Ferro i del Carbó Greenway
Iron and Coal Greenway.
The Ter is a river that runs through several counties Girona from the steepest slopes of the Pyrenees to the Costa Brava.Sus was guided along the path of several railroads.
Some, now missing, support for new routes for passengers calm. Such are the cases of carrilet from Olot to Girona and that concerns us here, who rose from Ripoll to Ogassa mines.
TECHNICAL DATA
CONDITIONED GREENWAY
On the banks of river Ter amongst Romanesque jewels at the foot of the Pyrenees
LOCATION
Between Ripoll and the antique Toralles railways loading site GIRONA
Length: 15 km
Users:
Type of surface: Runway of asphalt surrounded by two tapes of grass
Natural landscape: Valley of river Ter. Caballera range
Cultural Heritage: Monastery of Santa Maria of Ripoll, Ethnographic Museum of Ripoll. Monastery of Sant Joan, Church of Sant Pol and Gothic Bridge in Sant Joan de les Abadesses
Infrastructure: Greenway. 3 bridges. 1 tunnel
How to get there: Ripoll: Medium distance RENFE services, Barcelona-Puicerdá line.(*) Please ask the conditions of bike admittance in Renfe trains
Connections: Girona: 70 Kms to Sant Joan de les Abadesses Barcelona: 104 Kms to Ripoll
Maps: Spanish National Topographic maps. 1:50.000 scale 256 sheet Official road map of the Ministry of Public Works. Ministerio de Fomento Guía de las Vías Verdes de los Pirineos a la Costa Brava
More information on the Greenways guide Volume 2
DESCRIPTION
Km. 0 / Km. 4 / Km. 6 / Km. 10 / Km. 12
Km 0
The Iron and Coal Greenway starts out from Ripoll train station. Before leaving the platform it is worth taking a look over on the other side of the tracks at the beautiful station building serving the railway line to Puigcerdá.
If we look northwards from the platform we can see the old line to Sant Joan de les Abadesses, the basis for this Greenway. We leave the station by the main door and turn left along Carrer del Progrés, which runs around the outside of the station precinct. From there we take the first street on the left, Carrer del Ter, and barely 20m down this street we turn into Passeig de Sant Joan which is part of the old railway route.
After meeting the Carrer del Progrés again on our right, we continue along the Passeig de Sant Joan until we come to a roundabout. Here the traffic density increases dramatically due to the presence of the C-151 bypass which occupies 2 kilometres of the former rail bed of the railway.
This is where the Iron and Coal Greenway proper begins. A tarmacked cycle path flanked by two strips of grass runs parallel to the road on its left hand side. The heavy traffic that required cyclists to take care when negotiating the roundabout is no longer a problem. When the path crosses over to the other side of the road a few hundred metres further along, we use an underpass built specifically for our Greenway.
The Greenway is for the exclusive use of cyclists and walkers, and there are barriers to keep motor vehicles from driving onto it. The kilometre posts that mark the route are the original ones from the old railway which took Barcelona, not Ripoll, as its starting point, so we should not be surprised when the first kilometre post we see says 108 km.
Km 4
The Greenway now makes its solitary way eastwards. To our left, the powerful waters of the river Ter provide an impassable barrier separating us from the traffic travelling on the opposite bank. With the distant hum of the traffic on the far side of the river in the background, we enter a rural landscape of meadows and patches of woodland that cling
to the sides of the Cabezo de las Fosas. Just before Km. 109, some 4 kilometres out of Ripoll, we leave behind the first area of forest and arrive at a bridge where the railway passes over the river Ter.
Once on the other side, the trail runs once again between verdant meadows that only change colour when they are covered in a blanket of snow during the cold winters. After this area of meadowland the old railway line squeezes into a narrow space between the river bank and the steep valley side. The space is so narrow and the hillside so unstable that the railway engineers were forced to build a false tunnel, 49m long, to protect the line from landslips.
Km 6
At the other end of the tunnel the Greenway takes its leave of the river for a short while. Here the entire width of the track has been tarmacked to enable rural vehicles to get to some nearby estates. Motor vehicles may also use the magnificent iron bridge that used to take the railway high over the river Ter. The low railings and, more importantly, the fact that the old parallel service bridge no longer exists, means that we need to take care when crossing as we will be sharing the bridge with other traffic.
Once safely on the other side, the trail runs alongside and then crosses a busy road. The crossing point used to be a real “black spot” until relatively recently. Now an underpass allows us to pass safely under the road.
Once past this intersection the trail regains its normal peacefulness and runs between meadowland and the wooded valley side. We gradually rise above the level of the road, which continues along bottom of the valley. The old railway track climbs lofty embankments to gain enough height to cross a ravine cut by the Torrente de Púdol. It is worth stopping here a moment to admire the view of the Sierra Caballera which rises imperiously to the north. From here our Greenway makes a straight line through dense woodland before crossing the Torrente de Ginebrosa just 500m later.
