Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park
Encyclopedia
Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park is one of the fourteen Spanish
National Parks, the second in the Pyrenees and the only one in Catalonia
.
A wild mountain region in the Pyrenees
, with peaks rising to 3,017 m (Besiberri Sud) and with nearly 200 lakes, many of them of glacial origin, the park comprises a core area of 141 km² and a buffer zone of 267 km² surrounding the park.
The park has an elevation range from 1,600 to 3,000 metres and contains four major vegetation zones: lower montane, upper montane, subalpine and alpine. It has a great variety of alpine vegetation, including dark-coniferous mountain forest (fir
, mountain pine
) and subalpine pine forest.
The fauna includes Pyrenean chamois
, marmot
, ermine
, roe deer
, among other mammals and numerous birds (Black Woodpecker
, Common Crossbill
, Lammergeier
, Golden Eagle
).
The park was created in 1955 after Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park
, first spanish National Park in the Pyrenees in 1918. Its administrative seats are in Espot
and Boí
. The park is mainly located in the comarques
of Pallars Sobirà
and Alta Ribagorça
.
The core area is located in the comarques of Pallars Sobirà
and Alta Ribagorça
, and includes the main entrances of the Park:
In the west side, from the village of Boí, there’s the Aigüestortes plain. Aigüestortes means “winding waters” and it’s a very flat place where the river flows slowly in meanders. This places, more or less common in the area, indicates the existence of and old lake, today absolutely full of sediments.
From the east, up to the village of Espot
, we found Sant Maurici lake, one of the most famous of the region, from where you can see the spectacular twin peaks of the Encantats. This picture is one of the simbols of the Park and is the logo of the Park.
The peripherical area also includes part of the municipalities of Vielha e Mijaran
and Naut Aran
in the Val d'Aran
; Vilaller
and Vall de Boí
in the Alta Ribagorça; La Torre de Cabdella in the Pallars Jussà
; and Espot
, Alt Àneu
, Esterri d'Àneu
, La Guingueta d'Àneu
and Sort in the Pallars Sobirà.
In the buffer zone also we can find very beautiful places with great natural values, as the forest of la Mata de Valencia, Gerber and Cabanes valleys, Colomers and Saboredo valleys, the Besiberri valley, the lakes of Cabdella, Montardo peak and some else.
The 19th century was the time with more population in the high Pyrenees. Then the pressure on the natural resources also was very strong, with an intense forestry, farming, and fishing industry all around.
At the beginning of the 20th century, begun the establishment of the hydro electrical power plants that leads to a great transformation of the landscape which reminded basically unaltered until then.
On the 21st October 1955 the National Park was created by a law, becoming the fifth Spanish national park. On 30th March 1988, the Catalonian government declared the National park, together with an additional buffer zone, according to the Catalan laws. From that date, the management of the wild protected areas depends on the autonomous government, and begins to increase the budget, the staff and more strictly rules.
Since then, forestry exploitation, fishing, camping and any exploitation of natural resources becomes forbidden. Only it’s allowed extensive cattle breeding and the operative hydroelectric uses. Traditional uses of natural resources which are compatible with the protection of the wilderness are only allowed in the buffer zone.
In 1996 the National Park was enlarged, to a total area of 14,119 hectares.
In 1997, after litigation between Catalan and Spanish laws, it’s accorded that autonomic regions can also take part in the management of the national parks. Then Aigüestortes returns to the Spanish national parks net.
". But this places has been historically exploited for humans and usually are now occupied with grasslands, and shrubs communities dominated by Common Box "Buxus sempervirens
" or secondary forests with Scots Pine "Pinus sylvestris".
From 1.500 m to beyond 2,000 m, it’s the place for Mountain Pine "Pinus uncinata
" forest. In this places its also founded Alpenrose "Rhododendron ferrugineum
" and blueberry "Vaccinium myrtillus
" which prefers more fresh places. Heather "Calluna vulgaris” or Common Juniper "Juniperus communis
" prefers more sunny and dry places. In the north faces, less than 2,000 m its important silver fir "Abies alba" forests. La Mata de Valencia is the Pyrenean biggest fir tree forest.
