We are in Panticosaat 1,180 meters above sea level. A small mountain village that in the summer season is a great destination and base camp for family tourism. the Tena valleyone of the largest and most populated in the Pyrenees. But in this area it is not only children who have fun; we will find activities suitable for all ages.
The El Sarrio train and the Artouste train
From the main square of Panticosa, where every Monday there is a market of cheeses, sausages and mountain clothing, it leaves three times a day The El Sarrio trainThis high mountain train takes you up the mountain – along a track that only it can travel on – until you reach the La Ripera valley, from where several trails start. A good option if you are travelling with your family is the six-kilometre trail that gently descends along the Ripera River (at the beginning) and the Bolática River (further on), until you reach the village again. The path ends at the Caldarés River, in a section where pools form and where you can take a dip; there is no better way to end a route. If you look up from the pool, you could be the cable car that takes skiers up in winter and that in the summer months takes hikers to the start of the Sabocos and Asnos lakes route.
We crossed the nearby border into France to take another very different train: the Artouste trainin the heart of the Ossau Valley. To get there, you must first take the cable car, which leaves you at an altitude of 1,950 metres, from where you have an incredible view of the valley itself and Lake Fabrèges. From this point, the small train departs, which skirts the mountain and offers a spectacular view of the Soussouéou Valley, for a 10-kilometre journey to the path that leads in about 20 minutes to the glacial lake of the same name of this train, which claims to be the highest in Europe on narrow tracks.
The Panticosa Walkways
The Panticosa Walkways They are suitable for children aged 7 years and under 130 centimetres. They are located on the outskirts of the town of Huesca, 500 metres from the parkingwhere you can already see the signs that lead to the start of the path. On a short walk of less than a kilometre and 160 metres of gradient (it takes approximately one hour) you can see the ravine and the small waterfalls formed by the Caldarés River from a bird’s eye view. At the end of the walkways, you can choose to return directly to the village on a 30-minute walk or go up through a couple of bunkers to the O Calvé viewpoint, with a wonderful panoramic view of the village and the surrounding mountains at sunset.
Baths of Tiberius
Just six kilometres from Panticosa is the Panticosa Spa and in it, the modern Baths of Tiberiuswhere one of the six springs in the area flows, the Tiberius spring that emerges at 54 degrees. This spa, already known in Roman times, had its first building in 1694 and maintained its image until a comprehensive renovation was carried out in 2000.
It is a shame to see the old buildings of the different springs in ruins and it is true that the modern buildings do not fit very well with the landscape, but its interior must be recognized as a marvel – the palm goes to the outdoor pool at 34 degrees with views of the mountains, with a bubble bed and neck jets. Inside, among other spaces there is another pool with a large window to the sky (called the tranquility pool), the pool with color therapy or a hammamThere is a children’s schedule in three daily passes (children can access from 3 years old).
And since we are here, we can take advantage of the opportunity to take the trail that starts from the Casa de Piedra Refuge and passes by the Cascada del Pino, reaching the Bachimaña Alto refuge and reservoir in less than four kilometres. Other options are to walk around the Ibón de los Baños or climb to the nearby La Laguna spring, where another of the area’s springs emerges at 22 degrees.
Gorgol Pools
From the abandoned village of Saqués, leaving the car on the other side of the road, at kilometre 9 of the A-136, the path goes up through the undergrowth, indicated by a small yellow sign. We enter the Betato forest, a leafy forest of boxwood, beech, oak and hazelnut trees that gently climbs for just over a kilometre until reaching a track that leads, a few metres further on, to the bridge over the Lana Mayor ravine. There are several pools on both sides of the bridge where you can swim if you dare to brave the water temperature. Right here you can start canyoning, with a simple descent lasting about three hours, for those over 10 years old, which can be booked at one of the many adventure activity agencies in the area.
After the day of leisure and adventure, we return in a circular way, visiting the town of Tramacastilla de Tena and entering the Betato forest again, where we come across the horses of the El Betato Equestrian Center. This equestrian centre, located in the middle of the forest, with an arena with wonderful views of the Bubal reservoir and Peña Telera, has five hectares available for its horses. It offers routes of different lengths through the beech forest, and can reach the nearby Piedrafita lake on four-hour excursions. For children under 8 years old, it offers 30-minute activities for their first contact with these animals.
Canoes in the Lanuza reservoir
Although canoe rental is the most popular activity in the Suscalar pier, Located on the eastern shore of the Lanuza reservoir – there are rooms for individuals up to four people – you can also rent pedal boats, sailing boats or windsurfing. the Sallent of Gállego and the Peña Foratata at one end of the reservoir and, at the other, the disappeared village of Lanuza, the reservoir creates a beautiful picture from all its angles. In addition, in the surroundings there are green areas where you can frolic or take a bath and on the pier itself there is a restaurant with a terrace.
Stone villages
In the Tena Valley there are a multitude of very pleasant villages to walk through; both in Sallent de Gállego and in Panticosa there are free guided tours once a week to learn a little about the history of the villages and the area. Both have a shop selling the delicious Helados Panticosa, where Maripi from Zaragoza has been making ice cream for 13 years. Among the must-see villages are, for example, Hoz de Jaca and Piedrafita de Jaca, much smaller and quieter than the two previous ones. The latter has a hostel with a garden where you can eat or have a drink, with a park for the little ones.
Three excursions
- The Piedrafita lake excursion is one of the best known in the area, both for its beauty, as it runs through forest and streams where you can get your feet wet, and for its simplicity, as it is not very steep and is not very long. You can leave your car in the village of Tramacastilla de Tena or shorten the route by taking the car up to the lake. parking from La Cuniacha. If you still have energy once you reach the lake, you can continue the walk to the O Campanal arch, this time with a final stretch with quite a slope, and take the circular route.
- Another easy hike in the valley is the climb to Pacino Pass. The path is located at the exit of Sallent de Gállego and leaves from the car park of the same name on the A-136 road. It starts on a track, crosses an area of pastures and forest until reaching Pacino Pass. From here you can climb Pacino Peak in less than half an hour and reach the best viewpoint of the Tena Valley with a 360-degree panoramic view of all the peaks in all directions. To return we can take the circular path leaving the Escarra reservoir on the left and entering the Selva de Sallent until the start of the path.
- The last route that we are going to recommend starts at the La Sarra reservoir and ends in the shelter and Respomuso lake, is a long climb that is enlivened by streams and waterfalls along the entire path, many stretches of forest and bushes, raspberries and strawberries on the edge of the path. In the refuge on the edge of the lake you can eat and sleep, and then take one of the many routes that start from this same point the next day.
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