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FOOTPATHS
GR
7
This route crosses the Andorran territory from East to South.
This same route, in Europe, is known as E-4.
The route enters into Andorra by the Portella Blanca d'Andorra
(2.521 m) from Porta (France). From here on, it goes to the Portella
Joan Antoni (2.681 m) and, after that, goes down to the Estany
Primer de Pessons (lake), where there can be found the refuge
Vell and where the GR 7 coincides with the GRP1. Both routes go
up to the peak of Pessons (2.864 m). After that, they go down
to the lake and the refuge of L'Illa, where they meet the GR 11
(that comes from the East from the col of Vall Civera and the
cabain of Els Esparvers). The three routes still go down until
the Estall Serrer, where the GRP1 separates from the other. The
GR 7 and 11 go down until Ràmio (1.600 m), where the GR
7 separates from the GR 11 and go on, alone, until the bridge
of Entremesaigües, where there is the beggining/end of the
variant GR 11-10. The GR 7 still goes on to Escaldes (1.193 m)
and goes up again to Certés, Llumeneres, Aubinyà
and Juverri (1.300 m), where there is the beginning/end of the
GRP1. From Juverri, the GR 7 goes down to cross the political
border with Catalonia by the Farga de Moles.
It is 40 km long. There are important drops that are crossed with
several ascents and descents. The highest level of the GR in Andorra
is in the peak of Pessons (2.864 m), and the lowest one is in
the Farga de Moles (850 m).
GR 11 Sender Pirenaic
This footpath crosses the Pyrenees, and crosses Andorra from West
to East.
It enters in Andorra by the Portella de Baiau (2.756 m), from
the Catalan Vall Ferrera. It goes down to the Estany Negre, the
refuge of Comapedrosa (2.224 m), where it coincides with the GRP1.
Both routes go on together until the beggining/end of the Andorran
variant GR 11-8, where the GR 11 still goes down to Arinsal (1.600
m), from where it goes up again to the col of Les Cases (1.958
m), and down again to Arans (1.300 m). After that, the route goes
up to the peak of Sorovilles (1.740 m), down to the Castle of
Els Moros (1.450 m), goes up to the col of Ordino (1.983 m) and
goes on to Ràmio, where it coincides with the GR 7. Both
routes go on together to the Estall Serrer, where they meet the
GRP1. The three routes go on by the same path until the refuge
and lake of L'Illa (2.480 m), where the GR 11 separates from the
rest and goes still up to the col of Vall Cibera (2.517 m), from
where it goes down to the Cabana dels Esparvers, in Catalonia.
The Andorran section of this route has about 40 km and, like the
GR 7, the important drops are crossed by the several ascents and
descents of the route. The highest level of the GR 7 in Andorra
is the Portella de Baiau (2.756 m), and the lowest is in Encamp
(1.250 m).
GR 11-8
This variant begins and ends in the refuge of Baiau (2.517 m),
in the Catalan side of the peak of Baiau. From here on, the variant
goes up to the Estanys Forcats (2.743 m), and down by the Andorran
side to the Estanys Forcats (2.600 m) and the refuge of the Pla
de l'Estany (2.050 m). Soon afterwards, there is a junction where
it meets the GRP1, and both routes together go down to the river
Coma Pedrosa (1.800 m), where the GR 11-8 goes back to the GR
11.
The route is quite short, but there is an important level to be
crossed in the Estanys Forcat.
GR 11-10
The beginning/end of the route is very near to Escaldes (3 km),
in the bridge of Entremesaigües (1.560 m, where the GR 7
goes on from Escaldes). The GR 11-10 goes up by the valley of
Pedrafita and, before arriving to the refuge of Pedrafita (2.200
m), it meets the GRP1 in a short path that ends in the refuge
of Pedrafita. From here on, the GR 11-10 goes on by the Estanys
de Perafita and goes up to the small col of Sant Vicenç
(2.573 m), where it goes into Catalonia to go down to the refuge
of Estanys de la Pera.
It is 6 km long. Its highest place is in the 2.573 m, in the small
col of Sant Vicenç.
GRP 1
It is an almost-circular route that surrounds the whole Andorran
territory, in several cases by crests and peaks.
It begins in Juberri, near the border with Catalonia and ends
in Sispony, near La Massana; if the walker wants to finish the
circle, from Sispony s/he can walk 3 km by the road CG 3 until
Escaldes, where s/he can take the GR 7 to the South about 15 km
until Juberri.
From Juberri (1.300 m), the route goes up to the ski run of La
Rabassa and the refuge of Roca de Pimes (2.171 m), goes on by
the col of Finestres and up to the Pic Negre (2.642 m). After
that, the route goes down to the refuge of Claror (2.280 m) and
the valley of Perafita (2.060 m), where it meets the GR 11-10
for a short time until the refuge of Perafita (2.200 m), from
where from where the GRP1 goes up to the col of La Maian (2.426
m), and by the oposite side the route goes down to the Estall
Serrer (2.080 m), where it meets the GR 7 and the GR 11. The three
routes together go up to the refuge and lake of L'Illa, where
the GR 11 separates from the rest. The other two routes go up
to the Pic de Pessons (2.864 m), and go down by the col of Pessons
to the Estany Primer de Bessons, where there is the refuge Vell
(2.300 m). In this refuge, the routes separate, and the GRP1 goes
to the North in the Cap de Bosc de Moretó, and crosses
the road CG2 (1.860 m). After that, it goes up to the Port Dret
(2.565 m), down to the Estany de BAix (2.350 m) and the bridge
of La Baladosa (1.800 m) to go up again to the refuge of the Cabana
Sorda (2.295 m) and the small col of Pales Cabana Sorda (2.652
m). By the oposite side, the footpath goes down to the refuge
Coms de Jan (2.217 m) and up to the cape of La Serrera (2.724
m), from where the route goes down to the refuge of Sorteny i
el Serrat (1.600 m). From here on, the route goes to the South
by the valley of La Valira Nord to Llorts (1.400 m), from where
it goes up to the refuge Angonella (2.240 m) and the col of La
Burna (2.591 m). By the oposite side, the footpath goes down heavily
to the cabins of Els Prats Nous (2.020 m) and, soon after the
col of Font Podrida, it meets the GR 11-8 (2.000 m). Both routes
go down together until the river Coma Pedrosa (1.800 m), where
they meet the GR 11. The GR 11-8 ends in this place, and the GRP1
goes, together with the GR 11 until the refuge of Coma Pedrosa
(2.224 m), where they separate, and the GRP1 goes up to the Portella
de Sanfons (2.581 m) and, again by the crest, it goes up to the
Pic del Port Vell (2.655 m) and to the Alt de la Capa (2.572 m).
After that, the route goes down to the col of Montaner (2.078
m). From this col, the route goes on by the whole valley of the
river Montaner until Sispony (1.350 m).
It is about 100 km long, with lots of drops because of the rough
configuration of the Andorran geography. The lowest place of the
route is its beginning, Juberri (1.300 m), and the highest one
is the Pic de Pessons (2.864 m).
Marking
In Andorra, the footpaths called GR, like in the rest
of the European countries, are marked in red-and-white. The
marks of the footpaths of the country (GRP) are yellow
and red (signs that coincide with the French code). The planned
short routes (PR) in Andorra will have the same mark
code than Spain (white and yellow). |
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Observation
Almost all Andorran routes are high mountain crossings, that require
an adequate equipment, preparation and knowledge of the land.
That's why, in some of the seasons of the year, because of the
weather, there may be inadvisable to go along.
Copyright © 1999 Catalana de Senderisme
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