Dry stone route-Biure. Route 20 Alt Empordà

The Garriga d'Empordà is made up of the municipalities of Avinyonet de Puigventós, Biure, Llers, Pont de Molins and Vilanant. In this territory there are numerous dry stone constructions. The dry stone huts of the Garriga certainly have a historical value, as they are an element that allows us to explain the ways of life, agricultural exploitation, and economy in general, and the forms of ownership of this entire geographical area. They have an architectural, ethnological, documentary and technical value, as examples of popular construction techniques and their evolution in a specific place. Likewise, they have a landscape value, since they configure a characteristic landscape, and an identity value for the entire area where they extend.

There are various initiatives to preserve and explore this architectural heritage. Since 2014, numerous shacks have been declared BCIL (local cultural interest) to protect them and promote their restoration. From the Observatori del Paisatge de Catalunya has also been created a collaborative initiative called Wikipedra to collect information on dry stone constructions throughout Catalonia; currently, moret han 600 constructions are inventoried in the Garriga d’Empordà area.

We propose itineraries to explore dry stone constructions in these municipalities. We identify the constructions with the Wikipedra code or with the local name by which they are known. In some, you will find a QR code from ubi.cat that will provide you with more information; we have highlighted them in bold.

The route starts at the intersection of Itinerànnia AE27 in front of the Biure town hall. Remember that, in addition to directional signs, the path is marked with yellow paint markings. In some sections, you will also healthy itineraries signs.

We head towards Constitution Square and and we continue along the straight street to Jonquera Street, and we reach the sports pavilion where we find the intersection Bi1.

We continue straight on Lluís Companys Street to the end of the sports hall, where the path turns to the right, and we follow the path of les Guixeres. A little further on, we find a intersection Bi2 Camí de les Guixeres, and continue straight.

After a few meters, we find a new intersection, Bi3 Passamilans. We can take this patht to visit the bunker-observatory and return. It offers magnificent views of the Mountains of l’Albera.

We go back, and then at the next intersection Bi4 Regató negre, we turn right, and after a few meters, we see hut 21559. We continue straight to the intersection Bi5 Coma de Fares. We can turn right to go to the area called les Camps de la Lluïsa, where we find another observatory bunker offering a view of Coma de Fares. A few meters away, we can see hut 21197 in the cau de les Guilles area. Return.

At the intersection Bi5, we turn right onto the so-called Horts and la cantarella path. After about 300 meters, we find a lime kiln with the code 768.

To complete a circular route, we continue straight on the same path until it turns to the left and continues straight on the track parallel to the railway, which is elevated from our right. We find a bridge that passes under the railway. If we cross it and the road, go a few meters to the left, we can go see the  pont a Capmany. It is a bridge formed by two half-point arches of different dimensions, with a gap in the middle, included in the inventory of the Architectural Heritage of Catalonia.

We go back and continue following parallel to the railway. The marcks turn left, and we follow the path that leads us to the abandoned limestone quarry of Rocalba.

We continue the return to Biure; after a few meters, we find olive groves on our right, among the fields, we find an unlisted hut. A few meters, to the right, in the Mas Sec area, we find hut 21561. A little further back, on the mountainside, there is the hut 21562. We arrive at the intersection Bi4, and after a few meters, at Bi3, we follow the path to the intersection Bi2. We head towards the monument of Pierre Bayle. To the right, we have different huts in the area of la Creu, they are the huts with codes 12070, 12071, and 12072. We find the QR near the path.

We continue and pass by the monument to Pierre Bayle, a monument in memory of the French drummer who died in this place at the age of 11, the first child troop to die for France, he is the reference and symbol of all the Children of Troops of the French Republic. We continue to the left and enter at center of Biure, at the intersection Bi6 Carrer dels Sots, we continue straight to the end of the street. We go down the stairs and turn left; at the bottom, we find the intersection Bi7 Carrer Maçanet. We can go to the right towards the restored dry stone wall in Camps de la Roureda, cross the road, and follow the yellow marks until we reach the wall. We go back to the intersection Bi7. Following the yellow marks and the signs of the healthy itineraries, we go to the right, then turn left onto Carrer de la  Font continue to the right on the alley that goes down to the road. We go left on the sidewalk to the Boadella road that goes up into the village. At the top, we find the intersection Bi8, and we are already on Carrer Nou, turn left, and after a few meters, we arrive in front of the town hall where we started the route.