In the natural park of the volcanic area of the Garrotxa there is an enchanting beech forest perfect for hiking with the family: the Fageda d'en Jordà.
Although you can visit La Fageda d'en Jordà all year round, its family-friendly trails are the perfect place to enjoy a nature walk in the middle of summer, as the trees protect you from the sun.
Are you in the mood for fresh air 😉.
Technical specifications
- Difficulty: low.
- Length: 1.5 km (round trip).
- Slope: 0 m.
- Travel time: 30 minutes.
- Start: Can Serra parking lot.
- End: Can Serra parking lot.
- Date of completion (photographs): July, 2018.
In the interior of the Fageda d'en Jordà
Parking Can Serra
Leave your car in the parking lot of Can Serra (indicated on the map at the end of this entry) and head towards the information office.
In addition to maps and information (obvious) you will find a restroom and water fountain to refill your reusable bottles.
From the office you will be able to see the beginning of a passage that crosses underground the road that connects Olot with Santa Pau. When you come out on the other side you will be in the Fageda.
The Joan Maragall circular path
From this point on, you just have to follow the indications of trail no. 2 through the Fageda d'en Jordà.
In fact, the route is shaped like a lollipop, since it starts with a round-trip trail, connects with its circular part and returns along the same initial trail.
This beech forest is located on a lava flow from the Croscat volcano that extends between Olot, Santa Pau and the village of Les Preses.
Now, you just have to enjoy the shade and the smell of the forest during your walk.
Warning: although the trail is suitable for children and adults, it is not adapted for baby carriages or wheelchairs, as there are stairs at the beginning, it is not paved and the roots of the beech tree protrude everywhere.
Further in the Fageda
In reality there are many paths that cross the Fageda d'en Jordá.
Apart from the small Joan Maragall trail described in this article, you can stroll through the beech forest as you go:
- Itinerary 1 that crosses La Fageda towards the Santa Margarida and Croscat volcanoes (10 km, 4 hours).
- Route 3 connecting Olot with Santa Pau (14.5 km, 4.5 hours).
- Even the GR2 long-distance trail passes through the Fageda.
We, for example, walked part of itinerary 1 in the direction of the Santa Margarida volcano up to the edge of the beech forest and returned the way we had come to take advantage of its shade in the middle of August. 🙂
Directions
By car
In the natural park of the volcanic area of the Garrotxa you will find several parking lots where you can leave your vehicle and go hiking in peace.
In low season they are free, but throughout August and on many special days during the rest of the year (including most weekends and holidays), you can park your car for €4/day.
Specifically, the Can Serra parking lot from which the route starts is halfway between Olot and Santa Pau.
By bus
With the company Teisa you can reach the surrounding villages and even the parking lots of the Natural Park of the volcanic area of the Garrotxa from cities such as Barcelona, Girona or Figueres.
I leave the direct link to the company at the end of this post in case you want to calculate your route.
What to bring
- Food: the trip is very short, so it is not necessary to bring anything to eat. However, it never hurts to carry some nuts in your pocket, don't you think?
- Water: I recommend carrying at least 0.5 to 1 liter of water per person, especially in summer (June, July, August or September).
- Sun protection: the tour runs in the shade, but even so it never hurts to wear sunglasses, a hat and sunscreen, especially in summer.
- Clothing: light or warm clothing depending on the season and hiking shoes.
- Travel insurance: if you do not have Spanish nationality, book your IATI travel insurance through this link and get a 5% discount. They offer customizable coverage according to your needs and will pay all medical expenses in advance if you let them know in advance. I no longer travel without them (outside Spain, of course).
When to go
The best time to visit the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park is spring (April, May and June).
In autumn it is usually very crowded and in the middle of summer the temperatures limit hiking hours to the early mornings.
However, thanks to the fact that the Fageda d'en Jordà offers a huge shady shelter with several trails to choose from, it is possible to walk through it during the summer, as we did.
Just don't rush and remember to bring sunscreen and water.
Winter is also a good season: few hikers and no sweltering heat. However, you will depend more on the weather.
Where to stay
You will find a wide range ofaccommodation in Olot and some with charm in smaller villages.
We stayed on the outskirts of Santa Pau, in a beautiful villa with a private garden that we found on Airbnb.
We loved it! But it is no longer available for rental, so I can't leave you its direct link.
What I can recommend is to sleep in the surroundings of Santa Pau to enjoy its cobblestone streets at sunset.
Useful Links
- Teisa Buses.
- Accommodations in Olot.
- Offers to sleep in Santa Pau.
- Flights to Girona and Barcelona: Trabber, eDreams, Momondo and Vueling.
- Get 5% off when you purchase travel insurance with IATI.
If you are visiting Catalonia, here are some other routes that might interest you:
- Route to the interior of the Santa Margarida volcano in the Garrotxa.
- Circular route Rupit - Salt del Salent.
- Follow in the footsteps of the smugglers: Beget - Rocabruna.
- Montserrat route: funicular-Santa Magdalena-San Miquel-monastery.
- Circular route through Montserrat: from the monastery to the top of Sant Jeroni.
- Break your schemes in the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueras.
Map
Curious about your experience in the Fageda d'en Jordà? Tell me about it in the comments.