Benasque winter walks - part III
THIS short walk from the village of Eriste, which is 2kms to the south of Benasque, is a pleasant route which offers possibilities to go much higher.
The basic stroll runs up to the impressive waterfall – the Cascada de la Espigantosa – which becomes an awesome manifestation of the power of nature when snowmelt swells the flow.
This small section of the Pyrenees to the west of Benasque is dominated by the towering presence of Posets which, at 3,369 metres, is the highest of the liberal sprinkling of 3,000-metre summits in the area.
The route runs along the PR HU-36 which has a destination of the Ángel Orús mountain refuge. The walker can opt to do the shorter route (5km one way) to the waterfall or continue on to the refuge (8.2km one way). A wide track runs to the waterfall, then it’s a path to the refuge.
The walk
The signs for the start of the PR HU-36 can be found towards the top of Eriste. Follow the cobbled streets up from the entrance to the mountain village, which lies off the A-139 road.
Soon the streets turn into an unsurfaced track and the walker enters the wonderful Eriste valley (also called the Vall de Grist).
The track follows the lefthand bank of the river. After around 1.5km an attractive stone bridge in the classic Pyrenees style provides passage over the river.
Walk up the track to turn left and ascend on the righthand bank of the river.
It’s a little more than 3km up the valley/ravine to the vantage point which looks over the Espigantosa waterfall.
Here there is information about the fast disappearing glaciers in the Pyrenees – and an offshoot path that heads up to the Clot de Chil refuge.
The white-yellow waymarks of the PR route continue up the Eriste valley, now on a path.
In the winter this route may be covered with ice and snow and it will be down to each walker to evaluate the risks and decide if they wish to continue on to the Ángel Orús refuge.
The bait is that they will soon start to see glimpses of the towering Posets Massif and peaks measuring more than 3,000 metres, with views improving as they go higher. Return by the same route.
Continues next week