Km 10
We are now 10 km from Ripoll. The old railway line enters the precinct of Sant Joan de les Abadesses station which, stripped of its railway tracks, presents a somewhat naked aspect today. But this air of nakedness is partly offset by the refurbishment of the main station building as an attractive restaurant whose décor evokes its railway past.
Although the railway station is in the upper part of the town, a trip down to the town centre is a must. We cross the river Ter by a spectacular gothic bridge, with its typical pointed arch, and from there we can lose ourselves in a maze of streets steeped in Roman history.
The route towards Toralles crosses the Ogassa road right after leaving the station. From here we climb gently through the Malatosca valley. The Malatosca river is a tributary of the Ter which rises in the Sierra Caballera, an omnipresent mountain range lying to the north, where our Greenway is heading. About 500m further on the old railway crosses the road again, but the intersections with this road are much less dangerous than those we encountered some kilometres back.
Km 12
Finally, about 2 km from Sant Joan, the Greenway comes to an end at the loading facility known as the Cargadero de Toralles.
Under the title "The Secrets of the Green Way" Consortium Girona Greenways trails edited guides on the Greenways del Ferro i Carbó, Carrilet Carrilet I and II. With Girona Greenways as an axis, the guides will also propose alternative routes that invite to discover the natural and cultural resources near greenways. These products are sold in the points and route information on the web www.viasverdesdegirona.org
MAPS
PROFILE
RAILWAY HISTORY
The route we propose is the northernmost end of the railway line that used to run all the way from Barcelona. The main purpose of the line was to carry coal from the slopes of the Sierra Caballera at Ogassa, a few kilometres away from the historic city of Sant Joan de les Abadesses, to the port and the wealthy industrial area of Barcelona.
In fact it was a mining company, Ferrocarril y Minas de San Juan de las Abadesas, which undertook to build this complicated line which climbed laboriously along the banks of the river Ter. The passenger service, inaugurated in 1880, only ran as far as Sant Joan. The line was run as an independent operation by the original company for a number of years before the powerful Compañía de los Ferrocarriles del Norte de España, or Compañía del Norte as it was popularly called, took the line over and integrated it into its extensive Catalan network.
In the 1920s the entire line was electrified, which helped to improve the railway’s performance. It was in that same decade when business on the final section of the line was boosted by the traffic generated by the new state-built Ferrocarril Transpirenaico line, from Ripoll to the Spanish-French border between Puigcerdà and Latour-de-Carol.
Later, the slump in the local mining industry caused the final section of this railway, between Ripoll and Ogassa, to go into a decline too. While at first this only affected goods traffic, the lack of maintenance and the gradual deterioration of the tracks caused a steady fall in passenger numbers. In 1980 all traffic was temporarily suspended for reasons of safety, and in 1985 the line was finally closed, never to reopen.
INTERESTING DATA
1. Festivals and holidays 2. Accommodation 3. Eco-tourism 4. Managing Authority 5. Town Councils 6. Emergencies 7. Coaches & buses 8. Railway
Festivals and holidays
Ripoll Weekend before Palm Sunday Feria de las 40 horas May 11 San Eudald, Fiesta Mayor
Weekend after the Fiesta Mayor Fiesta Nacional de la Llana y Casamiento a payés
July and August Festival Internacional de Música
August 10 and 11 Mercadal del Comte Guifré
October 15 Feria de Santa Teresa Feria Catalana de l'Ovella
Sant Joan de les Abadesses Weekend nearest to May 1 Feria de San Isidro
June Congregación de Sant Antoni
Third Sunday in July Mass on the top of Mt. Taga
July and August Cycle of plays based on the myth of the Comte Arnau
2nd Sunday in September Fiesta Mayor
December Congregación de Santa Llúcia Carrying of the crib to the top of Mt. Taga Christmas market in the town square Living nativity
Ogassa Last Sunday in May Fiesta del Minero
2nd Sunday in July Mare de Deu del Puig de França (Sant Martí d'Ogassa)
2nd weekend in August Fiesta de la Hermandat
1st Sunday in October Encuentro de Boletaires
2nd Saturday in November San Martí, en S. Martí de Surroca
