Route description
A pleasant circular excursion whose highlight is the small but fascinating gorge known as "Els Estrets" (the Narrows) of Ráfales. Els Estrets are formed from limestone, a rock very susceptible to erosion by rain, which gives rise to what is called karstic relief. In this area, in a small space, you can observe a clear example of several processes of this type of system, including the gorge shaped by erosion — capable of creating sheer rock faces — the water seepages that feed the stream, and the countless holes and caves that honeycomb the mountain from within.
According to local legend, a famous outlaw named El Floro, born in the neighbouring village of La Cerollera in 1858, hid in one of these caves for a time. Apparently he knew of an entrance and an exit that have never been found.
The path starts from the western edge of the village of Ráfales, on the outskirts, specifically at the top of Calle Rafael Anglés: a signpost leads to the wide trail that climbs to make a flanking move below the knoll of the San Rafael hermitage. This is a wide path along which P.R. waymarks coincide with the equestrian route until at 0.9 km the equestrian route branches off.
At the bottom of the valley, in an upward direction, you reach Els Estrets de Ráfales, where the path passes through a gorge with rocky cliffs — a signpost marks it. It is a short but highly picturesque spot. The track climbs along the backbone of the valley, through the middle of the Narrows. Although the hardness of the ground might suggest that plant survival is difficult on these walls, a wide variety of rock-dwelling species has taken hold. These are plants specialised in living on rocks, capable of feeding when conditions are favourable and managing their resources until those conditions return. The abundance of crevices in the walls makes them attractive to many birds, especially raptors, and other animals. You may well be surprised by the flight of a golden eagle or the curious gaze of a wild goat.
After the Narrows, you enter a beautiful poplar grove, then alternate stretches of track with narrow trails through areas of pine and holm oak. Along the way, human presence is apparent in the form of cultivated land and various farm features (ponds, vegetable gardens, irrigation channels…) and habitats such as the Mas de Rallo.
The route can be followed as a circular walk; you descend along the track that skirts the hills forming Els Estrets and return to the starting point.
