Walking Holidays in Spain - Frontier Holidays

Type: Independent Walks in Spain
Price: From £390 Full Board

A great value backpacking self guided walking tour.  Accommodation in four 'Refugios' and a Hotel surrounding a forgotten corner of Catalonia.

                                                                      
  The Brugent Escarp                                                                    Ruined Mill

For a visual tour (only in Catalan at the moment) go to click here


THE GRADE
Avanzado

THE AREA
It's astonishing that so close to the medtiterranean resorts, the hinterland holds some pristine secrets of Nature, just waiting to be explored.

This is the case with the rio Brugent valley, just a short drive from the town of Reus.  Extraordinarily, given its proximity to the major tourist beach resorts, this is one of the best preserved river valley eco systems in Catalonia, and an important water source within the Prades mountains.

Periodically heavy rains wreak such havoc as to signifcantly change the river´s course and destroy any vestiges of man´s labour.  Such was the case in 1994 when major flooding destroyed much of the remaining riverside paths, and  the surrounding woods were decimated, leaving the valley cut off by foot.  The area has effectively been off limits for a decade and half, with Nature reclaiming her own.  The escarpments that border th eriver course, a product of millenia long water erosion, were starting to overshadow a lost valley.

In the last couple of years, a local initiative has undertaken an extensive clearing operation to open up the traditional paths that once connected the farms, riverside mills and villages dotted along the rio Brugent valley. One of these is the Fisherman´s track, formerly used by local villagers to access the deep pools for trout and barbel.

As the Brugent valley has been without human prescence for so long, it provides a fascinating insight as to just how quickly a landscape changes when abandoned by man. 

The route weaves in and out of the Brugent valley, alternating between the pools and the hightops area bordering the river basin.  There are plenty of safe pools for a spot of wild swimming.  Each day's walk is sufficiently unique in character as to make you appreciate the variety of landscapes encoutered during the week.




THE ITINERARY
Day 1 Arrive Capafonts Village. Overnight in Somianatura albergue.

Day 2 Walk to Mont-Ral.  Sleep Musté-Recasens Refuge. 12kms. Climb 560m. 3hrs 40mins

Day 3 Walk to Els Masets. Sleep Els Masets Refuge near Riba.  15.8kms.  Climb 330m. 4h 50mins.

Day 4 Walk to Farena village.  Sleep San Andreu Refuge.   13.5kms.  Climb 855m.  4hrs 20mins

Day 5 Walk to Prades.  Sleep hotel. 13.5kms.  Climb  800m  4hrs 15mins.

Day 6 Walk to Capafonts. Sleep hotel or albergue.  11.5kms.  Climb 325m.  3hrs.

Day 7 Transfer Reus airport.

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When to go: All year except summer.
Transfer Options: Taxi Reus airport or Hire Car
What's included.: 3 nights full board in bunk bed rooms with communal showers and toilets. 1 night in hotel with ensuite facilities full board. 2 nights in village B&B, full board.
Date: All year round except August
Quick Info: Single supplement of £110 applies. Upgrade to 4 star hotel on either 1st or last night in Capafonts for £25 extra per night.