Technical information

Type of route: return hiking route

Departure point: Bierge

 KM: 9

 Duration: 3 h

Gradient: 375 m

 MIDE: 1-2-2-3

 

Access

From Bierge take the road HU-341 heading towards Rodellar. After walking through the first 9.5 km., turn to the right. Drive approximately 1,5 km. until you reach a parking/ picnic area (at the time of the visit, the track was in poor condition, but they were fixing it. Practicable for all tipes of vehicles). 


Route description

The route begins at road HU-341, 9.5 km from Bierge towards Rodellar. At this point, you should take a path to the East, which is accesible on foot or by vehicle, up to a picnic area (1,5 km). From here, you can continue on foot following the signposts for “Cresta del Balcés”. The path ascends about 3 km, until you get an overview of the entire valley and the surrounding crags, where you will be able to observe three Pyrenean vultures, Peregrine Falcon and Golden Eagle.


Main Species

Representative bird: Lammergeyer (Gypaetus barbatus)

Residents: Red-legged Partridge, Red Kite, Lammergeyer, Griffon Vulture, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Golden Eagle, Rock Dove, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Eagle Owl (rare), Little Owl, Long-eared Owl, Hoopoe, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Crested Lark, Thekla Lark, Wood Lark, Crag Martin, Pied Wagtail, Eurasian Wren, European Robin, Black Redstart, Blue Rock Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Dartford Warbler, Sardinian Warbler, Common Firecrest, Long-tailed Tit, Crested Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Jay, Magpie, Alpine Chough, Eurasian Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Common Raven, Spotless Starling, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Rock Sparrow, Chaffinch, European Serin, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Linnet, Red Crossbill (irruptive), Cirl Bunting, Rock Bunting, Corn Bunting.

Summer migrants: Black Kite, Egyptian Vulture, Short-toed Snake Eagle, Booted Eagle, European Turtle Dove, Common Cuckoo, Red-necked Nightjar, Common Swift, Alpine Swift, European Bee-eater, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Common Nightingale, Black-eared Wheatear, Common Rock Thrush, Melodious Warbler, Subalpine Warbler, Western Orphean Warbler, Bonelli’s Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Woodchat Shrike.

Winter visitors: Northern Goshawk, Merlin, Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Alpine Accentor, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Eurasian Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Wallcreeper, White-winged Snowfinch (rare), Eurasian Siskin (irruptive), Yellowhammer.

Passage migrants: European Honey-buzzard, Harriers, Common Crane, Eurasian Woodcock (rare), Tree Pipit, Water Pipit, Common Redstart, Northern Wheatear, Redwing (irruptive), Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler, Common Whitethroat,  Pied Flycatcher.


Photo gallery

  • Ruta_Sierra_de_Balced
  • Ruta_Sierra_de_Balced__2_
  • Ruta_Sierra_de_Balced__3_
  • Ruta_Sierra_de_Balced__4_
  • Ruta_Sierra_de_Balced__5_
  • quebrantahuesos

Map 

Bierge