Terra Alta Greenway
Terra Alta is a rural area of Cataluña dotted with almond and pine groves through which a few trains used to run up until 1973.
Now we can make use of the disused rail bed of this forgotten railway to travel through the spectacular countryside around the Sierra de Pandols ridge and the Beceite heights. A journey through tunnels and over viaducts takes us from Aragon to the Ebro.
TECHNICAL DATA
CONDITIONED GREENWAY
Spectacular viaducts and tunnels between the ravines of the Canaletas river.
LOCATION
Between the stations of Arnes-Lledó and El Pinell de Brai TARRAGONA
Length: 23 km
Users: * * Punctual limitations due to steep slopes in la Fontcalda
Type of surface: Asphalt
Natural landscape: Forests of pine trees. Karst landscape of great beauty: cannons, cavities
Cultural Heritage: Sanctuary of Fontcalda (S. XVI). Convent of Sant Salvador d'Horta in Horta. Church of Sant Josep en Bot
Infrastructure: Condidtioned Greenway. 20 tunnels. 5 viaducts
How to get there: To all the towns: HIFE Bus Company
Connections: Tarragona: 118 Km. to Arnés-Lledó
Barcelona: 208 Km. to Arnés-Lledó
Castellón de la Plana: 169 Km. to Arnés-Lledó
Maps: Military map of spain. 1:50.000 scale 470, 495, 496 and 497 sheets
Official road map of the Ministry of Public Works Ministerio de Fomento
More information on the Greenways guide Volume 1
Attention: Lack of lighting in some tunnels by vandalism. It is recommended to use a torch
DESCRIPTION
Km. 0 / Km. 13 / Km. 17,5 / Km. 23,7
Km 0
The Greenway begins at the Arnes-Lledó station alongside the river Algars which at this point forms the border between the autonomous communities of Aragon and Cataluña. The buildings of what used to be the station are on the Catalan side of the river. The abandoned station is barely one kilometre from the village of Lledó while Arnes is some 8 km away. From here we take a track running parallel to the railway line which leads to a recreational area where you can go for a swim if the weather is right.
Five kilometres and one tunnel after leaving the station, a broad bend signals our arrival at the former Horta de Sant Joan railway station (Km 5). If we look in the direction of the railway line, straight ahead of us is the Cerro de la Ermita (or Cerro de Santa Bárbara), a hill topped by a hermitage.
A little later we pass through the second tunnel on our route. On leaving the tunnel we come face to face with an imposing landscape characterized by huge mountains covered with almond and pine groves. Straight ahead a spectacular craggy rock called the Muela d'en Canar rears up before us.
From here the Greenway runs alongside the river Canaletes until the end of the route. A succession of tunnels and viaducts punctuate the remaining kilometres. Among the most picturesque viaducts is the one at Km 8.5 which spans the Barranc del Molí del Cap ravine, and another at Km 10 which crosses high over the pine trees concealing the water course at the bottom of the Barranc de la Balloca ravine. Their elegant arches put us in mind of Roman aqueducts and the ancient Roman capital of the province, Tarraco, which is not so far away.
Km 13
When the hermitage of Sant Josep comes into view, we know we have arrived at Bot. The village, which is close by the station, is a good place to stock up on provisions, especially water, as until we get to La Fontcalda (Km 19) there is no other source of drinking water.
The Greenway continues through cuttings, viaducts, and tunnels before passing under the Muela d'en Canar crag. The last tunnel in this section, which is 739m long and curved, is the longest one on the entire route.
Km 17,5
At the far end of this long tunnel are what remains of Prat de Comte station, which is about 4 km away from the village from which it takes its name, along a steep but quiet road. At Km 18.5 our Greenway crosses the track leading to the Santuario de La Fontcalda. It should be noted that physically impaired people may find the steep slopes leading up to the sanctuary difficult to cope with.
Apart from being a charming spot and a place of rest and repose, in summer and on some weekends La Fontcalda is also a place where Greenway users can stock up with water and provisions. One of the most spectacular spots in this area is Els Estrets de Dalts, where the river Canaletes squeezes between high crags. A path hewn into the rock enables visitors to reach the bottom of the gorge and swim in the river. This area also boasts a magnificent railway viaduct across the Arroyo de Fontcalda stream.
This stretch of Greenway to El Pinell de Brai station doubles up as the PR-C-98 Terra Alta hiking route. We pass over more viaducts and through more tunnels until we reach Km 20 and the tunnel which caused the railway to be closed when there was a major cave-in, right in the middle of the tunnel. Here we make a detour using a not too hilly path that goes around the tunnel.
