The Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park is the prime location to marvel at the most captivating volcanic landscapes of the Iberian Peninsula.
Covering an expansive area of 15 thousand hectares, the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone offers various itineraries through the most intriguing sections of the Natural Park. Whether with family, friends, or alone, you can wander amidst its dormant volcanoes, holm oak, or oak forests.
Discover the perfect route for you, put on your best RRAT's, and discover all the secrets and curiosities that surround the Garrotxa volcanoes.
Are you ready? Continue reading and plan your next adventure!
Joan Maragall Trail – La Fageda d’en Jordà
The first route we want to discuss is the Joan Maragall – La Fageda d'en Jordà Trail. It is a flat, short, and ideal itinerary to enjoy with the family while admiring the heart and charm of La Fageda d'en Jordà.
With an approximate time of 35 minutes to tour one of the 26 nature reserves of the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park, you will be able to discover a deciduous forest, fascinating no matter what season of the year you go. If you want to find a reddish forest with golden touches, you should stop by La Fageda d'en Jordà in autumn. If, on the other hand, you prefer grayish tones and passageways of dry leaves that rustle as you pass over them, winter will be the best season for you.
What about summer? The shade created by the branches and leaves of the trees makes walks through the forest cool and enjoyable, even in high temperatures.
To begin the route, we first need to park the car in the La Fageda d'en Jordà car park. From there, we will head towards the underpass (located in front of the information point) that passes under the road, allowing us to cross it safely. Once on the other side, we will encounter the monolith dedicated to the poet Joan Maragall, and we can commence the itinerary.
This path is perfect for families and children, as it is short and of easy difficulty. So, strap on your RRAT's Y-Gravel or RRAT's Y-Minimal for this adventure!
Creeps of the Croscat volcano
Continuing with the short paths, we find the Grederas of the Croscat volcano, one of the jewels of the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone National Park, where we can observe the mudflats of the second youngest volcano on the Iberian Peninsula.
It is said that Croscat erupted about 11,500 years ago, and its type is Strombolian, that is, fluid lava and violent expulsion. Its crater is shaped like a horseshoe and cannot be seen from any other point on the itinerary.
This route begins in the Santa Margarida Area parking lot, where we must cross the road (at the pedestrian crossing) and follow the signs to Croscat. In this first section we can only see the peak of the volcano, so we must continue the journey.
As we pass Masnou on the right, we'll come across some land that was previously used for cliff extraction and has now been converted into crop fields. Above these terrains, we can admire the Puig de Martinyà volcano. Shortly after, we'll reach Can Passavent (the Park's reception) and can enter the slopes of Croscat.
Route of the Three Coladas – Basaltic cliffs of Sant Joan les Fonts
Another of the itineraries of the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park is the route of the Tres Coladas – Basaltic cliffs of Sant Joan les Fonts. This route lasts approximately 1 hour 30 minutes and is of easy difficulty, so if you want to do the route with children, there will be no problem.
To begin the walk, we will stand in the main square of Sant Joan les Fonts. From there, we will walk from the main street towards the church, where we will cross the bridge and go through the alley on the side of the church to the back, which is the access to Molí Fondo.
In Molí Fondo, we can see three lava flows. The first of them comes from the Batet volcanoes and is estimated to be about 700,000 years old, while the second has no specific origin or age. Finally, the third lava flow is estimated to be about 120,000 years old and comes from the Garrinada volcano.
After exploring Molí Fondo, we ascend and head towards Boscarró. At the Boscarró quarry, you can closely observe the intricate shapes that lava assumes as it cools. Continuing along the route, approximately 20 minutes from Boscarró, we encounter Les Cingles de Fontfreda. This cliff underwent cleaning and restoration, along with its surroundings, in 1993, as it had been used as a landfill since the 1970s.
To conclude the route, we need to return to Sant Joan les Fonts, our starting point, where we can witness how water circulates through the fissured volcanic stone. In this municipality, you can discover approximately forty fountains, lending the place its name.
What are your thoughts on this route? Are you up for the challenge? To navigate it, we recommend using the RRAT's Y-Gravel or the RRAT's Y-Minimal, excellent choices for diverse and easily maneuverable terrain.
Sant Iscle and Vallac valleys: volcanoes and castles
If what you want is to spend a whole day walking through the Natural Park surrounded by volcanic landscapes, the Sant Iscle and Vellac Valleys itinerary is ideal for you. With a duration of 5 hours and a medium difficulty, you will be able to enjoy the views of castles, churches and volcanoes.
To begin this adventure, we will go to the old train station (now Tourist Office) of Sant Feliu de Pallerols, and we will head towards Sant Iscle del Colltort, where we will find the ruins of Colltort Castle, a feudal castle from the 15th century. Next, we will connect with the Can Tià phreatomagmatic eruption volcano. Of course, not before having passed through the Fontpobra volcano and the Tuta volcano.
Once past the Can Tià hermitage, continue towards the Serrella neck to explore the Medes volcano, comprising three volcanic formations: the Puig de les Medes, the Puig Rodó, and the Llacunagra. Subsequently, proceed towards the Traiter volcano also composed of three volcanic structures.
After visiting these volcanoes, it's time to return to the starting point. Skirt the farmhouses in the area until reaching Sant Feliu de Pallerols.
Are you ready to delve into the history of these volcanoes in the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park with your RRAT's?