The GR11 Trail. Brian Johnson
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Название: The GR11 Trail
Автор: Brian Johnson
Издательство: Ingram
Жанр: Книги о Путешествиях
isbn: 9781783626205
isbn:
Detail on the church at Elizondo
Elizondo is a small town with a seasonal tourist office and a range of accommodation. As well as smaller shops there is a large supermarket just NE of the church. Ferreteria Quevedo has ‘original’, ‘easy-clic’ and ‘Coleman-style’ camping gas.
Facilities on Stage 2
Elizondo Tourist Office: tel 948 581 517
Hotel Elizondo: tel 948 580 872 www.hostalelizondo.com
Hotel Baztan: tel 948 580 050 www.hotelbaztan.com
Hostal Antxitonea: tel 948 581 807 www.antxitonea.com
Hostal Posada Elbete: tel 948 581 519 www.posadaelbete.com
Albergue Kortarixar: tel 626 532 452 www.kortarixar.es
English-speaking Mark Woldin offers bed and breakfast at his home as well as rides from the trail. Tel 660 976 422 [email protected]
STAGE 3
Elizondo to Puerto de Urkiago
| Start | Elizondo |
| Distance | 19km |
| Total Ascent | 1100m |
| Total Descent | 400m |
| Difficulty | Easy. The waymarking is good but you will have to take care with navigation in mist as the route is complex and undefined in places. It will be muddy and slippery in wet conditions. |
| Time | 5hr 40min (8hr to Albergue Sorogain in Stage 4) |
| High Point | Collado Bustalmorro (1170m) |
The traditional end of Stage 3 is at the Puerto de Urkiaga, but this road pass is without accommodation, good campsites or water! The main option for those requiring accommodation would be to continue to Albergue Sorogain, which is just over 2 hours ahead (see Stage 4). An alternative would be to use Hostal Arrobi Borda whose owners offer transport to and from the Puerto de Urkiaga.
The walking is primarily through woodland and pasture on paths and tracks over steep rolling hills. The route reaches 1000m for the first time. There are no obviously good campsites until you reach the Collado de Urballo.
Head up Avenida Monsenor Berecochea, immediately right (W) of the church. A left and right turn lead you out of town to reach a GR11 information board (216m, N43°08.542 W001°30.848). Fork right up a track, soon forking right and left before rejoining the road. Follow the road for about 100m then turn right along a path which veers left. Turn left at a track and immediately right. Turn right when the track continues through a gate, then fork left up a path, passing right of a farm. Join a track and turn right along a path (45min, 361m) as you come close to the road.
Continue climbing, cross a concrete track (1hr) and pass a spring (435m). When the track switchbacks right, veer left along a path and pass more springs. Higher up cross a stream and keep straight on, steadily climbing until you reach a track (1hr 40min, 470m, N43°06.373 W001°29.730). Turn right, then fork left at a switchback on a major track. Keep straight on along a grass track when the major track bends left, soon passing a water-point (20m left of the track) with good campsites. The track narrows to a path and climbs gradually to arrive at a hunter’s cabin (2hr 40min, 888m, N43°05.664 W001°29.000) just below the Collado de Urballo. The hunters’ cabin has a water-point and picnic tables. Continue up to the col. Camping is possible at the col. In good visibility you could easily climb Peña de Alba-Lohilu (1074m) to the SE.
Hunters’ cabin at Collado de Urballo
Keep straight on up the earthen track, soon forking right up a path. The paths are a bit nebulous with many sheep tracks, so follow the waymarks carefully as you contour the grassy N flank of Peña de Alba-Lohilu and reach the border fence at Border Stone 127.
In 1659 the Treaty of the Pyrenees was signed on an island in the Rio Bidasoa to end the 1635–1659 war between France and Spain, and a new border was fixed at the Pyrenees. However, the border was not properly settled until the Treaty of Limits in 1856. Border Stone 127 is one of about 600 numbered stones that were positioned in the 1860s to designate the border.
Pass ancient tumuli as you follow the fence along the ridge. Eventually, after a couple of shooting towers, leave the border fence as it veers off left. Soon reach another fence, which also veers off left before you reach an earthen track. Fork right at a gate to reach a hunting cabin with a water-point and benches at Collado Zaldegi (3hr 55min, 947m, N43°03.932 W001°28.536). Camping is possible here, with better dry campsites on the ridge ahead.
Veer right up the track, and right again to the right of two more hunters’ cabins to pick up a path heading NW, before swinging SW. Pay careful attention to the waymarks in this area as there are many sheep tracks, which are often more significant than the GR11. Climb out of the woods and steeply up to a col below Argintzo (1208m). Cross the fence at a stile (4hr 30min, 1139m, N43°03.613 W001°29.089) and veer right, to the left of the fence. Follow waymarks along faint animal tracks round the SE flank of Argintzo to rejoin the ridge and fence, at a saddle (4hr 45min, 1158m).
The GR11 now contours on the eastern slopes below Collado Bustalmorro and Arsal, but in good weather you may prefer to follow the ridge over Arsal (1233m) before reaching broad, grassy Collado de Zagua with signpost (5hr 10 min, 1163m, N43°02.464 W001°29.596).
Sheep shearing below Collado de Zagua
The GR12 continues along the ridge, but turn left on the GR11, veering right of a white cabin. Take care to follow the waymarks to locate the path through the woods. Pass a cabin where you pick up a track which is followed, ignoring all side-turns, СКАЧАТЬ