Figaro to La Garriga via Sots Ferestecs and Puiggracios

This wild valley leading down to Figaro provided the backdrop for one of the first modernist novels in catalan ('Sots Ferestecs'), whereby a priest exiled from Barcelona to this unforgiving rural backwater (albeit nowadays seemingly a stone's throw away) struggles to win over the local populace, who are instead in thrall to a local prostitute. The priest loses the struggle. Sounds dark.


HIKERS:

PEZ

K3

MIX


TRANSPORT:


Rodalies R3 from Barcelona to Figaro; same line on way back but many trains just shuttle between BCN to La Garriga. So it's easier to find frequent trains back arriving at La Garriga.


THE ROUTE:

From La Garriga, we head past an interesting masia which looks like it still has people living in it. There is a huge 'lledoner' tree ("mediterranean hackberry"), a pond with lots of frogs, and St. John's Wort growing in abundance along the path. From there the path quickly gets wild, and without the GPS it would be hard to follow. We hear crashing in the forest off the path that is likely a couple of roe deer ('cabirols'). Eventually we came out by an overgrown car, and here despite the GPS and arriving at proper forest roads we got lost and squeezed through some barbed wire. We found a way back on track, although with a bit of a short cut.

The plan was to follow this route to Puiggracios:

https://ca.wikiloc.com/rutes-senderisme/la-trona-i-puiggracios-pel-sot-del-bac-els-graus-de-la-trona-i-montmany-i-els-sots-ferestecs-8459575

and this one to La Garriga:

https://es.wikiloc.com/rutas-senderismo/25-senderisme-en-tren-de-la-garriga-al-figaro-per-puiggracios-la-trona-i-el-salt-del-prat-3712848


HIGHLIGHTS:

Frogs!

Finding St. John's Wort growing close to the city, gladly collected for tea and soothing salve

Exuberant undergrowth in the Sots Ferestecs.

A dead young viper we found just by our snack spot, albeit unnoticed for 10 minutes.

Lots of (baby!) bunnies around in La Garriga at dusk

A smooth cold clara in the train station


PHOTOS:













The sun disappearing behind the cliffs

Santuari de Puiggracios






Spot the bunny!



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