Natural park Volcanic Zone Garrotxa

This itinerary is to circulate and is conceived to be begun and finishing in the same place after visiting three of the most known places and appeals of the Natural Park. Although it recommends begin by the Area of Can Serra (in the Fageda d'in Jordà), also can by the Area of Santa Margarida. Both areas find in the road GI-524, of Olot to Santa Pau.

If it goes out of the Area of Can Serra direction south, cross immediately the road and go down some stairs that carry to the Fageda d'in Jordà. Justo before, manually right, is the monolith erigido in memory of the poet Joan Maragall.

The Fageda d'in Jordà

The famous Fageda d'in Jordà is a hayedo exceptional for growing in a flat terrain, of low altitude (550 m). This, in fact, assent on a colada of lava of the volcano The Croscat, and offers a rugged relief, with some lomas abundant and very characteristic, that can surpass the 20 m of height and know in the zone like tossols.

When going out of the hayedo, the way encarama to the Coll of Can Batlle and Sant Miquel Sacot, where there is a church of romance plant of the 11th century. Of there it goes down to the Pla of the Sacot and by the Collet of Bassols situates in the slope southwest of the volcano of Santa Margarida.

The volcano of Santa Margarida

This is a mixed volcano, that had phases eruptivas of strombolian type and freatomagmático. These last are explosive and the one who produced in the one of Santa Margarida opened, when exploding, a wide circular crater, and inside him finds the hermitage that gives name to the volcano. Except the crater, where there are meadows, the rest of the volcano is covered by forests: encinares in the adrets and deciduous mixed in the umbrías.

The itinerary goes down until the Area of Santa Margarida, where links with the itinerary 4 (Can Xel-Santa Pau), crosses the road GI-524 and coincides with the itinerary 15 (Grederes of the Croscat) until the shortcut of Can Passavent.

The volcano The Croscat

The Croscat is a volcano of strombolian type and his cone is the biggest of the Iberian peninsula, with 160 m of height. Also it is, when seeming, the more youngster of all. During a lot of years suffered extractions of volcanic materials in his slope, that have left a brecha impressive (gredales) that it can visit in the schedule that indicates the itinerary 15.

After bordear the ancient dump, today sealed, in the slope north of the volcano, the way goes down softly until the parking of Can Serra.

Profile of the Stage: Area of Can Serra (Fageda d'in Jordà) - Sant Miquel of Sacot (1:30 h; 3,5 km) - Volcano of Santa Margarida (2:25 h; 5,2 km) - Area of Santa Margarida (3:15 h; 6,2 km) - Shortcut in Can Passavent (3:30 h; 7 km) - Area of Can Serra (Fageda d'in Jordà) (4:20 h; 10 km).

The itinerary begins in the station of buses of Olot, in the street Bisbe Lorenzana. Then it will be necessary to turn manually left by the street of the Fluvià until the river, follow the round of the Fluvià, leave to the left the bridge of Can Russet and, without crossing it and being still in all moment the round, arrive until the bridge of Them Móres. In this point, the itinerary forks: if we cross the bridge, will arrive to the zone known like Triai, and from there will follow until the Fageda d'in Jordà; if we continue by the bank of the river, will cross later the bridge of Colom and, after going on down the avenue Argentinian Republic, will arrive to the square of America, from where by the avenue of Cuba will arrive to the Parc Nou.

Inside the enclosure of this park, property of the city council of Olot, is the Tower Castanys, that at present receives the Cultural centre dels Volcans, work of the Barcelonan architect Josep Fontseré. In the low plant finds the Museum of the Volcanos, only in the Iberian peninsula on the volcanic fact. In the first plant is the Centre of Information of the Natural Park, with a room of projections of video, and the offices of said organism.

The Botanic Garden conserves valuable reductos of the robledo of oaks fresnales, extremely rare in the zone south-Pyrenean of Catalonia, and that constitutes the potential vegetation of the flat of Olot. The big diversity of vegetal species that there is in this robledo and the need to preserve it in his integrity carried to the creation of the Botanic Garden.

