Aigüestortes : Estany de Sant Maurici

In the far north of the Peninsula is one of the two national parks in the Pyrenees. The name ‘Aigüestortes’, which means ‘tortuous waters’, alludes to the more than 200 crystalline lakes (many of them originating from glaciers), meandering streams, fast flowing rivers, and tempestuous waterfalls that abound in the park. In the far east of the Catalan Pyrenees, in the province of Lérida, you will find the Parque Nacional de Aigüestortes : Estany de Sant Maurici. It was created in 1955, which made it Spain’s fifth national park, and the second in the Pyrenees, the first being Ordesa y Monte Perdido, which we will visit in a later issue. Not only water dominates the park. The mountains in Aigüestortes rise steeply and reach an altitude of between 1,300 and 3,000 MASL, and the tallest peak is Comaloforno. The park is home to the greatest concentration of lakes and pools in the Pyrenees, and the unique mountain meanders give the park its name Aigüestortes. The first Pyrenean mountaineers discovered the region early in the 19th century, and they chronicled their travels and drew the first maps of the area. In 1988 the park and its close surroundings were declared Special Protection Area for birds, and in 1996 it was expanded to reach its present surface area of 14,119 hectares. In 2006 it was included in the Ramsar list of wetlands of international importance. The Aigüestortes : Estany de Sant Maurici National Park is the essence of Alpine countryside modelled by the glaciers that covered Europe during the quaternary period.

When the ice started melting, it left hanging cirques and valleys, and more than 200 glacial lakes and pools amongst its peaks. The wind, rain, snow, and avalanches have also helped shape the park, which is characterised by crests and needles that cut through the horizon, creating a rugged and spectacular scenery. After the glaciers melted and disappeared, the valleys and peaks in the national park became the ideal habitat for many plants and flowers. Some, such as the cowslip, are virtually unchanged relics from the Tertiary period. Others, like orchids or large flowered butterworts, can be found in the permanently humid places. The vegetation changes as the height increases. The valley bottoms are inhabited by mixed deciduous forests. Higher up, pine trees cover the shaded slopes, and higher yet, the black pine rules. This tree is equipped to resist the long, cold alpine winters and it can live has high up as 2,300 MASL. Above the tree line, the alpine meadows begin. In spring and summer both the meadows and the rock cracks turn into a sea of colours as the gentians, rockfoils, arnicas, forget-me-nots, and thrifts blossom. The ice age of the quaternary period laid the foundation for the existence of the fauna on the higher Pyrenean ground. As the ice retreated, the Pyrenean peaks and forests turned into refuges for snow grouse, Boreal owl, and capercaillie. The capercaillie is a forest bird, whose populations on the Iberian Peninsula are limited to the Pyrenees and the Cantabrian Mountains. The populations within the park, a Pyrenean subspecies, seem to be maintaining a certain stability in the black pine forests. On the peaks of the park, you will fi nd the Pyrenean chamois, and the alpine and subalpine meadows are home to a newcomer to the Spanish fauna: the marmot, a social rodent which was introduced to the French side of the Pyrenees in the middle of the last century and has now extended its presence to the Spanish Pyrenees too. It snows in the park almost all year round. So much snow piles up that sometimes it loses cohesion and falls downhill causing avalanches. Avalanches are frequent in winter and spring; they are natural phenomena that destroy the vegetation cover.

When summer comes it is easy to identify the areas that have suffered avalanches, as they are virtually tree-less, apart from some broken or uprooted specimens. In these open spaces, the vegetation starts growing again, and the dry and dead trees slowly disappear into the ground and serve as refuge and food for certain animals. It is the water, in all its shapes and forms, that gives the territory its personality. The melting snow, the abundant rainfall, and the steep inclines create hundreds of streams which meander down the mountain sides and bit by bit create ever larger watercourses. The symbol of the park, Els Encantats, is a limestone rock mass consisting of two twin peaks towering over the Sant Maurici lake. The first documented climb to the top of the 2,748 metre tall Encantat Gran took place in 1901. The other peak was conquered the following year. Legend has it that two chamois hunters who were going hunting on St. Maurice Day, laughed at the faithful attending chapel as they passed on their way to the mountains. As they walked on, they saw the largest and most beautiful specimen of chamois they had ever happened upon, and they followed it. When they got as far as the hillock that separates the twin peaks, the chamois disappeared. They tried to jump across the hillock, but just as they did, they were both struck by lightning, and they turned into stone statues. Since then, the formation has been named Els Encantats, The Bewitched Ones. The traditional gastronomy of this mountainous region is closely linked to the hard climate – rich, nutritious dishes to hold the cold at bay. It is only possible to grow a few products in the mountain orchards during the short spring/summer period, and animal-based foods dominate the cuisine. Local, ecological meat production abound; beef, with the ‘Denominación de Origen’ label deservedly enjoy great fame; pork meat is turned into sausages and cured, and stuffed leg of lamb, are specialities of the area. The latter is known as ‘palpís’. Livestock has always played an important part of life in the park. Traditionally, the livestock was taken to the mountains in spring, and they grazed and got fattened on the high meadows until the first cold spell, when it was time for them to return to the valley. This order of things continues to the present day, although on a smaller scale. The meadows also provide hay, which is harvested and stored for feeding the beasts. Nowadays, there is only comparatively little livestock left in the park, mainly cattle, but horse breeding is on the rise and gaining foothold in the area.