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Cycling around wineries in the Empordà

November 23, 2009 by Admin  
Filed under Activities, Activity tours, Cultural tours, Guiding, Wine and food, Wine tours

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La Gola del Ter

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

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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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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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Castell beach to Cap Roig coastal path

September 21, 2009 by Admin  
Filed under Activities, Activity tours, Guiding

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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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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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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.


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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.

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Priorat wine tour

August 5, 2009 by Admin  
Filed under Activities, Activity tours, Cultural tours, Tours, Wine and food, Wine tours

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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.

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The Tour Girona-Barcelona FIESTA!

July 10, 2009 by Admin  
Filed under Activities, Activity tours, Local news and info

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Tour de France in GironaThe local Gironins are a fairly dour lot but the Tour de France brought out the crowds, waving, cheering and generally enjoying the festive spirit and the commercial circus of one of the greatest races on earth.

Cycling has put Girona on the map for a very important market niche, pro and keen enthusiast cyclists from all over the world have come here to enjoy the variety of terrain, moderate climate and relaxed atmosphere between the Mediterranean and Pyrenees.
This phenomenon is almost entirely due to one person, Lance Armstrong, who based himself and his then team, US Postal, here in Girona for some 5 years. We now have two professional teams, Columbia and Garmin, calling Girona home for a part of the year with all their riders and support staff adding an international flavour and economic boost to the area.
Personally I would erect a monument to Lance in the main Plaça Catalunya but the next best thing is to host the Tour and let’s hope it re-enforces the position Girona has in the hearts and minds of many cyclists, past, present and future.

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Lake Banyoles-sporting playground

June 18, 2009 by Admin  
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Banyoles is only 20kms from Girona and is surrounded by wooded hills and rolling countryside but the outstanding feature is the large spring fed lake. This is where the rowing events were held for the ‘92 olympics and rowing is still important today with lanes and bouys a permanent feature.

Other sports have joined the mix including cycling, running, triathlon and swimming which is allowed in certain designated areas and makes Banyoles a bit of a training mecca for many athletes.
The colour of the clear water and the scenic boathouses built during the early 1900’s make for pleasant strolls or bike rides around the lake, a distance of some 8kms.
On sundays the terraces are packed with families relaxing or cooling off with a “granitzat de limon” (iced lemon drink) so why not join them?

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