It suits to go out of the park by the door south and go in in the Places of The Moixina after bordear orchards and dry walls. The characteristic landscape of this zone is a complex mosaic of natural systems deeply worked by the human being, with a destacable biological diversity and that has like protagonist the water. The special charm of this landscape has inspired to a lot of painters.

Before abandoning the Places, manually right, is the start of the itinerary 9, that carries to the forest of Tosca and Them Preses. Act followed, manually left, is the Camp d'in Broc, a zone of marismas recovered that it has turned into an interesting place for the fauna, visited periodically by diverse species of rare birds in the region.

The way carries until the Triai, point in that it links with the ramal that comes of the bridge of Them Móres and that follows, already unified, to the Fageda d'in Jordà. In this stretch, there is diverse points from which can contemplate beautiful panoramic of the flat of Olot with the beak Puigsacalm behind.

Shortly before going in to the Fageda d'in Jordà, the way forks and the ramal of the left carries to the Centre of Information of Can Serra (Fageda d'in Jordà); the one of the right crosses the hayedo, goes through the fincas of Can Jordà, goes back to adentrarse in the forest and, at the end, encarama in Can Xel, from where links with the itinerary 4, that arrives until Santa Pau.

The Natural Reservation of The Fageda d'in Jordà is a hayedo exceptional for growing in a flat terrain, of low altitude (550 m). This, in fact, assent on a colada of lava of the volcano The Croscat, and offers a rugged relief, with some lomas very characteristic and abundant, that can surpass the 20 m of height and that know in the zone like tossols.

Profile of the Stage: Bridge of Them Móres (0,8 km; 0:15 h) - Cultural centre dels Volcans (1,9 km; 0:30 h) - Places of The Moixina (2,9 km; 0:45 h) - The Deu (3,2 km; 0:50 h) - The Triai (4,2 km; 1:05 h) - Bifurcation in the Centre of Information of Can Serra (6,3 km; 1:50 h) - Can Jordà (7,7 km; 2:10 h) - Can Xel (9,9 km; 2:45 h).

Castellfollit Of the Rock is one of the eleven municipalities that integrate the Natural Park of the Volcanic Zone of the Garrotxa. The village, of 1.000 inhabitants, is situated on of a riscal basáltico of some 40 m of height and of a 1 km of length.

The itinerary begins in the km 45,2 of the ctra. Of Girona to Olot (GI-522), near of the crossing with the ctra. Of Oix (GIV-5221). From this point have to cross the road and go down in direction to the river Fluvià. The way begins beside the bridge and crosses orchards situated in earths very fertile corresponding to ancient fluvial terraces of the Fluvià.

It goes on down the left bank of the river and crosses it more advance by a pasadero wooden built recently. In the another bank, the way follows between separate orchards by walls of dry stone, crosses the river Toronell by a puentecillo, and encarama to the Camí Vell (Old Way), a street empedrada that drives until the door of the church of Sant Salvador, burned during the Civil War and that in the actuality, in addition to using like cultural room, is restoring .

From here it can access to the square of Josep Pla or oriel, place in which we can admire a beautiful panoramic of the valley of the river Fluvià. The pavimento and the urban furniture of this square are done with basalt.

The itinerary passes by the streets of the ancient zone of the village until the square of Sant Roc, where is the city council, and afterwards low by the road, takes some stairs for salvaguardar the desnivel of the riscal, crosses the bridge on the Fluvià and arrives again to the parking from which have gone out.

Profile of the Stage: Parking (0 km) - Riscal (0,7 km; 0:10 h) - Oriel (1,15 km; 0:30 h) - Square of Sant Roc (1,25 km; 0:35 h) - Parking (2,16 km; 0:45 h).

The start recommended is in the Plaça Major of Sant Joan them Fonts. Other starts are: at the side of the schools of Sant Joan or in the sportive zone of The Canya (beside the urbanisation The Roureda).

