Tips for trekking in the Pyrenees: GR 11-Pyrenean Trail

Quick Guide GR 11

with everything you need to know before undertaking the Pyrenean Path

The trails especially those that take us away from home for several weeks and force us to immerse ourselves completely in the nature are a very rewarding personal challenge to overcome. We will not talk about the The Way of St. JamesThe Pacific Massif Trail in the United States, made famous by Cheryl Strayed in her book "Wilderness", or the gigantic and very long Pacific Massif Trail in the United States. You don't have to go that far to practice long-distance and high mountain hikingWe will not even leave the peninsula.

In today's article we will focus on the "GR" and in particular on how to prepare for the GR 11 or Pyrenean Path. We will give you all kinds of useful tips focused on the motivation and preparation you will need for this adventure. For technical, logistical and route details, remember that the online guide is at your disposal.

Online guide to the GR 11 Map GR 11

🏔️ The Trans-Pyrenees on foot: the longest trek in the Pyrenees

The GR 11 or Pyrenean Path (Pyrenean Crossing or, as it has also been called, Trans-Pyrenees Crossing on foot) is a A long-distance footpath that crosses the Pyrenees for some 800 kilometres.from the Cantabrian Sea (Cape Higuer) to the Mediterranean Sea (Cap de Creus).

This is one of the most travelled GRs because of its symbolism - the a link between the Mediterranean and the Cantabrian/Atlantic Seas- and because it unites memorable landscapes and history in a single path. It is almost entirely a high mountain GR, and in some sections it is highly recommended to have some knowledge of mountaineering.

Training Transpirenaica — Long distance and high mountain trekking

The GR11 or Senda Pirenaica is a 44-46 stage route in the Pyrenees accessible to a wide public.
You don't have to be a top athleteHe can be a climber, a climber or have climbed a 5000 to complete a few stages.
However, it is essential to have a minimum of physical preparation and some experience in mountains such as those of the Pyrenees, Picos, Gredos...

🥾GR11 in stages Vs al The Way of St. James and other routes

These routes offer different challenges and experiences, and choosing between them is not an easy task, as it depends on your physical abilities and technical skills.

Perhaps the biggest challenge of the route is the accumulated fatigue..

If you have already done a route of several days such as the Camino de Santiago, it can be a good reference to know how you are doing walking several hours during several days.

But be careful, on this terrain, a distance of 20 kilometres can take you 8 hours, and you won't find roads as good or as flat.

Also, some stages may seem short on paper and it may be that the first few days we may end up with the strength to continue, think that this is very long and that there will be time for all that later on.

If you are not too sure, a good test before setting off could be to ride a route of several days over similar terrain, 4-5 days may be enough to see how well you respond.

**The keys to tackling the Trans-Pyrenees Crossing on foot**

Am I ready? How far should I (can I) go?

You may ask yourself this question: but am I ready?

Before the acid test, there are a few considerations you should bear in mind.

The route will test you both physically and mentally.

Yes, this can be tough, but that's exactly what makes it an adventure. It does not have to be an ordeal if it is properly planned and prepared.
The route can be a highly rewarding and safe experience, it's up to you.

Start by deciding this: where are we?

I can still remember our adventure in the summer of '99, when we took our backpack and we literally had to drag it - no one could get us out of our idea of a week-long trek up the main three-thousand-metre peaks of the Pyrenees.

The mountain finally put us in our place and on that occasion, on the second day of the march, we were already thinking about returning home -with our tails between our legs, by the way-. We were not ready... -yesterday, not today-.

This does not mean that you are not capable, you may not yet have the necessary experience.

Ask yourself - and be tough: if I've never hiked before, am I really ready to take my backpack into the mountains for a week?

If my form is far from ideal, will I be able to adequately negotiate those 3,000-metre high passes and scary slopes? Are my goals too ambitious? Is my equipment adequate for the inclement weather I will encounter, for the state of the route?

But don't worry...

📝🧭Plan your trekking route

You may be interested in: 3 tips for a great route>>>>>>

📍Choose the area

First, choose the area you want to go to. And what do we mean? Choose a route that suits you. First, identify the region you are going to. The Pyrenees are very extensive, and I will have the possibility of choosing from the gentle, wooded mountains of the Western Pyrenees -suitable for everyone-, to the more rugged and untamed areas of the Central Pyrenees -reserved at certain times to the most experienced mountaineers-.

📅Choose the season

Second, ask yourself, Is this the right time of year to go here or there? The success of your adventure will depend on it, so plan wisely. Do you think that getting in with a 15-kilo backpack, in winter, sinking to your knees, praying for the stability of the snow on the slopes, was the most brilliant of ideas? Perhaps you would have enjoyed those days more walking through the colourful beech forests of the Quinto Real in the Navarrese Pyrenees. But... this same question in summer... what do you say then?

