Zona Volcànica de la Garrotxa Natural Park is in Girona (province), the best exponent of volcanic landscape on Iberia Peninsula.
Understand
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La Garrotxa has an entrepreneurial spirit that is reflected in its culture and social network, in its traditions, and also in its economy and gastronomy.
In La Garrotxa, a deep-rooted tradition with long experience in artistic teaching stands out, related to the centuries-old religious imagery industry. This spirit is also reflected in Garrotxa society, with an associative network with many entities —there are more than 350 socio-cultural entities in the natural park—, and where popular festivals and traditions are well-rooted and very participatory. The industry and services of the region are mostly run by local companies with great drive. Many have expanded beyond the boundaries of the region. Gastronomy has always been a pillar of the region and has known how to take advantage of a quality pantry.
History
[edit]The Parliament of Catalonia unanimously approved the creation of the volcanic area of La Garrotxa, declaring the area a Natural Site of National Interest, with the aim of preserving its flora, its geomorphological constitution and its special beauty, and in view of the unique character of the territory.
It also declared twenty integral reserves of geobotanical interest, with the aim of avoiding any action that could lead to the destruction, deterioration, transformation or disfigurement of its geomorphology or flora.
The first Special Protection Plan for the natural park was approved in 1994 and the current one was approved in 2010.
Landscape
[edit]40 catalogued volcanoes, with 10 well-preserved phreatomagmatic explosion craters and 23 well-preserved scoria cones resulting from Strombolian activity (Croscat, Montsacopa, Bisaroques, Rocanegra…), More than 20 lava flows, one of which is the best-preserved block flow in the Iberian Peninsula (Fageda d'en Jordà)
Flora and fauna
[edit]The flora represented in this space is extremely rich, due to its location and biogeographic history, both quantitatively (some 1,125 species of higher plants have been identified) and qualitatively (there are several very rare plants in the Catalan flora as a whole), with a clear predominance of Mediterranean and Central European species. Almost 65% of the natural park is occupied by forest formations, especially holm oak, oak and beech forests (fageda in Catalan), but also mixed forests and oak forests.
Climate
[edit]Tourist office
[edit]- 1 Tourist office Olot (Casal dels Volcans), Av. de Santa Coloma, 47, Olot, ☏ +34 972 26 60 12, [email protected].
- 2 Santa Pau Tourist office, Avda. dels Volcans, 14 – 17811 – Santa Pau, ☏ +34 972 68 03 49, [email protected].
- 3 Fageda d'en Jordà Tourist office (Centre d'Informació Can Serra - Fageda d'en Jordà), Carretera de Santa Pau, GI-524, ☏ +34 972 19 50 74. M-F 10:00-15:00, Sa Su holidays 09:00-15:00.
- 4 Sant Feliu de Pallerols Tourist office, Carrer de l'estació, Sant Feliu de Pallerols.
- 5 Can Passavent (Centre d'informacio Can Passavent), Ctra. Olot-Santa Pau, km 7 (Inside Croscat volcano), ☏ +34 972 19 50 94, [email protected]. 10:00-16:00.
Get in
[edit]The protected area is made up of the territory of 11 municipalities and has different entrances.
By plane
[edit]Check Girona for air connections.
By train
[edit]No easy train connections. Closest trains are in Girona and Ripoll.
By bus
[edit]Take the Bus lines that from Figueres, Girona, Ripoll, Vic, or Barcelona reach the towns of the Natural Park, from the Teisa company.
- Teisa, c. Sardenya nº16, Girona, ☏ +34 972204868.
RUMBUS is a public transport service operated by TEISA that runs the route Les Preses - centre of Olot - Fageda d’en Jordà - Àrea de Santa Margarida - Santa Pau on weekends, bank holidays, public holidays and other dates.
The ticket allows, for only €2, an unlimited number of trips throughout the day and thus discover, at your own pace, all the attractions of the central area of the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park.
You can purchase the ticket online in advance on the TEISA website, or on the bus on the same day.
By car
[edit]By the N-260 and A-26 roads, from Figueres and Girona through Besalú, and from Ripoll through the Capsacosta or Coll de Canes tunnels and from Vic through the Bracons tunnels, towards Olot.
Fees and permits
[edit]Get around
[edit]Parking
[edit]- 1 Parking Parc Nou, Avinguda de Veneçuela. Acces to tourist office and volcanoes museum. free.
