I think we've made it clear that we're more than a little bit in awe of Greta Carroll's approach to photography. We're suckers for her use of film and the raw approach of her shots that leave you aching for more. When we learned of Greta's plans to travel home to Australia via Europe and Nepal, we quickly recruited her to contribute regular travel journals of her beautifully captured adventures. Here, we have the first of her entries, and trust me, you'll feel like you're right there with her hiking through the rugged terrain of the Spanish Pyrenees. Enjoy.

Valle De Tena

42.6667° N, 0.3167° W

Canon AV-1
50mm1.2 & 28mm 2.8
Fujicolor Superia 200 & Kentmere B/W 400

There’s something incredibly empowering, inspiring and humbling about filling a pack with necessities and taking off, knowing that you have everything you need to survive on your back.

There’s also something incredibly empowering, inspiring and humbling about traversing the ridges and folds of topological feats crafted 50 million years ago.

So it’s safe to say I spent my week in the Spanish Pyrenees both being galvanized by the natural beauty and physical challenges of alpine regions, and being quite bluntly reminded of my absolute and complete insignificance in the history of planet Earth.

Having previously spent some time in the foothills of the Annapurna Range and trekking in the Himalayas, I had thought I was somewhat prepared to experience another of Earth’s mountain ranges. I was pretty wrong. It was not the physical challenges however, but the sensory stimulation that will stick with me; I was constantly taken aback at the scenery and geological feats of the Pyrenees. From the luminous turquoise limestone lakes, to the beautiful medieval villages with origins dating between the 10th and 11th Centuries, and from the waterfalls and wildflowers, to the wild horses, birds of prey, marmots and boars: the Pyrenees are (literally and metaphorically) breathtaking.

One of the best aspects of the trek was the ecological progression I experienced as we climbed up through the Valle De Tena. Beginning the week in Biescas, we started in temperate rainforests filled with Epiphytic moss, where the bearded trees and small stonewalls made the track a virtual terrarium to explore. As the hike progressed we began climbing through terraced meadows, box, birch and pine forests, under waterfalls and through snow, before reaching our highest peak at the glacial lake of Embalse de Respomuso (2200m).

The Pyrenees were first formed over 500 million years ago, but sank down into the ocean before reforming again 45-50 million years ago. In the 1930s it was a major battleground of the Spanish Civil War and some of the worst fighting occurred in this very valley. This history is evident everywhere: in the lines of sediment that once lay horizontal but now stick out in the rock faces at angles of anywhere between 30 and 90 degrees to the land, like giant icebergs tipped on their side; in the seashells embedded in rocks at altitudes of 1500m and in Franco’s fortifications and escape routes left scattered throughout the region (these also meant that the works of Hemingway, Orwell and Capa were suddenly that much closer to the heart).

By far my favourite moment (and photo) from this trip is one of a dilapidated and abandoned house we found on the edge of a lake. The dark storm clouds and snow-capped peaks behind it created the perfect background, and as I lay down to take the picture from a nearby hill, the sun shone through the clouds to illuminate the house. Twenty minutes later however the skies opened up and we found ourselves nearly-running-but-mostly-sliding down the face of a mountain while lightening forked down across the valley below. Surreal is an understatement.

As we make our way back to Biescas for our final night in the Pyrenees, I can’t help but feel a sense of familial nostalgia for the peaks and valleys, ridges and lakes I have come to know so well and whom I have looked up to for the past week. It might have been a bit of a physical challenge, but the time and space for reflection, the free flowing rosé and the opportunity to see one of the most scenic places in the world far outweigh any blistered heels and temperamental wild boars I had the pleasure of meeting.

I leave tomorrow to drive to Barcelona, so will sign off as one robe-laden happy camper.

Buenas vistas España, I’ll be back.

In the meantime, you can see more from Greta here.