Huesca, Spain- On the Border of Spain and France

October 24th, 2020

When I tell people that I live part of the year in Spain the immediate reaction that I usually get is “You are so lucky! It must be so warm all year and the beach must be so close for you!”. Although there are parts of Spain that are like this, there are parts that are the opposite. One of these places is Huesca, Spain that is on the border between Spain and France, along the Pyrenees mountains.

I was only visiting for two nights so the main activity that was on the bucket list was the hike to Cola Del Caballo in the National Park of Ordesa. It was a 20 kilometers/ 12 mile hike. When I first heard this, I was skeptical that I was gonna make it. The longest hike I had done before this was 10 kilometers/6 miles. But I was determined to try at least. The temperature was 9 degrees Celsius/ 48 degrees Fahrenheit, so it was not warm. With about three layers of shirts and coats on, the trek started.

The hike followed a river and included many uphills but the landscape was beautiful. It reminded me very much of Washington, USA, where I’m from.

After reaching the 8 km mark, where I was nearing Cola Del Caballo which marked the halfway point, I entered into the canyon where the Pyrenees mountains were the star of the show. Covered in bright white snow and one of the most overwhelming views I have ever seen. The height towered over all the hikers and made me realize how small I am compared to everything the exists in the world. It has been one of my favorite views in my whole life.

The Pyrenees Mountains and the Canyon
The Pyrenees Mountains covered in snow
The canyon along the Pyrenees Mountains

After recovering from this view and still not believing that it was real and in front of me, I kept walking along the river to Cola Del Caballo without taking my eyes off of the mountains. After walking two more kilometers along the path, I finally reached Cola Del Caballo. It is a waterfall and “Cola Del Caballo” translated to “Horse Tail” in English. It is called this because the way the water falls makes it look like a horse’s tail.

Cola Del Caballo Waterfall

After taking in all these views (and taking many photos) the trek back began. One recommendation is to start the hike as early as possible, 11 am is the latest you can start to complete the hike before it gets dark. In front of the waterfall is a nice place to sit to take a break and have a picnic before the hike back.

Although the hike was very tiring, this is one of my favorite hikes in my whole life just because of the views. During this pandemic, many of the travels I have done have involved outdoor activities to be the safest possible. Hikes are a great way to avoid cabin fever, get some exercise and discover new places.

Follow along on all my travels through my instagram @eternaltravelerblog, and I’ll talk to you soon. Stay safe!

Sincerely,

The Eternal Traveler