In the alpine meadows, up 2,300 m where trees cannot live, it’s possible to found different species of the alpine flora, as "Gentiana alpina" among others.
Approximately the 8% of the species of the park are Pyrenean endemisms in wide sense. Around 7% they are plants with boreo-alpine or artico-alpine distribution, most of them arrived at the Pyrenees during the last Ice Age. The most important group of the National Park flora belongs to the eurosiberian group, the typical species from central Europe.
"Aquila chrysaetos", Griffon Vulture
"Gyps fulvus" or Bearded Vulture “Gypaetus barbatus". Also are possible to see Black Woodpecker
"Dryocopus martius", Red-billed Chough
"Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax", Wallcreeper
"Tichodroma muraria", White-throated Dipper
"Cinclus cinclus", Citril Finch
“Serinus citrinella” among others.
Most representative mammals are Chamois
"Rupicapra pyrenaica", Stoat
“Mustela erminea", Alpine Marmot
"Marmota marmota" (which is not autochthonous) or Fallow Deer
“Dama dama” and Roe Deer
“Capreolus capreolus” which are also introduced in the National park during the second half of the XX century.
Among the amphibians
, Pyrenean Brook Salamander
"Euproctus asper" it’s significant but not easy to see. The Common Frog
"Rana temporaria" is more or less common. It’s necessary be aware with Vipera aspis
"Vipera aspis", a reptilian
with poisonous bite, but it never attacks without provocation.
In the waters, brown trout
"Salmo trutta fario", the local trout, must shares the place with other introduced species.
and slate
. They both are very old Paleozoic
rocks. This material emerged from the sea in the Paleogene
, during the Alpine orogeny
, giving place to the Pyrenees.
After that, the successive quaternary
glaciations covered these mountains with huge glaciers. The lakes, the waterfalls, the sharpened peaks, the vertiginous ridges and the U-shaped valleys are the footprints of the erosive action of those ancient glaciers, today absolutely disappeared (except for a little remaining ones in the central Pyrenees).
Today, water it’s the most important hit, with the meanders on the water meadows, and a great number of little lakes, rivers and waterfalls.
The climate in the Park it’s cold. The mean temperature its around 0 to 5 ºC. In the upper parts, during all the winter season temperatures hardly arrives to 0ºC. Rain it’s more or less usual. Mean annual precipitation goes from 900 to 1300 mm. Mostly snow in the mountains.
Public use is one of the most important objectives for a national park and people have the right to visit it. Aigüestortes is a more or less open park. The walking access is wideness allowed.
In the house of the Park at Espot also can find information available and it’s possible to visit an exhibition about the three leading things of the park: rock, water and life.
In Llessui is the Museum of the shepherds, where the exhibition shows the traditional life and works of the shepherds from this valley.
Senet has an Information center where explains the evolution in the relation between humans and animals: a history about competition, exploitation and good fellowship.
During summer months a little information center is open in Estany Gento, while a cable railway is working in this area, in the higher valley of Torre de Cabdella,. There are some explanations about the water and the national park.
From all these centers is possible to participate in different organized activities.
It’s not allowed to enter by private cars. In Espot or Boí exists a public transportation service (taxis 4x4) which allows the visitors to go to the most emblematic places: Aigüestortes plain or Sant Maurici lake.
During summertime, at the Val d'Aran entrances are also a taxis service that allows a more easy way to the Colomers or Restanca shelters. At the Vall Fosca, the southern entrance of the Park, a cableway connects Sallente with estany Gento, where begin some nice day walks.
The transpyrenean path, GR-11 marked with red and white lines, cross the park from one side to other.
At the information points are hiking brochures available (also in English) where are very recommended and easy paths with some explanations. Some of them are:
A very interesting tour for several days
Other mountain activities as rock climbing, alpinism, snowshoes or backcountry ski are also allowed (with some regulations) in the National Park. The mountain shelters, the only places where are allowed to spend a night into the park, are very good places to stay if you like to complete higher objectives.
Additionally, there are two unguarded but well-equipped refuges (Mataró and Besiberri).
churches of the Vall de Boí
. UNESCO
declared it a World Heritage Site
in November 2000. A good example is the Sant Climent de Taüll
church.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
National Parks, the second in the Pyrenees and the only one in Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
.
