Scenic circular route in Sant Llorenç: Castellsapera, Torre de l'Obac, Caus Cremats, and much more

View of Castellsapera, the all-year haystack rock, and the wild rock

Enjoy the views of Montserrat and La Mola hiking along one of the most complete circular routes in Sant Llorenç del Munt i l’Obac Natural Park.

Pass by Castellsapera, Torre de l’Obac, Caus Cremats, Puig Codina, and Roca del Corb all in the same day.

Technical details

Detail of the path at one point along the route

Difficulty: moderate.
Distance: 12 km (circular).
Elevation gain: 310 m.
Duration: 5-6 hours taking your time (3 hrs moving time).
Sun exposure: 40-60% shade
Start: Parking area in front of the La Barata estate.
Finish: Parking area in front of the La Barata estate.
Date completed (photos taken): April, 2021.

A scenic hike through Sant Llorenç del Munt i l’Obac Park

This hike features two of my favorite panoramic views in the entire park, as it runs through the section nestled right between two natural wonders: the Montserrat massif and La Mola.

While most of the trail is easy, it does have a few high-difficulty sections, and it's also a bit long for very young kids. So, if you decide to do it as a family, it's best if the little ones are fairly independent and used to hiking in the mountains.

Shall we hit the trail?

Parking in front of the private La Barata estate

If you're driving from Matadepera towards the village of Talamanca, you'll find a small roadside parking area right in front of the private estate (La Barata), just a few meters before reaching the L’Alzina del Sal·lari parking lot where other routes in the park start.

You can park diagonally in the wider section or parallel park along the dirt shoulder. As long as you don't block the road (stay behind the line), you'll be totally fine. 🙂

From here, walk along the shoulder of the road (watch out for traffic) heading north (towards Talamanca) until you spot a signposted trail on your left, just past the estate.

Important: you'll spot a trail on the right that seems to run parallel to the road. Don't take it! I know it's much nicer to walk away from traffic noise and exhaust fumes, but that path won't let you reach the start of the route (it doesn't connect).

View of Castellsapera in Sant Llorenç Natural Park

Climbing up to Castellsapera

The beginning of the route winds through the shade of the forest for almost 2 km, at which point you gain some altitude and the views open up so you can enjoy La Mola off to one side.

About 500 meters later, you head back into a tree-covered trail by taking a right at a junction that leads uphill into the woods instead of continuing along the main dirt track.

You'll actually come back via the trail on your left (that dirt track), which means you could do the Castellsapera "loop" in reverse at this point, but I wouldn't recommend it.

The climb up and down Castellsapera (a rock formation with jaw-dropping views) is quite tricky. Once I finished it, I was really glad I had taken the route in this direction. Going the other way around might be even tougher.

If you take the path to the right, you'll hike about 500-600 meters through the trees before coming out just a few meters from the base of Castellsapera.

You'll still need to walk a few more meters skirting around this rock formation to find the ascent (very steep, you'll need to use your hands) to the top.

We actually missed the start of that climb because the trail seems to keep going and the turnoff is pretty hidden, but if you follow the Wikiloc map I've included below, you won't have any issues (and you'll see right where we wandered off and had to backtrack). 😅

Panoramic view of La Mola from Castellsapera

Views of Montserrat from Castellsapera

Considering how tough the climb is and how breathtaking the view is from the summit of Castellsapera, you can't blame me for staying up there for almost an hour, taking in the scenery and enjoying my well-deserved homemade Spanish omelet sandwich. 😁

Framed by the iconic rock formations typical of the Sant Llorenç Park—like the Paller de tot l’Any (Year-Round Haystack) and Roca Salvatge (Wild Rock)—the Montserrat massif stands out with its distinct stone layers and jagged spires.

There are landscapes I'll never get tired of looking at, and this is definitely one of them.

Detail of Montserrat in the background behind Paller de Tot l'Any

On the way to the watchtower at Turó de la Mamella

As I mentioned earlier, the descent from Castellsapera is quite steep, but very short. You'll quickly reach that path you skipped on the way up (mind you, you'll get there practically on all fours, upside down like the girl from The Exorcist).

This part of the route is pretty flat (no more hills for a little while) but offers little shade from the sun compared to the previous section.

Halfway between Castellsapera and the watchtower, you can spot an old Pou de Glaç (ice well). I have no idea how it was used, but I promise to find out next time I come across one in this park.

The watchtower sits on the Turó de la Mamella (Tit Hill) and offers gorgeous views of Montserrat, the Paller de tot l’Any, the Roca Salvatge, and Castellsapera in the background.

Rendezvous at the Torre de l’Obac

Shortly before reaching the ranger hut, you'll pass a turn-off on the left that you need to take now, and you'll quickly arrive at the Torre de l’Obac—a super photogenic red-brick structure, just like the views it offers. 🙂

Towards the Caus Cremats peak

From the Torre de l’Obac, you take a wide, very easy-to-walk trail that park service vehicles probably use every now and then.

For 1.4 km, you walk downhill along this dirt and stone track with almost no shade whatsoever before heading back into the woods.

Mind you, it's time to climb again, and quite a bit!

As you start gaining elevation, the views of La Mola make a comeback.

Caus Cremats is a great spot to recharge your batteries before the final climb.

Shall we keep going?

Reaching Puig Codina and Roca del Corb

At this point, the trail has little to no shade, so hopefully the sun isn't beating down full blast when you get here.

The climb is easy here, and at the summits of Puig Codina (Kitchen Peak) and Roca del Corb (Crow Rock), the wind will likely treat you to a refreshing gust. So, hang in there!

You're almost there, but remember to soak in the views. They end here. 🙂

Descent to the parking lot

From Roca del Corb to the start of the route, there's a descent through the trees that's pretty steep at first.

It's easy to walk and almost completely shaded, but it can be a tricky stretch for sensitive knees or toenails prone to bruising.

Tie your bootlaces nice and tight here to keep your feet from sliding forward. Trust me on this one. Five months later, a couple of my toenails still haven't returned to their original color.

In 1.5 km, you'll be back at your car.

Detail of a pink flower with Montserrat in the background

Wikiloc Itinerary

Want to follow this route on Wikiloc?

You can view the trail on the map at this link.

What to bring

Food: pack whatever snacks you fancy for the hike, keeping in mind you'll be out for at least half a day. A little inspiration?: sandwiches, fruit, nuts, cookies…
Water: we didn't find any water fountains along the way, so bring at least 1.5 to 2 liters per person and leave some in the car for the return trip (even better if it's in a cooler bag or frozen, since the vehicle will be baking in the sun all day).
Sun protection: half of the trail is in the open, so make sure to bring sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen…
Clothing: lightweight clothes and hiking shoes.
Travel insurance: if you're not a European resident and want to travel worry-free, book your IATI travel insurance through this link and get a 5% discount. They offer customizable coverage tailored to your needs and take care of paying all medical expenses upfront if you notify them beforehand. I never travel outside Europe without them anymore.