we passed.

Views west from Cal Serra-seca

The road to Cambrils may be the faster option but its worth sticking with the route, despite the additional climb because the views are worth it.

On the Serra Seca

Cambrils, where there is a restaurant, was otherwise a pain. We lost the GR1 and ended up following the road around the gorge in an enormous U. It wasn't better after the village where the route takes you above the road into trees only to drop you down steep scree back onto tarmac.

Sala Racó

Staying on the road would have been the best option for the 7/8 kilometres after Cambrils with the route constantly going off road and then returning to it, with the off road bits involving a lot of descent/ascent. I finally worked this out, suggested the road, when Christine decided to be purist and stick with the letter of the GR1 route. Rather than contour around as she had hoped the route took us down a very pretty but very deep gorge and then a painful back up again.

Such choices disappeared as the GR1 and the road went their separate ways. We were still heading east which meant crossing a series of valleys as the rivers ran south from the Pyrenees. The biggest came just after we had passed the little church of Santa Cecilia and involved a steep drop down to a river which ran through a gap between huge towering cliffs. Great scenery but the river took a bit of crossing.

Tricky river crossing

Luckily the climb up the other side was a gentler one, through a tunnel in the pine and ever green oaks. At the El Soler de Baix we realised we were running a bit late, rang our Spanish support desk (Juan) who kindly rearranged the taxi for us - brilliant service.

Ermita de Sant Marti

The last hour's walking was excellent, great light and more huge cliffs to enjoy. We arrived at the little village of Canalda at 6.30. 32 kilometres and 9.30 hours walking though is well outside the walking time directive.

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Day 30 GR1 to Oliana

2013-03-30T18:24:00.001Z

Guest blog by Christine

Having sworn blind last night that this was the last of John's trips I wanted to come on, I woke up this morning feeling fresh as a daisy and looking forward to a walk. The sun was already pouring through the window and there were 2 donkeys quietly grazing outside.

Breakfast was something else. The woman who ran the Casa (or did all the work) brought a wooden trencher to our table that had a sort of miniature tree coming out of it, on which hung 6 or 7 varieties of home cured dried sausage, all of which had to be tried with our tosta and olive oil. This, combined with home made jams and cheese washed down by gallons of coffee, made for a feast. I sneaked an inch of salami into my trouser pocket for later.

We set off down the hill in sunshine listening to cuckoos. God was in her heaven and all was right with the world. We continued along a small road for a bit past some fish farms and had to cross a small river barefoot because it was so swollen with last night's rain. The path then wended gently up through woods of pine and evergreen oak, with honeysuckle and lavender joining the usual rosemary and thyme making everything smell good. We continued for a couple of hours, so relaxed we almost missed a turn at one point.

We reached the church of Sant Esteve at about 12 and had a peep inside. Apparently Josemaría someone found a gilded wooden rose there in 1937 that belonged to Our Lady and got herself a sainthood out of it. We sat in the sun outside then moved on.

Sant Esteve

The afternoon route remained a doddle but this time contoured through scrub rather than trees. Beneath us we could see a brand new beautifully engineered road with absolutely no traffic on it. After an hour or two we went down and finally reached the little town of Peramola where a street market was about to pack up. We were surprised to be greeted by a large ruddy faced man who had been at the Casa last night. He proceeded to unscrew the top off a large jar containing balls of black stuff looking like horse manure and invited us to take a sniff. 'Troof' be proudly announced which we took to be truffles. Weird smell.

After a quick beer stop we walked on across the valley along a wide unmetalled road (presumably the road which serviced the valley before the new Eurodollar one was built), and arrived at Oliana at 4.30. Hotel Cal Petit, just out of town to the south, is excellent - thanks for booking it Juan.

Crossing the plain to Oliana

All in all a great day. Was musing as we walked about the need to revise the European Walking Times Directive in order to improve consumer protection. For a start, total walking length per day needs to be capped. I suggest 30k/day as a starting point for negotiation. Secondly, itineraries with no consumer offer of tea or coffee in the morning should be banned.

Today's walk was 26 kilometres long. In the week I've been out here I've covered 227 kilometres which ain't too bad for someone with a free bus pass.

If you want to see where we walked today on a map then please go to the following link
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Day 29 GR1 Sant Cristofol

2013-03-30T18:10:00.001Z

My perfect walking day, on these long distance treks, is 8 hours. Less and it feels you're not covering the ground and hanging around too long in hotels; more and it feels you're on your feet all the time.

Today's walk was a tough 11 hours, the toughest of the trip (so far), and Christine was in open revolt by the time we struggled into the casa rural.

The story of the day is how long it was. I would like to report on the brilliant views but low clouds blocked what would have been amazing views of the Pyrenees.

I did know today was going to be long. When Juan did it he got a taxi at the Coll de Comiols, the only place on the route where you cross a significant road, and that would have taken a couple of hours off. Juan and I agreed however that organising a taxi on Good Friday would be very difficult and even then it would have to take us a long way to find somewhere to stay. The better but painful option was another 8 kilometres (or so) down to a casa beyond Sant Cristofol.

Knowing it was going to be a long day we left our bungalow (garden shed) early at Noguera-Palleresa and were walking by 7-45 (biscuits and a carton of orange juice for breakfast). We walked along the road for about a kilometre and then started to climb.

This was the best part of the day but energy sapping. The path took us up the valley past some ruins to the face of a huge cliff. We were still relatively low at this point, spring flowers were coming out and we walked up through scrub full of viburnum bushes in bud.

We were climbing up a massive fan shaped gorge, with symmetrical cliffs on either side with each set converging to a point in the north. We saw a similar feature as we emerged from our gorge yesterday.

Pedrera de Mieá

After an initial 500 metre climb our path took us north along the side of the eastern flank of the gorge before climbing over it and heading east. Ahead of us was another massive cliff, even higher, which we somehow had to get over. After dropping down to a stream, climbing gently to the abandoned village of Rúbies, the path turned directly towards the cliff. It was a steep climb up a gully, in places almost a scramble, although you wouldn't want to scramble too much as it was clearly a popular route for the sheep and goats.

