Dry stone route-Pont de Molina. Route 22 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 in Pont de Molins at the intersection of Itinerànnia AE28, located between Pont Street and Muga Street. In addition to the directional signs, to follow the route, the path is marked with yellow paint marks.

We turn left onto Muga Street at PM7 Ajuntament sigmark. After a few meters we follow the pedestrian path painted on the ground, we turn left and start climbing this track to the Molins  neighborhood where we find the crossing PM8, we follow the right path.

We go up along the paved path. After about 500 meters to our right, we find some recovered shacks, 10002 and 14643, and a little further up to the left, we find shack 14642.

We continue a few more meters, where we can see a recovered dry stone wall, the memorial wall of Roberto. We find the PM4 junction  camí del Roure where we can also see the recovered cattle road that goes to Santa Maria del Roure. If we want to reach El Roure, we can follow this path to see the remains of the old monastery and sanctuary and then go back to the PM4 junction.

We continue upwards; on the left, there are also recently recovered staircase. We continue for about 500 meters, ascending, on both sides there ar shacks 15088 and 15086 from the road; we find the PM5 Serra de Tramonts intersection. We go left in Pla del Roure place on a path that will take us among kermes oaks to other recovered shacks, 9974 and 9971. The marks make us turn right until we find the road. Once on the road we go to the left, we follow it carefully for about 250 meters and paying attention to the yellow marks we take a path to the right.

From the path, we see shack 9970; we have information on the QR on the side of the path. We descend following the marks; around us, there are a large number of shacks among fields. A few meters down, we find three shacks near the path, 15073, 15074, and 15072. We continue downhill until we reach the road, cross it, and after a few meters, we find the PM6 Molí d'en Calbet junction. From this point, the route coincides with the Camí Natural de La Muga and also with the route Ruta dels 12 castells of Llers.

We go left, and after a few meters, we find the PM3 Pont del Molí d'en Jordà junction. If you feel like extending the route, you can visit the remains of the Montmarí castle from the route of the 12 castells of Llers.

Our proposal continues towards Pont de Molins; a few meters away are the remains of a lime kiln, very deteriorated. Continuing along this path, the shack 15664 to the right in mas les Carreres place, and a little further on, at the PM2 junction, the remains of Molins Castle, for which we find information on the QR of the path. At the PM1 junction, we continue straight at Puig del Molí place, find shack 14510, and after a few meters to the right, we can seea big  lime kiln code 803.

The path continues straight in about 200 meters, we reach Pont de Molins, cross the old bridge, and return to the point where we started the route.