The route passes by an interesting zone of bluffs basálticos, result of the cooling of the coladas of lava, together with some sample of forest of bank with species of big botanic value, and also interesting samples of industrial architecture beside the river. In period of strong rains, if it laughed it of Bianya grows, the itinerary is not transitable from Fontfreda.

If we go out of Sant Joan them Fonts, the itinerary goes through the streets of this municipality, crosses the mediaeval bridge on the river Fluvià and goes up by some stairs beside the church Nova.

I grinded Bottom

In this place can observe three coladas of lava. The first (that it forms part of the prey), comes from of the volcanos of Batet and is dated in some 700.000 years; the second (that it forms part of the mosaic basáltico that step in this place) is of origin and age no determinate, and the third (in the enclave of the quarry of the Boscarró) comes from of The Garrinada and dates of some 120.000 years.

The Boscarró

We find us in front of an ancient quarry of basalt that left to be exploded at the beginning of century. The basalt, resultant rock of the cooling of the coladas of lava,

It is hard, insulating and resistant to the corrosivos, and has been used for the manufacture of pave.

In the process of cooling of the lava, the basalt takes distinct forms; the habits of retracción can be: prismatic, lenticular or massive. Later to the volcanic eruptions, the fluvial erosion has left these cliffs to the discovered.

Cingles Of Fontfreda

The bluffs of Fontfreda, ancient quarry, were used from the years seventy like dumps of rubbish. This caused the pollution of the mulch of the river and affected to one of the best samples of outcrop of volcanic materials. The dump clausuró in 1993 and restored the place.

From this point, the itinerary crosses the river by some pasaderas and passes some metres by the left bank to go back, to continuation, to the right bank. More advance, find a meander of laughed it Bianya, where is easy to observe aquatic fauna. More advance, the way rises and passes by the top of the bluffs until Sant Joan them Fonts.
Them fonts

The water circulates by the volcanic lavas fisuradas, stores between the volcanic materials and sedimentarios and disappears to the foot of the cliffs. In the municipality there is a quarantine of sources with continuous and abundant discharge. Fact that has given name to the place.

Peril Of the Stage: Plaça Major of Sant Joan them Fonts (0 km) - Grinded Bottom (0,3 km; 0:15 h) - The Boscarró (0,8 km; 0:20 h) - Cingles of Fontfreda (2,5 km; 0:45 h) - The Serrat of Baix (3,1 km; 1:10 h) - Plaça Major of Sant Joan them Fonts (5,5 km; 1:50 h).

We can begin the itinerary in the ancient core of Sant Feliu of Pallerols or in the ancient station of train. If we go out of the ancient core, the itinerary drives us by the streets of this villa until the ancient station.

The route goes on down the ancient road of the missing Train of Olot - at present lane bici of Girona to Olot - until the shortcut of Sant Miquel of Pineda, parish situated to some 200 metres of the itinerary.

Sant Miquel of Pineda is a romance church of the 11th century, of an alone ship, with chapels added later, apse sobrealzado and bell tower of tower. It was partially destroyed by the earthquakes of 1427-1428, and reconstructed later.

We will go through a small bridge on the river Brugent, will cross the road C-152 and will follow it some 50 metres in direction to Sant Feliu, until finding the crossing of the way asphalted of Sant Iscle of the Colltort, which will follow until the parish of same name.

The parish church of Sant Iscle of Colltort is a romance construction of the 15th century. In the same place, from the 15th century, built another church of which conserve paintings, that went progressively reformed until the 18th century. It restored in 1987.

Shortly after Sant Iscle, will find the indicator that will allow us access, in some 50 minutes, to the Castle of Colltort, situated in the crest of the saw of Lleixeres, from where will be able to enjoy of an impressive panorama on the valleys of Sant Iscle, of Santa Pau and of Olot, the High Garrotxa and the Pyrenees. From there, we will be able to link with the itinerary number 5, that goes to Can Xel by Sant Miquel Sacot.