Km 23,7
Finally we reach the platforms of Pinell de Brai station. As in the case of Prat station before, the town of Pinell is some 6 kms away over mountain roads.
Here is where the Terra Alta Greenway ends, but it need not be the end of our journey since it is possible to continue along the Baix Ebre Greenway for a further 26 km towards the Ebro and Tortosa, emulating the journey of the “Sarmentero” (The Vine Cutter) train.
MAPS
PROFILE
RAILWAY HISTORY
The Val de Zafán railway was a railway project that was never completed. The first attempts to build a railway from the port at San Carlos de la Rápita to La Puebla de Híjar in Teruel date back to 1863. The thinking behind the creation of this railway is unusual and worth mentioning. The military thinkers of the day believed that an attack could come from beyond the Pyrenees. Under this scenario, once over the Pyrenees, the next natural line of defence would be the River Ebro. For this reason it was strategically important to have a railway running along the southern bank of the river to move supplies and troops in the event of having to defend this new position. Thus the military were totally in favour of this railway project.
However, the actual birth of the project was long and laborious, and official starting dates were continually scheduled and then missed. In 1891, the Compañía del Ferrocarril del Val de Zafán started the relevant earthworks, and a year later, in 1895, the first 32 km section between La Puebla de Híjar and Alcañiz was opened. For decades trains used to turn around at the latter station.
The line did not reach Tortosa until 1942, and from the outset it was operated by Renfe. Sadly it needed a Civil War to get this section built - the railway played a major logistical role during the Battle of the Ebro. Indeed many of the workers who completed the final phase of the railway construction work were Republican prisoners of war.
Known locally as the “Sarmentero” (The Vine Cutter) because it passed through vineyards, the railway had a sleepy existence during its short life of scarcely 31 years. In all this time the final section, between Tortosa and Sant Carles de la Rápita, was never finished, in spite of the fact that all the earthworks had been completed. On September 19, 1973, a cave-in in a tunnel between Pinell de Brai and Prat del Comte stations provided the perfect excuse to close the line down definitively, despite a number of subsequent attempts to get it reopened.
INTERESTING DATA
1. Festivals and holidays 2. Accommodation 3. Eco-tourism 4. Managing Authority 5. Town Councils 6. Emergencies 7. Coaches & buses
Festivals and holidays
Arnes February Santa Águeda
March Romería de Santa Magdalena
May Fiesta de la Miel
July 22 to 25 Fiestas Mayores de Santa Magdalena
Horta de Sant Joan January Fiesta de Sant Antonio
March 18 Paella en el Convent de Sant Salvador
April 21 Romería al Convent de Sant Salvador
September 8 to 11 Fiestas Mayores
September 24 Fiesta de la Costa
Christmas Living nativity
Bot January 17 Fiestas de Sant Antoni
February 2 to 3 Fiestas de La Candelera-Sant Blai
March 19 Fiestas de Sant Josep
August 14 to 16 Fiestas Patronales de L'Assumpció
Prat de Comte January 17 Fiestas de Sant Antoni
Easter Saturday Romería a la Fontcalda
August 24 to 26 Fiestas Patronales de Sant Bertomeu
October Fiesta del aguardiente
El Pinell de Brai January 17 festividad de San Antón
2nd Saturday after Easter Romería de Santa Magdalena
july Fiesta de Quintos, Sant Cristofol
August 10 Fiestas Patronales de Sant Llorenç
Accommodation
Arnes Apartaments Lo Port Tel. 977 43 50 90 www.loport.cat
Hotel l'Hort de Fortunyo Tel. 977 43 51 55
Hostal Can Barrina Tel. 977 43 51 55
Cal Badat Allotjament Rural Tel. 977 43 56 90 -43 53 86 Móvil: 639 58 48 14 [email protected] www.calbadat.org
Cal Gorro Allotjament Rural Tel. 977 43 51 64 www.agroturisme.org/gorro.htm
Les Valletes Apartaments Tel. 977 43 51 40 [email protected] www.lesvalletes.org
Lo Celler Allotjament Rural Tel. 977 43 51 39 [email protected] www.cellerclua.net
Lo Corral Allotjament Rural Tel. 977 43 56 29 [email protected] www.telefonica.net/web/locorral
