La Gola del Ter

November 22, 2009 by Admin
Filed under Activities, Activity tours, Wine and food

La Gola is where the river Ter flows into the Mediterranean Sea, having started in the Pyrenees mountains around the ski resort of Vallter 2000 some 220 kms away.

The fields on either side of the Ter are very flat, fertile land where cultivation of fruit, wheat, corn and rice takes place. There are also wetlands which although cultivated, are also part of the Aiguamolls Nature Reserve, famous for a wide range of migratory birds.

There are many paths signposted telling you where to go and being flat the area is perfect for cycling and walking.

Of course no exercise is possible if at the end there is not a meal contemplated and in this case the local specialities involve rice and seafood which is one type of “arroz” and in other parts of Spain would be called a “paella“.

A delicacy called “angulas” are found where eels breed in fresh water rivers producing millions of tiny eels which are caught at night in nets and currently retail for 500? to1,300? a kilo depending on season, if you can find them.

The small restaurants around La Gola are some of the few places you will be able to taste this amazing dish cooked in olive oil and garlic and hot peppers, once tried never forgotten!

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Tags: Aiguamolls nature reserve, angulas, arroz, cycling, La Gola, La Gola del Ter, Mediterranean Sea, paella, Pyrenees, river Ter, Vallter 2000, walking

Charming spots: Sant Andreu de Pedrinyà

November 22, 2009 by Admin
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Many people visit the Dali/Gala castle at Púbol but do not realise that only a couple kilometres off the road there is a charming church hamlet to visit without any tourists, Sant Andreu de Pedrinyà.

Set off a country road which turns into a gravel path shortly after, but in a peaceful and beautiful location next to a stream with plantain trees which offer a cool place to rest and contemplate the small church.

Currently part of La Pera diocese there are some 20 inhabitants in the few houses surrounding the church.

The village goes back to the year 971 and the present church is documented from the 11th century and is a good example of Romanesque features revealed during the restoration in 1975.

The interior is simple stone with fragments of the original murals having been transferred to the museum of Girona for safekeeping.

The gardens are well kept and it is a nice spot to picnic if you are walking or biking in the area.

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Posted via email from gironaJ

Tags: castle church cycling, dali, Gala, Girona, La Pera, Pedrinya, Pubol, Romanesque, Sant Andreu de Pedrinyà, walking

Bike ride Celra to Bordils along river Ter

November 12, 2009 by Admin
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Both Celra and Bordils are not most people's idea of scenic villages as they pass through in their cars along the main road to the Costa Brava from Girona. However, get a little out of the town of Celra and a remarkable transformation takes place, with fertile land planted with different seasonal crops as well as a tree and shrub nursery which covers many hectares.

It is like cycling in Holland as the roads are paved and the area is flat but you see all sorts of interesting trees and plants being grown in straight rows with irrigation and space for tractor access.

There are plenty of other sights too, the church in Bordils is one of my favourites and there are many large farmhouses and chapels worth admiring.

The main purpose of our meandering along these paths once we reach the river Ter is to look for mushrooms in between the rows of poplars, hidden by the cover of fallen leaves. We spot a particularly tasty variety which needs to be consumed quickly as once picked they tend to deteriorate. When they are a few days old they are inedible as they slowly melt into an inky black mess which is how they got their name, the "ink" mushroom.

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Posted via email from gironaJ

Tags: Bordils, Celra, Costa Brava, cycling, mushroom picking, mushrooms, river Ter

The Jewish Museum of Girona

September 28, 2009 by Admin
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Girona was home to a large and flourishing religious, cultural and economic community of Jews from the 9th to the 15th century when they were forced to choose between converting to Catholicism or leaving the country.

For many centuries before this sad ending the Jews built up an important position in trades like leather work, tailoring, baking, trading goods, building and of course money lending. The "call" or ghetto was separated from the rest of town by gates, they had their own ruling council and made their own laws, all possible because they paid their taxes direct to the Spanish Kings.

The museum is set in what was the last of at least three synagogues found in Girona, with its own "micvah" for ceremonial baths attached. The daily life during the middle ages is explained and how Girona established an important reputation for religious enquiry. Along with other Jewish communities in Barcelona, Besalu, Perpignan and Tortosa they established trading routes and the foundations of banking and commercial networks which helped these communities flourish.

Eventually clashes with the catholics increased, taxes were progressively raised, the local interference increased including forcing Jews to wear identifying badges and in 1391 there were several important riots where many died. In Girona after one of these attacks the remaining Jews were put in the Gironalla tower, supposedly for their protection, in terrible conditions and left for 17 weeks while their houses and businesses were looted and burned.

By 1492 when Queen Isabella issued the order requiring Jews to convert or leave within 3 months, many converted only to be hunted down in subsequent years by the Spanish Inquisition and, of the ones that fled, many went to Perpignan due to proximity but the French king expelled them a year later so the respite was brief.

