Route: Ibon de Piedrafita and Lacuniacha Parque Faunistico
Area: Spanish Pyrenees
Date of walk: 20th June 2016
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 9.9 miles
Ascent: 1,700 feet
Weather: Sunny and very hot
Today was day 1 of our walking holiday in the Spanish Pyrenees, an area which we’ve not visited before. We’d booked a self guided holiday with Hike Pyrenees, an independent company whose owners live in the area and know all the best walks. The day before the walk we’d met with the owner Phil, who gave us various recommendations and based on these we set off in our hired car from our base in Biescas and parked near the Parque Faunistico (which we’d visit later)
The first part of the walk was along an easy track which we eventually left to follow a stream uphill. As we did so the spectacular cliffs of the Sierra de Partacua came into view looming ever higher as we approached closer. It was a superb section of the walk, through meadows full of wild flowers, with hundreds of butterflies flitting around
At last we arrived at the Ibon de Piedrafita, a tarn set in a wonderful position beneath the towering limestone cliffs above. We followed a path through the meadows and below the cliffs before descending gently into woodland where we picked up a track which took us back to the start
The walk was about 7 miles in length and the paths were good, so we still had enough energy to visit Lacuniacha Parque Faunistico. Our car was parked near the entrance and it was too good an opportunity to miss. The ensuing walk added another 3 miles or so but it was a worthwhile diversion – I’ll let the photos tell the story
What a great walk this had been and thanks to Phil for his recommendation – a perfect introduction to the area
Click on the icon below for the route map
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The start of the walk as we follow a track from the roadside parking space near the Parque Faunistico
Looking across the valley
Further along the easy track
Views of the Sierra de Partacua appear as we round the corner
Red kite
We leave the track to join a narrow path
We follow the path towards the tarn at the foot of the cliffs…
Damselfly
One of the many varieties of blue butterflies - possibly Common Blue
The Ibon de Piedrafita
We walk away from the tarn and follow a path through the meadow
The Forquetas de las Palomas
We follow the path through the grassy bowl of La Hoya
The Forquetas de las Palomas again
We look up to the natural stone arch of Piedrafita, lower right of picture
Close up of the arch
We pass by a hut/refugio in a spectacular setting near the foot of the cliffs
Pena Blanca on the far side of the valley
Looking back up to the Forquetas de las Palomas again as we descend through the meadow, with wildflowers growing in profusion…
Wild rose
Starflower
Pyrenean Hyacinth
Granny’s Bonnet
Pena Blanca
We join a path leading through the woods
Speckled Wood
The embalse de Búbal in the Valley de Tena below
This track took us back to the start - and the end of our first walk in the Spanish Pyrenees. We’d parked by the Parque Faunistico, so decided to pay it a visit…
Fallow deer in the park - a home to Pyrenean animals, some of them endangered or extinct in the wild, which are kept in large enclosures in their natural habitat
Mouflon, a wild sheep thought to be one of the ancestors of all modern domestic sheep breeds
Lynx
Ibex
Ibex fawn
Higher up in the park, there’s a good place to observe raptors - this is a Griffon Vulture
Engaging landing gear
Fox…
…and lastly a fallow deer as we leave the park - a very worthwhile and enjoyable visit