Rúbies

Eventually we crossed through a crack in the cliff and onto the dip slope on the other side. We had been walking for 3 hours 30 minutes, climbed over 1,000 metres but still had, as it turned out another 33 kilometres walking to do. We sat on a rock and devoured bread, cheese and tomatoes.

Portella Blanca

We walked east and gently down. The views north could have been brilliant but were blocked out by persistent low cloud. Nothing to do but walk and the only frustration was poor way marks, they are as bad here in Catalonia as they were in Navarre.

After the slow pace going up we were eating up the kilometres and at one point I made a rash, and typically over optimistic assessment that we might arrive by 5. As if by magic the kilometres grew in length.

Add caption

The first milestone was Hostal Roig, which I remembered well because at one point I thought it might offer accommodation. Unfortunately it hasn't had a roof for a long time. After a couple of kilometres on a road the route then took as around a U bend and we spent 20 minutes getting back almost to the point where we had started. That turned out to the signal for the beginning of a frustrating final third of the walk.

The pass at Col de Comiols just took forever to arrive. It hadn't moved - I was just too optimistic - this had fed through to Christine and her expectations were not being realised.

Just before we got there it started to rain. Messing about with waterproofs, and not talking much to each other, we managed to get separated with Christine following the right path and me heading down the wrong albeit shorter path to the disused petrol station. We then had the classic chasing each other around the petrol station until we found each other again.

The final descent down to Sant Cristofol in the rain just went on and on. My phone was nearly dead so was saving the GPS and although I knew I was on the right trail didn't know when we would arrive. There were no way marks whatsoever. The final sting in the tail was the location of the casa rural which was below Sant Cristofol and on the other side of a small gorge. Christine was very savage.

Anyway we arrived, the room had a bath, Christine had a beer and a soak, and by the time we sat down for dinner all was well with world. Tomorrows walk is thankfully a shorter one.
If you want to see the full extent of our pain on a map then please go to the following link.

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Day 28 GR1 Noguera-Palleresa

2013-03-30T18:00:00.001Z

Juan has gone so we are now doing all the food ordering on our own - last night we got lemonade instead of sparkling water and for breakfast Christine managed to order a belly pork sandwich. We watched them cooking huge slices of belly pork over the open fire, thinking what strange person has belly pork for breakfast - the strange person turned out to be Christine

We also thought Juan had taken the good weather with him back to Madrid. It rained heavily all night and the forecast for today was terrible. It actually turned out to be OK.

We planned to walk to Ager, and then get a taxi to Noguera-Palleresa. We have a big walk tomorrow and two heavy days in a row would be a bit much for Christine who has only been walking for four days. We had a great day's walking although our accommodation at the day's end was a bit "different".

The puenta at Puenta de Montañana

Leaving Puenta de Montañana, walking south along a nice trail near the river, we then had to walk for five kilometres along a road. Disappointing considering the rest of the walk was amazing.

One thing about not doing much research before you set off is that you never know quite what to expect. I knew we had a gorge walk but this one far exceeded my expectations.

Guarding the gorge - Castell de Girbeta

Leaving the road the trail takes you across an amphitheatre of cliffs with an inviting gap towards the south. To the north, high on the cliff is a watch tower, the Castell de Girbeta and below a church with an impossibly long name. The trail is muddy and for just for a few minutes we miss the sure footing provided by road.

The start of an amazing trail down the Gorge Ribagorcana

All those thoughts disappeared as soon as we turned the corner and entered the gorge. The massive vertical cliffs, 500 metres high in places, crowd in on you, with the gorge no more than 20 metres wide in places. Crashing along the gorge bottom, muddy coloured with last night's rain, is the River Ribagorcana. The views up and down the gorge are amazing and the clever positioning of the Castell de Girbeta becomes particularly apparent.

An amazing trail

Perhaps the star of this amazing show is the path itself. It has been carved out of the cliff mid-way up the gorge. I know some people who would have suffered vertigo from the walk but it didn't seem to bother the Spaniards who were rushing along the trail with small children.

Special mention to one particular family we stopped and passed the time of day with - very impressed with our walk across Spain.

Rope trail up the side of the cliff

Eventually, after 6/7 kilometres the gorge starts to open out. Right before our eyes a man leaps off the top of the cliff happily opening his parachute just before landing. A lot of typical Spanish shouting up and down the cliff but there was no second mad jumper. Extreme sports seem to feature along this trail as evidenced by the rope trail which went up the face of the cliff on the opposite side.

Cliffs funneling into the gorge

The cliffs which had been so close together opened up like a giant horizontal fan - symmetrical but growing further and further apart. Great views, the only challenge was a huge gorge, down one side and then up the other, and the drama, all of a sudden was over

Reservoir at Canalles

After stopping for coffee at Corçà at 2. 30, we set off on the final part of the walk down to Ager. Nice walk, different to Juan's trail, up the side of the valley and along an old track. It was now warm and the heat and the moisture from last night's rain triggered off three sharp showers in the space of 90 minutes.

Rare photograph of me

In the bar in Ager we asked about a taxi and were told that there wasn't any. The woman behind the bar went off down the road and found someone, the owner of a local auberge, who was willing to take us to Noguera-Palleresa.

Corca

To be honest we did regret not staying in the auberge in Ager and asking the man to take us down in the morning. The "bungalow" we are staying in is really a garden shed but we are making do. We had our earliest ever Spanish dinner, pizza in the bar at 7.30, and I suspect we will be away at about that time in the morning.

If you want to see where we went on a map then go to the following - link

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Day 27 GR1 to Puente de Montañana

2013-03-27T18:50:00.001Z

Today, for two basic reasons, was a tougher walk than I expected.

Firstly it was longer, 28 kilometres rather than the 23 we had expected.

Secondly the going was difficult, a lot of it muddy and "claggy", often overgrown, and occasionally disappearing across a muddy gully. It was just hard work.

Tough trail

There has been a lot of rain over the last couple of days, mostly at night, but although it was drizzling this morning it didn't really rain hard on the day. If it had done today would have been impossible.

After an excellent breakfast (tosta, tomatoes and olive oil, jams, cakes, chocolate donuts, fresh orange juice, and gallons of cafe con leche) we went with Juan in a taxi down to Lascuarre. We said goodbye to Juan, who took the GR1 in the opposite direction before returning to Madrid tonight.

