Mountain Walking in Southern Catalunya
Els Ports and the mountains of Tarragona
Mountain Walking in Southern Catalunya
Els Ports and the mountains of Tarragona
This guidebook has 30 routes for mountain walkers of all abilities in Southern Catalunya. The routes are in 3 national parks between Barcelona and Valencia; around the River Ebre: the els Ports massif, Serra de Cardo and the Serra de Montsia, including the immense limestone crags of the Parc Natural dels Ports overlooking the Mediterranean.Walk in southern Catalunya and discover a dramatic and largely unexplored corner of northeastern Spain, where the immense limestone massifs of els Ports, Serra de Cardó, and Serra de Montsia rise above the River Ebro between Barcelona and Valencia. Herb-covered hillsides, high pine forests, Templar castles, and picturesque hill villages await in the Parc Natural dels Ports, one of Spain's most spectacular and least-visited natural parks.
Suitable for beginner and experienced walkers alike, this comprehensive Cicerone guidebook describes 30 graded walks across three natural parks in southern Catalunya. Day walks range from 4 to 21km (2–13 miles) and can be enjoyed in 2–6 hours, with a 2-day circular trek encompassing Sant Roc and Arnes also described in 2 stages covering 47km (29 miles).
- Choose from 30 graded walks across the els Ports massif, Serra de Cardó, and Serra de Montsia, exploring broad tracks, rocky ridges, limestone gorges, and airy scrambles around huge cliffs, with all routes graded for routefinding, scrambling, and exposure.
- Discover the highlights of southern Catalunya, including the Parc Natural dels Ports overlooking the Mediterranean, the herb-covered hillsides and high pine forests of the Cardó and Montsia massifs, historic Templar castles, and charming hill villages throughout the region.
- Tackle the 2-day, 47km (29-mile) circular trek from Sant Roc to Arnes and back, offering an immersive multi-day experience through the heart of the els Ports massif across 2 stages.
- Navigate with confidence using sketch maps included for each walk, alongside GPX tracks available to download for selected routes and detailed guidance on the recommended Editorial Piolet maps covering the area.
- Plan your southern Catalunya walking holiday with ease, with the region easily accessible from Barcelona, Valencia, and Reus, and with detailed practical information on accommodation, food and drink, local transport, and the main base of Tortosa.
- Prepare fully for walking in southern Catalunya with introductory sections covering the natural parks, geology, wildlife, history, architecture, local culture, waymarking, and practical advice on hunting seasons and access.
Explore the limestone massifs, river gorges, and hidden villages of southern Catalunya with confidence using this trusted Cicerone guidebook. From the dramatic crags of els Ports to the coastal slopes of Montsia, this is the essential companion for mountain walking in one of Spain's most rewarding and least-explored regions.
Mountain Walking in Southern Catalunya – Quick Facts
Guide name: Mountain Walking in Southern Catalunya: Els Ports and the Mountains of Tarragona
Location: Spain – southern Catalunya, Tarragona province; between Barcelona and Valencia
Routes covered: 30 graded day walks (4–21km/2–13 miles) plus a 2-day circular trek of 47km (29 miles)
Typical duration: 2–6 hours per day walk; 2 days for the Sant Roc to Arnes circular trek
Difficulty: Graded for routefinding, scrambling, and exposure; from broad tracks to airy scrambles around large cliffs; all within the capabilities of experienced hill walkers; no rock-climbing skills or equipment required
Terrain: Limestone massifs, rocky ridges, gorges, herb-covered hillsides, high pine forest, and coastal slopes
Navigation/mapping: Sketch maps included for each walk; Editorial Piolet maps recommended for on-the-ground navigation; GPX tracks available to download for selected routes
Key centres: Tortosa; easily accessible from Barcelona, Valencia, and Reus
Highlights: Parc Natural dels Ports, els Ports massif, Cardó and Montsia massifs, Templar castles, picturesque hill villages, herb-covered hillsides, high pine forest
Accommodation & logistics: Detailed notes on accommodation, food and drink, getting there, and getting around southern Catalunya
Best time to go: October to May; sheltered coastal slopes provide good routes when strong winds or snow arrive on the high ridges
Author Highlight
“It is rare to stumble across an easily accessible coastal mountain region which is practically unknown beyond its immediate boundaries. Even more so when it is discovered to have well developed walking and climbing routes. Southern Catalunya may be unique in this respect. Moreover, it is an area of remarkable natural beauty and diversity. The immense limestone crags, ridges and pinnacles of the Parc Natural dels Ports overlook the broad orange and olive tree-clad river plain of the River Ebro (Ebre in Catalan), giving a high drama to the landscape. Downstream the river flows out to the Mediterranean through the Parc Natural del Delta de l’Ebre, where salt- and freshwater lagoons support thousands of visiting, migrating and resident birds.”
