STAGE 21
CANTALLOPS - ESPOLLA
- Distance: 19.4 km
- Difficulty level: EASY
- Maximum altitude: 204
- Minimum altitude: 72
- height gain: 340
- height loss: 423
Stage 21: CANTALLOPS - ESPOLLA
We will head for Carrer Joan Maragall, from where an unpaved track leaves that will take us directly to Capmany.
After 300 metres we will come to a crossroads and we wiil turn right.
This is the old road that used to connect the two villages, and in many sections there are dry stone walls on both sides.
After 1 kilometre we will come to another turn-off and we will continue along the path on the right.
After a few kilometres we will start to see signs pointing to different megalithic monuments that we can visit if we deviate from the path for a few minutes. We will ignore a detour that we will find on our right after 600 metres and continue in the same direction.
After 1 kilometre we will reach a crossroads and we will turn right and after 800 metres the road becomes asphalted. We will continue along this pleasant road for 2.2 kilometres and we will enter Capmany through the upper part (Alt street) and then, following its quiet streets, we will pass by the chapel of San Sebastián, and shortly afterwards we will come to the main street, where there are several bars and restaurants, and at the other end of which is the fortified church of Santa Ágata.
Note: In this village you can follow the megalithic itinerary that is signposted.
We will leave the village along Vilarnadal street and when we reach the GI-602 road we will have two roads in front of us and we will choose the asphalted track on the left that leads to the village of Vilarnadal.
After approximately 750 metres we will leave the track and we will continue along an unpaved road that goes straight ahead on our left.
This road, which passes near some scattered houses, a farm and a children's camp house, will take us back to the GI-602 in 2.2 kilometres at the place called "El Estanys", where there is a fork with another asphalted road that leads to Cantallops.
At this point, because there is no dirt road to reach Sant Climent Sescebes and the GI-602 road is dangerous since it does not have a shoulder, we will continue along this new road for a few hundred meters until we see an unpaved road to our right that goes into a Military Base.
Important note: If there are military maneuvers or any other similar event, we will have to get to Sant Climent Sescebes by going very carefully along the GI-602 road.
We will access this track (those who go by bicycle will do so with the bicycle next to it) and continue in the direction of Coll d'Aus.
Afterwards, we will go downhill around the installations of the General Álvarez de Castro Military Base until we will reach the village of Sant Climent Sescebes.
We will leave the village along the old road (now asphalted) that leads to the neighbouring village of Vilartolí. After a few kilometres we will pass Mas Molí d'en Salom, where we will see several aged iron sculptures by the German Karl Maue, and after a slight climb we will reach Vilartolí.
The neighbourhood of Vilartolí, occupied since prehistoric times, is made up of a group of farmhouses grouped into two nuclei, the Dalt (upper) and the Baix (lower), on either side of the Anyet stream. From the upper part of Vilartolí, you can reach the lower part of the village by following a small path marked with blue signs.
Afterwards, we will go to Mas Torres where they currently produce wines (Celler La Gutina) and they have a circuit to visit several megalithic monuments. There we will see a crossroads.
We will take the dirt track that seems to go inside the estate, but which in reality is an old road that leads directly to Espolla without any detour.
ACCOMMODATION AND PRACTICAL INFORMATION STAGE 21
CAPMANY
Although the village of Capmany is not very big, it has several places to stay, restaurants and other services. You can visit its tourist website here:
SANT CLIMENT SESCEBES
Although the village of Sant Climent Sescebes is small, it has several places to stay, restaurants and other services. Here you can visit its website:
ESPOLLA
Although the village of Espolla is small, it has a number of places to stay, restaurants and other services. Here you can visit its website:
