The GR11 Trail. Brian Johnson

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       If you are using accommodation you may still want to carry a lightweight sleeping bag and camping mat to enable you to bivouac if necessary

       Your waterproofs should be able to cope with thunderstorms in the High Pyrenees or steady rain in the Basque Country

       You should have sufficient clothing to cope with sub-zero temperatures

       A sun-hat is strongly recommended

       Use plenty of sun-screen

       Shorts are preferred by most hikers

       Good quality walking shoes are the best footwear. You could use lightweight boots, but heavy boots aren’t necessary. Trainers aren’t really robust enough for the terrain. Make sure you have a good tread on your shoes or boots.

       As a minimum you should have containers capable of carrying 4 litres of water, possibly with one easily accessible water bottle and the remaining capacity as water bags

       It is recommended that you use two walking poles to aid climbing, protect the knees on steep descents, to provide stability when crossing rough terrain, snowfields or mountain streams and for protection from dogs! If you are not carrying walking poles you may need an ice-axe to cope with snow on the high passes. Crampons may be needed in early season in a high snow year.

Culture and language

      Catalan flag, Molló

      Spanish holidays

      The main Spanish holiday season is from about 15 July–20 August. During this period all facilities will be open, but accommodation could be fully booked, especially at weekends.

      Spanish siesta

      You can expect shops to be open in the morning, closed during the afternoon and open again in the evening. Typically, shops may be closed from 12 noon to 4 or 5pm. In larger towns they are more likely to be open all day.

      Languages

      Although you may think you are walking through the ‘Spanish’ Pyrenees, the locals won’t think of themselves primarily as Spanish.

      You are passing through Euskadi (Basque Country), Navarra (Navarre), Aragón, Andorra and Cataluña (Catalonia). In the Basque Country and the north of Navarre the main language is Euskera (Basque) and in Catalonia it is Catalán. It is less likely that you will encounter Aragonés and Aranés, but you will see the legacy of these languages in the confusion of place names. Spanish (Castilian) will be an official language in these provinces and you can expect all the locals to speak Spanish as a second language. English is now spoken much more widely than it was in the 20th century, especially by younger people, and is gradually taking over from French as a third language.

      There is a lot of confusion with place names in the Pyrenees, with many different spellings. When Spain was a centralised fascist state, Spanish names were imposed on the provinces, but with the coming of democracy, the provinces have been able to show a greater degree of independence and one expression of this is the return to place names in the local language. This means that on maps and signposts names may be given in Spanish, a local language, or even in French.

      Politics

      When they were independent states, the Basque Country and Catalonia were much larger than at present and included large chunks of the Pyrenees which are now in France. They have a great deal of autonomy and the independence movements in both provinces have a lot of support.

      The Spanish Civil War had a devastating effect on the people of the Pyrenees and the effects can still be seen today with the destruction or desertion of many mountain villages. The Civil War broke out in 1936 with a coup d’état by reactionary elements in the army. The position in the Pyrenees was particularly complicated as there were not only the Fascist and Republican armies, but also independence movements among the Catalans and the Basques. By the time the Republicans were defeated in 1939 about 700,000 lives had been lost and about 500,000 refugees had fled across the Pyrenees into France.

      Andorra

      Although Andorra is not in the European Union (EU), it uses the Euro. Be aware that if you buy ‘duty free’ products, you have not paid tax in an EU country and customs controls are in operation on road crossings to France or Spain. Catalán is the official language of Andorra, but English, French and Spanish are widely spoken. Camping laws are the same as in Spain: no daytime camping, except with the landowner’s permission, but you can bivouac (with or without a tent) on uncultivated land away from habitation. Fires are not permitted!

Accommodation

      Refugio de Biadós (Stages 19 and 20)

      There is a wide range of accommodation on the GR11.

       Paradors are luxurious and expensive hotels

       Hotels vary greatly in quality and cost but they would have all the facilities you expect of an hotel in Britain

       Hostals are basic hotels. Some will just offer accommodation, but most will also have a bar-restaurant (a hostal is not a hostel).

       Pensions are rather like the British guest house

       Casa Rural or Turisme Rural are private houses offering accommodation similar to the British bed & breakfast

       Albergue are ‘youth hostels’, but as in Britain they do take adults

       Manned Refugios or Refugi are mountain huts which offer accommodation (possibly in communal dormitories). They have a drink and meals service, open to both residents and non-residents and most provide packed lunches.

       Many campgrounds will have cabins, normally called ‘bungalows’, and some will have bunkhouse accommodation

       Unmanned Refugios or Refugi are open for the use of mountaineers and walkers. They are equivalent to the Scottish ‘bothy’. They range in quality from purpose-built buildings that are well maintained by mountaineering clubs, to buildings that are no better than unmaintained cow sheds.

      The facilities described during the course of each stage description are summarised in a box at the end of each stage, in route order, with full contact details.

      If desperate, ask at the bar-restaurant; they will often know locals who are willing to offer accommodation outside the official system.

      Manned mountain refuges

      Pico Llena Cantal over Refugio de Respomuso (Stage 13)

      Refuges vary greatly, but as a guideline you can expect the following:

       Basic accommodation for walkers and climbers

       Refuge hours and rules are designed for walkers, not for late-night drinkers

       You may be able to get a discount if you are a member of an Alpine Association

       People staying in refuges usually book half board (supper, bed and breakfast) or full board (half board with the addition of a picnic bag for lunch)

       Some, but not all, refuges will have self-catering facilities

       There are mattresses and blankets in the dormitories but you need to bring a sleeping bag or a sheet bag

      GR11 hiker above Estany de Monges (Stage 24)

       Some refuges are open all year and others only during the summer. Many will only be open at weekends in the spring or autumn and some will open out of season if you make a reservation.