Walks and Climbs in the Pyrenees (A Cicerone Guide) [Paperback]

Kev Reynolds (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2001 | Series: A Cicerone Guide

This guide is an introduction to one of Europe's finest mountain ranges. It offers suggestions for 170 walks, multi-day tours and moderate ascents of some of the principal summits of the Central or High Pyrenees, and includes the Pyrenean High Route between the Cirque de Lescun and Andorra - one of the most challenging and rewarding mountain treks of all. The active walker, trekker and climber is spoilt for choice, for there is enough scope in the Pyrenees to fill a lifetime of holidays with a host of experiences, no matter what your degree of commitment. There are exquisite valleys and passes to wander day after day, and summits of 3000 metres and more within the reach of most hill walkers. The landscape is full of diversity and contrast, with Alpine-style peaks, small glaciers, deep gorges and more than a thousand mountain lakes. The range is also know as the 'flower garden of Europe', and the wildlife includes curious species rarely seen elsewhere on the continent. Since the first edition appeared in 1978, "Walks and Climbs in the Pyrenees" has become accepted as the authoritative guide to the range, and this new edition incorporates many changes and additions to reflect the boom in interest in the area. The Pyrenees have become the focus of attention not just for walkers and climbers, but parapente enthusiasts, mountain bikers, white-water kayakers, bird-watchers, butterfly and flower lovers, cavers and those who gain a thrill from descending plunging waterfalls and seemingly inaccessible canyons - the sport known as canyoning. As an arena for outdoor adventure the Pyrenees fulfils so many dreams.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

A lifelong passion for the countryside in general, and mountains in particular, drives Kev's desire to share his sense of wonder and delight in the natural world through his writing, guiding, photography and lecturing. Spending several months each year among various high mountain regions researching guidebooks, makes him The Man with the World's Best Job; a title he aims to keep by remaining active for another 100 years at least. Kev has enjoyed a fruitful partnership with Cicerone since the 1970s, producing walking and trekking guides to the Pyrenees, Alps and Himalaya, as well as walking guides for Kent, Sussex and the Cotswolds and he has several more books in the pipeline. A frequent contributor to outdoor magazines, he also writes and illustrates brochures for national tourist authorities and travel companies. When not away in the mountains, Kev lives with his wife in a small cottage among what he calls 'the Kentish Alps' with unrestricted walking country on the doorstep. But he also travels throughout Britain during the winter months to share his love of the places he writes about through a series of lectures. Check him out on www.kevreynolds.co.uk

Product Details

• Paperback: 364 pages
• Publisher: Cicerone Press; 4th edition (October 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1852843284
• ISBN-13: 978-1852843281
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,469,944 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pyrenees: A Walkers dream., May 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Walks and Climbs in the Pyrenees (A Cicerone guide) (Paperback)

Author Kev Reynolds is an experienced walker and climber in the French and Spanish Pyrenees. The book describes some of the most interesting parts of the Pyrenees, and includes some 20 pages of color and black/white photographs.

For everyone, new or already acustomed to the range, planning to make a day-trip walk or true hike in the Pyrenees this book can be of nice help for finding good ideas what areas to visit and what routes to take. Based on this book the detailed maps can be bought, and the details of the route further discovered.

For every massif there is a 2 page introduction, followed by route descriptions (usually at around 1 page length, sometimes including a photograph). Usually the routes are for experienced walkers no problem, however overweighted first time walkers can forget to follow the routes.

From extensive experience with the range, it must be said that Mr. Reynolds pretty well describes the tracks, without to big mistakes. Shure, you still need a French IGN map, or a less good) Spanish Editorial Alpina map, but this book gives a good impression in what to expect.

The book further includes a short description of the HRP (Haute Route Pyreneenne), a map desciption and a bibliography. Author Kev Reynolds has also written Classic Walks in the Pyrenees (larger sized, with more photograps, describing 24-classic walks) and The Pyrenees.

5.0 out of 5 stars Walks and Climbs in the Pyrenees, August 28, 2010

By 

Carol A. Greene - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Walks and Climbs in the Pyrenees (Cicerone Guides) (Vinyl Bound)

This book is beautiful. Even if I weren't interested in the subject matter, I would like the book just for the way it feels in my hands.

1.0 out of 5 stars No routes on maps, August 10, 2010

By 

kai - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Walks and Climbs in the Pyrenees (A Cicerone Guide) (Paperback)

As other tour guides this book (2008 version) has sketch maps, but the routes are not drawn on the map! This makes it difficult or impossible to understand the descriptions. It is not clear where the trip starts or where it ends. I bought this book before a holiday to the Pyrenees and expected that it had the same standards as other books from this publisher. In the end I determined that the book was useless and left it at home. Luckily I managed to get a guide from another publisher (with routes on the maps).