Most Jewish exiles ended up in Rome, Constantinople or Salonika where the Turks welcomed their capital and skills with open arms.

Despite their persecution in Spain many families managed to convert and have integrated to such an extent that the Catalans are sometimes referred to as the Jews of Spain, referring to their work ethic and business acumen.

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Posted via email from gironaJ

Tags: Barcelona Besalu Constantinople Girona History Museum, Isabel, Jewish, Jews, Perpignan, Rome, Salonika, the Call, Tortosa

Castell beach to Cap Roig coastal path

September 21, 2009 by Admin
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September can be a fabulous month to visit the Costa Brava and Castell beach near Palamós is one of the nicest spots. It is part nature reserve with dunes and marshland, a great sandy beach and overlooked on one side by ancient Iberian fort remains which you can stroll through.
The coastal path leads along some of the most rugged coves and bays of the whole 220 km Costa Brava with thick cover of Mediterranean pines and wild herbs which give the air a wonderful perfumed aroma. The path is steep in places but the views along the coast are worth every bit of effort, especially after a recent storm when the waves are crashing into the rocks below.
It has recently been included as a protected area which means the handful of houses will never be added to and nature will reclaim most of mans excesses.
This walk is only about an hour and a half and you can take the windy coastal path one way and come back on the GR92 which is a forest track that is more direct but all inland, sacrificing the views.
Cap Roig is worth visiting as it is one of the best botanical gardens in this area and the colours of the plants and flowers as well as the paths and seats placed to look out to sea are a must.

From here you have the choice of continuing into Calella de Palafrugell and Llafranc, both charming fishing villages or heading back to Castell beach for a swim.

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Tags: Calella de Palafrugell, Cami de Ronda, Cap Roig, Castell beach, coastal path, hiking, Iberian ruins, Llafranc, Palamos, swimming, walking

Sant Feliu-Girona-Olot bike path Part3

August 31, 2009 by Admin
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From Amer (211m), which has an interesting church and old town, it is a short run to the river Ter below where it emerges from the Susqueda dam, a major hydroelectric plant. It also means that the bulk of the downhill is over and from here on it is flat with hazelnut and walnut plantations or sunflowers and corn fields on either side of the path which meanders through the fertile river valley.

El Pasteral (179m) with its old station building still intact and along to La Cellera de Ter and finally to the outskirts of Angles.

Angles has an interesting old town (a few minutes detour) and was famous for the textile factories which were established at the end of the 19th century but have almost all been closed in the last few years as the competition from China destroyed their business.

Now the path follows the river Ter or the parallel canal which was established to serve the small sub- hydroelectric stations and factories that needed water and electricity along the route.

There is an interesting restored ice-house around km 10 which explains how ice was preserved in the era before electricity. We now take ice and refrigeration for granted but it used to be a luxury item.

Girona looms large and there is no way to avoid crossing it from the Devesa park (tallest trees in a public park) and then follow the other river, the Onyar out of town to the south-east towards Quart. You pass the new Science Park of the University of Girona with some impressive modern buildings.

The next part takes you to Cassa de la Selva and Llagostera which are both famous for the cork processing factories which have been there for over a century, using the cork collected in the Gavarres hills nearby.

From Llagostera the path drops fairly sharply to the coastal plain around Castell d'Aro and it is a short haul into S'Agaro and then finally Sant Feliu de Guixols where all the dust from the path can be washed off with a cool dip in the Mediterranean!

Only the foolish or very strong should consider cycling back to Girona (36 kms) as there are a good 8kms of climbing, much easier to have lunch on a terrace and then put the bike on a bus which leave every hour from the bus station and arrive in Girona fresh and happy!

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Posted via email from gironaJ

Tags: Amer, Angles, Cassa de la Selva, Castell d'Aro, Devesa, El Pastoral, La Cellera de Ter, Llagostera Quart, river Onyar, river Ter, S'Agaro, Sant Feliu de Guixols, Vilanna,

Sant Feliu-Girona-Olot bike path Part1

August 28, 2009 by Admin
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The Sant Feliu to Girona and on to Olot bike path or “carril bici” or just “carrilet” is an old railway line which has been converted into a great bike path. More suitable for mountain bikes or hybrids than road bikes because it is made mostly of compacted gravel and sand.

From Girona it is 58km but starting in Sant Feliu on the Costa Brava adds another 36kms to the trip. One crucial point to remember is that going from the coast toGirona only involves climbing about 50m from sea level but from Amer for the next 20kms it is a solid climb to nearly 700m before the descent to the valley of Olot.

