Net of Natural
Trails
Stage 28: Pina de Ebro - Velilla de Ebro
Description
From Pina de Ebro's Plaza Mayor (160 m), a street runs south to the Ebro River Park and the road to Mechana. Immediately after, next to the river, is the intersection with Section 27, which comes from the river to the right (north). The route continues to the left, following a poplar-lined path along the riverbank.
Past a shed, Mechana Island appears in the middle of the river. Further, the trail turns left and ventures into a poplar grove. A path to the right leads to a tree grove also populated with extensive reed beds and meadows that stretch to Mejana de los Nidos Island.
After a short walk inland, the route turns onto an offshoot road to the right (2.3 km, 30 min). This road leads to a poplar grove from where it heads to the Ebro.
The local route circles around the town. Continuing along the river, the road disregards a path to the right and all paths to the left until it reaches a poplar grove. Further on, it passes next to Arenales island-grove.
Near a village, the route leaves the river behind, turning onto a path to the left, past the entrance to Casa Aznárez, which cuts across the extremely long Belloque meander. Heading NE, the trail disregards the first path to the right, and heads down the second path which, after one kilometre, connects with the road from Monegrillo to Gelsa (9.3 km, 2hr).
The route heads down a paved road to the right (south), crosses a streambed, and climbs towards a terrace with nice views of the tip of the Belloque meander. Before fording the Agua Salada Ravine, the route leaves behind the hamlet of Miralrío and others. Past the ravine, the route strays from the paved road onto an offshoot road to the right (south), near the Ebro, that leads into Gelsa. The cable ferry system used to crossover to Gelsa Island is worth a visit from this intersection (11.5 km, 2hr 30 min) of the Nature Trail. This cable ferry, as well as those in Torres de Berrellén and Sobradiel, is the only boat still operating in the Aragonese section.
Next to the co-operative's warehouse and a cluster of terraced houses, the route leaves Gelsa towards Velilla by way of the road to Chopares, always due south. Immediately after, it leaves this road behind, turning onto a road to the right that runs parallel to the road. The link to Section 28.1 from Quinto is located two intersections further down (15.3 km, 3hr 15 min).
The route disregards two tracks to the left of the main road, and turns left at a four-way intersection. Further, it returns to the road to Chopares, and continues south until it reaches the access road to Velilla. Here, it takes the old road from Gelsa to Velilla that heads into the urban area, situated near a small park and one of many branches of the Ebro (148 m, 20.1 km, 4hr).