The Castle of Colltort is a feudal castle whose first quotation appears in 1017. In the 15th century was stage of the revolution remensa. At present it finds in state of ruin.

The volcano of Fontpobra, is of strombolian type and finds attached to the saw of Lleixeres. His crater recognises easily since, unlike his surroundings, is recubierto of deciduous forest, mostly of chestnut trees.

If we follow the itinerary 19 will find the volcano of The Tuta, of type freatomagmático, of the that only recognises a circular depression excavated in the rocks sedimentarias of the saw of Lleixeres, that corresponds to the crater of explosion. Shortly after, we will find the volcano of Can Tià, also of type freatomagmático. Before arriving to the house of Can Tià, a variant of the way will allow us access to the crater, of 300 x 270 metres of maximum diameter, situated to some 100 metres of the way. Once in Can Tià, another variant drives us, in 15 minutes, to Fontpobra, situated just under the volcano of same name and from where can link with the itinerary number 5 to descend to Can Xel by the collado of Bassols.

We will follow to the collado of The Serrella, where a variant allows us access in some 40 minutes, to the volcano of Them Medes, formed by three volcanic buildings: the Puig of them Medes and the Puig Filmed, of strombolian type, and the Llacunagra, that could treat of a crater of explosion. Our continuous route to the collado of Penosa and of here until The Codina and the Estanyol of Dalt. To our right leave the volcano of the Traiter, formed also by three volcanic buildings (the Traiter upper, the Traiter inferior and the Puig of The Codina), that issued a colada of lava that arrived until the bottom of the valley. It is possible to access in 5 minutes following the indication.

Little time afterwards another variant drives us, in a half hour, to the castle of Puig Alder or hermitage of Sant Salvador, mentioned in the year 1020 in the will of Bernat Tallaferro and that in 1184 already had a church devoted to Sant Salvador. In the 15th century, during the revolution remensa, was in power of Verntallat. This hermitage was restored does few years. It has of a small shelter for mountaineers. From this place, will be able to enjoy of an extraordinary sight on the valleys of Cogolls and of the Vallac.

The itinerary follows the track that descends simultaneously to the torrent of the Vallac until Sant Feliu of Pallerols.

Profile of the Stage: Ancient station of Sant Feliu of Pallerols (0 km) - Sant Iscle of Colltort (7,3 km; 2:17 h) - Volcano of Can Tià (9,6 km; 2:53 h) - Volcano of the Traiter (12,0 km; 3:38 h) - Ancient station of Sant Feliu of Pallerols (17,3 km; 5:00 h).

The itinerary is flat and short and is ideal to give a walk by the heart of the Fageda d'in Jordà, admire his charm and submerge of full in his peculiar atmosphere.

It is necessary to go out of the parking and cross the road: to the another side, are the stairs by which accesses to the Fageda d'in Jordà. Shortly before going down them, finds , manually right, the monolith erigido in memory of the poet Joan Maragall, where can read the famous poem that inspired him this forest.

Justo after the stairs, a footpath adentra in The Fageda and drives to the foot of a big loma, that it is necessary to surround, for afterwards return to the parking by the same way that have taken.

Profile of the Stage: Parking of The Fageda d'in Jordà (0 km) - Tossol (loma) (0,7 km; 0:17 h) - Parking of The Fageda d'in Jordà (1,5 km; 0:35 h).

The architectural complex formed by the castle, the church and the square porticada was declared historical group-artistic in 1970. Built between the s. XIII and XIV, the castle has square plant, ventanales Gothic, tower of the homage and playground of arms. The church of Santa Maria is Gothic, of an alone ship, with arches that still conserve the shields of the families Oms and Parapertusa-Oms, ancient gentlemen of the barony. The square porticada (Firal dels Bous) forms a species of triangle of houses with porch that served to give receive to the market that was awarded to the population in 1297.

