Vilafreser – Gulf of Rosas – La Gola Beach – Vilafreser
Vilafreser – Gulf of Rosas – La Gola Beach – Vilafreser
Two Beaches
April 17 – 21, May 1 – 5, May 21 – 25, June 7 – 11, September 6 – 10, October 4 – 8
We invite you to disconnect for three full days of horse riding in nature and exploring Catalonia’s changing landscapes and its medieval towns, and historical castles and churches. A weekend holiday of horse riding, relaxation and tourism combined. The farmhouse Can Grau is located in the heart of the Costa Brava, 20 km away from the beach, and offers a hidden spot amidst nature.
Arrival at Can Grau, a country house dedicated to rural tourism, located at the base of the Pyrenees, facing the wild Medes Islands Nature Reserve. The ideal place for a horseback riding holiday, and an original way to discover the region. Before enjoying a fantastic dinner, we will go over the program and talk about the characteristics of our Andalusian and Arabian crossbred horses. We will also have the opportunity for a one-to-one conversation designed to find every rider their perfect horse.
Today’s ride is promising. The entire route crosses a landscape that combines cultivated fields, which cut into the clearings of the poplar forest on the banks of the river Ter, with small scattered human settlements integrated into the scenery. Riding through mosaic fields, we enjoy some excellent canters. For lunch we stop by the river in a grove, near the pretty village of Verges, and are all welcomed with a refreshing drink. As we continue to ride for the second part of the day, we follow the path to Torroella de Montgrí at a gentle walk, and then follow the river again until we reach the sea.
On horseback through the natural areas of La Gola del Ter, La Platera or El Ter Vell, we get the chance to appreciate fantastic beach landscapes on this trail. At Fonollera beach, the river forms a lagoon and enters the sea completely, in front of the Medes Islands. We are right at the mouth of the Ter river.
We retrace yesterday’s path, skirting the river Ter to Torruella, where we cross it and then continue into the Montgrí Massif, with its imposing castle dominating the valley. In the upper pine forest we will have the picnic of the day whilst we enjoy an unbeatable view. Then we will descend gently to L’Escala, passing the Hotel Masia- an old mill where we will sleep the night- up until Sant Martí d’Empúries, elevated on a mound from where we can see the old Greek pier.
We trot our horses for a kilometre down to the beach. The long curve of the bay of Roses stretches before us, kilometres of golden sand. We revel in some exhilarating canters and gallops on the beach. We then head inland again along the Fluvià river, past a bird sanctuary where we can spot flocks of migrating birds. Coffee break in Sant Pere Pescador. The terrain is flat with many rice plantations and peach, pear, and apple orchards. The pace today is lively. At lunchtime we arrive at Valveralla Lake, where we soak the horses’ legs to wash off the sea salt, and enjoy a satisfying picnic. In the afternoon we continue riding along a series of paths and forest tracks. Moment after moment we pass another beautiful town, castle, church, arches, tunnels, old wooden doors with wrought iron knockers: the beauty of the stone of the past. In the afternoon we arrive back at Can Grau, the start and end point in this beautiful adventure.
Breakfast and departure and we hope to see you again soon! (…or why not continue on to the Smuggler’s Trail?)
Masia Can Grau www.masiacangrau.com
Hotel La Gola www.hostallagola.com
Hotel El Molí de l’Escala www.molidelescala.com
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