Spain's Sendero Historico: The GR1. John Hayes

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      Peña Espigüete from the Collado de Cruz Armada in the early stages of the trek (Section 1, Stage 3)

      Escaping the plain the route climbs east again into the mountains and the Prepirinio – foothills of the Pyrenees. These foothills are formed of vast quantities of eroded rock debris washed down from the main mountain range into the Ebro valley and uplifted again in subsequent phases of mountain building. The result is a landscape of incredible variety but the cliffs (particularly those around Riglos which consist of a strange concrete-like conglomerate including water-eroded pebbles the size of potatoes) and the gorges (particularly those dissecting the Montsec range) are a special feature.

      Next the GR1 crosses the north–south valleys running down from the Pyrenees and the walking is relatively arduous, with challenging daily ascents and descents. To compensate, the views of the Pyrenees are amazing, particularly if they are still covered with snow. If you’re lucky with the weather, wonderful views start as soon as you leave the plain in Navarre and continue all the way to the coast.

Climate and vegetation

      The GR1 crosses the watershed between the west-flowing Douro and the east-flowing Río Ebro not far from the walk’s beginning and, after Reinosa, you stay on the northern side of the Ebro all the way to the Mediterranean.

      The Cantabrian Mountains divide ‘Green Spain’ to north and west with its oceanic climate, and the dry plateau to the south where the climate is continental–Mediterranean with hot dry summers. Most of the GR1 follows the southern flank of the range and is therefore relatively dry although – because of the altitude – not as dry as the rest of the central Spanish plateau.

      The flora is mainly Mediterranean, particularly as you approach the Pyrenean foothills where it is typical maquis or garrigue-type scrub. You walk through a beautiful but sometimes prickly mix of shrubs such as gorse, box, rosemary, thyme, lavender, rock rose and cystus. Perhaps the most characteristic tree is the evergreen oak, either the Pyrenean oak or the holm oak, often accompanied by Spanish juniper. The route also passes through beautiful natural pine and beech woods, particularly in the Basque Mountains where there are large native Scots pine forests. In the valley bottoms, if the effects of the summer drought can be avoided, there are enclaves of trees that prefer moist ground including alder, willow, ash and poplar.

Agriculture and wildlife

      Traditional agriculture and animal husbandry still dominate the terrain, and, while there are forests to pass through, much of the landscape is open. Expect to see flocks of sheep, sometimes mixed with goats, sometimes with a shepherd and sometimes guarded just by the huge Spanish sheep dogs (called ‘mastines’ in Spanish) bred since Roman times to guard against wolves. In summer in the Cantabrians you will also see herds of beautiful cattle – usually a native breed, either the dark brown Asturian valley cattle or the creamy coloured Asturian mountain cattle, and occasionally the slate grey and very ancient Tudanca breed (huge horns but gentle). Last but not least and left out in all weathers, the hardiest domestic animal of them all, the horse – usually the scruffy-looking Breton and bred (shock, horror!) for meat.

      Clockwise from top: Tudanca (very gentle), miniature daffodils, griffin vulture, fox at full speed, shepherd with a faithful friend

      Also expect to see wild animals. The GR1 takes you through several protected conservation areas with either national or regional park status. The mountains of northern Spain are home to some of the last populations of Europe’s most endangered species. The two most famous ones, unlikely to be seen, are the Cantabrian brown bear, particularly around Palencia, and the Iberian wolf, currently confined to northwest Spain but gradually extending its territory east. Other interesting and much more common mammals and include chamois, deer of various kinds, foxes, wild boar, otters, red squirrels and pine martins, and there’s a chance of seeing a wild cat.

      Northern Spain is also home to spectacular vultures, and the huge Griffon vulture is undoubtedly the star of the show. Most commonly found in the mountains at either end of the walk, they nest in cliffs and circle around the sky in huge numbers. If you’re lucky enough to see a group of them demolish an animal carcass it’s an impressive, if slightly disturbing, sight. Less common but also present are the white Egyptian vulture and the massive Lammergeier. Other raptors include the red kite and booted, golden and short-toed eagles.

      Near reservoirs and on top of church towers, chimneys of houses and factories, electricity poles and almost any other tall, freestanding vertical object sit the huge nests of storks. In spring you often see multitudes of common crane migrating north in V-shaped formations, breaking their journey at the Alberca de Alboré just south of the GR1 near the beautiful Mallos de Riglos mountains. Not as big but just as impressive are the golden oriole, the hoopoe, the great spotted cookoo and the tiny Iberian chiffchaff.

History

      Reconquest and reunification

      Any walk through Spain could be described as a ‘Sendero Historico’ but the GR1 has particular claims to the title. In a rough and ready way the route marks the boundary between the Spain that was part of the Moorish empire and the Spain that remained Christian and visits locations that are key to understanding how the country developed. Walking the route and visiting towns and villages like Olite, Ujué, Besalú, and Loarre will give you insights into two linked processes: first the beginnings of the ‘reconquest’, that finally resulted in the Moors being driven out of the Spanish peninsular; and, second, Spanish unification, which eventually ended the struggle between competing elements on the Christian side. Together these developments, which started in northern Spain in the 8th century and took over 700 years to complete, finished with Spain as the 16th century world superpower.

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