Stage 32: Chiprana - Caspe

This new stage begins at the Chiprana access roundabout (124 m). After a few metres in the direction of the A-221 road, there is a broad path on the left that soon bifurcates. One of the branches leads to the left, towards the cemetery and, one kilometre later, it reaches the optical tower constructed during the Third Carlist War, in the 19th century. But the one that is of interest is another one, on the right, which is what the walker will take to follow the itinerary running parallel to the road, in an easterly direction. Further on, it reaches a crossroads on the side of Alcalán gorge, where it turns right, crosses the A-221, before facing the Voteré inn. Go around this inn on the right-hand side and take the path on the left, which descends to the Mas del Poblador and crosses the bed of the Alcalán watercourse. After passing this, at a new crossroad, you will access the road on the left, which goes up to a farm building that it also goes around. You then turn right, continuing along various paths leading to fields that lead up to an upper esplanade, under the shade of a large pine tree.

The path continues east before reaching a more substantial track and goes around a livestock complex accessed by a paved path on the left. The Nature Trail, like the Way of St. James, leaves the paved path at this point and continues along the diversion that heads southeast, until it reaches the railway overpass, next to the Civán irrigation ditch. Since 1550, this irrigation channel has run more than 50 km from the reservoir bearing the same name, which is on the River Guadalope. The water flowing through its bed, still made of earth, zigzags, looking out over and irrigating 4,120 ha of land belonging to the municipalities of Chiprana and Caspe, whose council has its headquarters in the old Civán house.

At a nearby crossroads, look for the irrigation ditch’s service track, on the right, and continue on its left bank, until you reach the Caspe ring road heading towards Alcañiz (N-211). Before that, the walker can stop on the trail and delight in one of Civán’s many hydraulic elements: an almenara (beacon) in the form of a carved stone box that bridges the irrigation channel and serves the orchards that share space on the left.

Once you have crossed the N-211 through an underpass, the route turns right for a few metres. It then turns left and descends to a watercourse that leads to a second irrigation ditch, on an elegant aqueduct. You will immediately enter an industrial estate that leads to the old Alcañiz N-211. If you descend and continue along a cycle path running parallel to the road, you will reach the crossroads at the entrance to Caspe. The Avenida de Chiprana opens up before the visitor, who must go up before continuing, from the Plaza de Aragón roundabout, along the Calle del Obispo García, which goes down towards the train station. After passing this, on the left-hand side, go down a street that leads to the municipal park, first passing twice under the railway tracks, where this stage ends.