A wild mountain region in the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
, with peaks rising to 3,017 m (Besiberri Sud) and with nearly 200 lakes, many of them of glacial origin, the park comprises a core area of 141 km² and a buffer zone of 267 km² surrounding the park.
The park has an elevation range from 1,600 to 3,000 metres and contains four major vegetation zones: lower montane, upper montane, subalpine and alpine. It has a great variety of alpine vegetation, including dark-coniferous mountain forest (fir
Fir
Firs are a genus of 48–55 species of evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. They are found through much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, occurring in mountains over most of the range...
, mountain pine
Mountain Pine
Pinus mugo, the Mountain Pine or Mugo Pine, is a high-altitude European pine, found in the Pyrenees, Alps, Erzgebirge, Carpathians, northern Apennines and Balkan Peninsula mountains from 1,000 m to 2,200 m, occasionally as low as 200 m in the north of the range in Germany and Poland, and as high...
) and subalpine pine forest.
The fauna includes Pyrenean chamois
Pyrenean Chamois
The Pyrenean Chamois , Rupicapra pyrenaica, is a goat antelope that lives in the Pyrenees, Cantabrian Mountains and Apennine Mountains...
, marmot
Marmot
The marmots are a genus, Marmota, of squirrels. There are 14 species in this genus.Marmots are generally large ground squirrels. Those most often referred to as marmots tend to live in mountainous areas such as the Alps, northern Apennines, Eurasian steppes, Carpathians, Tatras, and Pyrenees in...
, ermine
Stoat
The stoat , also known as the ermine or short-tailed weasel, is a species of Mustelid native to Eurasia and North America, distinguished from the least weasel by its larger size and longer tail with a prominent black tip...
, roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
, among other mammals and numerous birds (Black Woodpecker
Black Woodpecker
The Black Woodpecker, Dryocopus martius, is a large woodpecker, 45–50 cm long with a 64–84 cm wingspan. Body weight is approximately 300-400 grams on average. It is easily the largest woodpecker in its range...
, Common Crossbill
Common Crossbill
The Common Crossbill is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It breeds in the spruce forests of North America, where it is known as Red Crossbill, as well as Europe and Asia; some populations breed in pine forests in certain areas of all three continents, and in North...
, Lammergeier
Lammergeier
The Lammergeier, Lammergeyer, or Bearded Vulture, Gypaetus barbatus , is the only member of the genus Gypaetus. Traditionally considered an Old World vulture, it actually forms a minor lineage of Accipitridae together with the Egyptian Vulture , its closest living relative...
, Golden Eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
).
The park was created in 1955 after Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park
Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park
Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park is an IUCN Category II National Park situated in the Pyrenees of Huesca province, Aragon, Spain. There has been a National Park in the Ordesa Valley since 1918. Its protected area was enlarged in 1982 to cover the whole region amounting to 156.08 km².It has...
, first spanish National Park in the Pyrenees in 1918. Its administrative seats are in Espot
Espot
Espot is a municipality in the comarca of the Pallars Sobirà in Catalonia, Spain. It is located in the Espot Valley, east of the river Noguera Pallaresa. The municipality is one of the entrances to the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park...
and Boí
Boi
-People:* Paolo Boi , Italian chess player who beat the Pope* Big Boi, a rapper* Boi-1da, a Canadian hip hop producer-Places:* Sant Boi de Llobregat, a town near Barcelona, Spain* Boise Airport, an airport in the US state of Idaho-Organizations:...
. The park is mainly located in the comarques
Comarca
A comarca is a traditional region or local administrative division found in parts of Spain, Portugal, Panama, Nicaragua, and Brazil. The term is derived from the term marca, meaning a "march, mark", plus the prefix co- meaning "together, jointly".The comarca is known in Aragonese as redolada and...
of Pallars Sobirà
Pallars Sobirà
El Pallars Sobirà is a comarca in the mountainous northwest of Catalonia, Spain. The name means "Upper Pallars", distinguishing it from the more populous Pallars Jussà to its southwest...
and Alta Ribagorça
Alta Ribagorça
Alta Ribagorça is one of the comarques of Catalonia, Spain. Its capital is Pont de Suert. The highest peak is the Comaloformo in the massif of Bessiberri. Northeast of the region is the western part of the National Aiguas Tortas and Lake of San Mauricio...
