Exploring Hell's Canyon in Catalonia

Exploring Hell's Canyon in Catalonia

Hell’s Canyon in Catalonia reminds us once again why we fell in love with the great outdoors

“Eat a big breakfast,” Jordi said – four words that told me I was going to have one hell of a morning. I'm not a fan of big breakfasts, but I've learned that if a super-fit mountain guide tells you to have one, you should have it.

I added plenty of pa amb tomàquet to my plate, a simple but delicious Catalan dish made with bread, tomatoes and olive oil. I ate toast and Nutella and cheese and crackers and granola and yogurt and washed it down with two cups of tea. Then I ate more pa amb tomàquet. There was no way I was going to run out of anything today.

I gathered my courage and ventured out of the exhibition tent to discover the challenge that lay before me. Invited to Catalonia as part of a “mystery trip,” Peter and I had no idea what we would be doing day after day.

Jordi, our guide from Outdoor Adventour, and Naomi, our companion from the tourist office, were tight-lipped, but there were a number of clues on the lawn: wetsuits, harnesses, ropes, carabiners and helmets. It didn't take long until we realized it: we wanted to go canyoning.

Hell’s Canyon in Catalonia, also known as Barranc de l’Infern, promised a challenging but exciting morning. It is even said that the Catalan Pyrenees are one of the world's best canyoning destinations, along with the Swiss, Austrian and French Alps, America's Canyonlands and Australia's Blue Mountains.

I was eager to give it a serious try. I had done a bit of canyoning in Vanuatu's Millennium Cave years ago, but there was no rope work involved - a fact, some would say, that it wasn't "real" canyoneering at all.

Canyoning seems to divide experts like no other sport. Some say it is accessible to anyone with a guide, others say it is dangerous unless you are familiar with several other outdoor activities. Some say you have to be very fit, others say if you can run a mile you will be fine.

alt=“Ready to explore Hell’s Canyon in Catalonia”> Ready to explore Hell’s Canyon in Catalonia

Even the definition of canyoning changes depending on who you ask. We've heard it described as a mix of some or all of the following: caving, cliff jumping, climbing, abseiling, abseiling, whitewater swimming, walking, wading, hiking and sliding. The best way to imagine it is on a natural course that winds through tunnels, gorges and waterfalls.

After four days of climbing, hiking, rafting and camping in the Pyrenees, I was ready to tackle Hell’s Canyon in Catalonia. We slipped into our wetsuits under a bright, hot sun and made our way to our entry point.

The initially stuffy wetsuits are important because canyoning can get extremely cold. The routes usually wind through dark caves of ice-cold water and narrow slots deserted by the sun. As we took our first tentative steps into Hell’s Canyon in Catalonia, I was certainly grateful for mine.

alt=“Jump from a ledge in Hell’s Canyon in Catalonia”>Finding our rhythm in Hell’s Canyon in Catalonia

We soon reached our first challenge: a rappel over a ledge and down to a pool below. I had never rappelled before, but after doing via ferratas with Jordi, I trusted him completely. He likes to play jokes, but when it comes to safety, he's the guy to go with.

Jordi attached me to a figure eight belay and gave me a quick lesson on how to open and close my hand to keep the descent smooth. I walked over the ledge and, although jerky at first, adjusted fairly quickly. I rappelled down, making sure to keep my legs straight to maintain a healthy distance from the wall. I reached the pool and plunged into the invigorating cold water.

Soon we reached the edge of a dark ravine. Peter entered first and as he rappelled down, his voice became more and more distant until I could no longer understand his words. Jordi attached me to the rope and sent me over the edge. I rappelled 18m into a large, dark cave in the middle of a waterfall. I looked up at the shrinking circle of light in the sky and realized I was having the time of my life.

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Atlas & Boots

Canyoning is sometimes challenging, but most of it is pure, physical fun. We waded, hiked, rappelled, and climbed through natural couloirs, bowls, and breaks formed by millennia of whitewater.

At one point we came to two rocks with a short stretch of water between them. Jordi asked Naomi to go across the pool. She took a step and dove head deep into the water. Jordi laughed mischievously – a natural who enjoys the perks of the job.

We squeezed through the rest of Hell’s Canyon. Our final big challenge was a three-part section: first, a piece of steep rock that we had to slide down sledding style; secondly, we hold on to the opposite wall in the midst of rushing water; and thirdly, we let our bodies flow out with the water through a narrow slit under a large boulder. It was pure, unadulterated fun and we emerged onto the river laughing and victorious.

alt=“Everyone is smiling after emerging from Hell’s Canyon in Catalonia”>Everyone is smiling after emerging from Hell’s Canyon in Catalonia

It reminded me why I love nature. It offers a range of moods and emotions. It's calming when I'm stressed, uplifting when I'm sad, and exciting when I'm bored. It's fun, challenging and always refreshing. Needless to say, Hell’s Canyon in Catalonia wasn’t very hellish at all.

Hell’s Canyon in Catalonia: the essentials

What: Canyoning Hell’s Canyon in Catalonia (also known as Barranc de l’Infern).

• Länge: 700 m (viel davon auf- und absteigend)
• Dauer: Ungefähr zwei Stunden, abhängig von Ihrer Geschwindigkeit und Gruppengröße
• Schwierigkeit: Mittel

Where: We stayed overnight in a mountain camp that was set up exclusively for us. There were spacious bell tents for sleeping, a mess tent for eating and a portable kitchen for our chef Sergi.

Upon arrival at camp we were greeted by a generous selection of local cheeses, olives, breads and meats, as well as beer and wine. Dinner was surprisingly elaborate: Sergi cooked a huge pan of rich, buttery mountain rice with succulent vegetables (or meat, depending on your preference).

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Atlas & Boots

There is a toilet tent and electricity for lighting (but not for chargers). There is no running water, but there is plenty and you also have the river nearby.

The best thing about camp is the night sky. The region is known for its exceptionally dark skies and offers excellent stargazing. Of course we stayed up late into the night.

When: The best time to visit Hell’s Canyon in Catalonia is from May to the end of October.

How: We explored Hell's Canyon in Catalonia with Outdoor Adventour, a local company run by the charismatic CEO Pepo, with the support of a team of very experienced guides including Jordi, Edu and Marc, who took excellent care of us during our time in Catalonia.

Contact the team via the website, by email at info@outdooradventour.com or by phone on +34 973 043 409 / +34 654 093 295 to book activities and arrange transfers.

We flew into Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN), which has good connections to the rest of Catalonia. Book flights at the best prices through Skyscanner.

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Disclosure: We traveled to Catalonia with the support of the Catalan Tourist Board. All publications say this, but we really don't guarantee positive coverage. We say what we think – good and bad – so you can make informed decisions with honest advice.

Mission statement: Atlas & Boots

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