GR11 - Statistical Summary just for fun

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Statistical Summary of the GR11

The GR11 is around 865km, with about 39,000m elevation change, across the Pyrenees from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean and was such an incredible journey. As I like clear and simple things, I’ve attempted to focus on what’s interesting, and maybe useful for someone else planning on doing it, and summarised the information in numbers. For background, we are just two average 30somethings who enjoy being outdoors and exploring; sightseers on foot, rather then committed through-hikers, if you will. Enjoy!

Pack weights:
- 12kg base weight
- Up to 15kg varying with needed food&water loads.
- Biggest stint of carrying food was for 4days
- Most water carried was 4L each and was to get to and stay at a dry camp spot

‘Through-hikes’ completed previously:
- one 1xweek trail and
- one 3xweek trail both in England

No. of days the GR11 took us:
- 60 days
- of which 7 were rest days, 1 was a storm day and 3 were sick days - so actually 49days walking.

Distances hiked per day:
- anything from 8-30km
- averages out at 18km a day
- Our two biggest days were at the start at 27km and the end at 30km, and due to camping/water struggles. The middle sections were much shorter and much more about elevation changes then distances.

Elevation changes hiked:
- Biggest day was around 2000m!
- Smallest day was around 450m

Accommodation styles:
- Wild camped / bothy nights x 21
- Campsites nights x 17
- Manned refugios nights x 2
- Pensions/hostals/hotels nights x 20

Monies spent:
- averages out at 48euro per person per day (that’s about £42gbp)
- Plus transport costs in and out and insurance, total trip cost about 3400europp (£3000gbp pp)

Clothing & Equipment that died on trail:
- 1x pair of walking shoes
- 1x walking top
- 1x trekking pole

Clothing & Equipment that didn’t die but will most definitely be retiring or in need of fixing up:
- 1x water filter squeeze bag
- 1x walking top
- 3x pairs of pants
- 1x pair of walking shoes
- 2x rucksacks (gaffa tape will do!)
- 1x phone screen protector

Sickness and accidents:
- 1x stretcher and air lift rescue seen
- Thankfully no serious incidents for us on trail, just many small slips and trips often resulting in a bit of a bum slide and a few bruises; Trekking poles are silent heroes!
- 1x slip into barbed wire causing minor cuts on arm
- A few days of a dodgy gut resulting in some emergency trail toilet situations
- 1x A&E trip, thankfully timed in Andorra with easy access to it via a Uber-like app; still not 100% but possible dodgy gut infection&dehydration leading to a gallstone being passed?..
- 1x blister, weirdly right at the end of the trail
- Many many many many mossie bites, again near the end of the trail, resulting in some much needed anti-itch and infection prevention cream

Heatwaves:
- Long heatwaves across Spain when we started the trail. We managed by starting very early (like 6am) to be able to finish early / siesta in afternoon and walk again a little in evening.
- Hottest we saw it get was 43C where, after walking into Elizondo early morning, we then spent the whole day (11am-8pm) sat under shade by a waterpoint there, before walking just an hour more to wild camp outside of town.
- Meant many wild water sources such as streams were dry and not reliable, resulting in carrying a lot of water (extra weight!) the first few days and the last couple days; the higher areas in the middle were not a problem.
- Forest fire risk meant some of the last sections were closed off at start of summer! Thankfully they were all open again by the time we reached the Mediterranean side in September.

Storms:
- Apparently they started earlier this year, perhaps due to the intense heatwaves, and so we have definitely experienced quite a few storms. Mostly, using weather apps and the general rule that storms are likely after 3pm, we managed to time our walks well and were under cover / in safe places when the storms started. This included one crazy storm where we saw and heard lightening hit the ground; looking from our hotel window.
- Delayed 1xday walking due to a predicted storm so stayed safe with an extra rest day in Candanchu.
- We’re out walking in 4 storms;
- 1. We knew it was due and were thankfully just about to arrive at Refugio Goriz as it started. First experience being outside when thunder and lightning began and was scary. Ran into refugio (as did many others) just as rain started and we were safe inside by time the rain got heavy and storm got loud.
- 2. One was pretty sudden and extremely scary and close with loud thunder, fork lightening in the sky and heavy hail resulting in emergency ground sheet cover use to protect us and a stranded family. We then all managed to get to a small Bothy in a less intense moment of the storm.
- 3. We knew was coming and had managed to get up and over the high bit, resulting in us walking downwards (the right way!) when it started, in really heavy rain as the thunder and lightening stayed high above. We were also heading to a hotel so knew we could dry out there.
- 4. Again it just started as we had passed the high open bit and we were heading downwards under forest cover. Luckily passed by an old ruin with roof to hide under when brief intense hail passed over us. Storm later returned just as we had stopped hiking and put tent up at low altitude. Another storm also started the next morning but we were still in tent so waited 3hours for it to stop before starting days walk. This delayed and shortened that days walk.

Wildlife seen:
- Thousands of insects from ants and spiders and huge moths to beautiful butterflies and colourful crickets.
- A praying mantis
- Lots of rock lizards
- A few ghekos
- 1 x salamander
- 2 x snakes
- Lots of Marmots! (Heard even more)
- Lots of Chamois; massive herds of them between Nuria and Setcases
- A few Deer
- Sooooo many cows… and a bull
- Lots of horses
- Only a couple herds of sheep
- Many vultures and birds of pray
- Only a few pigeons and a couple of seagulls
- Literally only like 2 x ducks
- 2 x wild boar
- BEAR prints… maybe.

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