Buying and renovating a rural property on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees

I'm finally back in Spain after several months working away - and I'm just in time for tomorrows "Copa de España de Pumptrack" competition! 🙂

As soon as I get time I'll post some updates - this year has been crazy busy

Jogged past your house last month Spekkie, stayed at the campsite in Ainsa for a mini break before school started.
Ran up to Morcats and back - stunning as always but very overgrown compared to a couple of years ago. Seems to be a new (?) veggie restaurant in Guaso too, didn't get chance to try it.

Hey Bob!

Yeah the bar in the Guaso Plaza now serves vegetarian food. They've gone for the concise "fixed menu" idea - a choice of a couple of options for each course, to cater for differing tastes - rather than a full menu. They are big on sustainability and the idea is to optimise using local seasonal ingredients and to reduce wastage. They say it allows them to cook a few things efficiently rather than lots of things inefficiently. It's run by a nice lady who speaks several languages. The lady that had it before took over the lease just before Covid hit and it was only the construction workers working on the new road between Guaso and  Latorrecilla that kept her afloat. Sadly in the end she gave up. ....

I was in Morcat not too long ago when we went over that way to find the sculptures dotted around in the fields.

Generally, some of the trails are becoming a bit overgrown. There is a view held by some here that Zona Zero has just become too big to manage it the way it was conceived and managed in the past - a small group of friends with a chainsaw and a pick..... I guess we will see 🙂

Nice to see the thread back - I saw Zona Zero got a mention in Bike magazine this month, and I was wondering how it was going up there!

How is Spring shaping up on the South side of the Pyrenees, Spekkie ?
We're hoping to have a long weekend somewhere around Ainsa in a fortnight in the moho after 4 nights on the French side. Recommendations?

Hi Dave - it's been a bit of an odd year this year so far..... there was a bit more rain than we're used to in early spring - but it was needed because winter was unusually dry! For the last 6 weeks or so I've noticed that the wind seems to have been blowing from the cold side (West of us) much more than usual, which of course has been bringing the rain etc.

Our big local dam is now currently fuller than I've ever seen it. The top windows of the church tower in the dam,  which we have previously kayaked through, are currently 6 feet under water! So we're certainly back on track now water wise and there's still snow up on the high peaks of the mountains to melt.

I'm about to go out for an evening ride - its currently 21 degrees and sunny with no wind 🙂

We popped over to France on Monday for lunch with visiting family. This side was nice and sunny, the French side, when we exited the tunnel, was in thick cloud which lasted almost all the way down to Saint Lary. Down in the French villages it was 11 degrees and cloudy - a good 8 degrees colder than this side at the same time.

I'll keep you posted over the next week - but I have to say the best description at the moment is probably "nice, but a bit changeable!"

Currently experiencing a bit of a heatwave here - 28 degrees at 8pm this eve - I'm just in from a lovely evening ride 🙂

Trails are dry and dusty where I am but I see rain over towards the west. An afternoon of rain wouldn't hurt the ground or the temp to be honest!

Currently experiencing a bit of a heatwave here – 28 degrees at 8pm this eve – I’m

Think yourself lucky......!

That's nothing... 34°C here in Tuscany. Nearing 40°C for the next few days.

I'm going to be well and truly ****ed. No amount of beer is going to help.

We've just had a deluge to end the (modest 31°) heat of the last few days on this side of the hill. Rumble, flash, bang and a wall of water. It's the first coolish Spring in a few years and a pleasant change.

@alpin - we've been getting mid 30's during the day - too hot to do much unfortunately! 40's.... forget it LOL

@edukator - we've been seeing heavy weather other your side, not sure if that's what's on its way here or not, but a damping down will be welcome 🙂

Massive storm last night - today is cooler and the dust has been laid to rest, for now anyway!

