From Camprodon to the Cavallera tower through the shady forest of Espinalba. Route 8 Ripollès

The route begins at the Pont Nou de Camprodon, and near you find the R69 sign La Forcarà. Follow the Espinalba street to Llanars, and continue past the roundabout towards the Forcarà fountain. Once there, you must always follow the path parallel to the river Ter. At times the path deviates from the river to climb up some of its banks. You have to cross three streams, on the last one, after the bridge and the fields of Collell, you will have to abruptly climb down and up. After walking next to a poplar plantation and crossing some meadows you arrive at R92 sign Pont del Molí near Llanars.

Follow the paved track uphill in the direction of Camprodon through Puixeu until you find and take another paved track going left. Right in front of you stands “Sant Antoni” mountain. After crossing two streams you arrive at “Can Pagès” where you can see some large willows. Continue climbing up a forest through a dirt trail. This trail will lead you to the “Collet d'en Gener” pass, an area of flat grasslands, a great spot to enjoy some fantastic views of Camprodon, the Ritort valley and Comanegra mountain.

Stay alert at this point as you must not follow the yellow and white marks that rapidly descend north on your left. You have to continue through a little path that takes you to the eastern side of the mountain gently climbing up to a cleaner area of vegetation from where you can enjoy nice views of the Ter valley towards the village of Sant Pau de Segúries. Now the path stays mostly flat offering good views of the Puigsacalm mountain and the Collsacabra mountain range in the neighbouring counties of Garrotxa and Osona. You can also see the grasslands of Puixeu and the hill where Cavallera tower stands. You will walk along an area formerly much cultivated as shown by the amount of terraces on the mountainside until you arrive at R68 sign El Puixeu.

The route continues to Cavallera tower passing along the Puixeu house. To get there you have to follow a trail one hundred meters beyond the house and then cross some fields until arriving at the foot of the hill. The access and way to the tower is easy, but there is not any clearly defined path. This medieval tower dates back to the thirteenth century, but evidences were found of a fortified place dating back to the tenth century. At the foot of the same tower you can see a bunker or machine gun nest built on the 40´s of the twentieth century as a defence point in case of an invasion during the Second World War.

To continue the route you have to backtrack to the R68 sign El Puixeu and walk down towards Camprodon through the old road that linked this town with Surroca and Ogassa in the past. The trail comfortably descends following a series of short bends to “Les Marrades”. Further ahead you pass by a spring in the middle of the forest and after a while you will cross a stream by a bridge. Here you can observe that the road was once cobbled. Near Camprodon the path narrows and goes through a sunny area to end up on a road that goes up to the “Mas Ventós” parking area. Walk up to the parking lot and take the stairs down to “Pont Nou”, starting point and end of the route.