.
Situation
The National Park has 40,852 ha. divided in two different levels of protection: the core area and the buffer zone surrounding the park. This buffer zone creates a gradation from the inner side, more strictly protected to the external parts of the park.The core area is located in the comarques of Pallars Sobirà
Pallars Sobirà
El Pallars Sobirà is a comarca in the mountainous northwest of Catalonia, Spain. The name means "Upper Pallars", distinguishing it from the more populous Pallars Jussà to its southwest...
and Alta Ribagorça
Alta Ribagorça
Alta Ribagorça is one of the comarques of Catalonia, Spain. Its capital is Pont de Suert. The highest peak is the Comaloformo in the massif of Bessiberri. Northeast of the region is the western part of the National Aiguas Tortas and Lake of San Mauricio...
, and includes the main entrances of the Park:
In the west side, from the village of Boí, there’s the Aigüestortes plain. Aigüestortes means “winding waters” and it’s a very flat place where the river flows slowly in meanders. This places, more or less common in the area, indicates the existence of and old lake, today absolutely full of sediments.
From the east, up to the village of Espot
Espot
Espot is a municipality in the comarca of the Pallars Sobirà in Catalonia, Spain. It is located in the Espot Valley, east of the river Noguera Pallaresa. The municipality is one of the entrances to the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park...
, we found Sant Maurici lake, one of the most famous of the region, from where you can see the spectacular twin peaks of the Encantats. This picture is one of the simbols of the Park and is the logo of the Park.
The peripherical area also includes part of the municipalities of Vielha e Mijaran
Vielha e Mijaran
Vielha e Mijaran is a municipality in the comarca of the Val d'Aran in Catalonia, Spain. It was created in 1970 by the merger of the municipalities of Arròs e Vila, Betlan, Escunhau, Gausac, Vielha and Vilac: the former municipalities retain some privileges as "decentralised municipal entities" , as...
and Naut Aran
Naut Aran
Naut Aran is a municipality in the comarca of the Aran Valley in Catalonia, Spain. It is the second largest municipality in Catalonia in terms of surface area , and was created in 1967 by the merger of the municipalities of Arties, Salardú, Gessa, Tredòs and Bagergue: the former municipalities...
in the Val d'Aran
Val d'Aran
The Val d'Aran is a valley in the Pyrenees mountains and a comarca in the northwestern part of the province of Lleida, in Catalonia, northern Spain. Most of the valley constitutes the only part of Spain, and of Catalonia, on the north face of the Pyrenees, hence the only part of Catalonia whose...
; Vilaller
Vilaller
Vilaller is a municipality in the comarca of Alta Ribagorça in Catalonia, Spain. It has a population of 644 and an area of 59.23 km². The postal code is 25552....
and Vall de Boí
Vall de Boí
The Vall de Boí is a narrow, steep-sided valley and a small municipality in the province of Lleida, in the autonomous community of Catalonia, northern Spain. It lies in the northeastern corner of the comarca of Alta Ribagorça, on the edges of the Pyrenees...
in the Alta Ribagorça; La Torre de Cabdella in the Pallars Jussà
Pallars Jussà
Pallars Jussà is a comarca in Catalonia, Spain. It was established as a comarca in 1936, out of the old county of Pallars. The name means "Lower Pallars"; to the northeast and into the mountains is Pallars Sobirà. Its capital and largest municipality is Tremp.-Municipalities:Populations are...
; and Espot
Espot
Espot is a municipality in the comarca of the Pallars Sobirà in Catalonia, Spain. It is located in the Espot Valley, east of the river Noguera Pallaresa. The municipality is one of the entrances to the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park...
, Alt Àneu
Alt Àneu
Alt Àneu is a municipality in the comarca of the Pallars Sobirà in Catalonia, Spain. It is the largest municipality in Catalonia in terms of area at , but it has only about 400 people....
