Transcatalunya: Cardedeu – Castellbell i el Vilar

A stage with no steep slopes at the start that runs along wide paths that are easy to cycle, among cropland and urban areas to Castellar del Vallès where a long climb begins with a small descent to Matadepera and then another climb to the l’Obac mountain. From here, it is almost all downhill to Castellbell i el Vilar. The district of El Vallès connects with El Bages at the foot of the Montserrat mountain.

From the moment you leave Cardedeu until you cross Castellar del Vallès, the route runs mostly through the El Vallès cropland. However, given the urban development of the area, it also crosses industrial estates and residential areas, so you often have to ride along tarmacked streets or roads, being careful and not taking a wrong turning at any of the constant junctions.

The route starts at Cardedeu Town Hall and heads west towards Cànoves stream, which you follow for around 500 metres along its right bank until you meet a tarmacked street that you follow left. Continue along this street, which later becomes a trail, surrounded by cropland, past the Can Monells Nou, El Foguerar and Can Sabater country houses until you come to a crossroads with markings for the GR 97 footpath. Turn left until you reach the Can Marí country house. Turn right past the Ca l’Aran country house to Corró d’Amunt. Shortly afterwards, turn left and you will find the GR97 footpath markings. Cross Corró d’Amunt and carry straight on until the road (N-152a) from Llerona to La Garriga.

Cross the road and past the Can Parets country house before descending towards the Congost river. Cross the river and continue through fields and past country houses along tarmacked trails until you pass the road (BV-1433) from Llerona to L’Ametlla del Vallès.

After the road, follow dirt trails until you cross the C-17 road with Mas Dorca industrial estate nearby. Continue along tarmacked streets around Montguit industrial estates to Can Valls. From here on, follow paths past several country houses until you cross the road (BV-1435). Continue along paths through residential areas until you cross the C-59 road from Caldes de Montbui to Sant Feliu de Codines, where you will come to the town of Caldes de Montbui.

From Caldes de Montbui to Sentmenat, follow dirt trails that will take you to Sentmenat castle before crossing the C-1415a road to head for Castellar del Vallès along trails around different fields of crops.

After crossing Castellar del Vallès along tarmacked streets and roads, the climb begins in the Sant Llorenç del Munt natural park along well-kept trails, until you can see the first houses in Matadepera, where you begin your descent to the town along tarmacked streets.

On this part of the route you can admire the great views of the buttresses of La Mola, the highest point of the  Sant Llorenç del Munt massif. To the north on clear days you can see the Pyrenees and, to the south, El Vallès and the Coastal mountain range.

After crossing the BV-1275 road on the Estenalles mountain pass, climb once again through the residential area of Els Rourets until you come to the trail that will take you to the L’Obac mountain pass, where you cross the B-122 road to enter the residential area of Els Caus, This road tends to descent through forests and then through areas with no trees due to the fires. You will then reach El Borràs and, shortly afterwards, Castellbell i el Vilar, the end of the stage.

This last part combines sections of trails and footpaths, with some complicated yet short parts until you cross the Terrassa to Manresa motorway.