We could have joined the GR1 at Lascuarre but instead avoided a big loop and walked along the road for about 6 miles towards Castigaleu. It was damp, drizzling, and the road took us through a gauntlet of pig farms. When we did leave the road, just before Castigaleu, it was so muddy we regretted it. It's a special sort of mud here that obstinately sticks in huge clods to your boots.

After Castigaleu it felt like we were back on the GR1 proper. Lovely ancient trail, but often overgrown and easy to loose. It was noticeable today how the GR1 would often take you along an original pathway which, without use and some maintenance, had simply become impossible. To make progress you had to find an alternative way through and then often lost the way marks.

Monesma de Benasbarra

I guess the first milestone after Castilgaleu was the abandoned church at Monesma de Benasbarra. We had been making slow progress, climbing a lot, and we changed direction at the church and hoped the going would get easier. It got worse. Passing the flank of the Tozal del Puyol, with its ruined castle on top, we had to cross an endless series of gullies where the rain had washed great slices out of the hillside and finding the path was almost impossible.

Sarroca de Monesma

Eventually we made it to the ruined village of Sarroca de Monesma and were surprised to find amongst the ruins a shepherd and his mother still trying to make a go of things.

Sarroca de Monesma

Downhill and we really thought we had cracked it but after 3 or 4 kilometres of fast walking along a farm trail we were once again crossing gullies and trying to find our way along overgrown ancient trails.

Things finally turned around at the little farmstead of Môra de Montanyana. The trail was often overgrown but it was steadily downhill, and the ancient walled walkway sufficiently well defined to make following the route easy and a pleasure.

Lovely ancient trails beyond Môra de Montanyana

Eventually we dropped down to Montañana which is a spectacular spot set at the junction of two gorges. The route takes you past a church, which sits on a rock high above the village and a defensive tower. There are ruins everywhere. The village itself is tiny but perfectly preserved with an lovely original footbridge, cobbled streets and ancient arches.

The church above Montañana

The final walk down the road was longer than we anticipated (everything is) but we spotted the hostal immediately which saved about an hour on the usual timing.

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Day 26 GR1 to Roda de Isabena

2013-03-26T19:25:00.001Z

Roda de Isabena isn't on the GR1 Sendero Historico so today was a Juan Holgado variant and well worth it too. The little hill top town hosts one of the first Romanesque cathedrals in Spain and given that the theme of this trip seems to be stunning hill top towns it would be a crime to miss it. We will be back on the straight and narrow tomorrow.

Roda de Isabena

It rained heavily all night but the weather this morning was bright and fresh, Christine's run of good continues but the odds look stacked against her for tomorrow. We left Graus via a taxi and started our walk from the little village of El Sofer. The views were wonderful with fresh snow on the mountains in the distance.

Dozens of griffons

Perhaps the dominant feature was a beautiful set of red cliffs to the north west - the Morrón de Güell. As we approached them the sky literally filled with griffon vultures - dozens of them swirling above our heads- Spain really is the vulture capital of Europe.

Ermita de la Virgen de las Rocas

The first objective for the walk was the little church, the Ermita de la Virgen de las Rocas set high up under the lee of the cliffs. We dumped our bags under some bushes and for a time it looked like we were going to share our trip with a group of elderly Catalans who had come up the track in cars, but the muddy trail put them off. Like the church at Grustán yesterday the Ermita was built on the border between Moorish and non-Moorish Spain with the original parts of the structure dating back to the 10th Century. Fantastic views in all directions and well worth the climb.

Morrón de Güell

After picking up our bags, which somehow had got heavier, we set off towards Roda de Isabena. Interesting route which involved crossing a series of gullies apparently carved out of an ancient river delta formed from sediments eroded from the Pyrenees. Very interesting to amateur pontificating geologists like Christine and me. The views back to the Morrón de Güell were amazing.

Cloisters to the catherdral

The deepest gully was the one immediately in front of Roda de Isabena - nice walk down but a tough walk up, particularly after we lost the trail and had to do a bit of scrambling. Christine was determined to get there as quickly as she could preferring a late lunch to a late dinner and for once she didn't slow down in the afternoon.

Staying at the Hospederia, which I think is owned by the Aragon government, very nice, and the hotel restaurant turned out to be part of the cathedral. Lovely food.

Had a trip round the cathedral later in the afternoon, very interesting. We heard about Eric the Belgium who about 20 years or so ago stole the cathedral's most precious piece of furniture, a ninth century boxwood chair, and in the process broke it into small bits. Eric is a famous Belgium in these parts.

Streets in Roda de Isabena

After the Cathedral tour, Juan tried to persuade us to walk down the hill to look at an ancient bridge. We declined saying we could imagine what it looked like. Sorry Juan but after a lunch like that there is only so much sight seeing you can do.

If you want to see where we went today on a map then please go to the following link

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Day 25 GR1 to Graus

2013-03-25T18:46:00.001Z

Christine's luck continued into a second day. Wonderful sun all morning until about 2pm. Then cloud and wind, but it didn't start to rain until we got to the hotel in Graus.

Great breakfast at casa rural in Salinas de Trillo, again everything homemade. Four different sorts of cured meat, cheese and of course sweet Spanish tomato pulp to put on your toast. There was a litre of red wine on the table but no takers, but the cafe con leche with this morning's fresh goats milk went down very well. The cost per person, by the way, was 38 euros for dinner bed and breakfast and as much red wine and other home made beverages as you can drink - Spain offers great value.

When we left we really felt like we had made some new friends. Would be great to go back there.

Setting down the hill towards Trillo we were treated to early morning aerobatics from the vultures. In addition to the huge brown ones I've seen all the way along the GR1 Sendero Historico, we saw a pair of smaller ones, a bit nippier than their jumbo cousins, with white undercarriages, at first sight could have been sea-birds.

Salinas de Trillo

Trillo the next village along the route had a particularly fine location, perched on a cliff above the river. For once we could get inside the church and although it was in an advanced state of disrepair the frescos were still intact. The woman who was gardening just outside asked Juan to send her best wishes to a woman up at Pano.

