always further away from where I was: GR1 Sendero Historico

Saturday, October 29, 2016

The GR1 - Sendero Histórico is an about 1250km long trail that crosses the northern part of Spain just to the South of the Pyrenees. The trail starts from Puerto de Tarna in the Picos de Europa and ends at the shores of the Mediterranean in Sant Martí d'Empúries. Originally envisioned as a coast to coast walk of Spain, but Asturias and Galicia did not join into the vision since they already had enough routes to administer (it is still fully possible to undertake such a journey, by connecting some small local routes between Oviedo and Puerto de Tarna to the Sendero Histórico and the Camino Primitivo and Finisterre).

Hiking on the trail, you will be brought along the history of Spain from Roman times through the Middle Ages to the civil war. The trail takes you past abandoned villages, desolate areas where remnants of history can be seen in the many castles, forts, ruins, villages and churches you pass by. As well as walking beneath the shadow of the towering Pyrenees to the North with its majestic mountains. In the fall of 2016 I travelled to Spain to walk the among the ghosts on the GR1 Sendero Histórico trail, this is my story from it.

Prologue: Puerto de Tarna

Day 1 (09.09):Puerto de Tarna - Collado del Pando

Day 2 (10.09):Collado del Pando - Besande

Day 3 (11.09):Besande - Col Alto de la Varga

Day 4 (12.09):Col Alto de la Varga - Estalaya

Day 5 (13.09):Estalaya - Brañosera

Day 6 (14.09):Brañosera - Reinosa

Day 7 (15.09):Reinosa - Corconte

Day 8 (16.09):Corconte - Pedrosa de Valdeporres

Day 9 (17.09):Pedrosa de Valdeporres - Salazar

Day 10 (18.09):Salazar - Návagos

Day 11 (19.09):Návagos - Bóveda