Walking the High Pyrenees - Vallter 2000

Set in the high Pyrenees on the Spanish side of the French and Catalan border and framed by the peaks Bastiments (2881 mts), Gra de fajol (2714 mts) and Pic de la dona (2702 mts), Vallter is a small and friendly ski resort in the winter months and is just 2 hours away from the Villa, door-to-door.

Due to it's elevated position and good coverage of snow canons, it has a skiable range of 1,910 to 2,535 metres (6,266 to 8,317 ft) with 12 runs and 11 lifts and is a good choice if you're looking for a quiet resort to just go skiing for the day. http://www.vallter2000.cat

Today though, we are hiking from the base of the ski resort to the top of Bastiments.  As the name suggests, Vallter - Vall (Valley) / Ter (River Ter) - is also the source of the River Ter which flows from the Pyrenees some 208 kms to the the Mediterranean Sea at Estartit. During the Summer and Autumn months, it also becomes a wonderful place to hike the Pyrenees and escape the heat of the coast and Catalan lowlands.

The first part of this hike is a very easy walk through the pine forests and along the river to the refuge at d'Ulldeter where you can get a cold beer and a menu del dia for €12.00.  The refuge at Ulldeter is also the starting point of the Ruta de Ter, a designated hiking route that follows the river across 5 Catalan counties all the way to the seaside town of Estartit where it empties into the Mediterranean Sea. http://www.rutadelter.cat

Hiking the high Pyrenees is not for the faint-hearted ! The route today was relatively easy, even for vertigo sufferers such as myself, but as always when walking in the mountains, you need to have some basic knowledge / common sense and look at the weather forecast carefully before you decide to venture out onto the mountain. Today in the morning, the weather was perfect ! We each had basic hiking kit, some carried poles, water and a picnic for the top of the mountain :)

Just above the tree line heading up to Bastiments

The hike today took just under 3 hours with an hour for lunch at Bastiments. The vertical climb was just under 1000 mts (3,000 ft) and apart from it being a little steep towards the top, was suitable for walkers of all levels and moderate fitness.

Walking along the ridge between peaks

At the top of Bastiments, the views were stunning ! From here you can see the whole southern range of the Pyrenees stretching into France and north towards Andorra. To the south, the iconic mountain of Canigou and the coastal range descending down to the Mediterranean sea.

360º Panorama from the top of Bastiments

The group from Olot and "La Casi" - Our Golden Retriever

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About me… I have lived in Calonge (province of Girona) on the Costa Brava since 2003 after retiring as a pilot from the british Royal Air Force. My passions are hiking, biking, skiing, photography and discovering and sharing the hidden cultural treasures of this beautiful country. My day job entails managing a luxury self-catering rental Villa, Casa Cal Domino, and in my search for new and interesting things to do for my clients whilst they are here on holiday, I have been genuinely overawed by the beauty and diversity of this land. I’m not leaving any time soon. I love it here and I hope to inspire you to come and discover this wonderful country for yourself.