Although
this was not an official METHS meet, it was felt that the narrative given below
is of general interest.
Some days in the BENASQUE VALLEY IN THE
ARAGONESE PYRENEES
Participants: Daphne Martin (DM3), Bruce Martin (Legs), Rachel Hedley (Bruce’s
partner), Terry May (almost a METHS member due to his prowess at the METHS
Goriz Meet in Oct ’06), Ivan Polunin (whose grandfather was a choreographer to
the Russian Ballet. That obviously
accounts for Ivan’s stylish steps to summits!)
Daphne writes:
These two
from London and three from Mallorca joined up in Barcelona and drove to
Benasque Village. Conditions were
glacial and very windy but, at Camping Aneto, with a splendid view down the
valley, they were comfortable in a heated dormitory with en suite
bathroom and a kitchen at the end of the corridor.
Except for
one morning of blizzard, the weather during the entire trip was cold but bright
giving “National Geographic” views of snow-laden slopes, spectacular peaks,
hundreds of cheeky marmots and of izards (as chamois are called in the
Pyrenees). At this time of the year many
of the valleys were full of snow so we often had to go by compass, and map
reading was the essence of success.
Luckily Bruce and Rachel never let us get lost.
Flowers
were lovely - though not yet at their best.
Mountainsides are covered in fantastic blooms in late June and July.
During the
entire trip we met no one, except for a few people at the huts – but between
mid June and late September be prepared for crowded conditions in the huts,
especially at weekends. Luckily the
outside is big enough to hide mobs.
Sa
Renclusa, (2140m) on
the east side of the Benasque Valley, is a large, newly refurbished, “hut” with
50 individual bunks in dormitories for 4 or 6 people. Each dormitory has an en suite
bathroom with hot water. (luxury!!!).
Arriving on May 29th, before the season started, we had a
dormitory each !!! and shared the entire place with only 4 other people -
skiers, though where they skied on those steep, rocky slopes is a
conundrum.
After
exploring the sparkling routes round Sa Renclusa we proceeded, via a bridge
that consisted of a fallen tree, to Estós (1895m), an older but comfortable
“hut” on the Western side of the Benasque Valley (115 places in 30-person
dormitories with mattresses on three-tiered “shelves”). From here we walked in a genuine blizzard,
enjoyed an immensely long sun-splashed grassy ridge, and were thrilled by a
marvellously scenic hike round eleven small semi-frozen lakes and lots of
smaller “puddles” and ponds.
As a sample
of some of our exploits I describe just one episode:
B,
R and D climbed the all-white valley.
Somewhere below them, under the snow, was the path. On a parallel course T set off up boulders
along the valley wall and Iv, having had nightmares of people falling through
snow bridges and being swept away by the river beneath, followed. They had some tricky moments up there amid
the wind-blasted boulders and on the edge of a steep drop. The other three made it to the foot of Ibon
(lake) de Barrancs (2600m) and waited, worried and FROZEN, despite having
donned every stitch of available clothing, for the other two to appear – which
they eventually did –from slightly ABOVE !!!!
The
Ibon de Barrancs is an expanse of semi frozen water shaped like an isosceles
triangle with its base to the east. We
reached the western apex and ventured a few metres on to see the view along the
lake. The idea had been to circle the
Ibon des Barrancs but the wind was so strong and so icy that courage
failed. Maybe some of the group would
have continued… However, we called it a
day and, at speed, “ski-ed” down the snow-filled valley, then negotiated fields
of vast, cluttered, angular boulders. We
clambered down to the Pilan (flat valley) de Aiguallut where we passed circular
remains of stone-age dwellings. On a
nearby plateau is a monolith etched with countless lines (like the
Mphalawhampini Rock near Cape Maclear) which is maybe where the old stone age
people worshipped.
From
here we deviated back to the refugio via the impressive gorge: Forau de Aiguallut where a strong and full
river meets a cliff, sinks into the sandy bottom and doesn’t reappear till it
reaches the Atlantic. (I presume tests
have been done with dye or summat to prove this.)
During this week we sometimes touched 2600m but we did
not go for the heights. Rather we sought
beautiful scenery and interesting paths.
The final icing on the exciting week was the
nonchalant skill with which Bruce and Rachel found their way through that
notoriously difficult city: Barcelona,
to take us to a delightful (Basque!!!) restaurant where the food was very delicious
and where the tactful waiter hid the men's unshaven chins and D’s unruly mop by
placing us at a slightly hidden table.
Then we trotted along the boulevards to gawp at Bruce's incredible
project where an ancient Bullring is being supported by engineering
conjuring. Its interior is being
converted, with no apparent props, into a vast commercial centre. There will be an exhibition hall on the top
floor, and shops, offices, gymnasia, as well as parking areas, below. The project is fairly famous.
Bruce took his scruffy bunch into a posh hotel (as if
we owned the place). The front door
looked just like a bit of wall but, on approaching it, the entrance opened like
Ali Baba's cave!!! Emerging from the
lift onto the top terrace we saw a panorama of Barcelona and a breath-taking,
awesome sight: a swimming pool whose
limpid waters apparently remain in place by magic. A waterfall overflows from the pool and off
the roof. It must take some courage to
swim there. We had a splendid view of
the fine monuments in the region and of the Bullring, spreading magnificently
and far below.
It was a fabulous week.
P.S.
Do
you remember those octagonal thrupenny bits?
Ivan’s
other claim to fame is the following: At
the age of 9 he got into the Guinness Book of Records by balancing the most
thrupenny bits in a tower, octagonal edge to octagonal edge.
Fifty years later, when visiting his mother in Sussex, he went to the
oculist and was asked his name. The
oculist gazed at him, over his specs of course(!), and asked: “Are you the chap in the Book of Records for
balancing thrupenny bits?"
DM3
recommends a stay in one of the attractive chalets at Camping Aneto . From there delightful day trips can be made
into the very beautiful mountains all round.
Or, if you feel tough you can walk to refugios, which are high-class
mountain huts where dormitories and substantial fare are provided.