Ruined church at Trillo

Getting to the next village was quite hard work, up and down a series of gorges but following a lovely ancient trail often carved literally out of the rock face.

Castillo de Panillo

After passing through Caneto, with the views getting better all the time as we climbed, we arrive at Pano and Juan rushes into the only restored building in the place to try and find the woman to whom he has been tasked with sending a message. She's not there but he finds another one, a lovely woman who insists on providing us with lunch. Surprised but grateful we stuff ourselves with a slightly odd mixed of dates, cheese, strawberries, tuna and crackers, and wild asparagus sautéed with shallots and garlic - all washed down with gallons of tea. She refused to take any money.

Scenically the next hour was the best with fantastic 360 degree views. Particularly enjoyed looking back to snow covered Puntón de Guara which I walked past three days ago, and north to the Pyrenees including great views of the highest mountain in the range, the Pico del Aneto.

Along the Canada Real

After climbing to the Castillo de Pano, a castle built in the 11th Century on the foundations of a moorish castle, it was downhill all the way. The initial stretch was along a wide Canada Real which we shared with a herd of goats.

Grustán

The descent was pretty relentless and apart from a visit to the abandoned village of Grustán, with a particularly fine Romanesque church, there wasn't that much to see and it got colder and windier.

As usual Christine's spirit sank as our destination refused to arrive complaining that the route we were on, hundreds of years old, was on the wrong side of the gorge. Couple of beers in Graus seemed to revive her but after 60 kilometres in two days, and the acquisition of a large blister on her toe, she is considering her travel options for tomorrow particularly as the forecast is for rain.

If you want to see where we went today then please go to the following link

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Day 24 GR1 to Salinas de Trillo

2013-03-25T06:09:00.001Z

First day for Christine and so far she has been 100 per cent lucky, gorgeous sunny morning, clouded up just a bit in the afternoon but both the thunder storms missed us, one to the north and one to the south.

Got better views of Liguerre de Cinca this morning (it was dark when we got there last night), great location and carefully restored. Very much like a Parador, the trade union has done a great job.

Liguerre de Cinca

The best part of the walk was also in the morning. About a kilometre north of Liguerre de Cinca you enter a steep sided gorge, with a river running along the bottom and a narrow path cut into the rocks along its eastern side with grape hyacinths and violets littering it, Lovely path, lasts for about three kilometres until you emerge at the dam which is holding back the huge reservoir which we looked down on from the Castillo de Samitier last night. A huge vulture sat in the sun on a rock above the gorge waiting for someone to fall off the path.

Above the Río Cinca

The Pyrenees were particularly clear and you could see them as soon got above the dam. Protruding from the reservoir is the tower of the church for the village which was flooded when the dam was built. The reservoir is full at the moment but more of the church is revealed every summer as the level of the water drops.

Along the gorge path above the Río Cinca

More great views of the Pyrenees as we walked up over a little pass and down to El Humo de Moro which had a restaurant and bar and some smelly pigs tastefully housed in camouflaged pig styes. Christine and I waded through a river before we got there without taking off our trainers which, in my case at least, will guarantee that the shoes smell like the pigs.

Submerged church in the Embalse de Mediona

Stopped for lunch at the El Humo de Moro which I think is the fourth lunch stop I've had on this trip. Red wine, bruschetta, cheese ham and chorizo.

The Pyrenees from the Muro de Roda

The afternoon was a bit messy. We followed the GR1 north and took the variant up to the Muro de Roda, spectacular church high on a hill with more great views of the Pyrenees and the thunderstorms rolling up the valley from the west. Slightly disconcerted about the weather we also started to work out how far we have got to walk and of course it's a lot further than expected.

Ermita de Santa Bárbera on the Muri de Roda

Christine's energy levels, already running low after the "extra" climb up the hill Muro de Roda, were now dangerously close to empty. We decide to take a more direct route to Salinas de Trillo chopping off the huge meander the GR1 makes at this point.

The thunder storms passed close by and we feel spots of rain but once they have left the scene the sun returns and on the final run into Salinas de Trillo we get more great views of the Pyrenees.

Casa at Salinas de Trillo

Quite a big first day for Christine, 33 kilometres, and without the short-cut, it would have been 40. No blisters though and nothing that a good dinner and some nice Spanish wine didn't put right.

Christine adds
Good dinner comprised homemade chicken soup, aubergine fritters, pork and garlic meatballs in mushroom sauce and homemade sausages, all followed by little slices of chocolate ice, borage leaf frittata and tiny home made biscuits. Large dishes of food were put in front of us and we helped ourselves. When you get a good casa rural it takes some beating.

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Day 23 GR1 Liguerre de Cinca

2013-03-24T11:15:00.001Z

Apparently the weather has been dodgy back in the UK and Christine was stuck on runway at Stansted for 5 hours. Poor Juan was waiting for her at Zaragoza Airport with the intention of making a multi-modal trip to Samitier to meet me at 3 o'clock to climb a big hill to look at a castle before going to the hotel. Despite the plane being so late amazingly they get to Samitier after Juan charms a lift from a young woman who is waiting for her cousin on the same flight. She drives them the 75 kilometres to Huesca and they then get the taxi as planned - alls well that ends well.

All I have had to do today is walk 20 kilometres from Paulas de Sarsas to Samitier. Nice walk but without with drama of yesterday. The Pyrenees were shrouded in cloud and the little villages had people living in them. Within 15 kilometres or so from rural desolation, villages like Arcusa had been restored and the houses gentrified.

El Coscollar

After Arcusa the route descended into a messy landscape of gullies, gorges and pine trees. Not an unpleasant trail but not memorable either, or maybe I was just too focused on the text updates from Stansted to really notice.

Laundry at Arcusa

Once Christine and Juan arrived we dropped the bags behind some logs and marched to the top of the hill to look at the moorish tower, the castle and the church. The views were huge, still some clouds over the Pyrenees but the rest of the countryside was bathed in the soft light of a declining sun. Big contrast with snowy London.

Castle and church at Samitier

Nice walk to the Hotel as well which turns out to be part of a village bought and restored by a trade union and now run as a holiday centre for its members. Very comfortable even for those of us who don't qualify as workers any more.

