Its been a busy few weeks, and I sadly haven’t had time to write for ages. Comeback time.
Part of the reason for business, apart from the ever-looming cloud of stress from college, working weekends and the struggle of maintaining a social life and a decent sleep schedule, is due to the plans my friends and I are making for summer. It makes sense to take advantage of finishing exams on the 24th of May, and grabbing some cheap flights before the rest of the world goes airborne. The destination in question? A small town on the coast between Barcelona and Valencia.
However, before I let myself daydream on about seaside villas and morning dips in the Mediterranean, I must return to my subject today. The route of the Cathars. I am not, unlike some of my friends, flying to Barcelona, but rather to Toulouse in France, more than 300km to the north. Part of my travel to Spain, therefore, will take me through the Pyrenees and along some parts of the well-known hiking route the Chemin des Bonshommes.
The Route of the Cathars
The Cathars were a religious group who, during the Spanish inquisition in the 13th century, were forced to flee from persecution and cross the Pyrenees into what became Catalonia. Their route through the mountain range spanning today’s Spanish-French border is marked out by ruined castles clinging to craggy landscapes.
The walking route is not particularly testing, staying away from the highest peaks and sticking to valleys and ridges, but it still can take up to two weeks to complete. Today it has become known as a popular hiking destination and I intend to start my summer by visiting this area and retracing the steps of the Cathars in Pyrenees.
I am restricted by time, and therefore will not be able to travel the whole route. But with the help of public transport and hitchhiking, I intend to set out on my own, camping and hiking along the way from Toulouse to Barcelona, where I will meet up with my friends and enjoy everything the Mediterranean coastline has to offer.
Even researching now with the help of multiple transport websites, Google Maps and an incognito window to search for flights, I cannot help but feel excited. This will be the purest form of independence I have ever felt, and hiking alone through larger mountains than I have ever seen in my life is something to be greatly anticipated.
Feel free to comment below with any suggestions on where to head vaguely on route between Toulouse and Barcelona, or just general tips and advice.
Til next time,
Stay Hydrated.