, Esterri d'Àneu
Esterri d'Àneu
Esterri d'Àneu is a municipality in the comarca of the Pallars Sobirà in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the right bank of the Noguera Pallaresa river above the reservoir of La Torrassa. It is linked to Sort by the C-147 road. It is the site of a hydroelectric power station.-References:*...
, La Guingueta d'Àneu
La Guingueta d'Àneu
La Guingueta d'Àneu is a municipality in the comarca of the Pallars Sobirà in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated in the valley of the Noguera Pallaresa river below the reservoir of La Torrassa. It is linked to Sort by the C-147 road.-Subdivisions :...
and Sort in the Pallars Sobirà.
In the buffer zone also we can find very beautiful places with great natural values, as the forest of la Mata de Valencia, Gerber and Cabanes valleys, Colomers and Saboredo valleys, the Besiberri valley, the lakes of Cabdella, Montardo peak and some else.
History
The human settlement of the Pyrenees begun as long the glaciers was melting. Inside the borders of the National Park, not any human population was stabilized. But recent archeological studies have been found signals of temporally settlements from 8,500 years ago, in the Neolithic Age.The 19th century was the time with more population in the high Pyrenees. Then the pressure on the natural resources also was very strong, with an intense forestry, farming, and fishing industry all around.
At the beginning of the 20th century, begun the establishment of the hydro electrical power plants that leads to a great transformation of the landscape which reminded basically unaltered until then.
On the 21st October 1955 the National Park was created by a law, becoming the fifth Spanish national park. On 30th March 1988, the Catalonian government declared the National park, together with an additional buffer zone, according to the Catalan laws. From that date, the management of the wild protected areas depends on the autonomous government, and begins to increase the budget, the staff and more strictly rules.
Since then, forestry exploitation, fishing, camping and any exploitation of natural resources becomes forbidden. Only it’s allowed extensive cattle breeding and the operative hydroelectric uses. Traditional uses of natural resources which are compatible with the protection of the wilderness are only allowed in the buffer zone.
In 1996 the National Park was enlarged, to a total area of 14,119 hectares.
In 1997, after litigation between Catalan and Spanish laws, it’s accorded that autonomic regions can also take part in the management of the national parks. Then Aigüestortes returns to the Spanish national parks net.
Biology
The park has an elevation range from 1,600 to 3,000 metres and different orientation of the valleys. For that reason very different ecosystems can be found inside the park.Vegetation
In the lower parts of the valleys, around 1,500m high, we expect to found typical European deciduous forests with Pubescens Oak "Quercus humilis", European Ash "Fraxinus excelsior", beech "Fagus sylvatica" or Common Hazel "Corylus avellanaCorylus avellana
Corylus avellana, the Common Hazel, is a species of hazel native to Europe and western Asia, from the British Isles south to Iberia, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, north to central Scandinavia, and east to the central Ural Mountains, the Caucasus, and northwestern Iran. It is an important component of...
". But this places has been historically exploited for humans and usually are now occupied with grasslands, and shrubs communities dominated by Common Box "Buxus sempervirens
Buxus sempervirens
Buxus sempervirens is a flowering plant in the genus Buxus, native to western and southern Europe, northwest Africa, and southwest Asia, from southern England south to northern Morocco, and east through the northern Mediterranean region to Turkey. Buxus colchica of western Caucasus and B...
" or secondary forests with Scots Pine "Pinus sylvestris".
From 1.500 m to beyond 2,000 m, it’s the place for Mountain Pine "Pinus uncinata
Mountain Pine
Pinus mugo, the Mountain Pine or Mugo Pine, is a high-altitude European pine, found in the Pyrenees, Alps, Erzgebirge, Carpathians, northern Apennines and Balkan Peninsula mountains from 1,000 m to 2,200 m, occasionally as low as 200 m in the north of the range in Germany and Poland, and as high...
" forest. In this places its also founded Alpenrose "Rhododendron ferrugineum
Rhododendron ferrugineum
Rhododendron ferrugineum is an evergreen shrub that grows just above the tree line in the Alps, Pyrenees, Jura and northern Apennines, on acid soils. It may grow up to 1 m tall and produces clusters of pinkish-red, bell-shaped flowers throughout the summer...