View down to the Embalse de Mediano

Christine likes to read my blogs before I press the publish button, something she can't do when she is in another country. Now she is here you should notice three important changes to the output. Firstly the grammar should improve, missing words will be added and superfluous words removed. Secondly there will be some attempt to identify the trees and flowers - there are, believe it or not lots of flowers but I didn't mention them because I had no idea what they were called. Finally there will probably be a detailed account provided of all the food we have consumed.

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Day 22 GR1 Paulas de Sarsas

2013-03-24T11:12:00.001Z

Totally massive day, and apart from a 15 minute break I walked for 10 hours and 30 minutes and covered 40 kilometers. There was significant climb as well with 4 passes to cross. Another wonderful day, amazing scenery, lovely trail and so much to see.

Said goodbye to Piluca at the casa rural at 8.45 in Nocito and the next person I saw was a shepherd, stick behind his back with three wildly barking dogs, leading his flock of sheep up the hill to Las Bellostas. That was about 9 hours later and he was clearly surprised to see me.

Even more than yesterday the evidence was everywhere that this was a countryside which was full and is now empty. I had my lunch next to a church at the abandoned village of Nasarre. In front of me was a grave where a man had been buried in 1962. As I said yesterday it's all happened in my lifetime. Just down the hill, set amongst neglected terraced fields, is the large and impressive farmstead at Pardina Villanúa - you can still the blue paintwork on the beams in the front room. From the distance Otin looks like it's occupied - there is stucco on some of the houses and some have ornate metal balconies but, despite a sign on a wall pointing you to the bar, Otin is as empty as everywhere else.

Echoes from the past in Otin

People leave the country everywhere but in Spain the process was particularly dramatic. After the civil war the economy was in the deep freeze. In the early sixties things opened up and urban Spain experienced the fastest growth rates in the world. The contrast between life on top of a mountain, no running water, no electricity, and life in the city suddenly became extreme, and within a few years all the young people had gone and villages like Otin ceased to be sustainable.

Puntón de Guara

The impact of rural depopulation made today's walk interesting but the scenery alone would have been enough for a great walk. For the first half of the walk Puntón de Guara dominated and in the afternoon it was a snow covered wall of the Pyrenees. I only had time to glimpse into the mouth of the gorges just beyond Otin but alone they would have made the walk worthwhile.

Waterfall near Bara

The trail itself was generally similar to yesterday, essentially the old mule road that used to link the settlements, completely inaccessible for vehicles. Although there was nothing to quite compare with yesterday's yellow bottomed river there were still plenty of waterfalls and, if you had the time or the inclination, there were places to stop for a swim.

The Pyreenes from Nasarre

My only problem was that I didn't have enough time. After walking through seven abandoned villages (Bara I don't think is abandoned but there was no-one there today) I didn't get to the not exactly busy village of Las Bellostas until 5.45 and I still had at least 7 kilometres to walk.

Leaving Nasarre

7 kilometres on a road was a bit of an anticlimax after such a day, and if there had been any traffic I would have hitched a lift but, apart from the shepherd it was totally traffic free. By the time I got to Paulas de Sarsas the battery on my phone was on its last legs and it was getting dark. I rang the Casa Rural de Fina to try and find out where it was. As usual the woman I spoke to didn't understand a word I was saying and as I spoke I shoved the phone into the hand of a young man who was in conversation on the side of the road. He found he was talking to his mother and in an instant all was fine - brilliant, my last navigational problem of the day was resolved.

On the road to Paulas de Sarsas

Christine arrives tomorrow, good job she didn't arrive yesterday, she would not have been pleased with a 10 hour opening walk. I can't wait to see her.

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Day 21 GR1 Nocito

2013-03-24T11:10:00.001Z

Brilliant walk, great scenery, lots of interesting and unexpected things and a lovely trail.

Again it's a different route to the one Juan walked and today the GR1 Sendero Historico followed the Camino Natural de la Hoya de Huesca all the way from Arguis to Nocito. I went on the old route, which still has GR signs on it, along the road up to the pass at Mesón Nuevo only to find when I got there that the new route came cross country up from Arguis. To be honest it didn't look that nice - all routes lead to the pass and there's a sodding great motorway to be avoided whichever way you go.

Once I got on the new route the signs were brilliant and took me all the way to Nocito. Compared with the original GR1 it's more "off road" - carefully avoiding anything that could be accessed by a vehicle. It's had a lot of money spent on it including some unnecessary and slightly ugly hand-rails. Minor complaint though on what is otherwise an excellent trail.

Ugly new railings on the GR1

After a gentle descent down the valley you arrive at the largely abandoned village of Belsué. Lovely location on a little hill in the bend the river. This turned out to be the first in a series of abandoned villages and the only one with even a limited amount of life.

Belsué

Following the side of a tiny stream and past some interesting mud-rocks the trail climbs over a small pass and descends down to the abandoned farmstead at Pardina de Ascaso. It could have been more that just a farmstead, the stonework is much higher quality than other abandoned properties and it's a bigger building. Perhaps a hunting lodge for some long gone aristocrat.

Pardina de Ascaso

Just around the corner you discover why someone would spend money on a house in this location. There's a small river running down the valley from the north with a wide flat bottom of what looks like scrubbed York Sandstone - bright yellow. On its way down the river rushes over waterfalls and rests in rock-pools creating every 10 yards the best place for a picnic and a swim.

The trail follows the river to the ruined church of Santa Maria de Belsué and leaves it as it disappears into a huge reservoir the fate of all rivers in these parts.

Santa Maria de Belsué

The next abandoned village, Lúsera, is really evocative, it has everything accept people and a roof that would keep the rain out. You approach it along a ghostly old road, bordered with dry stone walls and surfaced with ancient foot worn pavements. It's bigger, grander than you would expect. The buildings surrounding the church are arranged, there is a street pattern and the arch at the far end suggests a gateway, a formal entrance to the village. This was a place where hundreds of people must have sustained a living and within my lifetime was still functioning. Amazing.

