SPANISH WINTER GEMS: VAL D’ARAN
As every end of year, I try to spend it with some of the people who are very important to me and no matter how many years go by, even if our lives do not follow the same path, we get together to celebrate. We usually combine sports activities with nature tourism and gastronomy in order to enjoy all our hobbies together.
This early 2023 we decided to explore one of the most beautiful mountain areas in Spain, the Val d'Aran. Located in the north of the country, in the middle of the Pyrenees mountain range, is a beautiful valley surrounded by some of the highest and most photogenic peaks in the area. Full of waterfalls, endless meadows, lakes and cobbled villages, it becomes an enclave where you can lose yourself, disconnecting and enjoying nature for a few days.
The capital of the valley, Vielha, is a beautiful city located in the central part that has all the services and that you can only access through the Vielha tunnel or the Bonaigua pass.
We were traveling from the south-east, so we arrived in Vielha through the tunnel, 5 km long, wishing to see a change of scenery when we reached the end of it but it was not so. This year the snow was scarce in the landscape, only being able to see it covering the highest peaks. In winter season, and with weather not as crazy as this year, it is common to enter the tunnel without a speck of snow and come out of it seeing a white layer covering everything.
The days there are divided into days of sightseeing and days of skiing on the slopes. In the valley you can find the Baqueira-Beret ski resort, one of the best known in Spain for the number of km of slopes they have spread over four sectors: Baqueira, Beret, Bonaigua and Baciver.
The snow on the slopes was not very good quality, many of the kms were not skiable and everyone wished that the snow would come soon. Even so it is incredible the views you have from the station itself, being able to enjoy the last light of day as you go down the slopes.
I won't go too long with the pros and cons of our skiing experience, but if you want to know more, you can always send me a DM through social networks to talk about it.
The remaining days we were exploring the area and, although we could not access all the places we would have liked, due to cuts in roads and trails due to snow and ice, the experience in nature did not leave us indifferent to any of us.
Among the most beautiful places we visited, I would like to highlight two:
PLA DE BERET
Here we ended the first day of the year watching the sunset, the views are beautiful to the mountains and there is a large pool of water that leaves a nice picture in the landscape.
It is an extensive plain that coincides with the entrance to the ski slopes of the Beret sector, so getting there is quite easy. The accesses are enabled and there are parking lots to park the car without any problem.
From there, there is a walking route to the monastery of Montgarri which we were recommended not to do because of the ice on the way.
One of the things I liked the most in Pla de Beret were some small mountain huts, you know that I am a fan of this type of shelters and I can hardly resist photographing them.
AIGÜESTORTES & L’ESTANY DE SANT MAURICI NATIONAL PARK
Technically it is not located within the Aran Valley, but you must leave it and move a few km to find it in the adjoining valley, the Boi Valley, but it is certainly a place you can not miss being in that area.
The access can be done either on foot, if you have time and desire to travel km or taking the 4x4 cab service in the village of Espot. They offer several routes of various prices and duration. We opted to hire the ascent and descent to Sant Maurici by cab, for a matter of time. The cab left us practically at the foot of the lake, which was completely frozen and the surrounding mountains covered with snow. It was a cloudy day with snow forecast so the wind chill was very cold. Once at the lake, we decided to do a route of approx. 7 km through a forest to reach the Ratera waterfall. The route is fairly easy, although it is not signposted and there is a drop of about 100m. On the way up it began to snow and it was when we reached the waterfall when we realized that some flakes were falling, although it did not set.
Another option is to go around the lake itself, which was impossible because the road was cut by ice.
In addition to these two wonderful spots, some of the ones worth visiting and we were lucky enough to be able to do so are:
ARTIES
Included in the guide of the most beautiful villages of Spain. It is a cobbled village where the Garonne River flows and which of all its most beautiful alleys. It is the perfect place to disconnect taking a walk and take something warm to regain strength. With stores selling local products and all decorated with Christmas decorations, it was one of the most beautiful experiences.
Victòria Mine and Arres Lake
Located on the road to San Antonio and operational until just 60 years ago for the extraction of Zinc and Lead. The guided visit and access to the galleries can only be made during the summer months, but it is no less interesting in winter.
At the top of the valley and next to the lake of Arres, it is a beautiful place where you can walk through the forest and around the lake itself overlooking the mountains and snow-capped peaks.
Pico Aneto viewpoint in Vilamós
After our failed attempt (cut road and potentially dangerous path on foot with ice) to reach one of the most famous waterfalls in the area, Saut deth Pish (Salto del Pez), we decided to venture through one of the mountain roads to reach Vilamós and from there link up with the road that would take us to the Victòria mine.
On the way we crossed a forest while we continued ascending the mountain overlooking the valley and the Aneto peak. It was in Vilamòs when we decided to stop at the viewpoint enabled to admire the majesty of this peak of 3404m altitude, the highest of all the Pyrenees.
PORT DE LA BONAIGUA
Si has estado atento a mis últimas publicaciones en IG, ya conocerás la historia tras este spot. Si no, no te preocupes, te dejo por aquí el link directo a la publicación para que no te lo pierdas!
To leave the valley on the last day and head to Aigüestortes, we took the road out of the Port de la Bonaigua. Road with many curves both uphill and downhill, reaching an altitude of 2078m, those yes, some heart-stopping views. We had the good fortune that when we reached the highest part it started to snow and we could enjoy the picture, the cold and the flakes for a while. There is a small esplanade for parking in the area that coincides with the entrance to the ski slopes of the Bonaigua sector so the access is usually clean. Even so, we decided to go down the hill and continue our route quickly after seeing several snowplows spreading salt and given that the forecast of snowfall was going to be long-lasting.
No doubt there are many other places to discover there, we could not access the abandoned monastery of Montgarri or the waterfall Saut deth Pish (Salto del Pez) because of the state of the roads but, no doubt, we will return soon in spring-summer season, to finish seeing all the places that were left pending and to which we were very eager.
MARA DE LA TORRE
Professional travel & commercial photographer. Content creator spesialised in storytelling.
Lover of nature and capturing it through the lenses.
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