Glorious walks around Pla de l’Estany

That is definitely the case of Pla de l’Estany, a small region full of quaint villages that hold the key to a world of routes that can be enjoyed at any time of the year.Even in the heart of winter, when the cold really starts to bite, a leisurely walk is a great group activity to invigorate both body and soul. Here we bring you a small selection of those on offer, with three of our favourites:

Discovering the backdrop to a historic escape in Palol de Revardit

The Soldiers of Salamina trail takes its name from the film directed by David Trueba that was shot in the area a few years ago and consists of several routes that run through Cornellà del Terri, Palol of Revardit and Sant Miquel de Campmajor. These places served as the real-life backdrop to certain events that took place during the Spanish Civil War that were later described by author Javier Cercas in his novel and subsequently adapted for the big screen by Trueba. The circuit we propose runs over a distance of just under 4 km and takes around an hour and a half to complete.

It begins at Mas Borrell in Palol de Revardit, the house where the founder of the Spanish Falange political movement, Rafael Sánchez Mazas, was given food and shown where to hide as he fled from the Collell monastery. The route, therefore, takes us on a tour to discover some of the locations associated with the protagonist’s escape and where some scenes of the film were also shot, as well as Casa Nova and the Ermedàs pottery kiln, which dates back to Roman times.This is a round-trip hike that returns to the original starting point. More information on the route.

Crespià ice well route

Have you ever visited Crespià? Now you have a great excuse, with this walk that takes you though fields of ancient walnut trees and beautiful natural areas that are home to numerous natural and historical features that are sure to pique your interest. The route runs over a distance of 5 km and takes around an hour and a half to complete, making for a very pleasant outing on a winter morning. Setting off from the square in front of the church in Crespià, walkers will soon find themselves wandering through fields filled with walnut trees.

The more than 12,000 specimens at this site have produced tons and tons of walnuts in the more than thousand years they have stood there. In fact, walnuts dating back to a million years ago have even been discovered at the nearby Incarcal palaeontological site.The walk eventually makes its way to the ice well, a structure that, like so many others that have been discovered throughout the Costa Brava and Girona Pyrenees, was an ancient technique of preserving ice throughout the year, used to help keep food fresh.

During the winter months, the ice that formed in the surrounding area was fed into the wells and layered with straw to preserve it as blocks, which were then pulled up during the summer using a pulley system. At this point, walkers can retrace their steps and head back to base. But anyone wanting to push on further can, on reaching Torrent Merler, extend the route to a longer 12-km hike that goes all the way to the Roca Barcelona natural spring. More information on the route.

Exploring the Esponellà countryside

This route combines beautiful scenery, such as Sant Miquel de la Roca and Salt de Martís, with important historical elements, such as the ruins of Esponellà Castle. Covering a distance of around seven kilometres, walker will enjoy a wonderful couple of hours immersed in nature as they explore this area and discover its surprising array of natural assets.

The route sets out from the Casa dels Enginyers in Esponellà following a dirt road towards Sant Miquel de la Roca and la Resclosa, an incredible seven-metre-high waterfall in the River Fluvià.

The trail then leads to Esponellà bridge, which crosses the river at a height of almost 20 m before heading on to the castle ruins. The final stretch of this circular walk takes in the spectacular Salt de Martís waterfall and the Font de l’Hospici natural spring as it winds its way back to Esponellà town. More information on the route.

More suggestions for walking in the region can be found on the Pla de l’Estany Tourist Office website.

Photos: Tourisme Pla de l’Estany