The Activities Abroad Blog

Ali Mclean Friday, 07 May 2010 0 comment

We've been, We Love The Catalan Pyrenees!

The first time I saw the Catalan Pyrenees was 04 January 2002.  It was three days after the birth of the European single currency and I was stood on the edge of Lake Maurici in the Aigues Tortes National Park. The call back to the office simply said ‘We have struck oil’ and so was born our Catalan Pyrenees family activity holiday which has been our flagship summer option ever since. 

The town of Sort is located just over 3 hours from Barcelona and has not changed in the 13 years since.

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The town of approximately 2000 inhabitants lies on the fast flowing Noguera Pllaresa river which is the centerpiece for most of the activities we feature – whitewater rafting, kayaking, hydrospeeding as well as exciting canyoning.

The area also boasts some wonderful mountain biking routes and the National Park has breathtaking scenery. The activities are superbly organised by two locals – Lluis and Carlos Rabaneda and their dedicated and highly professional team. You are truly in the safest possible hands. They are so passionate about what they do and where they live and they have even single handedly made this region have such a reputation for activities.

When my children were old enough I was very proud to take them to Sort in 2009 and join with a host of other families in taking part in the holiday which made its debut in 2002.

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Ask anybody under 18 for their favourite activity and they will all say canyoning…ask the parents and they will say whitewater rafting.  However, what they will all agree on is that all the activities are fantastic. Oh and then there’s the local restaurants… the food choices are excellent from traditional Catalan to Michelin stars, to a restaurant in the mountains above with an outstanding reputation as a ‘game’ restaurant.  I am not going to pretend, but it is not exactly a nirvana for vegetarians…. but there are options! I last visited Sort in 2012. The population sign was exactly the same as 2002.  It felt the same….there was no sense of tourism having spoilt the region in any way and long may this be the case. 

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The locals want you to come, but maybe not too many…just enough for them to make a decent living and protect their little slice of heaven so yes tell people but not too many.

Oh and buy a lottery ticket when you are there…apparently the little lottery shop is the luckiest in Spain!

Read 3150 times Last modified on Friday, 29 January 2021
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