After a week of staying in due to high winds, snow and too much officework the sun finally came out today so I headed up to the villages of Espierre and Barbenuta on my bike. Conditions were pretty snowy and icy on the 4×4 tracks I usually cycle on so headed up the steep tarmac road to Barbenuta.

Barbenuta in the snow

It’s a pretty steep climb of 400m up to the village but I had beautiful views down across the Serrablo which looked great covered in snow.

Looking south down the glacial valley of the Serrablo

Both Barbenuta and Espierre only have a handful of people living in them but the road had been kept clear despite the hugs snowfalls we’ve had over the last few weeks. Both villages looked beautiful in the snow and sunshine.

Old log moving equipment

In Barbenuta they’ve got an old set of pulleys that were used for moving trees up and down the mountains in the old logging days – looked like pretty hefty stuff.

Pyrenees traffic jam!

I was surprised to see this farmer moving some of his mules – seemed a strange time to be moving them most of the livestock are tucked up in their winter barns or pastures lower down.

The cycle down was fantastic but over too quickly as always! I took a detour back via the village of Oros Bajo as I love the church there and thought it would look fantastic in the snow – it didn’t dissapoint. It’s one of several wonderful 11th century Romaesque churches in the valley.

Santa Eulalia church in Oros Bajo

All in all a good little excursion and blew the cobwebs away after too much paperwork!

Espierre high street!