1st weekend in December Fiestas Mayores de Santa Bárbara
Accommodation
Ripoll Hotel Solana de Ter *** Telf. 972 70 10 62 www.solanadelter.com
Hostal de la Creu Telf. 972 70 00 56 www.elripolles.com/hostaldelacreu
Pensión La Trobada** Telf. 972 70 23 53 www.latrobadahotel.com
Hostal del Ripollès Telf. 972 70 02 15 www.elripolles.com/hostaldelripolles
Camping Solana del Ter. 2ª Cat. Telf. 972 70 10 62
Alojamiento Rural La Serra del Boix. Telf. 607 210 936 www.laserradelboix.com
Alojamiento Rural Mas Isoles. Telf. 608 74 40 16 www.masisoles.com
Ogassa Hostal Can Tal - Lara** Telf. 972 72 03 87
Mas el Jofré Telf. 972 70 04 29
Casa rural Mas Mitjavila Telf. 972 72 20 20 www.casesrurals.com/rural/masmitjavila
Turismo Rural La Peçallarga Telf. 972 72 03 23 www.pesallarga.com
Sant Joan de les Abadesses Mas El Serradalt
Telf. 972 72 03 23
Camping Abadesses. 2ª Cat. Telf. 630 14 36 06 www.campingabadesses.com
Casa rural El Reixac Telf. 972 72 03 73 www.elreixac.com
Albergue rural Ruta del Ferro Telf. 972 72 04 95 www.rutadelferro.com
Turismo rural Els Arenys Telf. 629 55 35 65 www.elsarenys.com
Pensió Janpere Telf. 972 72 00 77 www.elripolles.com/fondajanpere
Mas La Batllia Telf. 972 72 00 26 www.labatllia.com
Casa rural La Caseta Telf. 972 72 07 17 / 619 51 38 09 www.elripolles.com/lacaseta
Mas Guanter Telf. 972 72 03 23 www.masguanter.com
Eco-tourism
Girona Tourist Board. Tel. 972 22 65 75 www.costabrava.org
Girona Camping Association. Tel. 972 31 47 36 / 49 48 www.campingsgirona.es
Girona Rural Tourism Association. Tel. 972 22 60 15 www.giroratural.org
Cicloturisme i Medi Ambient S.L. (Girona) Tel. 972 22 10 47 www.cicloturisme.com
Ripoll Ripoll Tourist Information. Tel. 972 70 23 51 XATARDIA environmental tourism. Tel. 972 70 15 23 TORNASOL Aventure. (Bikes rental and Transfers) Tel. 972 70 27 47; www.tornasol.com
Sant Joan de les Abadesses Ruta del Ferro Rural hostel . (Bikes rental) Tel. 972 720 495
This greenway has bikes adapted for disabled guests. Information 972 486 950
Managing Authority
Consorci Vies Verdes Pujada de Sant Martí, 4-6 17004 - Girona Tels: 972 18 50 84 / 23 27 00 Fax: 972 21 96 55 http://www.viasverdesdegirona.org E-Mail: [email protected]
Town Councils
Ripoll. Telf. 972 71 41 42 www.ripoll.cat
Ogassa. Telf. 972 72 03 80
Sant Joan de les Abadesses. Telf. 972 72 01 00 www.santjoandelesabadesses.cat
Mossos d'Esquadra
Guardia Civil: Telf. 062 Mossos d'Esquadra : Telf. 088
Coaches & buses
Empresa TEISA. Telf. 972 70 20 97. www.teisa-bus.com Empresa MIR. Telf. 972 70 30 12
Railway www.renfe.es Telf. 902 24 02 02 . www.renfe.es
LINKS www.viasverdesdegirona.org Vías Verdes’ web page for the province of Girona. www.costabrava.org Extensive information about the Girona Pyrenees. Rural districts, gastronomy, history, natural areas, sports... all the information you need to discover Ripollés and its surrounding area. Links to other web pages of interest. www.cicloturisme.com Cycle rides through Ampurdán. Accommodation, rural districts, tailored routes. Browse this web page to get practical information about how to travel around this interesting area. www.gironarural.org Description, prices, location, and features of rural accommodation in Girona. www.eoland.com This web page includes details of most of the active tourist activities you can find in Girona. Interesting articles and suggestions about how best to enjoy what the province has to offer. www.elripolles.com Guide to the services provided by the rural district of Ripollés. Includes a good selection of places to stay, interesting links, activities, tourist routes in the area, cultural calendar for the area... In Catalan. www.ddgi.es Web page of the Provincial Government of Girona. In Catalan.
MULTIMEDIA
VÍDEO - Serie Vive la Vía
Tres refrescantes itinerarios en pleno corazón de la provincia de Girona, que guiarán nuestros pasos desde los Pirineos hasta el mar, en plena Costa Brava, siguiendo la huella de tres ferrocarriles abandonados. La Vía Verde del Camí de Ferro, entre algunas de las mejores joyas del románico; la Vía Verde del Carrilet, a la sombra de los volcanes de La Garrotxa, que despliega toda su frescura hasta alcanzar la capital de Girona; y la Vía Verde de Girona-Costa-Brava, que nos conduce al mar. En total más de 100 km para conocer a fondo la belleza de esta provincia catalana, en bicicleta y caminando
Parte 1 de 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bC98Gd3jcfA
Parte 2 de 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pKrjPYaibRQ