Essential guidebook of walks and climbs in the Pyrenees, with over 170 day walks, multi-day walks, climbing routes and mountaineering ascents. Covers all valleys and peaks on both sides of the border with France and Spain, with through routes and peaks to bag, as an introduction to one of Europe's finest mountain ranges. Now in full colour, with redrawn map and new photos, the guide now includes three new districts - Lac d'Oo and the Circque d'Espingo; Vallees de la Pique and du Lis; and Haute Vallee du Garbet - and several new routes. The active walker, trekker and climber is spoilt for choice. There are exquisite valleys and passes to wander day after day, and summits of 3000m and more within the reach of most hill walkers. The landscape is full of diversity and contrast, with Alpine-style peaks, small glaciers, deep gorges and more than a thousand mountain lakes. The range is also known as the 'flower garden of Europe', and the wildlife includes various species rarely seen elsewhere on the continent. Since the first edition appeared in 1978, Walks and Climbs in the Pyrenees has become accepted as the authoritative guide to the range, and this new edition incorporates many changes and additions to reflect the boom in interest in the area. For centuries the Pyrenees basked in the mystery of the unknown. Unaccountably dismissed as holding little of importance to the climber, mountain walkers ignored them almost completely. But all that has changed and the Pyrenees have now become the focus of attention for mountain activists of all degrees of commitment. Not just walkers and climbers, but parapente enthusiasts, mountain bikers, white-water kayak buffs, bird-watchers, butterfly and flower lovers, cavers and canyoners. As an arena for outdoor adventure the Pyrenees fulfills so many dreams.

Table of Contents

Preface to the Fifth Edition Introduction The Mountains National Parks Vegetation Wildlife Getting There Weather Equipment Refuges, Gites and Camping Maps Emergency Services Using the Guide Information at a Glance The French Pyrenees: Cirque de Lescun to the Carlit Massif 1 Cirque de Lescun: Routes 1-11 Lescun, Lhers 2 Pic du Midi d'Ossau: Routes 12-20 Laruns, Gabas 3 Balaitous: Routes 21-35 Arrens-Marsous 4 The Gourette Massif: Routes 36-38 Gourette 5 Vallee d'Estaing: Routes 39-42 Arrens-Marsous, Estaing, Lac d'Estaing 6 Vallee du Marcadau: Routes 43-53 Cauterets 7 Vignemale: Routes 54-61 Cauterets, Gavarnie 8 Vallee de Lutour: Routes 62-65 Cauterets 9 Gavarnie: Routes 66-78 Gavarnie 10 Estaube, Troumouse and Barroude: Routes 79-82 Gedre, Heas 11 Reserve Naturelle de Neouvielle: Routes 83-94 Bareges, Artigues, St-Lary, Fabian 12 Lac d'Oo and the Cirque d'Espingo: Routes 95-97 Bagneres de Luchon, Astau 13 Vallees de la Pique and du Lis: Routes 98-102 Bagneres de Luchon 14 Haute Vallee du Garbet: Routes 103-106 Aulus-les-Bains 15 The Carlit Massif: Routes 107-114 Ax-les-Thermes, Porte-Puymorens The Spanish Pyrenees: Ordesa to Andorra 16 Ordesa National Park: Routes 115-123 Torla, Bielsa, Puyarruego 17 The Posets Massif: Routes 124-132 Benasque, Eriste 18 The Maladeta Massif: Routes 133-142 Benasque 19 Aiguestortes West - The Besiberri Massif: Routes 143-154 Arties, Salardu, Boi 20 Aiguestortes East - Encantados: Routes 155-159 Espot, Capdella 21 Andorra: Routes 160-170 Soldeu, Canillo, Encamp, Les Escaldes, El Serrat, Arinsal Appendix A: Useful Addresses Appendix B: Bibliography Appendix C: Glossary Appendix D: Route Index

Author Biography

Kev Reynolds is a freelance writer, photojournalist and lecturer whose first title for Cicerone Press (Walks and Climbs in the Pyrenees) appeared in 1978. He has published many books on the Alps, a series of trekkers' guides to Nepal and, nearer to home, several guides on walking in southern England. A member of the Alpine Club, Austrian Alpine Club and the Outdoor Writers' and photographers' Guild, he is also first honorary member of the British Association of European Mountain Leaders.