La Premsa Casa de Pagès Tel. 977 43 53 92 [email protected]
www.lapremsa.net
Sant Roc Allotjament Rural Tel. 977 43 51 55 [email protected] www.alternativarural.com
Els Ports Càmping Tel. 977 43 55 60 [email protected]
Bot Cal Tomàs Allotjament Rural Tel. 977 42 82 55 / 667 52 16 54 [email protected] www.caltomas.com
Can Josep Hotel - Restaurant Tel. 977 42 82 40 [email protected] www.canjosep.com
Allotjament Rural Ca Lazaro Tel. 977 42 81 89 www.calazaro.com
Pinell de Brai Ca L'Angel Hostal Tel. 977 42 61 57 [email protected] www.calangel.info
Prat de Comte Ca la Jepa Alberg Rural Tel. 977 42 82 78 [email protected]
Ca L'Angels Pensió Tel. 977 42 83 09 [email protected]
Horta de Sant Joan Sénia de Don Pedro Allotjament Rural Tel. 977 43 52 59 [email protected] www.seniadedonpedro.com
Mas de Manresa Allotjament Rural Tel. 977 43 51 97 [email protected] www.iespana.es/masmanresa
Miralles Hotel - Restaurant Tel. 977 43 55 55 [email protected] www.hotelmiralles.com
Casa Barceló Pensió - Restaurant Tel. 977 43 53 53 [email protected] www.casabarcelo.com
Venta del Romé Allotjament Rural Tel. 977 43 54 70 / 699 84 22 02 www.ventadelrome.com
Mas de Cholvi Allotjament Rural Tel. 649 96 83 03 [email protected] www.masiacholvi.com
Els Olivers Casa de Colònies Tel. 977 43 53 60 [email protected] www.elsolivers.com
Mas del Cigarrer Allotjament Rural - Restaurant Tel. 977 43 51 53 / 649 89 30 90 [email protected] www.masdelcigarrer.net
Molí de Sotorres Allotjament Rural Independent Tel. 977 43 50 21 [email protected] www.molidesotorres.com
La Fábrica Apartaments Tel. 977 43 50 58 www.infolafabrica.com
Font Majo Apartament Tel. 977 43 51 80 [email protected]
www.fontmajor.com
La Farinera Apartaments Tel. 646 98 52 23 [email protected]
Mas de Velino - Casa de Pagès Tel. 977 50 48 72 www.masdevelino.com
El Trull de la Comanda Apartaments Tel. 661 708 190 [email protected] www.toprural/eltrulldelacomanda
Allotjament Rural Mas de Carlets Tel. 620 31 82 73 www.terraalta.com/masdecarlets
Hotel Les capçades Tel. 977 43 55 55 www.hotelcapcades.com
El Racó de les Grases Apartaments Tel. 649 669 668 [email protected] www.toprural.com/elracodelesgrases
Can Joan Apartament Tel. 977 43 57 14
Eco-tourism
Arnes Serveis turístics Rural Sports d'Arnes. Tel. 977 43 52 29 / 646 98 52 23
Horta de Sant Joan Serveis turístics Esgambi. Tel. 689 29 37 66; www.esgambi.com Serveis turístics Guies dels Portsi. Tel. 977 43 55 15
El Pinell del Brai Serveis turístics Natura Bike. Tel. 977 42 60 47 / 600 31 18 71; www.naturabike.com
Gandesa Oficina de Turismo de Gandesa. Tel. 977 42 00 18
Managing Authority
Consell Comarcal de la Terra Alta Bassa d'en Gaire, 1 43780 Gandesa Telf: 977 420 018 - Fax: 977 420 395 e-mail: [email protected] Web: www.terra-alta.org Horario de atención al público: De lunes a viernes de 8 a 14 horas
Town Councils
Arnes. Tel. 977 43 51 34
Horta de Sant Joan. Tel. 977 43 50 05
Bot. Tel. 977 42 80 77 El Pinell de Brai. Tel. 977 42 62 31
Prat de Comte. Tel. 977 42 82 84
Emergencies
EMERGENCIES: Tel. 062
Coaches & buses
Empresa de autobuses HIFE: Tel. 977 44 03 00
LINKS http://www.terra-alta.org Terra Alta Rural District Council. http://www.costadaurada.org Web page of the Tourist Board of the Tarragona Provincial Government with a variety of information for tourists. http://www.terresdelebre.org Information about rural districts and municipalities including Terra Alta.
MULTIMEDIA
VÍDEO - Serie Vive la Vía
Vive la Vía atrae en este capítulo a senderistas y cicloturistas hacia una larga Vía Verde que nos conduce desde el Teruel que existe, hasta las riquezas del Delta del Ebro, a través de las comarcas catalanas que acogieron a un joven Picasso. Un itinerario surcado de antiguos túneles y viaductos ferroviarios para atravesar dulcemente y sin esfuerzos uno de los paisajes de montaña más espectaculares de nuestra geografía.
Parte 1 de 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZLMpiLwSrs&feature=player_embedded
Parte 2 de 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN_SwmgJFkI&feature=player_embedded