A slice of luck sees me doing some work near Olot in Catalonia at the end of May and I want to stay over for a week afterwards walking and camping. I'll be on public transport so options include getting a bus to Puigcerda, Nuria or walking over the border into France north of Olot into the Canigou area. Going further west psat Andorra looks difficult and time consuming. And then I have to get back to Olot.
My main concern is snow as we had a nasty incident a couple of years ago falling through a snow patch near Lescun on the HRP so I just want to stay low but also get into some wild areas. Previous experience tells me anywhere high will be too snowy for me at that time of year. GR11 east of Puigceda looks possible but maybe a bit dull?? Lower slopes around Carlit or Canigou maybe?? Garrotxa park in Spain??
Over the border in France, the Cathar Castles have seemed an interesting 'project' to me, and might be suitable for you, being in the eastern Pyreneean foothills.
I have no personal experience of walking in the area but here's a guide book.
Public transport could be sparse. Just to fool us a number of the buses appear on timetables as SNCF trains (on train routes where the track has been removed a la Beeching ).
I did Le Tour du Carlit in the first week of June in 2003. It was lovely and the little snow around was very patchy and completely avoidable then. We drove there so public transport wasn't a problem for us.
So if the weather's good you can do it at that time of year. It is well worth it.
Interesting Justin, I had reckoned it would be too snowy that early. I know it's unpredictable but good to know that it could be possible. Travel round there should be fine for me as I can start from Puigcerda or maybe one of the French train stations I suppose.
Stuart - if you message me with your e-mither address I can send you some photos
by the way: we just did the route anti-clockwise in 3 days and didn't do the peak. But it does go up to about 2200m (i think) at Portella de la Grava. The Refuge at Lac du Bouillouses was very good. The one one east side of the dam. Best food & wine I've ever had in a refuge.