" and blueberry "Vaccinium myrtillus
Vaccinium myrtillus
Vaccinium myrtillus is an almost Holarctic species of shrub with edible fruit, usually simply referred to as "bilberry" or "whortleberry". It is more precidely called Common Bilberry or Blue Whortleberry, to distinguish it from its Vaccinium relatives...
" which prefers more fresh places. Heather "Calluna vulgaris” or Common Juniper "Juniperus communis
Juniperus communis
Juniperus communis, the Common Juniper, is a species in the genus Juniperus, in the family Cupressaceae. It has the largest range of any woody plant, throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere from the Arctic south in mountains to around 30°N latitude in North America, Europe and Asia.-...
" prefers more sunny and dry places. In the north faces, less than 2,000 m its important silver fir "Abies alba" forests. La Mata de Valencia is the Pyrenean biggest fir tree forest.
In the alpine meadows, up 2,300 m where trees cannot live, it’s possible to found different species of the alpine flora, as "Gentiana alpina" among others.
Approximately the 8% of the species of the park are Pyrenean endemisms in wide sense. Around 7% they are plants with boreo-alpine or artico-alpine distribution, most of them arrived at the Pyrenees during the last Ice Age. The most important group of the National Park flora belongs to the eurosiberian group, the typical species from central Europe.
Fauna
Fauna is not easy to see in the National Park. It’s about 200 species from Chordata phyllum living there. About 66% of them are birds. Some of the most important ones are capercaillie "Tetrao urogallus", Rock Ptarmigan "Lagopus muta”, Golden eagleGolden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
"Aquila chrysaetos", Griffon Vulture
Griffon Vulture
The Griffon Vulture is a large Old World vulture in the bird of prey family Accipitridae.The Griffon Vulture is long with a wingspan. In the nominate race the males weigh and females typically weigh , while in the Indian subspecies the vultures average...
"Gyps fulvus" or Bearded Vulture “Gypaetus barbatus". Also are possible to see Black Woodpecker
Black Woodpecker
The Black Woodpecker, Dryocopus martius, is a large woodpecker, 45–50 cm long with a 64–84 cm wingspan. Body weight is approximately 300-400 grams on average. It is easily the largest woodpecker in its range...
"Dryocopus martius", Red-billed Chough
Red-billed Chough
The Red-billed Chough or Chough , Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax, is a bird in the crow family; it is one of only two species in the genus Pyrrhocorax...
"Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax", Wallcreeper
Wallcreeper
The Wallcreeper is a small passerine bird found throughout the high mountains of Eurasia. It is the only member of the genus Tichodroma.-Taxonomy and etymology:...
"Tichodroma muraria", White-throated Dipper
White-throated Dipper
The White-throated Dipper , also known as the European Dipper or just Dipper is an aquatic passerine bird found in Europe, Middle East, Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. The species is divided into several subspecies, based primarily on colour differences, particularly of the pectoral band...
"Cinclus cinclus", Citril Finch
Citril Finch
The Citril Finch is a small songbird, a member of the true finch family Fringillidae. For a long time, this cardueline finch was placed in the genus Serinus, but it is apparently very closely related to the European Goldfinch .This bird is a resident breeder in the mountains of southwestern Europe...
“Serinus citrinella” among others.
Most representative mammals are Chamois
Chamois
The chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra, is a goat-antelope species native to mountains in Europe, including the Carpathian Mountains of Romania, the European Alps, the Tatra Mountains, the Balkans, parts of Turkey, and the Caucasus. The chamois has also been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand...
"Rupicapra pyrenaica", Stoat
Stoat
The stoat , also known as the ermine or short-tailed weasel, is a species of Mustelid native to Eurasia and North America, distinguished from the least weasel by its larger size and longer tail with a prominent black tip...
“Mustela erminea", Alpine Marmot
Alpine Marmot
The Alpine Marmot is a species of marmot found in mountainous areas of central and southern Europe. Alpine marmots live at heights between 800 and 3,200 metres in the Alps, Carpathians, Tatras, the Pyrenees and Northern Apennines in Italy...
