The county of Ripollès, located in the centre of this mountain range, is an excellent example of what you can see and do in the Catalan Pyrenees. That’s why, this Easter, we present two interpretive itineraries in the natural park located in Ripollès. Get your backpacks ready with water and food supplies, warm waterproof clothing and good footwear; we are heading to the Natural Park of the headwaters of the Ter and Freser rivers!

Discover what can be observed in the Catalan Pyrenees by doing an interpretive itinerary in Ripollès

If you are looking for outdoor activities, the Catalan Pyrenees of Girona is the ideal place for hiking, climbing or skiing. Moreover, this is also one of the most spectacular and diverse regions of Catalonia, offering the possibility of seeing a great variety of landscapes and natural spaces such as natural parks.

All this can also be done and seen in the Ripollès region. Today we focus on the Natural Park of the Headwaters of the Ter and Freser rivers and two of its interpretative itineraries: the interpretative itinerary ‘Circular of the Salto del Grillo’ and the ‘Carbonero – Baidana – Cabanes – Setcases’, as these routes are a way of getting to know both the nature, the history and the geography of the Catalan Pyrenees.

The ‘Salt del Grill circular route’ interpretative itinerary

The circular route of the ‘Salt del Grill’, in Queralbs, offers a unique experience to discover the spectacular gorges of the Freser river, as well as to get an idea of what the Catalan Pyrenees of Girona have to offer. It begins and ends at the Daió bridge, following the course of the river until reaching the Salt del Grill, where the water drops from almost 30 metres into a breathtaking landscape. Along the route, visitors can enjoy spectacular views and discover flora and fauna, geological and cultural elements of interest.

One of the highlights is the Daió Hydroelectric Power Station, inaugurated in 1910 and one of the first in Europe, which used the waters of the Freser and Núria rivers to generate energy. In the area of Artigues de les Ribes, you can see old cultivation terraces with dry stone walls, currently used for livestock farming.

Near the Pont de les Ribes bridge, you can see boulders, the result of glacial erosion. The Carboners Forest, located in the shade of the gorges, is home to oak, beech and red pine trees, formerly used to produce charcoal.

The route also passes through the Torrent de les Artigues, where you can see gneiss and schist rocks, the result of tectonic fractures. The Totlomón Rocks, a formation that allows you to see the Catalan plinth with its vertical needles, are a refuge for birds of prey such as the vulture and the golden eagle.

Finally, the Torrent del Forn stands out for its iron mines, which have been active for more than 2,200 years, leaving an important mining and industrial legacy.

With a length of 5.3 km and a gradient of 330 metres, this moderately difficult route allows you to explore a wide variety of natural, geological and historical landscapes in the Natural Park of the headwaters of the Ter and Freser rivers.

Interpretative itinerary ‘Carboner – Baidana – Cabanes – Setcases’.

This other circular route starts one kilometre from Setcases, at the bridge of La Farga. The Carboner-Baidana-Cabanes-Setcases route starts at the quarries in the Carlat valley, where you can see outcrops of sandstone, marble and slate, and the legendary balma de les Donzelles, inhabited by fairies according to Mossèn Cinto Verdaguer. Aggregates are still extracted in the area from the Felinc quarry.

Afterwards, the path leads to the Farga de la Llosa, an old iron industry from the 17th century. Although there are no visible remains, remains of iron oxides and slag from the forge can be found.

The route continues along the Salto del Cossi d’en Batlló, a spectacular waterfall in the Carboners stream, which descends over 1,000 metres in 5 kilometres, with mountain riverside vegetation, such as hazelnut and ash trees.

The next point is the Planos de Carboners, where huts and enclosures were once built for livestock. This area conserves a great ecological richness with a variety of flora and fauna, including birds of prey such as the kestrel and the short-toed eagle.

One of the most outstanding places is the Umbría de Carboners, a pine forest of black pine considered an ecological jewel for its biodiversity and home to species such as the boreal owl and bats. The Baidana Forest, located on the Sant Miquel Mountain, is also notable for its fauna.

Finally, the route reaches La Creueta, a place with a legend about a flowering elder that guided seven brothers to build Setcases. This area offers a spectacular view of the village.

This Easter, choose one of these two interpretative itineraries in the Natural Park of the Headwaters of the Ter and Freser rivers; they will give you a great opportunity to discover the nature, history and culture of the Catalan Pyrenees.

The species of fauna and flora of Ripollès, a sample of what can be seen in the Catalan Pyrenees

As can be seen on the two routes mentioned above, the biodiversity of Ripollès is splendid. The whole county exhibits species of fauna, flora and geology that can be seen in the Catalan Pyrenees.

Some examples of fauna that can be seen in both places are the red deer, the chamois or roe deer, the marmot, the golden eagle, the coal tit and the griffon vulture. The common vegetation between these two geographical areas includes oak, holm oak, red, white and black pine, juniper, mountain flax, arnica and sephora, among others.

Finally, in terms of geology, we can see how, initially, glacial modelling, and later, fluvial modelling, formed the valleys, plains, peaks and cliffs of the Ripollès and the Catalan Pyrenees.

Both the Ripollès and the Catalan Pyrenees offer very diverse landscapes, with forests, meadows, high mountain areas and streams. For this reason, there are many other hiking routes in both destinations. Find your ideal route with Ripollès Turisme’s selection of routes! And remember, enjoy our natural environment and take care of it.