Walk 1 - Reccie along Valley de Ordesa

Saturday 18th June

Our goal for the holiday was to get to the Cola de Caballo waterfall so on the first full day we decided to explore the Valle de Ordesa in preparation for the day 3 walk.

• At the North side of Torla by the Hotel Bellavista, next to the pedestrian crossing, there is a concrete ramp which descends, follow it downhill until you cross the Rio Ara at a bridge.
• Pick up the GR 15.2 walk which runs alongside the river.
• Stay with this path until you reach a green and white hiker sign on the right at a fork in the path signposted "Ordesa por Turieto - Senda peatonal", take this route heading uphill.
• Eventually you will reach another fork marked with a wooden signpost, here you join the GR 11 trail.
• Follow the GR 11 trail to the right "Refugio de Góriz" again heading uphill immediately passing the white metal "PARQUE NATIONAL" sign. The trail is marked with red and white paint marks on rocks at regular intervals though it's nearly impossible to stray.
• You will now be walking through trees providing welcome cooling shade.

A good place for a break is the car park at Pradera de Ordesa which has a bar, restaurant, gift shop and servicios (toilets). On route to this you will pass Cascada Molinieto, a small maroon coloured log abrigo (shelter), Cascada Abetos, Puente Briet and Puente del Fresno.

We chose instead to lunch at the Puente Briet next to the monument to Luciano Briet because it looked so tranquil with the mountains set against the deep blue sky and the crystal clear Rio Arazas flowing rapidly over rocks. Adonis Blue butterflies congregated on a patch of earth and a small lizard wandered around the bridge while we ate. After lunch we arrived at the Pradera de Ordesa car park by crossing the Rio Arazas at a larger bridge and it was here that we came across the Lataste's viper.

• The GR 11 continues on the North side of the Rio Arazas passing signs to Puente Sarratieto and Cascada de Arripas.
• Reaching a sign for Puente de Arripas we decided to cross back over the Rio Arazas and return along the South side.
• Puente Sarratieto appears on the right and once at the larger bridge for the car park the return to Torla is along the same route as the outbound journey.

As a general rule from the car park at Pradera de Ordesa it will take:

• one hour to reach Cascadas del Estrecho
• two hours to reach Gradas de Soaso
• three hours to reach Cola de Caballo

Our trip took about 8.5 hours but that included a lunch stop, nature breaks, numerous scenery stops, a detour along the other leg of the GR 11 to Puente de la Ereta's deep clear blue pools and a look at Puente de los Navarros.

(GPS): EXIF GPS IFD tagged image. Use a tool such as the Firefox 'Exif Viewer' extension to view precise location in Google Maps, etc.

NEXT: Walk 2 - Broto and Fragen

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Brian Fattorini and Jane Ruhland