Hiking in the Pyrenees
Hiking in the Pyrenees can mean many things to many people; for some, it is a day out walking trails and admiring the scenery, for others however, it can be a very serious business.
Hiking is usually something that you would do in the spring, summer, autumn months, especially if you plan to hike the Pyrenees, as the temperatures are low to begin with, when at altitude, but conditions can change quickly in this region so hiking in winter is not advised.
Having said this, you will want to also be aware that the temperatures in the summer can be very hot, even at altitude, so make sure you do your due diligence before hiking in the Pyrenees in the Summer months, especially in a region you are not familiar with.
Experienced hikers may choose to arrange their own itinerary and just go, but for those who may be just getting into hiking it might be advised to use one of many guided or self-guided walking holiday services. Most of the hiking companies will help with everything except the actual walking; for example, you can have your luggage transported from one hotel to another by the operator leaving you to concentrate on the fun stuff.
Whether it is a guided or a self-guided hike that you choose there will be a flat fee that you pay and you will receive almost everything you could need, it is expected that you will supply your own water etc. and pay for any bus transfers.
The hiking in the Pyrenees is varied and the trails are plentiful; you can even choose to hike from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, though this is not something you can do on a normal holiday. There are two routes to choose from; you will be considering either the GR10 hiking route or the High Pyrenean route, which as it’s name suggests keeps you at the highest altitudes possible.
Hiking from the Med to the Atlantic will take approximately 60 days, so obviously it is primarily reserved for the very serious hiker. If this sounds appealing to you I can recommend this site
If you are a novice hiker do not worry, hiking in the Pyrenees can be less strenuous, and you will probably want a guided hike that tailors your route based on your fitness and experience, for more information check here.
One of the most famous hikes in the Pyrenees is the Camino de Santiago which follows the paths of pilgrims from St Jean Pied de Port in the French Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia on the Spanish Atlantic coast. One thing that a lot of people will not know is that you can actually start this walk in Carcassonne, which perhaps allows you to start slowly and in a populated area in case you realize you forgot to bring something, or perhaps even allows you to realize what hiking for two solid months is actually like while still close enough to civilization to alternate your plans.
Whichever hike you decide to take on, make sure you research your trip in advance; whilst the scenery can be absolutely breathtaking the terrain can be most unforgiving, but hiking in the Pyrenees, from a day trip to a full-on excursion is well worth the effort.