The start of this itinerary finds in the near parking to the ancient helmet, to the right bank of the Be. After crossing the bridge, it is necessary enfilar the street of the Pont, where is worth it to fix in the lintels of stone recorded in a lot of houses of the s. XVIII. On top of the all, it is necessary to turn manually left, go through at the side of the dispensario municipal, walk open field and follow a while, waters up, by the left bank of the Be. In all this stretch there is panoramic spectacular of the ancient helmet of Santa Pau.

Then we will have to leave manually left of the way the volcano of Rocanegra. It is covered by encinar montañés in the sunny zones whereas in the umbrías there is robledales of oak pubescente and mixed deciduous forests.

To the foot of the volcano there is an ancient gredal clausurado and, shortly after, the source of The Clavell. Once happened the finca of But Collellmir, finds a variant of the itinerary that allows us link with the itineraries 1 and 5 when going through the slope south of the volcano of Santa Margarida. The traced main of the itinerary, nevertheless, carries until the Area of Santa Margardia and Can Xel.

In the Area of Santa Margarida begins the itinerary 15, that drives to the gredales of the volcano The Croscat. However, if we want to go up to the crater of the volcano of Santa Margarida it is necessary to follow the itinerary 1. Like this then , the three itineraries cross in this point and give access to the two more emblematic volcanos of the Natural Park.

Once it arrives to the neighbourhood of Can Xel, can connect with the itinerary 3, that gives access to the Fageda d'in Jordà and arrives until Olot, point in which it also is the start and the end of the itinerary 5, that carries to the castle of Colltort and to Fontpobra.

Profile of the Stage: Parking of the Pont (Santa Pau) (0 km) - Volcano of Rocanegra (1,5 km - 0:30 h) - Variant to the itineraries 1 and 5 (2,2 km; 0:45 h) - Parking of Santa Margarida (3,06 km; 1 h) - Can Xel (4,63 km; 1:25 h).

The access to the volcano The Croscat is regulated and controlled; like this then , it is necessary to encircle to the schedules and instructions of the informative signposts that there is in the Natural Park, in addition to following the indications of the personnel of the Centre of Information. In Can Passavent will find all the available publications for the visit to the Park and, more specifically, on the volcano The Croscat.

In the Area of Santa Margarida, find the start of this itinerary, that will allow us visit the impressive tajo done in The Croscat. We will cross the road of Olot to Santa Pau and will follow the signals of the itinerary in direction to the Croscat, that remains manually left of the way. From this first stretch does not see the tajo, only the beak of the volcano.

After Masnou, manually right of the way, will see at the end of the talud some terrains where also there has been extraction of bluffs, that later were restored and nowadays are fields of crop and pasture. The mountain that see above these fields is the volcano of The Puig of Martinyà. Quickly we find a manually left shortcut, that encarama to Can Passavent (the centre of information and reception of the Park) and allows to arrive to the grederas.

The volcano The Croscat is the more youngster of  the volcanic zone and had two eruptions: the first and more important was 17.000 years ago, and the second 11.500 years ago. It is a volcano of strombolian type, characterised by the broadcast of fluent lavas and the expulsion, moderately violent, of fragments of magma , that receive the name of piroclastos.

In the case of The Croscat, these fragments covered a surface of 20 km2 and accumulated until forming a cone of 160 m of height. The crater, that can not see from any point of the itinerary, has form of horseshoe and does, at most, some 600 m of long by some 350 m of width.

From the central part of the itinerary (plazuela), can observe as it is the volcano by inside. The extractions of greda (lapilli) that has suffered during a lot of years have opened the tajo that see, of more than 100 m of height and 500 m of length. Those are the calls grederas. The original colours are the darkest (black and grey) and later adopt the reddish tonalities and anaranjadas by the reactions of oxidation. In the top of the volcano still remain the rests of a tower of communications of the past century.

Profile of the Stage: Parking of Santa Margarida (0 km) - Gredales of the volcano The Croscat (1,4 km; 0:12 h) - Parking of Santa Margarida (2,9 km; 0:40 h).