The GRP, walking right round Andorra from hut to hut

Walking right round an entire country in a week is possible in only a handful of places in Europe, and Andorra is one of them. The GRP, which Andorra Turisme calls la volta a tot un país, closes a loop of about 110 km over the ridges and valleys of all seven parishes, sleeping in mountain huts. It’s the trek I’d choose to understand how the whole place fits together, from the Rabassa woods in Sant Julià to the glacial lakes of Canillo.

What the loop looks like

It’s a circular route split into seven stages of between 10 and 24 km, with nights in high mountain huts. In places it shares its line with the two GR trails that cross the country, the GR7 and the GR11 in Andorra, and with the cross-border GRT 1 and GRT 2. The official sheet grades it very hard, and it is, more for the accumulated days and height gain than for any technical passage.

There are four ways in. Aixovall in Sant Julià de Lòria, Bordes d’Envalira between Soldeu and Grau Roig, the Incles valley in Canillo, and the village of Llorts in Ordino. The sheet describes it from Aixovall, so that’s how I’ve summarised it.

Stage by stage

Stage one is the longest, 24.1 km and 2,000 m of climbing from Aixovall, up through Auvinyà, Juberri and the Rabassa woods to the unstaffed Roca de Pimes hut at 2,160 m and the Pic Negre at 2,644 m, then down to the Claror hut inside the Madriu valley. Stage two is the gentlest, 12.57 km of low-difficulty walking past the Nou lake, Perafita, the Maiana col and the Riu dels Orris to the l’Illa hut.

Stage three climbs to the GRP’s highest point, 2,829 m, just before the Pessons col at 2,810 m, then drops through the cirque to the unstaffed Pla de les Pedres hut and the Peretol area of Grau Roig. Stage four opens with a stiff climb to the Port Dret at 2,565 m, passes the Siscaró hut and ends at Juclar, at the foot of the largest lake in the country.

Stage five is one of the tough ones, 20.7 km and 1,512 m of climbing past the Cabana Sorda lake and hut, the Ransol valley, the Coms de Jan hut and the Meners col at 2,719 m, before dropping through Sorteny towards Ordino. Stage six climbs from Llorts to the Angonella lakes and the Clot del Cavall at 2,586 m, finishing at the staffed Comapedrosa hut. Stage seven closes the loop over the Port Vell, the Coll de la Botella, the Bony de la Plica at 2,405 m, Aixàs and La Margineda, back to Aixovall.

Where do you sleep on the GRP?

This is one of its selling points. The GRP passes all four staffed huts in the country, l’Illa, Juclar, Borda de Sorteny and Comapedrosa, with dinner and a bed. The other nights are in unstaffed huts, such as Claror or Pla de les Pedres, free and open all year but with no warden and no food.

The official sheet is dated in places, mentioning 2014 and giving bed numbers that don’t match the Madriu valley’s own site, and on stages three and five it suggests a valley hotel as an alternative. I’d trust each hut’s own website for capacity and book the staffed ones before setting off. I list them all in mountain huts in Andorra.

GRP or Coronallacs?

It’s the usual question, since both loop the country. The Coronallacs is 92 km in five stages and always sleeps in the four staffed huts, starting and finishing in Escaldes-Engordany. The GRP is longer, about 110 km in seven, and in return reaches further south through Sant Julià, with at least one night in an unstaffed hut.

If you have five days and want a hot dinner every night, go for the Coronallacs. If you have a week, can cope in a basic hut and want to see southern Andorra too, choose the GRP.

Before you set off

Walk it in July, August or September, or from the last week of June, which is the window Andorra Turisme recommends up high. Pick up the free hut passport from any tourist office before you start, because handing it in stamped in Andorra la Vella earns you a certificate and a prize. For British trekkers, two things are non-negotiable on a week in the mountains. The UK health card isn’t accepted in Andorra, so take out insurance that covers mountain rescue, and leave your day-by-day itinerary with someone at home. On the route itself, the first stage climbs from Aixovall past Juberri and Auvinyà into the Rabassa forest.