 Hi All
As someone has said the HRP is a concept, not a fixed route - so it's possible to mix & match or make up some alternatives, providing you have a good map & compass.
Yes, quite agree.. it is always a mistake to be a slave to the official route, even where there is one.. but what I do like to do is to have a route researched and mapped out before I start, even if I then depart from it. In the case of the HRP, this will be an interesting process! Changing the subject, I have read a number of books about the Pyrenees as background, including JB Morton "Pyrenean" (interesting.. he lived almost entirely on red wine so far as I can see!) Belloc's "Pyrenees" (some useful tips on where to stay, provided nothing has altered since 1909) and an interesting but appalling book by one John Harding called "Pyrenean High Route." This latter is actually about ski mountaineering and would be much more accurately entitled "Upper class egotistical English at play, being stupid and providing regular work for hospitals and mountain rescue in a truly irrresponsible and brainless way." Currently I am reading a truly wonderful book, highly recommended, called "Clear Waters Rising" by Nicholas Crane who managed to walk from Cape Finisterre to Istanbul over 17 (continuous) months, taking in the Picos de Europa, the Pyrenees, Cevennes, Alps, Carpathians and High Tatras. Half way point was Vienna! All related with engaging modesty and humour. Now that is what I call a walker!! Edited to add: Does anyone else have any recommendations for Pyrenean reading? Changing
|
| Edited: 21/10/09 12:43 |
Souvenirs d'un Montagnard by Count Henry Russell Killough but I'm not sure if it is available in English.
|
 |
Books wot I have read include: 'The Man who Married a Mountain' by Rosemary Bailey - about Henry Russel and Vignemal 'Love and War in the Pyrenees - A Story of Courage , Fear and Hope 1939-1944' by Rosemary Bailey - life in the Pyrenees in the war years. 'Backpacks, Boots and Baguettes. Walking in the Pyrenees' by Simon Calder and Mick Webb - a humourus account of Pyreneen trekking.
|
|
 exciting, yet sobering reading - off to do stage 2, next week. realise i've not done enough prep - bashing the maps on the weekend for me then! cheers for the tips people
|
|
 Finished the route last week. I thoroughly enjoyed most of it. Some of the best bit were slightly alternative, including one of the last stages (Veron's alternative route to going over Canigou, along "easy ridges", interesting in cloud and stormy conditions!). Happy walking
|
|
It is a brilliant day's walk though - the one via Sept Hommes presumably - and a fine way to finish the last real section of the HRP. I too did it in dense cloud, and lost the faint trace of the path several times. Dropping off the last ridge, out of the cloud, and descending to Mines Batiere with fantastic views of the Med was one of the highlights of the whole tour for me. Congratulations on completing the walk, Roger
|
|
Rob, thanks. Yes Sept Hommes. An excellent route, and without lots of path erosion (or much path at all) on most of it.
|
|
I also ended up on an 'easy ridge' by staying on main ridge over Serra del Roc Negre to save time. It was one of the highlights of the trip - had excellent visibility but this also allowed you to see the drop either side - no harder than crib goch but when there isn't another soul in sight and you know a fronts coming in it adds to the excitement. I had to take some direct routes to finish inside 30 days as I teach. However whilst chemin de mature to Pic du midi and GR11 varient to Viehla might have meant missing out on some fantastic high scenery I certainly don't regret this last variant - I imagine that Canigou can get pretty thronged. All in all I had an amazing experience, many thanks to Rob for his blog best bit of advice on it was the freedom you feel when breaking away from the guide book. Personally I think its hard to go wrong and any way across these fantastic mountains will be a memorable experience. Plus if you miss some sections you've got all the more reason to go back ad do it a different way! Thanks again Rob and good luck to anyone planning the crossing
|
|
Lee, Congratulations on a rapid traverse Roger
|
|
Just got back from an unsuccessful attempt at Aneto ... congratulations, Lee. It's fantastic walking. By the way, what are you thinking of doing next? Pyrenees or somewhere else?
|
|
Hi Rob Thanks again for your pre walk info. Have actually started a forum to get ideas for next venture called After the HRP. I am almost tempted to go back and do alternatives to every leg I took and see how it compares because I love the area and had such a great walk. My girlfriend will probably join me on the next one so I have to bear her needs in mind. Pyrenees would be perfect because you could choose to go wild, stay high with only thoughts for company or drop down and have wonderful food and wine whenever you chose to. All whilst walking through perfect landscapes but would be nice to have contrast. Corsica has a similar appeal but I have walked most routes there. Have recently been looking at John Muir trail in the states but it could be busy, wilderness with no culture and my environmental conscience has a problem with the air miles. Also considering Slovenian high route, Kungsleden, Lycian trail and Alta Via but open to any suggestions!
|
|
I'm interested to know what experience anyone has of using wi fi in the pyrenees to upload images on route. I will be doing the HRP hopefully this year and the photography will be important.
|
|
I'm interested to know what experience anyone has of using wi fi in the pyrenees to upload images on route. I will be doing the HRP hopefully this year and the photography will be important. I had two problems doing that: (1) finding wifi in the first place - none in Gavarnie for example (that I could find) (2) battery life. My smartphone kept running low and not many places have plug points for charging - very few refuges for example. So take plenty of spare batteries, or a much more effective solar charger than my useless Freeloader Mini. but the HRP generally is short of wifi spots
|
|
Some refuges have re-charge points nowadays, eg Amitges, and Colomers I think, in Aigues Tortes.
|
|
Thanks for the responses. I'll carry a Silva Solar 11 which I find works well. Shame about the wi fi but then??
|
|
 Just thought I'd say hello and stick my nose in!
I spent 3 months in 1995 weaving 1,000+ miles through the Pyrenees from Atlantic to Med. It's possible that I over-planned the details of my route, but that all changed when I lost one of my maps and had to play make-it-up-as-I-go. With no route information to follow, apart from what I could see in front of me, and what I carried in my head, I really felt I was leaving the distractions of the modern world behind. It was just the mountains and I, and backpacking had never been better.
However you approach the Pyrenees, you're highly likely to have a sensational summer there! The Pyrenees can really get under your skin...
|
|
