Posets towers above the Benasque valley © Teresa Farino

Wildlife of the Aragonese Pyrenees

A wealth of flowers, butterflies and birds in the Benasque valley, at the foot of the highest peak in the Pyrenees

The narrow, glaciated valley of Benasque is squeezed between the granite bulks of Aneto (3,404m) and Posets (3,369m) – the two highest peaks in the Pyrenees – and is part of the 33,267-hectare Posets–Maladeta Natural Park. It harbours a wide range of easily accessible subalpine and alpine habitats, ranging from high- and middle-altitude haymeadows, thick coniferous forests, peatbogs and both granitic and limestone rock gardens, as well as drier, more Mediterranean habitats at lower levels towards the southern end of the valley.

Vitaliana Androsace vitaliana © Teresa Farino

In mid June, Benasque's species-rich high-altitude haymeadows teem with eye-catching plants such as Pyrenean pheasant's-eye, great yellow gentian, the related Gentiana burseri, leafy lousewort, Pyrenean hyacinth, St Bernard's, martagon and St Bruno's lilies, white false helleborine and elder-flowered, greater butterfly, small white and frog orchids, as well as the vanilla orchid Nigritella austriaca ssp. iberica. In really boggy areas, we might find bird's-eye primrose, alpine snowbell, yellow mountain saxifrage, Tofield's asphodel and early and robust marsh orchids, while drier pastures teem with Pyrenean pink, Mt Cenis restharrow and Pyrenean golden drop. More shade-tolerant plants of the conifer forests include at least three species of wintergreen, baneberry, herb-Paris, twayblade and bird's-nest orchid.

An exploration of the granitic rock gardens might turn up lesser clubmoss, alpine snowbell, vitaliana, mountain Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris © Teresa Farino houseleek, alpine avens and southern gentian, while outcrops of limestone add to the floristic diversity, hosting a fabulous array of tufted soapwort, net-leaved and Pyrenean willows, the columbine Aquilegia viscosa ssp. hirsutissima, Thore's buttercup, narcissus-flowered anemone, Pyrenean, white musky, livelong and blue saxifrages, garland flower, alchemilla-leaved cinquefoil, mountain avens, ramonda, Pyrenean yam, and, last but not least, edelweiss.

In terms of its fauna, Benasque is every inch a Pyrenean enclave, with the most visible mammals being alpine marmot and isard, and notable birds including lammergeier, griffon vulture, golden eagle, wallcreeper, alpine accentor, rock thrush, both chough and alpine chough, and snow finch. The coniferous forests are the haunt of capercaillie, Tengmalm's owl and black woodpecker, although all three are rather scarce these days, and tend to Shepherd's Fritillary
Boloria pales pyrenemiscens © Teresa Farino be confined to the most remote areas, so we may have to content ourselves with citril finches, crossbills and crested tits. Other fairly typical birds of the Benasque valley are short-toed eagle, red-backed shrike, whinchat and ortolan bunting.

Pyrenean brook newts are fairly common in the highest mountain streams, with drier habitats home to western whip snakes and several species of lizard. Among the more interesting butterflies on the wing at this time of year are Marbled Skipper, Clouded Apollo, Mountain Dappled White, Mazarine, Large and Mountain Alcon Blues, Purple-shot and Purple-edged Coppers, Southern White Admiral, Mountain and Shepherd's Fritillaries and several species of ringlet.

Southern Gentians
Gentiana alpina © Teresa Farino

Prices: 1100€, including half-board, en suite accommodation at the Hotel Avenida in Benasque, picnic lunches, hired minibus transport throughout, all entry fees and the services of Teresa Farino as leader. A single-room supplement of 130€ is applicable, but individual accommodation is limited. Although the cost of the tour is given in euros, clients may pay in sterling, the exchange rate to be calculated at the time of payment, using www.oanda.com.

This is a land-based tour. Flights and travel insurance (obligatory) are the responsibility of the client.

Pick-up details: In order to offer the best range of UK departures, we have decided to start this tour at Barcelona airport. A number of airlines – both scheduled and low-cost – fly to this destination from a range of British airports, which should make your life as easy as possible. All we ask is that you book a flight to arrive in Barcelona before 3pm on Saturday 19 June, and a return flight departing after 5pm on Saturday 26 June.

Group size: maximum 8 persons.

Booking information: please contact Teresa Farino for further details and a booking form, or if you have any queries about this tour.

E-mail:
Office phone:	(+34) 942 735154
Mobile phone:	(+34) 656 337129
Address:	Apartado de Correos 59 39570 Potes Cantabria Spain