Time to put on your snow shoes

Winter snowfalls leave behind a gorgeous landscape in the Catalan Pyrenees, enveloped in a postcard-ready white mantle that is well worth the effort.

The most widely practiced sport in the area is skiing, but it is increasingly common to become hooked on snowshoeing excursions. They are an easy way to walk around the mountains, enjoying the luxury of nature’s silence.

In the Catalan Pyrenees virtually all ski resorts organise snowshoeing outings, even at night-time such as those available in La Molina and Vallter 2000, which offers a comprehensive mountain experience that includes resting in an igloo and ending with a nice cup of hot chocolate.

In Port Ainé and Espot Esquí they organise guided excursions around the Alt Pirineu Natural Park; in Tavascan you will find some that start in the refuge of La Pleta del Prat, and Baqueira Beret offers snowshoeing routes around the Pla de Beret plain. One of the most attractive ones goes from Orri to Lac de Bacivèr. It departs from the Orri car park in the Pla de Beret and involves around four hours of walking on snow with a gradient of 272 metres.

There are also courses on offer for learning to walk on snow and, if you wish to take part in a competition, night-time contests and snowshoeing orientation courses are also held.

Snowshoeing in Val d'Aran

Val d’Aran is home to numerous snowshoeing routes for you to get lost in nature and see some of the loveliest snow-covered landscapes in the Catalan Pyrenees. One of them is the one which goes from the Beret Plain to Montgarri. It’s a 10-kilometre trip which will take you to the old town of Montgarri, now uninhabited. Follow the trail along the left bank of the Noguera Pallaresa River, exclusive for snowshoers and skiers. At the end of the journey you can visit the Romanesque sanctuary of Montgarri.

Another snowshoeing route in Val d’Aran, also simple to do, is the itinerary from Bòrda Montadi to Hotel Banhs de Tredòs. This 7.1-kilometre hike crosses the valley of Aiguamòg to Banhs de Tredòs, the highest spa resort in Europe and the gateway to Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park.

Walking through the snow has never been this easy

Although the origin of this footwear dates back to the time before Christ, when it was used to hunt or travel in winter, in the 21st century it has modernised. Today's snowshoes feature movable bindings which make it possible to move the foot freely on the uphills and block it on the downhills. Using them does not require much technique and it is an activity which can be adapted to different levels. Snowshoes are comfortable and easy to use, you only need to take a few steps to get used to it... it’s like walking on snow.

Before setting off on your snowshoe trip, make sure you have comfortable and insulating clothing, sunglasses and ski poles.

A great day of snow awaits you. You still haven’t strapped on your snowshoes?