- 2 Mercat Municipal Parking (Aparcament Mercat Municipal), ☏ +34 972 26 5264. underground. paid.
- 3 Parc de Pedra Tosca Parking, GIV-5224. free.
- 4 Sant Joan les Fonts motorhome Parking, Carrer de Sant Pere, Sant Joan les Fonts. Maximum stay 48 hr. paid.
- 5 Castellfollit de la Roca Parking, carrer nou, Castellfollit de la Roca.
- 6 Santa Pau motorhome Parking, ☏ +34 972 68 03 49. Maximum stay 48 hr. €8.
- 7 Santa Margarita Volcano Parking (Pujada del Volcà de Santa Margarita), Carretera de Santa Pau, GI-524. To visit Sta. Margarita Volcano and the church it has inside. €4.
- 8 Puig de la Costa volcano parking, Carretera de Santa Pau, GI-524.
- 9 Fageda d'en Jordà parking, Carretera de Santa Pau, GI-524. To visit the Beech forest (fageda). €4.
- 10 Sant Feliu de Pallerols parking, Carrer de l'estació, Sant Feliu de Pallerols.
See
[edit]Volcanos
[edit]- 1 Montsacopa Volcano Nature Reserve. It is the last volcano to emerge in the Olot plain. It erupted about 100,000 years ago. During the French occupation of 1812, the hermitage on the edge of the crater was walled in, and the two defense towers that are still preserved were built. The Viacrucis path, built in the 19th century, rises from the Olot cemetery and skirts the crater, following a circular path with birches and benches that is a magnificent 360° viewpoint of the city of Olot and its surroundings. The Montsacopa volcano had been completely deforested and cultivated. The bottom of its circular crater is occupied by fields and the southern flank has orchards, while on the northern flank the forest vegetation has recovered spontaneously.
- 2 Sant Marc and Puig Roig Volcanoes Nature Reserve, Sant Feliu de Pallerols. Sant Marc volcano is horseshoe-shaped while the conduit of Puig Roig volcano is in the open as it was formerly used as a basalt quarry.
- 3 Castellfollit de la Roca basaltic cliff. The town is located at an altitude of 296 m and sits on a basalt cliff, the Castellfollit cliff. It is more than 50 m high and almost a kilometer long. This basalt cliff is the result of the erosive action of the Fluvià and Toronell rivers on volcanic remains from thousands of years ago. The cliff is the superposition of two lava flows: the first, 217,000 years old, comes from Batet de la Serra (Olot) and is formed by slabs. The second is about 192,000 years old and comes from the Begudà volcanoes (Sant Joan les Fonts).
- 4 Rocanegra volcano. Although its age is unknown, it predates the eruption of the Croscat volcano (which erupted about 11,500-13,000 years ago). horseshoe-shaped crater of great scientific and educational interest.
- 5 Santa Margarida Volcano. It is one of the most important volcanic buildings in the sector and its extensive mouth has about 2,000 m. of perimeter. In the middle of the plain formed by the crater is the hermitage of Santa Margarida de Sacot, of Romanesque origin, which gives its name to the volcano. The crater has a diameter of almost 350 m and a depth of 79 m. It is one of the craters that best preserves the typical circular morphology and its cone is surrounded by a wooded area. It erupted about 11,000 years ago.
- 6 Jordà Beech forest (Fageda d’en Jordà). The Jordà beech forest is an exceptional beech forest because it grows on flat land and sits on a lava flow from the Croscat volcano, which offers a rugged relief, with abundant very characteristic prominences, which can reach more than 20 m in height and which are locally called "tossols".
- 7 Croscat volcano. It is the highest volcano in the volcanic region of the Olot region (789 m above sea level), and the cone is 800 m in diameter at the base. With a height of 160 m (prominence), it is the largest in the Iberian Peninsula. The crater opens, open and capped, on the western slope (Clot Segolla), while on the northeastern slope there is the clay pit (Grederes del Croscat). At the summit are the remains of an old defense tower (Torre del Croscat). It was exploited for 25 years as a clay quarry, hence its current state.
Cities around the park
[edit]- 8 Olot old town, El firal, Olot. Renaissance cloister of El Carme, the church of Sant Esteve and the Parochial Museum –featuring Christ embracing the cross by El Greco–, Can Trincheria House-Museum, the Regional Museum of Garrotxa, the Museum of the Saints and several Art Nouveau buildings.