So it is recommended to actually start from Olot as this way there is only some 5-7 kms of hard climbing before enjoying a long, steady downhill. The best way to get toOlot from Girona is by bus from the bus station (in front of the train station) and they take up to 5 bikes in the hold for a cost of 7.25? per person one way. Just as easy is to get a bus from Girona to Sant Feliu de Guixols or to catch one from there if you want to cycle to the coast and end up with a cool swim which is highly recommended in the hot summer months.

Bikes can be rented in Girona, ask at the tourist information offices or send me an email to arrange it: discovergirona@gmail.com

This guide will give you the main sights and places to visit along the way.

View Sant Feliu-Girona-Olot bike path in a larger map

Tags: bike path BTT carril bici carrilet cycling disused railway Girona MTB old railway line Olot railway vias verdes, bike path, carril bici, carrilet, cycling, Girona, Olot, Sant Feliu

Sant Feliu-Girona-Olot bike path Part2

August 28, 2009 by Admin
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As mentioned in part 1 it makes sense to start in Olot (445m) if you want to take advantage of the natural drop in altitude from a peak of nearly 700m to sea level.

Olot- the bus station is modern and in the centre of town. It's worth cycling through the Old Town with an impressive church and a few modernist buildings. Callis is a famous pastry shop and cafe next to the church, a reward for those that have battled uphill and finish in Olot! The Volcano Museum is also worth visiting on your way out of town.

Once you find the bike path you are taken along a riverside park and past the athletics track and then you come to the Parc de la Pedra Tosca.. This exhibition won a European prize in 2006 for outdoor parks and is a creation highlighting the volcanic nature of the area with paths made from steel plates and is fun to wander around.

By this time you are cycling through the rich volcanic valley of the Vall d'en Bas with fields of corn, maize and wheat and cows and pigs being raised.

Once you reach the village of Bas all the way to the Coll d'en Bas is a steep 5 km climb to over 650m altitude partly on the old paved road. From here down to Sant Miquel de Pineda which is a beautiful small Romanesque church next to the path and then Sant Feliu de Pallerols which has a square and a famous statue of a boy "fishing for the moon" referring to people who spend their life dreaming.

The path goes through forests with views of the volcanic mountains all around and descends steadily through Les Planes d'Hostoles all the way to Amer, on the outskirts is a good place to fill up your water-bottle at the Fonter natural mineral water spring.

Posted via email from gironaJ

Tags: bike path BTT carril bici carrilet cycling disused railway Girona MTB old railway line Olot railway Sant Feliu vias verdes, bike path, carril bici, carrilet, cycling, Girona

Pals- medieval splendour

August 10, 2009 by Admin
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Pals is a town set on a hill some 6 kms from the Costa Brava and has been well restored in all its medieval splendour. The steep narrow streets winding up to the church and tower are full of interesting balconies, doors, courtyards with many colourful plants like hibiscus and bougainvillea growing everywhere.
Like all medieval towns the important characteristics are here, the hill and walls for extra fortification, the church and lords house and the tower which was a lookout as well as providing water storage in some cases. Pals was on the coast 500 years ago before the surrounding land silted up and watching for pirates was important as this was a wealthy town from trading agricultural commodities.
Rice from Pals is famous for its quality and flavour and they built an irrigation system to sustain the industry which dates back a thousand years.
Now the town mainly lives off tourism with many art galleries, shops selling local produce (chocolates and rice) and ceramics from the nearby La Bisbal pottery centre. There are many terraces to sit and eat and drink in the shade before admiring the views from the top of the village over the Islas Medes and the Mediterranean Sea.

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Posted via email from gironaJ

Tags: ceramics, chocolates, Costa Brava, medieval town, Pals, Platja de Pals, rice

Priorat wine tour

August 5, 2009 by Admin
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The Priorat is one of the hidden gems of the Spanish wine world and luckily it is much easier to visit now that the access roads have improved and only takes an hour and a half to reach from Barcelona.
Why go there? Well the terrain is mountainous, the climate very dry and extreme and the roads narrow and winding but despite all of this the drama of the steep slopes planted with almond trees or vines, villages built on rocky outcrops and above all some spectacular wines are what should bring you here.
This is where the traditional varieties of garnacha (white and red) and cariñena are blended with newer arrivals cabernet, syrah and merlot to make some of the most powerful yet complex wines which reflect the wild herbs and red fruit aromas which send wine lovers all over the world into ecstasy.
It is fair to say that these wines have a bigger following outside of Spain due to what is referred to locally as "Riojitis" but cost has also been a factor since many of these wines have been overpriced. Reality seems to have set in and there are plenty of very interesting offerings in the 10-25? range as the number of Bodegas (wineries) has exploded from a dozen to nearly a hundred in only ten years.
A day trip visiting two contrasting bodegas with a full lunch in between is a great way to discover this wild area and I know you will fall in love with it just like me!
Contact: wine.walks@gmail.com for more details.