We had 3 nights at Gavarnie (stunning location for a campsite), 1 full day of decent weather...then it changed at about 6pm....and rained for 24 hrs. We drove over and thru the Bielsa tunnel yesterday before setting up camp at Ainsa for 4 nights. Had a great road ride today (should have brought an MTB as well) south alongside the dam, then turned east at Meson de Liguerre and climbed about 1000 feet up and over towards Tierrenton and back to Ainsa. Only ever ridden thru the area on a motorbike before. Great to be based here and to be able to pick and choose a couple of rides. (Need to come back with an MTB though....wow, there really are loads of great looking trails and the Zona Zero girl in the Tourist Info was very helpful)

Hire an MTB from the bike shop in town, Dave.

I had thought of that....but am happy on the road for the next couple of days...knowing we'll definitely come back, either later in the year or next Spring. Thanks for the suggestion

@Dave - That's a nice loop.

The Zona Zero team put in some work a couple of years ago to catalogue a collection of road-rides.

I can recommend riding up the valley to the Bielsa tunnel and then blasting back to Ainsa - pretty much 45km of downhill road!

I remember when you started this thread @spekkie. Love it when updates appear 🙂

I see there’s a Welsh number plate Black fiat van parked up in Boltaña with a bike rack on the back ……

Man - I can't believe its so long since I posted on here!

After Covid I started popping over to the UK to work with my son every so often, which certainly helped with our day to day expenses in Spain, but didn't really answer the question as to how we were going to find the money we needed to convert our "barn".

Fast forward to present day and I'm happy to say that after some hard work and some personal sacrifice (time apart) we are now in a position where we spoke to our Spanish builder last week and he's working out when exactly he can now start with Phase 1 of our Project

🙂

That's what you said ten years ago. 😉

Pleased to hear that the project is still on and that there's still the will to live your Spanish dream. I still reckon you sould (have) just ge(o)t on with it. I'm close to finishing a 45m2 "extension" which included partial demolition of an existing building. Three years of work when Madame went out to work and not even 12 000e on materials so far as I've sourced a lot second hand. Everyone is an expert now there's Youtube. 🙂

Keep going, steady wins the race, it's not all like grand designs 😉

If you fancy, what are the plans like, phased work or crack on with builder, what type of Lime for Spanish villas;)

Cheers C

Hi Spekkie, being a bit lazy not to read all 24 pages, but do you run a B&B close to Monte Perdido? 

I've messaged you.

All the best with your projects.

Ed

I'm currently half-way through a five week holiday at home in Spain after another 8 weeks of working away and I'm loving the sunshine and the fast dry trails! 🙂

It's pretty hot at the moment but I'm not one to complain 🙂

I've had a great time catching up with all the local news - there's a lot going on at the moment, and I've managed to fit in a bit of work helping a local farmer and a local guide. I'll post more on that as soon as I get a minute!

@eduardorocha - nice chatting to you - you have my number now, see you soon.

@Edukator - I passed on your thoughts to our builder - how he should have had this "extension" done by now. I won't tell you what he said, or how much worse it made things when I told him you were French LOL

If you really want to wind up your builder tell him you regret not having got some Portugese builders on it. 😉 

It's been a bit hot on our side of the hill so no doubt warmer on yours. We've been up and out at first light the last few days and in the shade by 14h. We haven't been to Ainsa for a couple of years. For a few years it was one of the few places you could go, grab a map at the sports shop and self-guide. Now there are so many gpx file sharing sites and apps we can ride almost anywhere without local knowledge.

After our last visit when Abigale was racing we always said we would come back to spend more time exploring.

Circumstances sees us now retired and fingers crossed we hope to be back in September. Is the campsite we stayed at last time still good

Hey Tracey - good to hear from you! 

I don't remember which campsite you stayed at when you were here - Camping Peña Montañesa or Camping Ainsa? (I worked at Camping Ainsa)  They're both still open as far as I know but I believe Camping Ainsa are not running the restaurant/bar this year due to staffing issues.

There are also 2 campsites where we are in Boltaña - Camping La Gorga (which is next to the bridge/river in Boltaña) and WeCamp Pirineos (formerly Camping Boltaña) which is just outside Boltaña behind Margudgued. Both very good as far as I know.

Keep me posted - I might be around if you do make it here 🙂

Thanks for the update. It was Camping Ainsa  due to it been near to the race village

As long as we are central for the trails then any will be fine. What do you think

What a great thread resurrection, thanks @tracey!

