 | Home > Camping, Caravanning and Holidays > Pyrenees - recommendations for the "must see" sect |
 
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| donmacn Member Since: 06 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1841  
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Hey peeps,
I've asked a couple of Pyrenees questions over the last few months, and it's getting closer to reality. We're booked out to Spain near the end of August, and back into the UK near the end of September. Four weeks of idle ambling around - yay! I have the Vibraction RB5, and 'Plan A' is to follow this closely, or even loosely from Atlantic to Med. (This better suits the timetable of another couple/Defender travelling with us). However, I know that there were issues with wildfires in NW Spain last year, and we can all see what's happening around the Med. right now so I'm thinking of my contingency planning or what we might call 'Plans B through to C, D or E'. We're more into peace and quiet and scenery rather than exciting off road stuff (which I don't think is the Pyrenees anyway) so while I realise this is very subjective, if we did find ourselves in a position where we had to flex our plans, and pick up what we could, what are folks' highlights of this trip? The things that have inspired me looking at pictures of the traverse are the old chapels/churches and abandoned villages; 'that' high arched bridge; nice alpine scenery. Long sections in plantation pine forests I could probably miss out on (we live in the Highlands and see plenty of that). Generally we consider an absence of people a good thing, though a picturesque and quiet village with a good restaurant would be worth a look. So that's it really - if you were in a position where a full traverse wasn't an option, which bits would you recommend. Surely an excuse for nice pics....? Many thanks! Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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25th Jul 2023 2:21pm |
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| Ratty43 Member Since: 01 Sep 2021 Location: Cornwall Posts: 87 
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I would agree that the eastern portion is much more scenic, the flip side is that the west had more opportunities for remote camping. The east was busier and a lot of the lanes felt too close to civilisation for wild camping. We started out on a Wikiloc root courtesy of a chap on here and some of it was pretty challenging (depends on how high your clench factor is though!). Either side you'll have a wonderful time, we've definitely caught the bug thanks to the Pyrenees. The below was in the west and we hadn't seen a vehicle for three days by the end of that stretch.
 Click image to enlarge |
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25th Jul 2023 6:25pm |
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| Outlaw1 Member Since: 11 Aug 2016 Location: east sussex Posts: 268  
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Hi Ratty , Where abouts was that stretch your camped in ?
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25th Jul 2023 8:43pm |
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| Ratty43 Member Since: 01 Sep 2021 Location: Cornwall Posts: 87
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This was our first wild camp on the west side. If you would like coordinates I should be able to pull them out of our GPS track.
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25th Jul 2023 9:25pm |
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| geobloke Member Since: 06 Nov 2012 Location: Nottinghamshire Posts: 4410
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So many places to head to, but the ones that spring to mind are the Ordesa national park (42°40′18″N 0°3′20″E) and the Bardenas Reales (42°11′27″N 1°28′12″W).
Simply stunning locations and although the latter is a way from the mountains it is absolutely worth the detour IMHO. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge |
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26th Jul 2023 8:05am |
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| donmacn Member Since: 06 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1841
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Thanks very much all - keep it coming!
