Winter walks – part 3
THE PYRENEAN snow drought is well and truly at an end. Over the last two weeks more than four metres of the white stuff has fallen in parts of the mountain chain, according to meteorologists on the Sexta TV channel.
This has led to the closures of roads, spa resorts and – ironically – some ski resorts, which in early January had been shut due to the lack of snow. And, in the short term, it is set to continue snowing hard – at least until Sunday.
Once the situation (and the snow) has settled down, then the big winners will be skiing aficionados. Walkers will be hampered – apart from on low lying routes. However, snow shoes make walking possible – and enjoyable – on some of the less exacting routes.
A classic walk – which many people take on wearing snow shoes (raquetas de nieve) is on the GR-11 trans-Pyrenean footpath to Anayet glacial lakes. To get to the start point, drive past Sallent de Gállego on the A-136, passing Formigal ski resort towards France. Take the turn off left for Anayet and drive up the road (only open in winter) to park at the skiers’ car park (snow shoes can probably be hired from the ski station). This route will now be covered in snow from start to finish. The GR-11 footpath passes to the right of the ski slopes and directly above the shallow river valley. The tracks of other walkers will soon appear and red/white waymarks may be visible on the rocks. The route soon takes a dogleg right to ascend the valley which leads up to the Anayet plateau. This is a well traversed route and tracks will be visible. It’s a couple of kilometres up the valley to the wonderful flat area, with its lakes which will be covered with snow in winter, beneath the volcano-like peak, Pico de Anayet (2,545m).
Return on the same path.
Where to stay?
The attractive villages of Panticosa and Sallent have a variety of options, with different prices. A good economical option in Panticosa, opposite the medieval church, is Hotel Navarro (www.hotelnavarro.com). Hotel Aguas Limpias (www.hotelaguaslimpias.es) is one of many in Sallent. Many of them appear on www.booking.com
How to get there
Take the A-7 motorway past Valencia towards Sagunto. Turn off on the A-23 to Teruel. Pass Zaragoza and Huesca, then on to Sabiñanigo. Here turn off for France on the N260 road and then on the A-136 heading to Panticosa and Sallent. It’s around 7hrs from the south Costa Blanca.