Walking in the Prepirineo

The Prepirineo, or pre-Pyrenees, are the ‘foothills’ of the Pyrenees on the southern side of the Spanish border with France.  Although little appreciated outside Spain they are a walker's paradise. They combine great scenery, wildlife, historical interest, good local food, a huge choice of accommodation, good weather and a comparatively long walking season.  With the help of my Spanish friend Juan Holgado, the expert on Spanish walking, I'm researching the area (an excuse for a series of Spanish holidays) and if it's as good as I think it is I will write a guide.

Defining where foothills start and finish is always a challenge and that's as true of the Pyrennees as it is of the Alps.  The Prepirineo to an extent are defined by geology.  The Pyrennees correspond to an exposed line of particularly old rock (known as the 'axial line' or 'primary axial line') with the Prepirineo formed by younger rock sitting either side of the ancient core. Geologically the Prepirineo are uplifted remnants of rocks that would originally have covered the older rocks in the middle, but being younger and softer they didn't last as long.  Of course, with great slabs of rock folding and faulting over each other it's actually more complicated.  In particular, it's not symmetrical and there are lots more of the younger, softer rocks on the southern Spanish side of the core than on the northern side.

Farewell to the Osprey Exos 44 - a 10,000 km Backpack

Saying farewell to a rucksack that you've carried for 10,000 km is a wrench.  When setting off on a trip that first feeling of the bag on my back is like firing the starting gun for an adventure.  I've got so used to it, I know where everything goes and together we've developed a system which works.  Not quite on its last legs it has, however, started to show its age.  My wife claims that it smells and if I'm going to avoid offers of loose change as I wander through towns I have to accept that I need to smarten up.

Osprey Exos 44 at rest in Hungary

I was first introduced to my Osprey Exos 46 three and half years ago as I set off on my 5,000km trip from Tarifa, on the south coast of Spain, to Budapest.  Since then we've crossed Spain three more times, walked the Apennines in Italy, bashed our way through Bulgaria, crossed the Alps twice and been on numerous trips to France and various parts of the UK.  In three and a half years the Exos has been clamped to my back for at least 300 days.

Munich to Venice - the 'Dream Way'

Known as the Traumpfad (Dream Way), the Munich to Venice trek enjoys a huge reputation  in Germany.  Does it deserve it? Having done it and despite walking 550 km and climbing 22,000m, during the worst Alpine summer in living memory, I can emphatically say that it does. I've crossed the Alps on foot many other times but this was the best.

The start

As a route it succeeds at many different levels. Great scenery is almost a given in the Alps but on the Dream Way it is exceptional, day after day. Climbing over the Karwendel, Tuxer and Zillertal Alps and passing through the Dolomites means you walk through the most spectacular mountain landscapes in Europe.  There is some flat walking at each end but, with Venice as the destination, who cares?

Day 26 Munich to Venice - Venice

Finished, all done and dusted, and after 525km and something like 22000m of climb we have arrived in Venice. It feels very strange, a whole bag of mixed emotions.  I'm relieved it's all over and looking forward to getting home, but already missing the prospect of setting off in the morning on another walk.

Leaving Jesolo

The last day from Jesolo was similar to the last four, long hot and flat. The first half involved a quiet walk along the bank of a river and the second a cycle way on the side of a road. We again crossed paths with the two German hikers we have been unable to shake off for the last three days, uncannily we seem to go everywhere together, even the to the same ice-cream shops where the choice is not exactly limited.

Days 24-25 Munich to Venice - Jesolo

We were warned by lots of Germans that the last part of the Munich Venice walk was not nice and had the impression that we would be walking along busy roads with lorries humming past. Although the last 48 hours have not been great walking, it wasn't that bad.

Three things dominate my memory of the last two days.

Firstly the levees. The countryside is totally flat and the route sticks limpet like to top of a never ending line of flood defences or levees bordering the river Piave. From the top of the levee, usually walking along a gravel or grassy path, you can see everything there is to see -field after field of maize or beans.

Endless fields of beans

Day 23 Munich to Venice - Ponte Della Priula

Yesterday's anticipation of the end of the walk may have been premature. If today is anything to go by the four days of walking from the mountains to Venice is going to be a real test of will.  Today we walked 27km in sweaty heat with a lot of hard surfaces.

Chewing the fat

Days 21-22 Munich to Venice - Tarzo

Arriving in Belluno felt like the beginning of the end; after a week in the wonderful Dolomites we're now on the final run into Venice. And the focus of the trip seems to have shifted from scenery to food.

It started last night when we found a little family osteria near the cathedral, the three owls I think, which served perfect Italian food in a really friendly way. We were all gushing about the meal and its amazing value, but when we tried to express our thanks with a tip they insisted on sending us on our way with complementary large grappas.

The weather was raining yesterday morning when we set off but it didn't seem to affect Christine's spirits. She was happily spinning her walking pole, which was closed but apparently not tightened, when the end section shot off behind her and narrowly missed spearing one of two smartly dressed police men. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your point of view they saw the funny side and we carried on our way without even an official warning.

Great waymarking out of Belluno

An easy forest trail