📚Document yourself

Finally, document and study the route. Consult guides and maps, which will give you practical information. about what you are going to find in the terrain, the difficulty of the route, the gradient, all of which will make it much easier. But also how to plan it in the best way, with places to go in and out of the mountain, where to sleep, how to stock up, etc. Don't know which book or map to consult? Take a look at the guide we have prepared for you // Books and maps GR-11 (click HERE)

Preparing for the Trans-Pyrenees — In this article we explain how to prepare for the GR 11 or Trans-Pyrenean Trail, and we give you the information you need to face the challenge...

🧥🥾🎒Choose the team and mountain clothing adequate.

We leave you in the following link the complete guide of <>.

And here's a list of 101 gadgets and outdoor equipment that you're sure to take with you in your backpack. <>>..

What you must have in your basic hiking equipment if you are going to do a long-distance route.

Depending on the time of year and the area you will be travelling through, consider the most appropriate clothing and equipment. In another post, we will deal with the subject in more detail, but basically, bear in mind that the Senda Pirenaica runs through high mountain terrain in much of its route, that in certain areas you will find snow until well into the summer, with a view on certain hills that can complicate the route due to the existence of ice. We will have to analyse if we are going to need to carry crampons and ice axe (at certain times necessary) and what we wear. Here I would recommend a layered shelter systemThe 'onion', which consists of layers of warmth: a thermal layer in contact with the skin, a breathable warm layer, a waterproof outer layer; but we will expand on this another day. Other essentials include maps/route book, mobile phone-gps, .... The Pyrenees are very diverse and the Senda Pirenaica is more than 800 km long, what can I tell you about it?

🍃💼⬇️ Lighten up, when you can.

Optimising the weight of your pack is essential for more efficient and comfortable hiking; here are some tips on how to achieve an ultralight pack, improving your speed, range and minimising discomfort.

Optimising the weight of your pack is essential for more efficient and comfortable hiking; a lightweight pack will improve your movement and minimise possible discomfort.

Regarding the weight of our backpack, there are some percentages that are recommended based on our body weight.

10% of our body weight would be ideal. If we weigh 70kg, 7kg backpack would be ideal).
30% of our body weight would be the maximum we should carry. If we weigh 70kg, we should carry a maximum of 21kg backpack.

In the following articles we explain you in detail "How to lighten the weight of your mountaineering backpack"

🔀⛰️👣Stages and direction of travel

The first thing to do is to choose the direction in which you want to travel, whether to start in Girona or Guipúzcoa. The difference between one direction and the other is minimal: we will have the sun facing us at dawn if we move east or at dusk if we move west. Choose where to start taking into account factors such as transport and the distance to the starting point with respect to where you are.

The stages are between 10 and 25 kilometres long.depending on the area. Bear in mind that you will make slower progress in high mountain or forest sections.

💪🏔️Physique matters

We must pay attention to how to prepare for the GR-11Because if you want to do it in its entirety, it is a long route: on average, 44 stages are needed. If you are used to doing sport, the physical preparation you will need to carry out to complete the GR 11 with guarantees is less than that of a more sedentary person. In any case, it is not advisable to be overconfident and you should not start the adventure without having spent several weeks training. If you are not a sporty person, you should know that the way to get into the rhythm and depth of hiking is simple: go hiking.

It's not all about legs. Your legs are not the only part of your body that suffers when hiking long distances. Remember that you are carrying a rucksack weighing between 6 and 10 kilos, therefore back, shoulders and lower back will also suffer.. Stretch after a day in the mountains: your muscles will recover their elasticity and you will be grateful for it in the next stage.

🏋️‍♀️How to train

Start by walking through short distances and gradually increase the distances covered.. Ideally, 3-4 days per week, taking advantage of the weekends to do a stage simulation. This will prepare you with guarantees. When the departure date is approaching, take your backpackCarry it with the same weight that you will have to carry all the way and train with it on your back.

You may be interested in: How you should train for long-distance hiking>>>>>>>>

The important thing to remember when you start training is not to start with the idea of doing a certain number of kilometres. Listen to your bodyStart with short distances and gradually work your way up. If you have already walked the well-known Camino de Santiago, forget about it being similar to the GR 11. The Trans-Pyrenean Path runs through high mountains and closed forests and covering 20 kilometres in such terrain can mean a whole day from sunrise to sunset.

😄🎉🌄Enjoy!

Travesia-pirenaica-blog-transpirenaica-disfruta — **Enjoy the Pyrenean Path-GR11**

Once you have thought about how far you want to go, how long you are going to be in the mountains, how prepared you are and you have studied the route, let me be optimistic. The Gr 11 (or the Alta Ruta Pirenaica) runs through the Pyrenees mountain range from end to end. Believe me, that's a lot of kilometres... Do you really think that there won't be a few -if not many- that don't suit you; that don't pose a realistic challenge to your current state and experience? -I say current, because I really believe that sooner or later you will ride the last metre of this route, it's just a matter of time and a matter of you acquiring the necessary skills and experience. Enjoy the road - your route.