Olot – Santa Pau

Short itinerary to Sant Pau. This can be made on foot and hikers will walk through fields and along paths before reaching the hermitage of La Salut de les Fonts. Once in Baix square, the centre of the village, you can rest until the following day

0 Km (431 m) From the southern corner of Josep Clarà square, take the Passeig de Barcelona and, in front of the youth hostel, cross to the left towards Eixample Malagrida before taking Carrer Enric Batlló, crossing Plaça Espanya square with a huge pine tree in the middle of it, and carry straight on along Avinguda de Navarra until you reach the Las Mores bridge. Cross the Las Mores park, where there is a fountain. Cross and road and carry straight on along the tarmacked path of the Trial until you come to the first turn-off on your right.

1.30 Km (429 m) 0 h 16 min. Retake the path on the right, past El Molí de les Fonts, a former fish farm. After two minutes, you will walk past the Engracia country house and, after 250 m, Can Madavall. Take a path between two walls on your left, past the hermitage of La Salut de les Fonts. After the irrigation channel and before going into the field, take a small trail among beech trees alongside the irrigation channel.

2.00 Km (422 m) 0 h 24 min. An oak grove formed by sessile oaks, which are typical of this damp microclimate. Walk along a raised trail among fields, alongside a drainage channel, leaving turn-offs to your left until you reach the local road, which you follow to the right. Take a turn-off on your left after 200 m.

2.50 Km (449 m) 0 h 34 min. Before reaching the Mas del Prat country house, take the small trail at the electricity post that climbs steeply before flattening off among holly bushes and oak trees, as well as the odd maple and hazelnut.

3.30 Km (522 m) 0 h 50 min. On reaching the peak, before you descend, turn left at the top along a trail that runs over some slabs. After this, follow the line of the summit S for 20 m. Then take the small trail on the right that descends for a short while to a path running from the Pujou country house, which you follow on your left heading E. On this section you can see places where the volcanic lava of the Croscat has formed very unique terrain, encouraging the growth of a great many chestnut trees.

3.80 Km (535 m) 1 h 53 min. After a bend to the left there is a fork. The trail passes alongside stone walls and the odd hut made of pumice stone can be seen.

4.60 Km (534 m) 1 h 10 min. On reaching the path, it climbs to the right. After 100 m, you will go back onto route 3 of the Zona Volcànica natural park to Can Xel, signposted green. Follow this route for quite a while. Leave the trail to your right along a wide path covered with hazelnut trees, following route 3. You pass through forests of different deciduous trees, such as poplars, hazelnuts, ashes and maples, among others.

5.40 Km (552 m) 1 h 26 min. Turn right towards Can Xel.

5.90 Km (561 m) 1 h 36 min. Fageda d’en Jordà

6.50 Km (567 m) 1 h 48 min. On the asphalt trail, take the path to your right. After 3 min you will reach Can Jordá, the park's central offices. On the right is the GR 2 footpath (red and white marks) that will accompany the route to Santa Pau. After Can Jordá, turn left along the cement path, still following the GR 2 footpath.

7.50 Km (573 m) 2 h 08 min. You will come to a path. Notice the dry stone wall around the property in front of you (Cal Sastre). Take the path on your right towards the cooperative. After 2 min, you will pass the entrance to the cooperative. It is well worth a visit. This company employs people with mental disabilities, who produce high quality yoghurts and dairy produce that can be bought directly at the cooperative. Continue along the GR 2 towards the Santa Margarida volcano.

8.50 Km (568 m) 2 h 20 min. Pass the Prat de la Plaça country house on your left. After 3 min, the path begins to narrow and starts to climb a steep slope that is very irregular underfoot and even complicated in some places.

9.20 Km (642 m) 2 h 34 min. You will now reach Sant Miquel Sacot, a Romanesque church that was renovated in the 19th century, especially its rectory. Continue downhill towards the Santa Margarida volcano, still following the GR 2 along a path that will become a trail and then another path and finally an asphalt path. You can see the Croscat volcano on your left. Climb another slope to pass the Bassols mountain.

10.10 Km (663 m) 2 h 52 min. You will come to route 4 of the Park, signposted by dark green marks. This route and the GR 2 follow the same path until Santa Pau, which is still 1 hour away. After 100 m, route 1 turns left to climb up to the crater of the Santa Margarida volcano. This small, twenty-minutes hike is highly recommended, as you can visit the chapel that was built inside the crater. The route continues straight on, following the Itinerànnia, GR and the Park's route 4 marks.

11.70 Km (548 m) 3 h 11 min. Fuente Clavell spring, rest area. After 1 min, it is possible to see the Roca Negra volcano and even, on clear days, the gulf of Roses.

12.70 Km (522 m) 3 h 23 min. Turn to the right towards the Cambrafosca country house, still following the marks of route 4.

13.20 Km (493 m) 3 h 29 min. You arrive in Santa Pau in the small Sant Roc square, from where you go downhill to Carrer del Pont on your right and carry straight on to Plaça de Baix square at the centre of the village, from where the following day's route will begin.