- 9 Sant Feliu de Pallerols old town, Plaça del Firal, Sant Feliu de Pallerols. take an urban itinerary to discover the historic centre, the medieval bridges over River Brugent, the Gros and the Conqueta mills –the latter of which can be visited–, and Art Nouveau buildings.
- 10 Sant Joan les Fonts old town, Sant Joan les Fonts. The municipality is in the Fluvià valley, which includes the final sector of the Bianya valley, rugged by the mountains of Sant Julià del Mont (903 m), Cau (824 m) and Bosc (733 m) and Mont-ros (672 m), where there are some ancient volcanoes of the Olot region (Puig de l'Estany, Tries, Aiguanegra and the Claperols quarry) and at 342 m altitude. There are beech and holm oak forests.
- 11 Santa Pau old town, Santa Pau. Firal dels Bous: Porticoed square presided over by the parish church (15th-16th centuries). The houses form a group attached to the old wall. Place where markets and fairs were held, hence the name Firal dels Bous (Ox fair).
Buildings & Museums
[edit]- 12 Espai crater, Carrer Macarnau, 55, 17800 Olot. Oct-May: Mo-Fr 10:00-14:00,15:00-18:00; Oct-May: Sa 10:00-14:00,15:00-19:00; Oct-May: Su 10:00-14:00; Jun-Sep: Mo-Su 10:00-14:00,16:00-20:00. reference exhibition on volcanism. A fully interactive exhibition, with audiovisuals, immersive experiences, augmented reality, gamification and video mapping. The Espai Cràter allows you to learn about volcanoes from inside a volcano €7.5.
- 13 Museu de la Garrotxa, Carrer Hospici, 8, 17800 Olot. art museum located in the city of Olot specializing in Catalan painting and more specifically in the members of the Olot school and their followers
- 14 Colltort castle ruins (Castell de Colltort). It is located in the lower part of a ridge between the Sierra del Corb and the Sierra de Finestres, a short distance from the Colltort pass. The remains of the seat on the Font-pobra volcano remain. There are remains of the walls of a rectangular tower and of a disappeared enclosure.The first documented mention of the Colltort castle is from the year 1017.
- 15 Bisaroques tower (Torre de les Bisaroques). At the top of the Bisaroques volcano there is a defense tower that reminds us of the Carlist wars. It is located at the top of the hill. Its situation is completely ruined, like its sisters located on the Montolivet and Montsacopa volcanoes. It was made of volcanic stone.
- 16 Can Badia tower (ruins) (Torre de Can Badia -telegrafia òptica). It is an optical telegraphy tower located on the top of the mountain of the same name. Built in the mid-19th century, it was part of the military optical telegraphy branch. It is identical to the Ginestar tower.
- 17 Puig-alder castle ruins (Castell de Puig-alder) (To get there, you have to go to the village of Cogolls, and take the path that goes up there.). It was first documented in 1021, in the will of Count Bernat Tallaferro of Besalú. The castle was destroyed by earthquakes, and today there are only remains of walls on the mountain of Sant Salvador. The only witness to its existence is the church of San Salvador, a vestige of what had been the old chapel of the castle, but nothing remains of the Romanesque building dating from the 12th century, since the current construction is a recent reconstruction.
- 18 Hostoles castle ruins (Castell d'Hostoles). It is a rock castle, built in the 9th-10th centuries, of which only ruins remain. It is located in the Hostoles valley, on the left slope of the Brugent river, formerly called Amera.