- Philip and Vivien Freakley, authors of Mountain Walking in Southern Catalunya
Printed book
A guidebook with detailed route descriptions, stage breakdowns, accommodation listings, profiles and maps - everything you need on the trail.
ISBN
9781852845827
Availability
Published
Published
17 Aug 2010
Edition
First
Pages
192
Size
17.20 x 11.60 x 1.30cm
Weight
230g
eBook
The complete digital edition of the guidebook, with full route descriptions, accommodation listings, profiles and maps, ready to use on any device. To access your eBook, you will need an eReader app. For more details, visit the eBook FAQs.
Introduction
The Walking Area
The Natural Parks
Climate and When to Go
Geology and Geography
Wildlife
History, Architecture and Culture
Getting There
Getting Around
Where to Stay
Emergencies
Language
Money
Food and Drink
What to Take
Waymarking and Access
Hunting and how to avoid it
Maps
Using the guide
The Walks
Walk 1 Punta de l’Aigua
Walk 2 Montaspre ridge route
Walk 3 Moleta de les Canals circuit and summit ridge
Walk 4 Barranc del Camp
Walk 5 Solana route
Walk 6 Cova dels Adells
Walk 7 Coll d’en Caubet and Vallfiguera
Walk 8 Cervera and Figuera valleys
Walk 9 La Moleta
Walk 10 Vall d’Infern
Walk 11 Pi del Perillo
Walk 12 Mont Caro summit
Walk 13 Mola del Moro
Walk 14 La Barcina
Walk 15 Cresta del Marturi
Walk 16 Sources of the Matarranya
Walk 17 Roca del Migdia
Walk 18 Caramella gorge
Walk 19 Mola Castellona
Walk 20 Lloret high level route
Walk 21 Barranc de Lloret
Walk 22 Roca Xapada
Walk 23 Font del Paradis
Walk 24 Coll de Lloret
Walk 25 Sant Roc to Arnes and back
Walk 26 La Creu de Santos
Walk 27 Seven ermitas and a ridge
Walk 28 Mas de Mata-redona
Walk 29 La Foradada
Walk 30 Coastal path
Appendix A Route summary table
Appendix B Finding the walks
Appendix C Glossary of mountain terms
Appendix D Useful contacts
Seasons
good walking from October through to May; when strong winds or the occasional dusting of snow arrive on the high ridges the sheltered coastal slopes provide good routes
Centres
Tortosa
Difficulty
from broad tracks to airy scrambles round huge cliffs; walks graded for routefinding, scrambling and exposure; all within capabilities of experienced hill walkers – rockclimbing skills and equipment are not needed
Must See
Parc Natural dels Ports, herb-covered hillsides, high pine forest, Templar castles, picturesque hill villages
This guide is intended to be used in conjunction with walking maps produced by Editorial Piolet. These provide, within the limitations of the 1:25,000 and 1:30,000 scales, a good depiction of the walking terrain. Discrepancies between the maps and routes ‘on the ground’ are dealt with both on the sketch maps and in the text. The following are useful maps:
- Estels del Sud, La Travessa del Massis dels Ports
- El Port Mapes Excursionistes (two sheets, sold as a pair)
- Cardó and Rasquera
The Estels del Sud map is designed to accompany a multi-day circuit of els Ports and gives guidance in four languages including English. All the maps are available as both hardcopy and CDs and can be purchased online from the publisher at www.editorialpiolet.com (Catalan only) and from the main Tortosa bookshop at
www.la2deviladrich.cat/public/en, which has an English language option.
The Institut Cartografic de Catalunya produces maps of the area at 1:50,000, which can be bought in the UK. The scale is inappropriate for walking but the Baix Ebre (9) and Montsia (22) sheets are useful as detailed road maps. There is also online access to 1:10,000 maps at www.icc.es, but these lack essential footpath information.
