Walks and Climbs in the Pyrenees

by Kev Reynolds

This guide is an introduction to one of Europe's finest mountain ranges. It offers suggestions for 170 walks, multi-day tours and moderate ascents of some of the principal summits of the Central or High Pyrenees, and includes the Pyrenean High Route between the Cirque de Lescun and Andorra - one of the most challenging and rewarding mountain treks of all. The active walker, trekker and climber is spoilt for choice, for there is enough scope in the Pyrenees to fill a lifetime of holidays with a host of experiences, no matter what your degree of commitment. There are exquisite valleys and passes to wander day after day, and summits of 3000 metres and more within the reach of most hill walkers. The landscape is full of diversity and contrast, with Alpine-style peaks, small glaciers, deep gorges and more than a thousand mountain lakes. The range is also know as the 'flower garden of Europe', and the wildlife includes curious species rarely seen elsewhere on the continent. Since the first edition appeared in 1978, "Walks and Climbs in the Pyrenees" has become accepted as the authoritative guide to the range, and this new edition incorporates many changes and additions to reflect the boom in interest in the area. The Pyrenees have become the focus of attention not just for walkers and climbers, but parapente enthusiasts, mountain bikers, white-water kayakers, bird-watchers, butterfly and flower lovers, cavers and those who gain a thrill from descending plunging waterfalls and seemingly inaccessible canyons - the sport known as canyoning. As an arena for outdoor adventure the Pyrenees fulfils so many dreams.

Genres: Travel, Spain, France, Mountaineering, Walking

Paperback

First published March 28, 1988

About the author

A lifelong passion for the countryside in general, and mountains in particular, drives Kev Reynolds' desire to share his sense of wonder and delight in the natural world through his writing, photography and lectures. Claiming to be The Man with the World's Best Job, he has enjoyed a fruitful partnership with Cicerone since the 1970s, producing more than 50 books, including guides to major trekking regions of Nepal, and to numerous routes in the Alps and Pyrenees, as well as walking guides for Kent, Sussex and the Cotswolds. His collection of autobiographical short stories, A Walk in the Clouds, is a record of 50 years of mountain travel and adventures, while Abode of the Gods tells of eight of his many trekking expeditions in the Himalaya. The Mountain Hut Book, on the other hand, is a celebration of those alpine refuges perched in remote places, brought to life through joyful tales and exciting photographs.

Kev is an honorary life member of the Outdoor Writers' and Photographers' Guild (OWPG),and an honorary member of both SELVA (the Société d'Etudes de la Littérature de Voyage Anglophone) and the British Association of International Mountain Leaders (BAIML). When not away in the mountains, he lives with his wife in view of what he calls 'the Kentish Alps' with unrestricted walking country on his doorstep. But he also travels throughout Britain and abroad during the winter months to share his love of the places he writes about through a series of lectures.

Reviews

[Andy Weston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really useful in planning a month of hiking in the Spanish Pyrenees and Andorra.
I was less concerned with the French pages as I can't take the dog there...

[Zvika · Rating 2 out of 5]

The main thing you want from a book like this is a ranked list of the best hikes, perhaps catagorized by difficulty and taste (climbs, views, waterfalls, etc.). Instead the book is an encyclopedia of trails, all of which are described with exuberant superlatives ("bewitching beauty" and the like). Perhaps this is useful for an expert who's already been here several times and wants to discover new trails. But for people visiting the Pyrenees for the first time (and not planning to stay for months), the information overload makes the book's utility limited.