"Marmota marmota" (which is not autochthonous) or Fallow Deer
Fallow Deer
The Fallow Deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. This common species is native to western Eurasia, but has been introduced widely elsewhere. It often includes the rarer Persian Fallow Deer as a subspecies , while others treat it as an entirely different species The Fallow...
“Dama dama” and Roe Deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
“Capreolus capreolus” which are also introduced in the National park during the second half of the XX century.
Among the amphibians
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
, Pyrenean Brook Salamander
Pyrenean Brook Salamander
The Pyrenean Brook Salamander or Pyrenean Newt , Calotriton asper, is a species of salamander in the Salamandridae family.It is found in the Pyrenees of Andorra, France, and Spain. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, rivers, intermittent rivers, freshwater lakes, freshwater marshes, inland...
"Euproctus asper" it’s significant but not easy to see. The Common Frog
Common Frog
The Common Frog, Rana temporaria also known as the European Common Frog or European Common Brown Frog is found throughout much of Europe as far north as well north of the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia and as far east as the Urals, except for most of Iberia, southern Italy, and the southern Balkans...
"Rana temporaria" is more or less common. It’s necessary be aware with Vipera aspis
Vipera aspis
Vipera aspis is a venomous viper species found in southwestern Europe. Bites from this species can be more severe than from the European adder, V. berus; not only can they be very painful, but about 4% of all untreated bites are fatal...
"Vipera aspis", a reptilian
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
with poisonous bite, but it never attacks without provocation.
In the waters, brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
"Salmo trutta fario", the local trout, must shares the place with other introduced species.
Geology and climate
Aigüestortes National Park is an important item in the Pyrenean geology. The predominant rocks are graniteGranite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
and slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
. They both are very old Paleozoic
Paleozoic
The Paleozoic era is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon, spanning from roughly...
rocks. This material emerged from the sea in the Paleogene
Paleogene
The Paleogene is a geologic period and system that began 65.5 ± 0.3 and ended 23.03 ± 0.05 million years ago and comprises the first part of the Cenozoic Era...
, during the Alpine orogeny
Alpine orogeny
The Alpine orogeny is an orogenic phase in the Late Mesozoic and Tertiary that formed the mountain ranges of the Alpide belt...
, giving place to the Pyrenees.
After that, the successive quaternary
Quaternary
The Quaternary Period is the most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the ICS. It follows the Neogene Period, spanning 2.588 ± 0.005 million years ago to the present...
glaciations covered these mountains with huge glaciers. The lakes, the waterfalls, the sharpened peaks, the vertiginous ridges and the U-shaped valleys are the footprints of the erosive action of those ancient glaciers, today absolutely disappeared (except for a little remaining ones in the central Pyrenees).
Today, water it’s the most important hit, with the meanders on the water meadows, and a great number of little lakes, rivers and waterfalls.
The climate in the Park it’s cold. The mean temperature its around 0 to 5 ºC. In the upper parts, during all the winter season temperatures hardly arrives to 0ºC. Rain it’s more or less usual. Mean annual precipitation goes from 900 to 1300 mm. Mostly snow in the mountains.
Management and information
44% of the territory is national propriety. Mostly of the eastern part of the park lands belongs to the Espot’s neighbourhood. Only 6% of the land has particular owners. Even so, exploitation of natural resources is forbidden in the strictly National Park.Public use is one of the most important objectives for a national park and people have the right to visit it. Aigüestortes is a more or less open park. The walking access is wideness allowed.
Information center
The Park has different Information centers widely distributed in the area. Boí its one of the main centres of the Park. It has also a public library and an exhibition about the settlement of the Pyrenees and the adaptations to live in the mountains.In the house of the Park at Espot also can find information available and it’s possible to visit an exhibition about the three leading things of the park: rock, water and life.
In Llessui is the Museum of the shepherds, where the exhibition shows the traditional life and works of the shepherds from this valley.
Senet has an Information center where explains the evolution in the relation between humans and animals: a history about competition, exploitation and good fellowship.
During summer months a little information center is open in Estany Gento, while a cable railway is working in this area, in the higher valley of Torre de Cabdella,. There are some explanations about the water and the national park.