@spekkie - what's your insta, I'd like to follow the story...

I've not used any sites apart from Camping Ainsa, it's good for the ZZ trails, oh and that pool after a few hours on hot dusty trails.... 

There's not a lot of shade in that bottom field though. When the weather's really hot I'll tend to get a room at the hostel Apolo. 

@Tracey - they're all pretty good I think. Are you "Camper-Vanning"? My personal preference nowadays would be Camping La Gorga in Boltana. It has all the usual amenities, it's right by the river (we've been swimming every day for the last two weeks), there are several eateries, a supermarket and a bakery within a couple of minutes walk..... We also just prefer Boltana life to Ainsa Life 🙂

@18bikes - It's tonymtbainsa for cycling stuff - not too much going on there at the moment with me being away so much! But I do also have tonyslaughteresp which is where we post most of our "progress" stuff 🙂

@bob_summers - you do love those long XC runs at 35 plus degrees don't you! Remember Morcat? . . .  bit further than you originally thought, and a bit hillier 🙂

Definitely! Running out of water and naively thinking I'd get some out of the spring at Morcat! All I could think about was the cold beer I was going to have at the veggie restaurant in your village but those last 5k were in slow motion...

Posted by: spekkie

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  They're both still open as far as I know but I believe Camping Ainsa are not running the restaurant/bar this year due to staffing issues.

Happy to confirm Camping Ainsa is open. Currently sitting by the pool after a 5hr road loop over Serrablo, Troncedo and Laspuña The bar is open, the kitchen seems limited to frozen pizzas from what I can tell. 13eur I think I paid for the night, one adult, campervan, no leccy. Pic is the ruined church at Morcat, Peña Montañesa behind, from the road pass at Serrablo

Need to start getting the campsites booked now we are back from the last tour

Camping Ainsa booked for the first leg of our next tour. Then a few stops hitting the trails in France and Italy before finishing off in Sestri Levante 

Busy day pulling it all together

@bob_summers - Nice road loop!

@Tracey - Planning is everything 🙂

I'm back home after a quick three weeks over in the UK - Warwick and Henley-On-Thames. I have 10 days back here now and this Friday it's the Guaso Fiesta. We always like to support things in our own village, although of course we currently live 4km away down in Boltana! 

I'm off for a ride now, it's 7:30 we have blue skies and zero wind. Happy Days 🙂

We're flying to the UK tomorrow, me to work and Mrs Spekkie to visit grandbabies and we've been asked if we'd like to "volunteer to change flights for compensation" by the airline we're flying with.

It's 36 degrees and we're swimming in the river this afternoon.....  another day of this is tempting! 🙂

Was in Aínsa again this weekend, moto camping, as the weather on the coast was a bit meh. Did a couple of trail runs, nothing mad just following the arrows and shot down to Zaragoza to catch the Vuelta. Definite end of season vibe, very nice indeed. Rode back over the Collado de Vió and Fanlo, to pick up the N-260 via the Cotefablo to Biescas, absolutely wonderful.

We set off tomorrow, ariving Sunday. First leg of our trip.

Getting excited 😎

There's a break in my work here in the UK for a few weeks so I should be headed home this weekend / early next week for a little while.  🙂 

Apart from the odd thunderstorm, the weather this week is good and the trails are dry. 

Tomorrow I’m helping a friend with some guiding 😁

It’s nice to be home for a bit! 

We had some heavy rain up in the mountains last night. Today it's working it's way down to the Mediano Dam through the village we rent a flat in. The river is wide enough to cope, so no problem, but there's certainly a ton of water passing over our little weir every minute 🙂

On our side of the hill the road has been closed with power cables and trees down, a school lost its roof and yes the river is quite full.

Just been out for a week, glad I was too knackered to ride Friday morning, impressive rain coming down. Great place.

Last nights thunderstorm came from the north, so France, but I see there's also Saharan dust everywhere again, so the wind must have been blowing from the south previously..... 😉

A beautiful day in Guaso, sorting stone for our Build…. 😁