"Walking the high trails (3)" Parc National des Pyrénées Occidentales Things to Do Tip by kokoryko

It is of course on the high trails where you have the greatest views over the mountains; sometimes, you feel like “over the mountains”, your view encompasses hundreds of kilometres, the summits you see are far outside the map. . . . . . I sometimes feel “above the clouds” like in this country song, adapted from German singer Reinhard Mey: Over the Mountains.
Walking to Monte Perdido is among the great experiences you can have in the Pyrénées; many people walk up there in Summer, coming from Spain or from France. Monte Perdido (main picture) is the second highest peak of the Pyrénées, the highest limestone mountain in Europe (3353 m) and you have to be equipped to get there, as you have to walk on glaciers. You will meet some locals walking high in July like this isard (picture 2), crossing a snow field. Going to Monte Perdido via the Port Neuf de la Pinède pass, is not a direct route, but from there, you have a great view on Valle de Pineta (picture3); coming from North (France), in order to reach the Collado del Cilindro, before the last climb to Monte Perdido, you have to walk the 250m elevation difference on the Marboré Glacier (picture 4).
The Lac Glacé and the melting snow (picture 5) are the headwaters of the Barranco de Pineta, the small river which then falls in numerous waterfalls in the Valle de Pineta.