Ordesa Gorge - Circo de Soaso, return via Faja de Pelay

Lyndon and Jennifer Jolley

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The Ordesa National Park is one of the most breathtaking areas in the Spanish Pyrenees. A World Heritage Site, the park is filled with soaring 3,000m mountains and deep gorges filled with cascading streams and major waterfalls. This walk makes the classic circuit of the main gorge returning, if you have the nerve, via the high-level route along the Faja de Pelay to the viewpoint 600m above the car park.

If you are late or do not fancy the exposure, the walk can be made easier by returning on the outward route from the Cola de Caballo waterfall at the end of the Circo de Soaso. In order to complete the whole walk you must start early, as you need to reach the turn at the Cola de Caballo waterfall before 3pm. Do not attempt the high-level return if you do not like heights or if you reach this later than 3pm, or if the weather is bad (you do not want to be making the final decent in the dark or wet). The return follows the Faja de Pelay, which is the narrow grassy slope just below the top rock band on the south side of the gorge. You are rewarded with stunning views down into the valley floor thousands of feet below and up over snow-covered mountains to the north of the park.

The route eventually arrives at the viewpoint 1,800ft above the car park and you then have to negotiate the nearly vertical descent via the hunters' track (Senda de los Cazadores) back to the car park. Some people, these hunters!

Spain - North East Spain - Huesca - Parque Natural de Monte Perdido

Features

Birds, Cafe, Flowers, Great Views, Mountains, River, Toilets, Waterfall
2/9/2010 - Phillip James

This is a superb hike and the views from the Faja de Pelay are breathtaking. I've walked this route in both directions and have to say I think it's much better tackled in the reverse direction to the one described here. That way you get the hard ascent over at the beginning of the day when the 'senda de la cazadores' is still in the shade. Making this steep descent at the end of the day with tired legs is a killer. In addition as you walk along the Faja de la Pelay you are walking towards Monte Perdido and the views just get better as you go. Tough-ish day but well worth it!