We will almost certainly travel from the Atlantic to the Med. one way or another. Both cars are booked on ferries in to Santander; out via Cherbourg, though those bookings are the only fixed element to the trip - the rest is up for grabs. Very interesting to hear that wild camping is more 'relaxed'/easier in the west compared to the east - I hadn't heard that before. Because of the nature of the group I suppose it will be mainly campsite use. While we have a rooftent our friends are using an Oztent, so I imagine that's less flexible in terms of the surface underfoot - needing more turf/grass? Geobloke - I had seen your Bardenas pic/pics before but hadn't realised it was just that little bit further away - on the other hand if we happen to find that there are fire issues in the mountains, that's the kind of recommendation that could provide an option. The Ordesa Park would be on the Plan A route I'd think. Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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26th Jul 2023 10:22am |
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| bear100 Member Since: 22 Mar 2010 Location: South Wales Posts: 1913 
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Click image to enlarge The eastern side I found a lot more interesting and the scenery was better. The routes are all fine for most 4x4 and some cars, there are one or two bits I found that would only be accessible with a 4x4 but certainly not out of the average Land Rover owners limit and these have a route around. Top tip, Email Vibration just before you leave for the updates on routes they will send you amendments for your book. The dust…..be prepared, it was during the heat wave last year we went so very dry. The dust got everywhere! Keep clothes zipped up. We used an Oztent and found it fine, choose a camp site with a pool you will certainly enjoy it on the hot days. I found the evenings were cooler. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge 2016 Range Rover Autobiography 4.4 TDV8 2010 110 XS Utility 2.4TDCI 2010 Range Rover Sport TDV8 (gone) 2007 Discovery HSE TDV6 (gone) 1993 110 csw 200 tdi (gone) 1994 90 HT 300 tdi (gone) 1994 discovery 300tdi (gone) 90 hybrid 3.5 v8 (gone) Range rover bobtail 3.5 v8 (gone) Last edited by bear100 on 26th Jul 2023 4:46pm. Edited 1 time in total |
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26th Jul 2023 12:21pm |
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| geobloke Member Since: 06 Nov 2012 Location: Nottinghamshire Posts: 4410
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Honestly, why would you not want to take a turn through the landscape used by spaghetti westerns such as the Good the Bad and the Ugly (I believe could be wrong though), Star Wars Tatooine and Game of Thrones?!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9EZGHcu3E8 There are loads of good walking routes in both BR and Ordesa, including the one to the mares tail falls. Beautiful walk after a drive. |
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26th Jul 2023 12:34pm |
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| Ashbyandy Member Since: 17 Dec 2015 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 223 
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This was the state of the track right in the middle of the Bardenas Reales, a month ago. Washed away into an irrigation pond, and I doubt if it’s been repaired. We did find another way around, but even part of that track on the detour had partially collapsed, just enough room to run along the edge with the tyres. The picture doesn’t do it justice, it was about a 1.2m drop. I would also agree that the eastern side, towards the Mediterranean coast is more scenic, and seemed to have more and also nicer small villages/ towns with somewhere to eat. The campsites that we used were very good however, both east and west though 👍 Andy Last edited by Ashbyandy on 26th Jul 2023 3:08pm. Edited 1 time in total |
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26th Jul 2023 2:02pm |
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| geobloke Member Since: 06 Nov 2012 Location: Nottinghamshire Posts: 4410
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Blimey
 Well given the geology of the BR I am not at all surprised, but, blimey... |
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26th Jul 2023 2:20pm |
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| Ashbyandy Member Since: 17 Dec 2015 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 223
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Replying to bear100, that view was amazing, did you spot many vultures 👍 Andy |
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26th Jul 2023 6:34pm |
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| bear100 Member Since: 22 Mar 2010 Location: South Wales Posts: 1913
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I didn’t see any vultures! But quite a few boars on the way up.
A fantastic view! We stayed at Camping Castillo De Loarre that night which wasn’t to far from there, nice little cool pool, good showers, great food and a bottle of wine. We bumped into several other overlanders along the routes and every now and again we would pass each other on a few occasions, at this camp site 4 of us happened to stay the night, A Dutch family, French couple, German family and me & my son. We just finished having a steak meal and enjoying a jug of sangria and the Dutch family started taking to us, before I knew it all for 4 family’s were sat together having a good laugh swapping stories and a few drinks. In total strangers with the same interests, a night to remember! Click image to enlarge 2016 Range Rover Autobiography 4.4 TDV8 2010 110 XS Utility 2.4TDCI 2010 Range Rover Sport TDV8 (gone) 2007 Discovery HSE TDV6 (gone) 1993 110 csw 200 tdi (gone) 1994 90 HT 300 tdi (gone) 1994 discovery 300tdi (gone) 90 hybrid 3.5 v8 (gone) Range rover bobtail 3.5 v8 (gone) |
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26th Jul 2023 7:10pm |
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| Ashbyandy Member Since: 17 Dec 2015 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 223
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We stayed at camping Aguero after visiting the Loarre castle, and the restaurant wasn’t even open at the end of June. Lovely site though with a bar and pool. Ended up eating spaghetti and Aldi tinned meat balls, as no shops anywhere near, that I still had from going to Iceland in 2016, 🤪, but we all survived 👍. We didn’t see any boars though 🫤
Andy |
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26th Jul 2023 7:24pm |
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| Julie Member Since: 07 Oct 2017 Location: Nantes Posts: 479  
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https://www.pyrenees-trip.com/uploads/2018...D_page.pdf |
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2nd Aug 2023 6:20pm |
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