Two Worlds in One

This route is sponsored by the winery Celler de Capçanes
(You can book your visit in advance at: http://www.cellercapcanes.com)

From Capçanes to Marçà via a ravine and back via Les Pedrenyeres and Els Marmellans

Suggestions: This pleasant route offers many contrasts and is ideal in spring or autumn during the grape harvest. It can also be done one-way if you have two vehicles or if you book a taxi in advance (tel. (+34) 670 729 649). The Capçanes to Marçà route along the ravine or dry river bed may oblige walkers to be especially careful or not to take this route at times when there is a risk of heavy rainfall.

People say that before the terrible phylloxera insect attacked Priorat vines at the end of the 19^th century, the county was a sea of vines with green waves which reached up to the sky. The proposed route is in actual fact a journey between the past and the present. From Capçanes to Marçà we will follow the ravine paths which cut through some rocky mountain slopes. These hills are solitary and almost appear wild if it weren't for the remains of old dry stone walls which we can still make out between the pine trees and which indicate that this area once had been covered with vineyards. We return via Les Pedrenyeres, a completely different landscape; well kept by the hard-working villagers of the area. 

From Capçanes Cooperative (1) we leave the village via Carrer de Llaberia (Llaberia Street). We pass by the municipal open air swimming pool and then turn left where we come to a crossroads next to a vineyard (2). We take “Les Taules” signed path towards Marçà, following the white and yellow painted trail markers of a PR (European Hiking Network Short Trail). We cross Capçanes ravine (3) and turn left upstream until we cross the river bed again (4) and start to climb the valley on the other side of the river.  

A little while later, this farm track ends and we continue along a narrower path which passes close by a little building (5). We keep straight on until we start our descent to the floor of the ravine (6).  We walk upstream in the dry river bed and soon see the remains of a small canal and weir which once channelled water to the nearby fields. Further on still, we come to a track on our right which takes us up the mountainside (7). 

The path continues away from the ravine and crosses the Racó de la Vila gully and then descends again towards the river bed (8). We walk upstream again in the river bed and cross it again further on once we have passed the little farmhouse which is visible on the other bank (9). We continue along this little path which climbs the hillside towards Miloquera wood. The path improves and becomes a farm track which takes us on to the village of Marçà (10) . 

We reach the village via Carrer de Móra (Móra Street) and we cross the road which leads to Capçanes (11). We come to a signpost and we take the Capçanes route along the Pedrenyeres path which is painted with a single yellow trail marker. After a gentle hill, the path drops down towards the gully and later on a bridge which goes under the railway (12).  

We cross under the railway and climb upwards towards a farm. The yellow trail markers help us to follow our route which continues through open vineyards and olive groves. We pass by Mas d'en Pere Blanc (Pere Blanc farmhouse) and a little while later we drop down to the dry river bed which comes out on the Capçanes to Els Guiamets road (TV-3002) (13). We keep to the left on this road and pass under the spectacular railway viaduct before reaching the village of Capçanes.