To Queralt by La Obaga

Technical data

Approximate distance: 5.5 kilometers
Approximate time: 2 hours
Signage: Yellow and white marks (PR C-73) until the road of Sant Llorenç de Buixalleu; green and white marks until Queralt and yellow and white marks (PR C-73) until
Parking: Parking area of Sant Francesc
Points of interest: Elements of industrial heritage in the riera de Metge, sanctuary of Queralt, and sierra de Queralt.
Services:
Along the route, we find the bar of Queralt, the restaurants Sant Marc and Font Negra, the hotel restaurant Cal Nen, and the restaurant pension Hostal del Guiu.
For other services within the city, you can check the accommodation section.
Bibliography:
La riera de Metge in the industrialization of Francesc Espuña.
Romanesque Catalonia, volume XII, El Berguedà
Cartography:
El Berguedà 1:50,000. Cartographic Institute of Catalonia
Rasos de Solivella – Serra d'Ensija 1:25,000. Alpina Publishing

Introduction

The riera de Metge played a key role in the industrialization during the 18th and 19th centuries. Although there are references in documents to the existence of mills since the Middle Ages, the boom began when part of the stream's flow was diverted through the center of the city and the steep drop was used to install factories and mills that harnessed water energy (later replaced by electricity) to power their machines.
The first part of this route allows you to appreciate the upper stretch of this industrial use; the second part delves into the first foothills of the sierra de Queralt.

Route description

From the Sant Francesc square, take the PR C-73. Up the street on the right-hand side, you will see Cal Corneta. This building was constructed as a textile factory in the late 19th century on the site of an old mill and operated until the 1950s. It is now used as a residence.

Further along, you will see the factory of Mr. Andreu Ros. It constitutes the upper part of the row of houses (Pinsania neighborhood). Its origins date back to 1821 (date of the purchase deed), but there are mentions of mills (Zócalo mills) dating back to the 15th century. It was primarily used for wiring and carding cotton. Industrial activity can still be seen in some of the ground floors.

Upon reaching number 16 on the street, you will see a face carved into the stone; it was the sign used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to indicate the presence of a brothel.

Just before reaching the road to Sant Llorenç, below, next to a pipe that carries what remains of the riera after the drinking water extractions, you will see a structure that seems to reinforce the road wall. These are the remains of the aqueduct that carried water to the Alon mill, which was located opposite, now disappeared and replaced by a house.

On the other side of the road, there is an open field with remnants of a building. This is all that remains of Cal Patata, a significant textile factory that was burned during the Civil War during the retreat in 1939. There are documents dating back to 1632 that speak of the existence of a sawmill before the construction of the factory.

The marks of the PR cross the road, taking the shortcut to Queralt, but they go left behind the oratory. You must continue climbing the narrow road, following the green and white marks of the local path. The next building you will find is the factory of El Franquesa. Currently, it is half-abandoned apartments. It was a textile factory from 1881 until its abandonment as an industry during the Civil War.

A little further up, you will see a kind of bridge that was the aqueduct and water jump for the factory Lluís Ne. The empty lot on the right side of the road is part of the factory site, although it was a much larger building that extended beyond the aqueduct. Below, the intake of the factory of El Franquesa is visible. This factory, built in the second half of the 19th century, operated as a textile factory until it was also burned during the Civil War. It was eventually demolished in 1986 due to the risk of collapse. The current parking area of the restaurant Cal Nen occupies the site of the old factory basin.

Very soon, you will see the old factory of El Guingueta, an imposing building, half in ruins, on the other side of the riera. It was built in the late 19th century as a textile factory and burned like many other industries in 1939, but it was restored and continued to operate until 1950. The house below is the mill of the Barón, currently a residence but formerly a flour mill mentioned since 1791.

A hundred meters further from the restaurant Sant Marc, there is a path on the right that leads to some ruins, which is the mill of Yeso, from which the water outlet is still visible. It became inactive with the construction of El Jijica, as the factory built a new channel that left it without water. It was a cement and plaster mill.

You will arrive at the road to Queralt and see the last building of the riera, which was the mill of El Bofarull, now Hostal del Guiu. From the late 19th century, it operated as a cement mill and small power station until it was renovated as a hostel in 1949. From the road, the canal and the sluice are still visible.

From there, the landscape will be the highlight. The marks lead to the left along a small path. If you want water, a bit further up you will see a small bridge that crosses the riera and a fountain: it is the fountain of Mossèn Guiu. It is a very pleasant place to rest and refresh. From the fountain, a path goes left that links up with the marked path.

You will come out onto the road to Queralt in front of the hermitage of the Sagrada Familia. Cross the road to go by the side of the hermitage and cross it again to climb through the forest right up to the first bend. Here you will leave an SL that continues along the road to the left and goes to Sant Pere de Madrona and continue on the SL that crosses the road and climbs the path. Very soon you will reach an asphalted track that you must follow to the right and leave it soon to climb up a path that starts at some stairs on the left-hand side. You will cross the road again and take the path that leads you down to below the Queralt parking area passing through an interesting beech forest. Once at the top, you will just have to follow the road up to the sanctuary.

In Queralt, you can take the opportunity to visit the church, the cave of Troballa, and the viewpoints. The views are impressive, and if the weather is good, you will see paragliders flying in front of the sierra. There is also a fountain to fill your water bottle. Currently, there is only bar service, but there is an ambitious project to restore the building with a hotel and a new restaurant.

To return, you must follow the yellow and white marks of the PR C-73 to the Sant Francesc square. This downhill path is known as the Queralt shortcut, where, as you descend, you will find the chapels of the Virgin of Dolors, of Sant Jaume, and of Sant Jacint. It is worth descending slowly and enjoying the panoramas. Especially on the last ridge, past the urbanization, there are some interesting perspectives of the Strait and the Hostal del Guiu.