Using the Batec in the Pyrenees on holiday

This August I went to Aiguestortes National Park. It's a part of the Pyrenees in Catalonia. We stayed in Camping Voraparc next to Espot. The whole of my Dad's family came too so we were fifteen people (plus dog and Batec of course!) The campsite is great - relaxed, friendly and really clean.

We went there because I wanted to see how the Batec would be on wide paths in big mountains. We knew that Aiguestortes has lots of tracks that Land Rovers go up, so we imagined that they would be okay for the Batec too. This is what we did and how it all worked out, from the point of view of someone aiming to have a mountain adventure on wheels (but NOT in a Land Rover!) I hope this info is useful to people who want to get into the mountains in a wheelchair, and interesting for everyone else. Here are photos and comments, and at the end is practical information. If you need more information, just leave a comment.

The centre of Espot

Espot: This is the village next to camping Voraparc and one of the entrances to the National Park. It has an excellent visitors' centre (good access) with disabled parking outside.

La Roca Blanca

There's a path that leaves from the centre of the village called 'Camino de Roca Blanca'. The track is really smooth, and it goes through the forest. On the National Park website it says it isn't good for wheelchairs - but if you've got power then it's fine.

Rock and Roll!
Estany de Sant Maurici to Estany de Ratera

Las Encantats! Here the path is wide, but sometimes steep, so you need someone to put some weight on the front wheel to maintain the traction. On the way down it's good to have someone to help brake. We invented a system where one person wore a climbing harness and walked behind, with a sling attached to the back of the chair, just in case.

After the Estany de Ratera the path becomes very rocky and 'impossible' for the Batec, so we turned around. The route was lovely, though.

Here we all are!
Camino de Refugio J M Blanc

Picnic point. We stopped here, then returned home

Cold, but beautiful! This route had steep parts that needed more help to get up and down. We didn't get to the Refugio JM Blanc but the whole route was 4 hours.

Smooth tracks

The route to the Refugio Estany Llong.
The cow asked to be in the picture.

Crossing streams. This could be easily avoided, even though it's fun.

We drove round to the other entrance to the park, in Vall de Boí. We drove into the park to the point the taxis stop, then followed the path up to the refuge. The path is really good, but there are places where you have to cross streams. The Park has built excellent wooden crossing places, wide enough for chairs, but with steps to get onto them! If they change that, then it will be perfect. The last part up to the refuge needs a little help because it's steeper, but not much.

Look at the Butifarra!

And look who ate it all!

Conclusion
Is the Batec made for mountains?

I had no problems with the battery - I only used one fifth of the power in a whole day. If you're an adult then you will probably use more.

The front wheel traction is a problem. It's understandable, because the Batec is made to attach to a normal wheelchair, but rear wheel traction would be...INCREDIBLE. You need to go with someone who can lean on the front or push from behind in the difficult parts.

We only went on tracks that 4x4s also use, and that's a good guide in general, as it guarantees a wide path.

There are three 'accesible' routes that have been built in the National Park. They are smooth wooden gangways of approximately 800m in length. They are excellent, but very short. With new improved mobility devices, people with reduced mobility can go further, faster and for longer. We felt that a lot more of the Park would be accessible to many disabled people with a small adaptation of existing paths.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION:

Going into the park: From Espot you can drive up to the car park where the 4x4 taxis stop (about 4km into the park), but you must show your Disabled Parking Card to a warden, and they will give you another card to display in your car. You may have to go to the Casa de Parque in Espot to get this.

If you are travelling in a group that needs more than one car, then Espot is the best place to enter the park. There is a public car park 4kms up from the village (get there before it fills up - 10 a.m.) where the cars without special permission can park. From there there is an hour long walk (spectacular) to get to the 4x4 taxi car park at Estany de Sant Maurici to meet up with the others.

From Vall de Boí, the entrance to the park is much, much longer. This means that it's a good  option only if you have one car and your disabled parking permit. It's a long, beautiful drive up a thin road to the 4x4 taxi car park. It's very narrow, so be ready for some careful driving when something comes the other way.

The Aiguestortes National Park seems very interested in improving accessibility, and gave us questionnaires about my experience as a wheelchair user. This is a very positive thing. I'm going to send them this blog entrance and see what they say about it!

(Disclaimer: my Dad and I wrote this entry together)