Big mountains, big achievements

Of course, some of our guests' favourite memories were all about the walking itself.

Martin and Fiona both chose our final day's walk as their highlight, and it's not difficult to understand why.

What a day it was!

Starting from Punta Acuta, we followed a spectacular traverse along the Ordesa viewpoints, with enormous cliffs and breathtaking views of the valley far below. From there, we continued towards the edge of the Añisclo canyon before finally descending to the little village of Nerín.

For Fiona, it was those dizzying views from the edge of the canyon, our final viewpoint of the day, that made the walk so memorable.

Martin, on the other hand, remembers the little encounters along the way.

And there was one encounter in particular that we won't forget: a magnificent adult bearded vulture, which treated us to a wonderful display of its long tail and beautiful plumage.

With scenery like that as a backdrop, it was quite a moment!

Adele's favourite memory was our walk along the floor of the Ordesa Valley, where she managed to break a few of her own personal records.

There's something particularly satisfying about finishing a walk and realising you've achieved a little more than you thought you could.

Meanwhile, Richard — better known as Richard the Lizard — was having the time of his life taking photographs with all his cameras.

We had to keep a close eye on him to make sure we didn't lose him along the way!

Although, to be fair, Richard uses OpenStreetMap and always seems to know exactly where the nearest bar is, so perhaps we shouldn't have worried too much.

We also managed a little visit to the lovely medieval town of Aínsa, although this time it was a rather intimate affair, with just a few of us enjoying the excursion.

Another of those small moments that make a holiday memorable.

And what about the guides?

Our guests weren't the only ones who came away with some memorable moments.

When I asked our guides what had stayed with them from the week, their answers were just as varied.

Sara fondly remembers one of our guests asking whether they were actually allowed to say that they were very happy.

Of course they were!

Although, rather surprisingly, another of Sara's lasting memories was finding a dead cow in Otal.

Each to their own, I suppose!

Chema, meanwhile, remembers the whole incident with Phil, as well as coming across a private car that had somehow made its way onto one of the restricted mountain tracks.

The taxi driver's reaction to finding the car there was quite something. The unfortunate driver received a rather memorable telling-off!

And as for me?

Well, I'm simply happy that we managed to enjoy a week of walking without the extreme heat we've experienced at times this summer.

Now, if only we could have a little rain for a change!

A sweet ending to a wonderful week

One of the loveliest moments of the holiday came towards the end, when we celebrated the Jewish New Year together.

Surrounded by one of the most spectacular geological landscapes you could imagine, we shared the traditional ritual of eating a piece of apple dipped in honey.

The apple represents the wish for a fruitful year, while the honey symbolises the hope that the coming year will be a sweet one.

A simple little tradition, shared with wonderful company in a truly magnificent setting.

And somehow, it seemed the perfect way to round off our week in Ordesa.

By then, everyone had almost forgotten that one of the vehicles taking us up to the viewpoints had completed the journey in nearly half the time of the other, as though the mountain track hadn't contained a single pothole.

Almost everyone, that is.

Adele didn't say a word!

Looking back on the week, it's lovely to see how differently each of us remembers the same holiday.

For some, it's the breathtaking mountain scenery or the satisfaction of completing a challenging walk. For others, it's an unexpected encounter with wildlife, a funny moment shared with the group, or simply the pleasure of being somewhere beautiful.

And sometimes, all it takes is a tiny butterfly landing on your finger.

That's the wonderful thing about spending a week in the mountains together. We may all walk the same trails, but we each come home with our own special memories.

So, a big thank you to everyone who joined us for another fantastic Discover Ordesa holiday. It's been a pleasure sharing these beautiful mountains, the laughs and all those little moments with you.

And Mark, you've got another week with us, this time in the Tena Valley.

Let's see what adventures await us there!

See you on the trails!