From all these centers is possible to participate in different organized activities.
Tourism
Tourist activities are regulated. Walking access is free, but is forbidden the camping, to collect any rocks, plants, flowers and mushrooms; hunting and fishingIt’s not allowed to enter by private cars. In Espot or Boí exists a public transportation service (taxis 4x4) which allows the visitors to go to the most emblematic places: Aigüestortes plain or Sant Maurici lake.
During summertime, at the Val d'Aran entrances are also a taxis service that allows a more easy way to the Colomers or Restanca shelters. At the Vall Fosca, the southern entrance of the Park, a cableway connects Sallente with estany Gento, where begin some nice day walks.
Trekking
Summertime is a good time for trekking. There are a lot of possibilities, but it’s necessary to know what some of the paths are difficult to find or requires some experience and to be in good form.The transpyrenean path, GR-11 marked with red and white lines, cross the park from one side to other.
At the information points are hiking brochures available (also in English) where are very recommended and easy paths with some explanations. Some of them are:
- At Boí valley, from Llebreta Lake to Llong Lake, following Sant Nicolau River. In this path a footbridge allows the handicapped people with wheels-chair visit the meanders of the Aigüestortes plain.
- From Espot and the Sant Maurici Lake, an interesting path goes up to the waterfall and Ratera Lake. From this lake, in 15 minutes more, it’s possible to arrive to a panoramic place with the best views over the Sant Maurici Lake. A second option goes up to Amitges shelter where we can appreciate the high mountain feelings.
- From the parking place of Clot Gran, near the Bonaigua Pass, to Gerber valley and lakes.
- From Banhs de Tredòs, at the Val d'Aran, walk to Colomers shelter and a very spectacular tour with lakes.
- From Estany Gento walk to Tort Lake and arrive to the Colomina shelter or Saburó Lake.
A very interesting tour for several days
- Carros de foc. It’s a personal deal that completes a circular tour around some of the shelters that exist in this area. The competitive option (Sky runner) must be completed in less than 24 hours but it’s better to have at least four or five days in order to do it in a more normal way of hike.
Other mountain activities as rock climbing, alpinism, snowshoes or backcountry ski are also allowed (with some regulations) in the National Park. The mountain shelters, the only places where are allowed to spend a night into the park, are very good places to stay if you like to complete higher objectives.
BTT
Bicycle it’s only allowed on paved routes inside the park strictly protected (just to Sant Maurici Lake or Aigüestortes plain). Some routes are available in the peripheral area, most of them with medium or hard level.- Pedals de Foc: is an organized route for BTT around the park (not inside) for several days and possibility of backpacking transfer.
Refuges
Trekkers can find up to 10 guarded refuges in the park and its peripherical area. These are open during four months (end of spring and summer). During the winter, every refuge has its own opening calendar (usually around Christmas and Easter). It's necessary to book them in advance. The refuges are the following:- Amitges
- Colomers
- Colomina
- Ernest Mallafré
- Estany Llong
- Josep Mª Blanc
- Pla de la Font
- Restanca
- Saboredo
- Ventosa i Calvell
Additionally, there are two unguarded but well-equipped refuges (Mataró and Besiberri).
Surroundings
Close to the park there is a rich architectural heritage, including the Catalan RomanesqueRomanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
churches of the Vall de Boí
Vall de Boí
The Vall de Boí is a narrow, steep-sided valley and a small municipality in the province of Lleida, in the autonomous community of Catalonia, northern Spain. It lies in the northeastern corner of the comarca of Alta Ribagorça, on the edges of the Pyrenees...
. UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
declared it a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
in November 2000. A good example is the Sant Climent de Taüll
Sant Climent de Taüll
Sant Climent de Taüll is a Roman Catholic church in the town of Taüll, in the province of Lleida, Catalonia. The church was dedicated in the year 1123.The church is one of the best examples of Romanesque architecture...
church.
External links
- Guide to Parks in the Catalonia Pyrenees.
- http://gencat.cat/parcs/aiguestortes Official site in catalan or spanish
- http://reddeparquesnacionales.mma.es/en/parques/aiguestortes/index.htm official site, with some information in english