Itineraries
[edit]| Route # | Name | Distànce (km) | Elevation+ (m) | Estimated Time | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fageda d'en Jordà, volcà de Santa Margarida i volcà del Croscat | 10,9 | 290 | 3 hr 15 min | Mid level |
| 2 | La Fageda d'en Jordà | 2,6 | 40 | 1 hr | eassy |
| 3 | Batet de la Serra | 9,4 | 360 | 3 h 30 min | Mid level |
| 3A | D'Olot a Santa Pau des de l'estació d'autobusos | 13 | 300 | 4 hr | Mid level |
| 3B | D'Olot a Santa Pau des de l Parc Nou | 13 | 295 | 4 hr | Mid level |
| 4 | Per antics camins de monjos | 14,7 | 640 | 6 hr 15 min | Demanding |
| 5 | Castell de Colltort | 7,6 | 365 | 3 hr 15 min | Mid level |
| 6 | El Puig Rodó | 6,5 | 565 | 3 hr 15 min | Mid level |
| 8 | Parc de Pedra Tosca | 4,6 | 30 | 1 hr 30 min | eassy |
| 9 | Santuari de Finestres i el poblat ibèric | 13,9 | 700 | 6 hr 30 min | Demanding |
| 10 | Per les terres dels barons de Santa Pau | 13,4 | 600 | 6 hr 15 min | Demanding |
| 12 | Mare de Déu de la Devesa | 8,8 | 400 | 3 hr 45 min | Mid level |
| 13 | Cingleres de Castellfollit de la Roca | 2,8 | 95 | 1 h 15 min | eassy |
| 14 | Santa Pau, Santa Maria dels Arcs i el Sallent | 13,8 | 420 | 4 hr 15min | Demanding |
| 15 | Grederes del volcà Croscat | 3,1 | 55 | 1 hr | eassy |
| 16 | Les Tres Colades | 5,7 | 135 | 2 hr 15 min | eassy |
| 17 | Volcà Montsacopa i Montolivet | 9,1 | 235 | 3 h 45 min | Mid level |
| 20 | Les Roques Encantades | 12,4 | 755 | 4 hr 45 min | Demanding |
| 22 | Volcans de Sant Marc i del Puig Roig | 5,9 | 145 | 2 hr 15 min | eassy |
| 24 | Castell d'Hostoles | 6,3 | 250 | 2 h 30 min | Mid level |
Do
[edit]Hiking
[edit]- long range
- local hikes
- See the itineraries in the #Itineraries section
Mountain biking
[edit]- The Pirinexus route borders the west side of the Park
- There are many bike routes inside the park
Road cycling
[edit]- The road GI-524 (Carretera de Santa Pau) crosses the park
Hot air balloon
[edit]- 1 Vol de coloms, Ctra. del volcà Croscat s/n, 17811 Santa Pau, ☏ +34 972 680 255, [email protected].
Buy
[edit]- 1 La Fageda dairy products, Camí de la Fageda, Sant Miquel Sacot, Santa Pau, ☏ +972 68 1011. 09:00-15:00. La Fageda is a social project whose mission is to improve the quality of life and promote the social integration of vulnerable people in La Garrotxa, through real and dignified work. It has excellent quality dairy products. They offer visits and kids' experiences.
- 2 Agrobotiga de Cal Sabater, C. Major, 24.Santa Pau, ☏ +34 972 680 078. You will find authentic local products such as honey, cold cuts, cheeses and much more. Of particular note are the prized DOP beans from Santa Pau, an exceptional ingredient that you cannot miss trying.
Eat
[edit]- 1 Restaurant la Francesa, C/ Pi, 27 · Ctra. d'Olot a Santa Pau Km 3, 17811 Santa Pau, ☏ +34 972 26 22 41, [email protected]. Regional food
- 2 Santa Margarita Restaurant, Crtra Santa Pau km 6.2, Santa Pau, ☏ +34 972 680 477, [email protected]. W-M 08:00-17:00. Regional food €30.
- 3 Masnou Restaurant, Passeig Mas Masnou, s/n 17811 Santa Pau, ☏ +34 972 680 061. closed Monday. Regional food
- 4 Can Xel, Ctra. Santa Pau, s/n - 17811 Santa Pau, ☏ +34 972 68 02 11, [email protected].
- .
Picnic
[edit]- 5 Santa Margarita Picnic area, Carretera de Santa Pau, GI-524.
- 6 Can Xel Picnic area, Carretera de Santa Pau, GI-524.
Drink
[edit]Look for bars and cafeterias in the villages around the park.
Sleep
[edit]Look for lodging in the villages around the park.
Lodging
[edit]Camping
[edit]- 1 Lava Eco-Camping, Ctra. Olot – Santa Pau km 7, ☏ +34 972 680 358, [email protected].
- 2 Camping Vall d'Hostoles, c/ Volcà Traiter nº23 17174 St. Feliu de Pallerols, ☏ +34 972 444 104, [email protected].
- 3 Camping Alguer, Ctra Les Encies S/N, 17172 Les Planes d'Hostoles, ☏ +34 972 44 86 00, [email protected].