“Hitting the spot on trails less trodden”
The Trips - Most recent first, Click on images to enlarge
Ardnamurchan - Coll - Tiree - Muck - Canna - Rum - Eigg
Clare - Wicklow - Mourne Mts. - North Donegal - Antrim Coast - Rathlin Island
Snaefellsnes - Hornstrandir - Fimmvorduhals - Skaftafell - Seydisfjordur
Gjogv - Famjin - Tjornuvik - Vidareidi - Saksun - Sandoy - Trollanes
Jotunheimen - Innerdalen - Kystriksveien - Lofoten - Vesteralen
Muncaster Fell - Blind Tarn - Eel Tarn - Stony Tarn - Lingcove - Scar Lathing - Green Crag - Hardknott - Devoke Water - Boat How
Summer Isles - Lochinver - Drumbeg - Scourie - Sandwood Bay - Reef - Uig - Rhenigidale - Luskentyre - Hushinish - Trotternish - Glendale
Hope Bowdler Hill - Caer Caradoc - The Long Mynd - The Stiperstones
Kerlingarfjoll - Myvatn - Borgarfjorthur eystri - Lonsaraefi - Jokulsarlon - Skaftafell - Landmannalaugar - Vik
Crag Fell - Floutern - Angler's Crag - Bowness Knott
Gower Peninsula - Purbeck Coast - Upper Teesdale - Brecon Beacons - Vale of Ewyas - Rhinns of Galloway - Lee Valley Walk - Gun Hill, Norfolk - Isle of Portland - Audley End - My Most Heavenly Hikes - Book Reviews
Holy Vale - Bryher - Bant's Carn - Tresco - St.Agnes - St.Martin's - Toll's Hill - Peninnis Head
Bec de Roces - Monte Averau - Lago di Misurina - Valparola - Marmolada - Alpe di Siusi - Alta Badia - Viel del Pan
Parc Nacional d'Aiguestortes - Gerber - Les-Bausen - Morrano - Ratera - Monestero - Montanheta - Colomers - Baciver
Ponta de Sao Lourenco - Boca do Risco - Pico Ruivo - Boca da Corrida - Balcoes
Valtournenche - Valnontey - Valsavarenche - Valsesia
Suldental - Trafoiertal - Valfurva - Valle dei Forni
Around Aldeburgh - Around Snape Maltings - Around Orford - Orford Village
Low Fell - Down by Crummock Water - High Nook - Mosedale - Around Mellbreak - Low Ling Crag
Parata - Spelunca - Calanches - Girolata - Tavignano - Cap Corse
Belvedere Glacier - Pecetto - Lago delle Fate - Staffa - Campagneda and Prabello - Lago di Gera - Fellaria - Campo Moro - Musella - Forbici - Marinelli
Around Rifugio Savoia - Lakes Rossett and Leita - Gran Collet - Basei - Ferauda - Alpe Comba
Pian del Re - Lakes Superiore, Lausetto and Fiorenza - Via del Sale - Lake Chiaretto - Lake Grande di Viso - Lake Alpetto - Costa del Vallone - Crissolo
Glen Affric - Glen Strathfarrar - Glen Cannich
Imada - Garajonay - Chipude - Vallehermoso - Epina - Alojera - Agulo - Hermigua - Caldera de Taburiente - Barranco de las Angustias - Ruta de los Volcanes
Llanddwyn - Rhosneigr - Trearddur - Holyhead Mountain - Carmel Head - Cemaes - Amlwch - Moelfre
Slap Savica - Ukanc - Mostnice - Vogel - Jezero Jasna - Zelenci - Slap Martuljek - Vrsic - Zadnja Trenta - Sleme - Kriski Podi - Izvir Glijun and Slap Virje
Cirque de Gavarnie - Saugué - Vallée de Pouey Aspé - Bayssellance - Petit Vignemale - Espuguettes - Col du Pimené
Tonbridge - Penshurst - Ashurst - Forest Row - Turners Hill - source
Barley - Pendle Hill - Black Moss - Wycoller - Pendle Way
Kermorvan - Porz Doun - Pern - Corn Here - Veilgoz - Baie des Trepasses - Raz - Van - Pen Hir
Zelene plese - Mala Studena dolina - Velka Studena dolina - Popradske pleso - Velke Hincovo pleso - Strbske pleso
Gavarnie
I’d been to the Spanish Pyrenees (see Trip 13) so I wanted to try the French side of the mountain range. Ever since childhood, I’d heard of Gavarnie and its cirque so it was my first choice to check out. The map (Carte de Randonnees, Hiking map 12, 1:50,000, Gavarnie-Ordesa, 2018) showed me that there are enough trails around Gavarnie, apart from the cirque, to keep me happy for 3 weeks with rest days in between.
There’s one summer bus a day from Tarbes, Lourdes or the airport (same bus) but it’s in the early morning so you’ll have to stay in Tarbes or Lourdes overnight, unless you are driving. Gavarnie is full of hotels and tourist flim-flam but still manages to retain some scenic charm and a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere. It’s really a village of two parts, a lower one where most of the vehicles are parked, and a higher one where most of the shops are. In between, there’s a short ‘corniche’ past a large hotel which takes 5 minutes to walk. I loved the whole place despite the hordes of day-trippers heading for the cirque.
Click to enlarge the map.