Enjoy one of the best circular routes of the Sierra de Guara, the combination of the Basender Canyon and the Escaleretas path.
Difficulty : Medium
Duration : about 5 hours
Group : Sporting Families and Adults
Basender Canyon
The Basender Canyon is a dry canyon located in Lecina, in the upper part of the great Vero Canyon, in the Natural Park of the Sierra de Guara. It is 30 km from Ainsa and 25 km from Alquézar.
We will make a very complete circular route where we will have magnificent scenery throughout the tour, we will learn the technique of rappelling and we will discover the spectacular equipped path of the Escaleretas with its cave paintings.
In the Basender canyon we have a total of 5 rappels of maximum 15 meters high. They are easy to execute since at all times we will touch the wall with our feet. At the level of formations, it has the same as those of an aquatic canyon, with clogged pools and slides, with walls polished by water. It is believed to be a fossilized ravine, where water once flowed continuously but for some reason, the source that fed this river disappeared or went to a lower level.
To descend this canyon, it will cost us a total of about 3 hours and will leave us in the Vero Canyon. Here we can take the opportunity to eat a little, rest and on the hottest summer days, we can bathe in its crystal clear waters.
Equipped Path of the Escaleretas
The Escaleretas path was a vertiginous path that the inhabitants of Lecina used to access the orchards they had on the banks of the Vero Canyon, when it was growing. They took advantage ofnatural ledges and natural windows, they cut small steps in the stone in the most vertical sections to put their feet and they overcame in a logical and enginious way the great walls of the Vero.
Recently, the Escaleretas Path has been equipped as if it were a via ferrata by placing wooden walkways on those narrow ledges, iron clamps on the most vertical sections and a safety cable where we can anchor ourselves. The result is an equiped path very safe and practically accessible to all, which maintains its wild essence.
“Las Escaleretas” was a path that our ancestors already knew, since many cobachos (small caves) have been found with cave paintings of schematic art (about 7,000 years old), which have been protected with iron bars so that they are not damaged. It is believed that there were only a few who could represent these drawings that we have not yet been able to decipher their meaning and that they were made in special and magical places.
When we reach the end of the road and at the top of this great wall, the road loses strength and verticality, to enter the “Selva de Lecina”… a beautiful forest of oaks where we will still see remains of old coal bunkers. In 20 minutes we will reach Lecina and contemplate the mother of the mothers of oaks, the Millenary Oak of Lecina, which has recently won the award as “best European tree of 2019”.
Situation Map of the Basender Canyon
Who is the activity for and when to perform it?
The activity of the “Basender Canyon + Escaleretas Path” is ideal for those people who want to do a spectacular mountain tour where we will learn to rappel down a ravine. is ideal for those who want to make a spectacular mountain tour where we learn to rappel down a ravine, we can bathe in a wonderful environment, get started in via ferrata and learn about cave paintings and forgotten jobs such as charcoal burners or beekeepers. We mix adventure with culture in a 5 star tour.
Activity open to everyone, taking into account that it lasts about 5 hours, so you must have a minimum of physical condition. The ascent by Escaleretas, there is a section where it is aerial, although it is wide and we are tied to the wall, it is not recommended for people with vertigo.
It can be done all year round, since the canyon is dry and there is no need to cross the Vero Canyon. In winter, it is recommended to wear warm clothes. In summer, a sweater during the descent of the canyon is enough and it is recommended to cool off in the Vero before climbing the Escaleretas.
It is a good option for those cold days when we cannot do water canyoning or for those days when the weather is unstable and we are looking for a safer route in case it rains.
Topo Basender Canyon
Combination with the Portiacha Canyon
Here we propose a more sporty version, ideal to make the most of our canyoning day. This combination of canyons is only suitable for sporty people who already know the rappel technique, since the Portiacha canyon is a technical canyon.
The Portiacha Canyon is a very vertical canyon with three rappels. We will start with the first rappel, which is a 25-meter canyon rappel, with quite a lot of atmosphere. The second rappel is just after and is the shortest of the canyon, 14 meters. We will have a few easy descents until we reach the final Olla, a 35-meter canyon rappel.
Magnificent streams and reddish colors we will find in these impressive limestone walls, which are worth seeing. This sport version will take us 7 to 8 hours of activity.
What to visit and where to eat?
In the village of Lecina we have one of the most spectacular trees of the peninsula, “The millenary holm oak of Lecina”. which in 2019 won the award as the best tree in Europe. But if what we like are the olive trees, in Colungo we have the “Olivera de nadal”also a millenary tree.
In the Collado de Mallata we can visit the cave paintings of Mallata, where apart from the paintings, we will have a fantastic natural viewpoint of the Vero Canyon just 20 minutes walk.
In the square of Asque we can buy artisan honey of various flavors (thyme, thousand flowers, oak, …) at a fair price.
For lunch, we recommend the “La Olla Restaurant with homemade food and fair price, where the owner is the one who makes “aguardientes” with the traditional still method.
Finally, a visit to Ainsa and Alquézar, which are in opposite directions, is a must, but both are super beautiful!