Lúsera

After Lúsera there's a steady 300 metre climb over the pass at Collada de Santa Coloma (1238 metres). At the top the scenery changes yet again, with the dominant snow covered summit of Puntón de Guara (over 2,000 metres) providing an almost Alpine view. After circumventing a valley and another little pass, it's downhill all the way to Nocito.

Puntón de Guara

After a great walk, which took a lot longer than anticipated (6 hours 30 for just over 20 kilometres) I arrived at Nocito to find everything shut - a fact confirmed gleefully by the only two locals I could get any sense from. Juan checked with the owner who will, after all, be here sometime after 6. Just have to sit in the sun and write this rubbish, no great hardship.

By the way the formation of flying birds I mentioned the other day were cranes. Some 60,000 arrive at the Sotonera reservoir every Feb/March to pair up. The Sotonera reservoir is just behind the Mallos de Riglos, the big red mountains I passed day before yesterday.

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Day 20 GR1 Arguis

2013-03-20T18:42:00.001Z

Doesn't feel that I've done a full day's walking when I finish at 2.30, particularly when weather is as perfect as it was today. Got another short one tomorrow as well!

I stayed in a casa rural in Bolea and Isabel, the landlady, couldn't stop laughing despite the fact that we didn't understand a word each other were saying. She rang her daughter this morning just to ask me if I wanted to take a sandwich, and then rang her again to find what I wanted in it. What a pain the language barrier is.

Like yesterday the GR1 has been rerouted. From Bolea until it crosses the pass at Paso de Nieve it follows the same route as the Camino Natural de la Hoya de Huesca and then reverts to its original route.

Ermita de la Trinidad

The first two thirds of the walk in particular are excellent. From Bolea you head north back to the mountains. After crossing through fields of almond trees and a gauntlet of barking dogs, you head up a valley and past the tiny Ermita de la Trinidad. Today the valley funnelled cold air down from the snowy tops of the mountains, it was blowing a gale.

Just above the Ermita de la Trinidad

The route then goes up the left side of the valley on a well marked path through pine trees. Every so often the trees open up and you're treated to increasingly spectacular views back down towards Bolea and across the huge flat plain beyond. It was a very clear day and the countryside was intensely green.

Views down to Bolea

There were some particularly nice signs on the way up warning you to be careful about crossing the streams, well at least I think that's what they said.

Eventually you reach the Paso de Nieve, appropriately named because there was still a covering of snow. At this point the GR1 leaves the Camino Natural de la Hoya de Huesca which takes a more direct and possibly more scenic route to Arguis.

Down to Bentué de Rasal

The GR1 heads north and down a steep sided valley. It's a tight trail, probably an old mule path, and great walking. Eventually the valley opens out and the path turns into an old road taking you into the village of Bentué de Rasal. There was no-one about and I doubt there are any full time residents.

Bentué de Rasal

The GR1 then joins a road which climbs gently up a valley and takes you all the way to Arguis. It's a very pretty valley but walking all the way on a road is a bit of a disappointment (although I only saw 1 car in about 90 minutes of walking).

On the road to Arguis

It remains a mystery to me that someone has taken the trouble to reroute the GR1 but in a slightly half hearted way. As the GR1 walker I feel disloyal saying it but the designers of the Camino Natural de la Hoya de Huesca, which avoids the road on its route from Bolea to Arguis, do seem to have done a better job.

Arguis

Anyway I'm staying at a very nice hostal which is just to the south of the village. Was tempted to have a boozy lunch, resisted but when I flopped on the bed in my room it collapsed under me. Clearly rumours of intense loss of weight have been greatly exaggerated.

If you want to see where I went today than go to this link

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Day 19 GR1 Bolea

2013-03-20T14:38:00.001Z

When it comes to navigating along long distance trails every country in Europe is different. In the UK we have fantastic maps, with the routes and rights of way clearly marked but on the ground the way marking is comparatively poor. In Spain the routes are not marked on the maps so you're dependent on the way marking, guides when they exist, or a GPS trail from someone who has already walked the trail before. I'm using Juan's trail which he has developed over a series of trips along the GR1.

In Spain routes do however change, much more frequently than in the UK where changing a "right of way" is a big deal legally. In addition variants are often added and "on the ground" it can get a bit confusing particularly when there is no route map to refer to. That was the story of today - lovely route but not the one I was expecting and a good bit longer.

All started well, great breakfast in a hotel with absolutely amazing views, and good weather.

Breakfast views

Setting off south along the road, rejoining the GR1, crossing the River Gállego on a road bridge and following the signs heading east, everything started as planned. After a while the route headed north, parallel with river but away from my GPS trail which heads east. The way marks were very clear so I stick with the signs expecting them to take me east "around next bend".

After 2/3 kilometres I see up ahead of me a new footbridge crossing the gorge. It dawns on me that this is a new route from Murillo de Gállego and that I'm heading up it the wrong way and about to get three quarters of the way round a circle. Without a map with the route defined on it there is no way to check.

It turns out that the new footbridge has been built for the Camino Natural de la Hoya de Huesca, a route I first saw yesterday and on which no expense has been spared. There is however no suggestion that the GR1 crossed the bridge. Deeply confused I called a friend but luckily for Juan he wasn't about - how could he have helped. I decided against retracing my steps and carried on along the route north continuing away from my GPS trail. After 100 metres or so I see a GR1 Sendero Historico marker, confirming that I am after all going in the "right direction" and that indeed the GR1 had changed its route since Juan last walked it.

Riglos

After climbing and crossing a narrow gauge railway line the route took me into Riglos a little village in a location of gob-smacking beauty - where else could the GR1 go. The set-up was similar to Agüero, but the village felt higher and the massive red cliffs of the Mallos de Riglos even more dominating. The frustration of not knowing if I was heading in the right direction was completely vanquished.

Riglos (again)

But there was more. At last the trail headed east and sharing a route with it's wealthy cousin, the Camino Natural de la Hoya de Huesca, ran along the side of those red cliffs and eventually into a deep echoing gorge. Spectacular walking and the best bit of the GR1 so far.

Pared de los Butres

Circling vultures are now an everyday thing but today, amongst the red cliffs, I saw for the first time, and much higher, V shaped formations of seasonal migrants returning north from their winter holidays in the sun.