March 2025
Walk 5 Solana Route
Page 61
From here the path descends on scree etc. This route is blocked by vegetation and a higher line is required to avoid. After that the path difficult to find for a while.
Thank you to Bob Johnson
December 2022
GPX tracks
The authors have provided the following GPX tracks for walks 3, 13, 17 and 22. They work best on the recommended Piolet Estels del Sud map but can be used on the generic Spanish Topo.
Southern Catalunya Tracks (157.864 KB)
July 2014
Updates
Page 182 Monte Caro Mountain Hut
There have been some changes to this hut;
New phone number, 003 49775 80063 / 003 46097 90321
The shelter does have water
website www.refugiueccaro.cat
info@... 2011
Walk 20
pg 125: Following the sentence 'The climb continues for half an hour to reach an unsuspected patch of scree with a fig tree growing in the middle of it.'
After ascending the scree the path turns left to climb for some 10m towards the base of some undercut cliffs before turning definitively right onto a clear path. The way now becomes increasingly hemmed in by cliffs and pinnacles until it narrows to a cleft, with two wooden ladders leading up over the top to provide the only exit.
This is the Escarrisó de Borosa and it is reached some one hour 20mins from the start of the walk. A further 10mins of climbing on a clear path leads on to a grassy plateau and up to the shapely rock pillars of the Coll dels Morralets. Turn left here for Cova Ebre and Pallers following a red painted arrow on the back of the first pillar. About 10m further on there is a rock on the right hand side of the path with a metal signpost plate. The route carries straight on here, through woodland, towards the Cova Ebre and Caro
Many thanks go to reader Mike Cahill for providing us with this update information
August 2011
The guided walking, birdwatching and other services previously provided by Ebrotours have now been transferred to Walking Birder, which can be accessed at www.walkingbirder.com.
December 2012
Alternative start to Walk 3: The Moleta de les Canals circuit and summit ridge and Walk 25: Sant Roc to Arnes and back
A new start is needed for these walks now that the original track to Mas Torrat has been fenced off and it is clear that walkers are no longer welcome to follow the barranc route directly but must make a detour to join the route higher up. The same alternative should also be used for Walk 25.
Leave the car park on a broad track, signposted for the Coll de l’Ametleral, ignoring a track leading to the right. Take a path leading up to the left after one minute, following red and white GR7 markers and blue stars, to reach a second signpost 5mins later. Bear right onto a broad track, still on GR7 and continue straight on past another signpost until, some 25mins from the start, yet another signpost indicates the direction on a small woodland path climbing up to the right for the Pla de l’Hedera. After 10mins the path joins a track and a right turn (Pla de l’Hedera) is indicated. After only a few minutes the track bends acutely to the left and the route continues straight on, on a small path. Some 8mins later, at a junction with a marker post, the original path joins from the right, having climbed up the barranc directly. Continue straight on for a few more minutes to reach a T-junction marked with red paint and make a left turn to continue the route as described in the guide.
January 2013
Change to access arrangements for walks 17-19
A new parking area has been built about 500m before Casa de Carvallo, just before the road has a big kink south. The workmen are not finished yet, but there are already “no motor traffic” signs and the foundations for a barrier to stop vehicles going on to the Casa, so all the walks will be a km or so longer.
Many thanks to Peter Gorvett for this information.
January 2014
Walk 4 Barranc del Camp - Change of Route
The route has been diverted to avoid the property of a landowner who is clearly not walker friendly. The diversion is towards the end of the walk (page 57). The text reads:
‘At this point a cairn marks a junction. Bear right onto a rougher track and continue rising by a terrace wall for 4 minutes until another rough track joins from the left’
Instead of carrying straight on past the ‘No-entry’ sign as described, turn into the rough track which joins from the left. After approximately 200m there is a clear footpath on the right, marked by a post with a direction arrow and a cairn. Take this path and follow it until it joins a broad track. (This is the GR7). Turn right and complete the circuit as described in the guidebook.
Free Royal Mail 48 postage on UK orders. European postage is £3.50 per item. Worldwide postage is £5.50 per item. If you're not happy with your purchase for any reason, we'll give you a full refund.
Learn moreDiscover the Cicerone App
The Cicerone App brings decades of expertise straight to your phone, making it easier than ever to plan and enjoy your adventures wherever you are. For use with In-App guides — not compatible with eBooks.
Popular related guides
