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Lleida hosts some 975,000 tourists a year, with over a third coming for what was some epic skiing this past winter. Increasingly however, the region is attracting adventurous active travellers in the summer to revel in hiking, biking and adrenaline-packed activities.
Sited between Barcelona and Madrid, and sharing borders with France and Andorra, Lleida offers a wide variety of landscapes, from the high peaks of the Pyrenees to abundant plains dotted with olive groves, fruit orchards and fields of crops.
Trekking is gaining hugely in popularity in Lleida, largely thanks to the creation of an extensive network of routes that go through some of the most beautiful and dramatic spots in the Pyrenees.
Hiking enables visitors to really enjoy the natural environment, particularly in the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park - the only national park in Catalonia, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. The park is blanketed with fir trees and ancient forests of Corsican pine, watered by almost 200 mountain lakes, and is a refuge for species such as chamois, capercaillie, marmot and the mythical lammergeier or bearded vulture.
Topping the list of Lleida’s great walks is its share of Europe’s Grand Randonnes – long-distance trails that take in some of the most breath-taking scenery and culture. These include the Catalan section of the famous Way of Saint James (Camino de Santiago) and The Good Men’s Way (Cami des Bons Homes), a trans-Pyrenean itinerary of around 200km (GR-107), which commemorates the exile of the Occitan Cathars who were called the Good Men.
Adding to the charms of Lleida are the natural parks of L’Alt Pirineu and Cadí-Moixeró, and the Collegats-Terradets Park, the Boumort Hunting and Nature Reserve, and the Mont-Rebei Gorge.
Many wonderful trekking routes access these areas, such as the circular Encantats, a 95km five-stage route that runs through the Val d’Aran and the Aigüestortes National Park, the Way of the Sun, a two-stage circuit through the Alt Pirineu Natural Park, and the evocatively-named Heaven’s Gate (Porta del Cel), a 65km mountain crossing which takes trekkers to the highest peak in Catalonia, the Pica d’Estats, and the largest lake in the Pyrenees, El Certascan.
GRAB SOME ADVENTURE
Lleida’s comarques (local districts) are the leading destination in Spain for lovers of adventure sports, with more than 200 companies offering over 50 activities on land, in the air and on the water.
Try these:
Wheels on fire
Lleida has more than 2,300km of marked trails for mountain bikers, including the magnificent Pedals of Fire, a circuit around the national park. The latest route to be opened up is Pedals d’Occitània, through the Val d’Aran and the French region of Cominges. The 220km route passes through hidden villages, solitary forests as it ventures deep into an undiscovered land - Occitania.
Wet’n’wild
In the spring, the winter snows melt bringing to life the fast-flowing waters of the rivers Noguera Ribagorçana, Noguera Pallaresa, Garona and Segre. These are ideal for water sports, and in particular white-water rafting. As well as rafting, you can also tackle these waters by canoe or kayak.
Aerial tricks
Lleida’s wind conditions are ideal for paragliding, hang-gliding, hot-air ballooning, gliding or micro-lighting. Some of the ideal places in Lleida to practise these are the Montsec range, in Àger and above the valleys of Organyà.
Where to Stay
As part of a pioneering tourism project, a special seal of quality ‘Benvinguts’, guarantees over 50 establishments in Lleida as providers of accommodation suitable for hiking and cycling lovers. These hotels, country houses, campsites and shelters display the ‘Welcome hikers and cyclists’ label certifying that they offer great facilities and the warmest of welcomes.
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