Tower of Marcuello

After climbing up through the gorge the route heads south and arrives at promontory on which stands, in dramatic fashion, the ruins of the Tower of Marcuello. At this point the GR1 decides to part company with the Camino Natural de la Hoya de Huesca, and head down the mountain to Lina de Marcuello. This doesn't make any sense, is going to be longer, and probably less scenic, but determined to stick with the GR1 I stay with with signs and head down the mountain.

El Cubilillo

After such dramatic scenery in the morning the rest of walk was sadly a bit of an anticlimax. After Lina de Marcuello the route goes along ugly, recently constructed, gravel lanes eventually arriving at Loare where it rejoins the Camino Natural de la Hoya de Huesca. There is a wonderful castle to the north of Loare which, if I hadn't walked so far, would have been worth a visit, but I stick with the GR1 and head through the almond trees and on into Aniés.

Loarre Castle

Immediately after Aniés the route leaves the Camino Natural de la Hoya de Huesca (and my original GPS trail) only to rejoin it again before entering Bolea.

The church at Aniés

All pretty strange - a new route has come through with great signs, fantastic information boards and a new bridge over a river. Separately the GR1 has been rerouted but without any real co-ordination with the new route. For the innocent Englishman abroad it can be a bit confusing.

Well I got here, 38 kilometres and over 2,000 metres of climb, if you want to see the route than please go to the following link

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Day 18 GR1 Murillo de Gállego

2013-03-18T19:30:00.001Z

No Day 17 I'm afraid. It rained all night on Saturday and according to the weather forecast it was going to rain all day Sunday. I was in a comfortable hotel in Sos Dey Rey Catolico and the idea of tramping for 9 hours through the mud to Biel just didn't appeal. Of course what usually happens when I decide not to make a trip is that the sun comes out - well it didn't - it kept raining, walking would have been miserable and for once I had made the right decision. I hung around Sos Dey Rey Catolico all day, had a drink in the Parador, saw the sights and rested up.

I am however on a schedule - the accommodation is all booked and I'm meeting Juan and Christine at a particular time this Saturday. To get back on schedule meant a taxi trip to Biel where I was supposed to stay last night. The taxi took nearly an hour but it was a nice trip and I got to see Uncastillo yet another lovely town surrounding a castle on top of hill.

The huge church in Biel

Had a look around Biel hoping to meet Elena who had sorted out my accommodation for me but couldn't find the pharmacist she runs. I did bump into another of Juan's friends though, Pedro, who knew that I should be there.

Today's walk was excellent. The weather was good, hints of rain but hints only, and a really good trail. Hardly any road walking and lots of walking along old mule trails, trails you can't access with a vehicle. Having left Navarre the way marking has come back again, Aragon clearly takes the route seriously, which is just as well because it did take me on a different route to the one I was expecting from the GPS.

Following an ancient trail into Fuencalderas

The first part of the trip, Biel to Fuencalderas, took me along an old farm trail across open arable countryside, all bonus as I expected a road walk. Nothing at Fuencalderas, so no chance for an early coffee break.

Limestone ridges to the north-east of Fuencalderas

The scenery then got more dramatic as it headed north into higher country. In the distance, to the east, I got first sight of some red cliffs which were to feature later on. The path itself was now the mule trail which I really like, narrow, often overgrown but nicely graded and easy walking.

San Miguel de Liso

The trail crossed a couple of small valleys, all the time in evergreen oak and pine, before starting a steady climb up the ruined church of San Miguel de Liso. The church was surrounded by cows with new born calves who were not particularly pleased to see me.

The oven at San Felices

The descent down from San Miguel de Liso to San Felices was a lovely one. An open valley but with a series of rivers dropping into it from the northern side forming waterfalls and pools. San Felices itself was largely in ruins but at least one of the houses was occupied. There was a strange conical chimney, definitely in use for something but I'm not sure what.

Mallos de Agüero

After walking south for 3/4 kilometres the route turns east again and for the first time, towering above Agüero, you see these huge red cliffs. The Mallos de Agüero are 300 meters high, the home for numerous griffon vultures (you could see lines of them on the ridges) and look different from every angle. Agüero is a pretty town, with a 12th Century church in the middle but totally dominated by the cliffs above it.

Agüero

The final 5/6 kilometres were along an ancient road, with some of the original paving still intact, through fields of almonds and olives, to Murillo de Gállego. The huge red cliffs were now a kilometre or so to the north.

Murillo de Gállego

The River Gállego flows down through a gorge through the red cliffs and Murillo de Gállego is an important location for white water rafting.

My hotel is a new Spa hotel just to the south of town. There was a momentary confusion about the booking (not used to accommodating muddy men carrying bags) and to make amends the receptionist gave me an upgrade. I'm now in a suite, spread over two floors, with a giant Jacuzzi on one floor and another bathroom on the other. If I didn't have to carry them I would leaving this place tomorrow with a rucksack full of "products". Spa hotel - seriously wasted on me.

If you want to see where I went today go to the following link

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Day 16 GR1 Sos Dey Rey Catolico

2013-03-17T08:47:00.001Z

Pathetic but true, I'm lying on my bed writing this blog when there are people outside my window, dressed up in medieval outfits, playing pipes and banging drums. I've arrived in Sos on the day they celebrate the thing for which the town is famous for, the birthplace of Fernando the Catholic on the 10th March in 1452 (I guess today is the nearest Saturday). It's been a tough 38 kilometre walk and to be honest I need to rest my feet - I'm just too knackered to go out and enjoy the fun.

Actually this is a very interesting place and a sensible person would stop here for a day and take it in. It's an old fortress town on top of a hill and much of the wall and all of the gates are still intact. The medieval street pattern inside the walls is still there as is the castle, with its watch tower, and Romanesque church, and a second watch tower centred on the Sada palace. It's all been carefully restored and must be packed out in the summer. Despite all the men in tights it was fairly quite when I wandered around trying to find the hotel.

Although Sos was the highlight the rest of the walk wasn't without interest. Unfortunately yesterday's sun had disappeared and it rained gently nearly all day. No views of Pyrenees today.

