Pyrenees - Sunflower Books

All the walks have been rechecked for this Eighth edition of Sunflower’s best-selling guide to the Pyrenees. The maps have all been redrawn using Openstreet mapping with reference to GPS tracking, and free downloadable GPS tracks are now available for all the walks in the guide.

You don’t have to be an expert to enjoy walking in the Pyrenees with this guide book. None of the hikes requires special skills (under summer conditions) and, if you are not very fit, simply turn back when you feel like it (although there are also specific short walk suggestions with most of the itineraries). Nevertheless, the authors (who have lived in the Pyrenees for 30 years) believe that “experienced and fit walkers will find much to enjoy, for we have included some of the wildest scenery in the Pyrenees, walked pilgrim routes and World War 2 escape routes, climbed to summits (like Canigou), enjoyed the habitat of marmots, vultures and lizards (the Pyrenean chamois), and not neglected the great and the famous (like the Breche de Roland)”.

Area covered: This book covers the entire Pyrenees range in France, Spain and Andorra, and describes well over 400 kilometres of walks — the equivalent of a coast-to-coast traverse, one of the ‘classics’ for all serious walkers.

The best months for walking in the Pyrenees are from June to September.

TOURING
Car tour 1: THE ALBERES 12
Car tour 2: INTO THE MOUNTAINS 14
Car tour 3: TO THE CADI 16
Car tour 4: THE PLATEAU OF THE CATHARS 18
Car tour 5: DEEP VALLEYS, HIGH PEAKS, PAINTED CAVES 21
Car tour 6: PARC NACIONAL D’AIGUES TORTES 23
Car tour 7: ‘GROTTES’ AND GARGOYLES 25
Car tour 8: MARVELS AND MIRACLES 27
Car tour 9: GRAND CANYONS TOUR 29
Car tour 10: THE VALLEY OF THE BEAR 31
Car tour 11: LIMESTONE AND LEGENDS 33
Car tour 12: INTO THE BASQUE COUNTRY 35

WALKS IN THE EASTERN PYRENEES
1 Vilajuïga · Dolmen de la Vinya del Rei · Sant Pere de Rodes · Serra de l’Estela · Llançà 45
2 (Roses) · Cadaqués · Cala Jóncols · Roses 48
3 Collioure · Notre-Dame-de-Consolation · Tour Madeloc · Banyuls-sur-Mer 51
4 Fageda d’en Jordà · Santa Pau · Volcà de Santa Margarida · Volcà Croscat · Fageda d’en Jordà 55
5 Sant Aniol d’Aguja 58
6 Alta Garrotxa – Santa Bàrbara de Pruneres 61
7 A Canigou canter 63
8 Carança cliffhanger 65
9 Núria · Gorges del Freser · Queralbs 68
10 Pedraforca 71

WALKS IN THE CENTRAL PYRENEES
11 Sant-Miquel d’Engolasters · Madriu Valley · Refugi del Riu dels Orris · Sant-Miquel d’Engolasters 74
12 Mourgouillou Valley · Etang de Comte · Etang de Couart · Etang Vidal · Etang de Comte · Mourgouillou Valley 77
13 Gorgeous Gorges de la Frau 80
14 Among the lakes 82
15 Circuit around Lake Artax (Artats) 84
16 Crête des Isards 86
17 Parc Nacional d’Aigües Tortes 88
18 A taste of the Baronnies 90
19 The roof of the Pyrenees 93
20 Cirque de Gavarnie 95
21 Russell’s Caves 98
22 Brèche de Roland 100
23 Pont d’Espagne · Vallée du Marcadau · Refuge Wallon · Lac du Pourtet · Pont d’Espagne 103
24 Valle de Pineta · Collado de Añisclo · Valle de Pineta 106
25 The Añisclo Canyon 109
26 Ordesa – the grand canyon walk 111
27 Pic d’Anie 115

WALKS IN THE WESTERN PYRENEES
28 The song of Roland (Mt Astobizkar) 118 29 Roncesvalles 120
30 Iparla Ridge 122
31 Circuit based on Biriatou 125
32 Choldokogagna (Xoldokogaiña) 129
33 Col d’Ibardin 131
34 Peñas de Haya (Aia) 132