Stage 42.1: Deltebre a Camarles

This route starts from where it connects with stage 42 of the Ebro Nature Trail on the north bank of the river, just a few metres from the Lo Passador bridge. Opened in November 2010, this infrastructure connects the nearby and formerly distant towns of Deltebre and Sant Jaume d’Enveja. From the information panel that marks the start of the stage, the trail heads upstream, following the river path. As you walk along it, you can enjoy the views of the bridge and the island of Gràcia.

You can walk through the streets of Deltebre to admire the church of Our Lady of the Assumption and the Ecomuseum of the Ebro Delta Natural Park, where you can see the exhibition of the main natural and human features of the ecosystem of the Ebro Delta.

Near the end of the river walk and the hamlet of Jesús y María, you will come to the well-known Molí dels Mirons viewpoint, which has a rest area where you can enjoy a magnificent panoramic view of the river. From this point on, the path begins to move away from the large river and enters the rice fields towards l’Aldea and Camarles.

As you leave the town along Calle de Aldover, the last street in the town, you will come to a road junction. In this section, between rice fields, special attention ought to be paid to the milestones marking the Nature Trail to avoid getting lost or making unnecessary detours. After crossing it, continue along the TV-3454a road until you cross an irrigation channel, before turning left onto a farm track. Among the homogeneous landscape of rice fields and irrigation channels that flood the area, bird lovers can get a close-up glimpse of many of the delta’s characteristic bird species, such as the flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus), the purple heron (Ardea purpurea) and the European wigeon (Anas penelope).

Following the milestones, you will reach the outskirts of the village of l’Aldea where, on arriving at the road crossed by a corridor of poplars (Populus sp.), there is a small branching path to go and see a part of the history of the place.

Two old buildings stand there. L’Aldea Tower, which is the only part still standing, albeit reconstructed, of a castle that was erected by the Arabs in the 13th century because of the strategic importance of the site in defending the mouth of the Ebro, and the Mare de Déu hermitage. The 12th century church was rebuilt and enlarged in the 18th century, and since then a popular pilgrimage has been held on Easter Monday each year. A Roman milestone from the time of the Emperor Claudius (43-44 AD) has been found among these ruins. which suggests there was an ancient Roman road in the area.

After returning to the main route, walking among crops and country houses, and keeping an eye on vehicle traffic and crossroads for a stretch of time, you will reach the hamlet Lligallo del Gànguil. Leave behind this village, which now belongs to the municipality of Camarles, and continue to an area on the route that is well fenced off and adapted for this use.

If you get tired during this route, which runs parallel to the railway tracks, you can take a break at the Els Pinets recreational area, after crossing a pedestrian walkway over the Granadella gorge.

But first, to reach the Els Pinets area, turn left after the walkway and cross the railway line using an underpass next to the gorge, which you should not take in the event of high water or floods. The recreational area has a car park, a fountain, bicycle parking and several picnic tables, making it an ideal place to rest and recover your strength.

Returning to the adapted route, you will reach the village of Camarles, which has various points of interest, such as the monument to the presidents in the Plaça de Catalunya, the church of Camarles and the curious Font dels Colors. After continuing through the village’s streets and passing the train station, you will leave the town from a rest area beside the tourist information office. A few metres from it is the Camarles Tower, the restored ruins of the old castle that was used for defensive-military purposes during the Islamic period. The path ends about 700 m beyond that, on a path that leads off to the right of a roundabout heading towards the Canal Nou de Camarles, where the Nature Trail crosses the GR 92 path.

Once you have completed the Nature Trail route, if you wish to continue northeast along the irrigation channel you will reach the beach in the village of l’Ampolla.