GR11 Transpirenaic

The GR11 runs 820km from Cap de Higuer on the Bay of Biscay to Cap de Creus on the Mediterranean, following the Spanish flank of the Pyrenees. It is objectively harder than the French GR10 on the other side of the range — more remote, less infrastructure, higher and longer passes, and fewer refuges. This is either a problem or the point, depending on who you are.

The western Basque section from Irun is green, rolling, and deceptively gentle. The character changes dramatically as the route moves east — the Navarra section climbs into proper mountain terrain, and by the time you reach the Aragonese Pyrenees, you are crossing passes above 2,500m on routes that require careful navigation in cloud. The Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park section is spectacular and genuinely technical.

The Catalan section in the east brings the route back down through the Pre-Pyrenees before finishing at sea level. The contrast between the high mountain core and the Mediterranean finish is one of the defining experiences of the route.

Refuges exist throughout but are more widely spaced than on the French side. Many require reservation in July and August — the Spanish hiking season is compressed and popular refuges fill fast. Wild camping is permitted in the national park under specific conditions; check current regulations as they have changed in recent years.

The route is well-marked with red-and-white GR blazes throughout, making navigation manageable in good conditions. The challenges come in bad weather, when cloud drops to trail level and the rocky Aragonese terrain becomes genuinely demanding.