Abandoned church just outside Ujue

After wandering down the hill from Ujue the trail disappeared. The countryside is a mix of cultivated terraces and Mediterranean scrub. Abandoned farmsteads are everywhere and I guess originally the trail would have linked these farmsteads together. The farmsteads are no longer used and nor in places is the trail.

Gallipienzo Antiguo

At about 12.00 I reached Gallipienzo Antiguo. Another stunning hill-top town but one that hadn't been restored to the extent of either either Sos Del Rey Catholica or Ujue. In fact it looked like it used to be a lot bigger with the remains of buildings littering the hillside all the way down to the lovely bridge over the raging Rio Aragon.

The main church in Gallipienzo Antiguo

And yet another hill top town three kilometres further along the trail at Caseda. Stopped to buy a huge ham roll which I then ate on the move - too wet and drizzly to stop.

Caseda

The final 18 kilometre stretch through farmland, which was set above the wide valley to the north but below the wooded hills to the south, was pleasant enough although the steady rain had left the trails very sticky. Odd bits of GR way-marking sent me off in the wrong direction a couple of times but I'm easily confused.

Ermita de San Zoilo

I first saw Sos Dey Rey Catolico at about 5 having started walking at about 8.30 and a very welcome sight it was too. I assumed Juan had booked me into a fabulous looking hotel at the eastern end of the town but that turned out to be the Parador. Everyone knew where my hotel was but following instructions in these maze like towns is very difficult - at least I got to explore the place. As it turns out the hotel is right in the middle next to the castle and church - much better located than the Parador. Well done Juan!

If you want to see where I walked please go to the link

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Day 15 GR1 to Ujue

2013-03-16T20:19:00.001Z

Short 17 kilometre walk today distinguished more by the destination than the journey.

Sunny weather, clear blue skies, but still cold.

Leaving Olite

Left Olite (having returned to the hotel to retrieve my hat) through a tiny arch in the wall of the Royal Palace. Great view of its huge crenelated gothic tower.

A flat road down pig alley

The first part of the walk, across the flood plain of the river, was completely flat. Pig farms were scattered across the countryside and their waste had been scattered across the fields.

There were hints that I might be reaching the end of my three day journey across the Navarre plain with higher ground beckoning in the distance. On the eastern horizon I could see what looked like a church and decided that this must be Ujue.

Transporting water south

After about two and half hours I crossed a huge brand new concrete conduit shipping water to who knows where and which seemed to define a boundary between the plain and hillier countryside. Getting higher and looking back I could make out Lagran, which I left yesterday and the mountains, now covered in snow, which I dropped down from three days ago.

Ujue

After climbing around a hill I reached a road at the end of which was Ujue, a stunning hill top town set on a promontory jutting out over a valley towards the west. As you approach along the road the land drops away on both sides and to the north-east, you can see the Pyrenees, a long line of snow covered mountains.

Fortified church at Ujue

Ujue gets better the closer you get. It's a densely packed medieval town, narrow streets, treacherously covered in snow and ice, descending from the summit on top of which sits a building which is half church half fortress.

The Romanesque core dates back to 1090 and this in turn is surrounded by a Gothic superstructure built in the early 15th Century. I particularly like the carvings which adorn the older parts of these churches and I wasn't disappointed here.

Detail from the door

The restaurants are all closed tonight so I treated myself to a late lunch in a restaurant near the church with particularly good views of the Pyrenees. I started to eat at 2.30 but I was early, people were still arriving an hour later. I'm staying in a casa rural which is OK but which, despite a huge radiator, is freezing cold. I suspect I'm the first occupant for some time.

If you want to see where I went today then please go to the following link

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Day 14 GR1 to Olite

2013-03-14T18:57:00.001Z

Weather wise it's different but not really any better. The cold north wind which dominated yesterday has abated; today it's been a mix of heavy wintry showers interspersed with sunshine.

The first of the wintry showers came just as I was finishing my breakfast - more a blizzard than a shower. The Spanish men drinking their kick start coffees seemed to be mildly amused to see a mad Englishmen preparing to go out in the snow whereas the landlady and her daughter showed much warmer hearts and were genuinely concerned. When I insisted on going, but left my walking poles behind, they came running after me, giving a hands on a steering wheel impression, and saying they would drive me Olite.

The church in Larraga

Of course it wasn't that bad and within minutes the sun was out and I was at the church in the centre of Larraga getting my departure bearings.

The sun stayed out for the long enough to get me down to Berbinzana, across an ancient looking bridge over the Rio Arga, and once again onto the massive empty plain that characterised yesterday's walk.

Disused irrigation pipes

I say empty but it's a strange mix, to my eyes anyway, of super-intensive agriculture with something which is lighter touch. For example there are large areas equipped with permanent irrigation systems and another stretch where a crop had been grown (no idea what) with the aid of huge quantities of plastic pipes. Much of the piping was just left broken and useless in the ploughed soil but the rest had been pulled out of the field and left - equally useless - in a large heap. I'm sure it makes more sense to someone else than it did to me.

Approaching Olite

Later on I walked along a stretch of the remnants of a less intensive agriculture - a Canada Real - part of a huge pan-Spain network of drove trails, established by royal decree - which were used to shift livestock, transhumance style, from part of the country to another. The trails were designed to be wide enough to grow enough grass to sustain the animals as they walked along it -perhaps urged along by the original cowboys (or that dog from yesterday).

Walking along a Cañada Real

The waymarking is as limited as ever but to be honest you hardly need it. Essentially you're travelling along farm trails and there are enough to get you from A to B. Cutting corners this time of year is not a good idea however - the ground is so wet you just sink.

The centre of Olite

Crossing a final ridge you drop down towards Olite, a bridge over the motorway and a busy road to navigate before entering what is a lovely town. It's a Roman walled settlement, a cross between a mini-Carcassonne (French Gothic), and an Italian Tuscan town. I really liked it although it was just a bit too cold to spend much time on top of the tower of the Royal Palace. Not quite so cold was the wine museum and another Parador, part of the soon to be privatised chain of state hotels, in the Old Palace.

Roof tops in Olite

If you want to see on a map of where I went today than please go to the following link

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