Panticosa to Bujaruelo Day 1 (part 1)
MAKE no mistake, this is a gruelling two-day walk. You will need to start early (before 07.00) and could be out all day. The route passes from one major Pyrenees valley eastwards to the next one – from the Valle de Tena to Bujaruelo. These valleys run from north to south, descending from the French border. The Day 1 crossing is a longer route, with the walker returning on a more direct line the following day.
On arriving in Panticosa the first task is to pick up a map. I used the Editorial Alpina 1:40,000 scale edition for the Valle de Tena. It is generally accurate, although sections of Pyrenean footpaths can be erased by winter snow and avalanche – then a combination of rain and sun which produces prodigious growth in early summer. The map offers a vast network of routes and those who do not fancy the long-distance walk outlined here will find dozens of options in the Tena and Bujaruelo valleys.
