Barraca a l'eixart d'en Busqueta
Aixarts i camins amb marge al coll de les Sorres
Barraca i eixart del camp del Porrer
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The Windy Route

Route
23/05/2016
Index card

Introduction

Aixarts, dry stone and garrigue in the Montgrí

This route explores the old agricultural network of the interior of the Montgrí Massif. Between pine groves and garrigue, it passes old aixarts, which in the local speech, are the low stone walls piled up as a result of breaking-up and removing stones from wooded land to make it suitable for planting crops. In other parts of Catalonia, these are known as clapers. By extension, in this area of the Empordà, an aixart is all of the farm land enclosed by this type of wall. You can also see a sinkhole, cisterns, dry-stone huts, a well and old lime furnaces.

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  • Typology
    Anti-clockwise circular
  • Difficulty
    Easy
  • Duration
    2 hours
  • Slope
    50.00 meters
  • Distance
    6.50 km
  • Theme
    Flora and fauna
    Architecture and environment
  • Activity
    By foot
  • Rating

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Description

Aixarts, dry stone and garrigue in the Montgrí

 

The Windy Route itinerary, so-called because this space is strongly affected by the tramuntana wind when it blows strongly, takes you on a tour of the eastern part of the great inland dune, formed years ago precisely as a result of this wind full of sand particles from the gulf of Roses. In the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries, the pine plantations stopped the advance of the dunes, which had buried the start of the south face of this low section of the Montgrí Massif in the place called the Coll de les Sorres – sand pass – for that reason which is more or less where this itinerary starts.

Following a first stretch on the Camí del Coll de les Sorres, you pass a first lime furnace and pass through the Aixart d’en Busqueta, where you can see a fine pair of stone pines standing alone and two dry-stone huts.

Between garrigue and remains of aixarts, the low walls of piled up stones resulting from breaking-up wooded ground and removing the stones to make it suitable for planting, you come to the Coma Llobera gully, one of the most important seasonal streams in this area of the Montgrí, which is however almost always dry. It is because of this aridity, that the old inhabitants and peasants of this area, had to use their ingenuity to save water and have it available. This is why the sinkhole and the cisterns you will see a little further on were so important.

The route turns to head back, returning along the Camí dels Aixarts, with its evocative name and passing by the beautiful Barraca dels Hereus and the remains of another lime furnace. Straight away, you pass through the fields of les Ànimes and of el Porrer, with many remains of aixarts and of some huts, and, in the middle of an open pine forest and before a small grove of holm oaks, you will see the well of Mustinyà, when there is not far left to be back at the Coll de les Sorres.

Tips

ROUTE

  • This is a circular route in a figure of eight. It is fairly short and very flat and does not present too many problems. Also, if you want to, you can shorten the route considerably at the point where it crosses over itself by turning left instead of going straight on, but you will miss many of the elements of the excursion.
  • The route combines stretches on wide cart tracks and trails and paths, almost all of which are very easy. There are only a few specific points which are a bit rougher and rockier, but they do not present any great challenge.

WATER

  • There is no drinking water anywhere on the route. Take well filled bottles!

PRECAUTIONS

  • Take care with the holes of the lime furnaces, the well, the sinkhole and the cisterns, especially if you are with children. They are not protected!

WEATHER

  • Owing to the type of low vegetation that predominates in the area garrigue the route offers virtually no shade. It is also advisable to avoid the midsummer heat. In summer, it is best to go in the early morning or in the evening.
  • It is important to be very careful or leave the route if it is windy or the tramuntana is forecast to become stronger. It is a very strong wind and in the most exposed parts you will undoubtedly feel its full force. As well as being very unpleasant, it is dangerous as it can make you lose your balance.
  • It is best to wear clothing that protects you for the places exposed to the wind, even if it seems like it is not blowing too strongly.
  • Consider wearing sun cream, all through the year. You are exposed to the sun in all of the route.

TERRAIN

  • It does not present any kind of difficulty.

EQUIPMENT

  • A hat and sunglasses are recommended in the summer.
  • Binoculars are always worth taking if you like watching nature in detail.
  • If you like to photograph popular architecture and the typical flora of the brushwood, take a camera.

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What is there

What to see in: The Windy Route

Es mostren 1 - 8 de 8

Lime furnace of the Coll de les Sorres

Point of interest
Architecture
23/05/2016

As the manufacture of lime used to be very important and this area of the Montgrí is highly suited to it owing to the carbonate terrain, from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries one of the...

Aixart d'en Busqueta

Point of interest
Architecture
Environment
23/05/2016

This is a good and still visible example of the aixarts, which used to be a major part of the farming and pastoral activity that occupies some of the areas on this side of the Montgrí Massif. It is a...

Garrigue and Montagu’s harrier

Point of interest
Wildlife
Flora
23/05/2016

Garrigue is a plant community where kermes oak (Quercus coccifera) is predominant. This is a shrub from the same genus as the holm oak but it is shrubby, short and thick and very thorny. If we want to...

Furnace and quarry of els Hereus

Point of interest
Architecture
Environment
23/05/2016

To the right of the track, you can see the remains of the lime furnace of els Hereus. As always, the furnace is located next to a large track which is not very steep, as it was important to ensure...

Barraca dels Hereus

Point of interest
Architecture
23/05/2016

Now take a short out and back stretch to admire the Barraca dels Hereus, one of the best conserved huts in these mountains, intended for sheltering from the rain and, if needed, as a temporary...

Sinkholes and cisterns

Point of interest
Geology
23/05/2016

The use of these sinkholes and cisterns is proof of the ingenuity the people who made use of the Montgrí Massif had to employ to be able to have water available all year round, especially in periods...

Pine forest and squirrels

Point of interest
Wildlife
Flora
23/05/2016

The pine groves of the mountains, like the one you are currently passing through, are the result of relatively recent human activity, based around plantations, and are almost the only wooded spaces in...

Oak woods and wild boars

Point of interest
Wildlife
Flora
23/05/2016

On this section, on both sides of the track, you will see holm oaks. In the Montgrí Massif, although we cannot speak of holm oak forests as such, there are small extensions of remains of holm oak...

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What to see in: The Windy Route

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