Riudecanyes, Baix Camp

About the place:

Do you want to show the kids how nature can make stones have really stragne forms?  The suitable place for this is the castle of Escornalbou. At 650 meters above the sea level, we can follow the same path the friars who inhabited the castle – monastery made on foot. Among oaks and holm oak, you will find very strange formations of sandy stome, a reddish stone used for cutting off the horns of the bulls. From here the panoramic view is impressive; you will see from the mountains of Prades until the Cap of Salou and if it is a very clear day some people say also the mountains of Mallorca can be seen in the horizon and in the north the peaks of the Montsant. An easy and amusing promenade that can be done even with small children (2-3 years).

If you have older children with you, pay the castle a visit. It’s an opportunity to see how the local high class lived at beginning of the 20th century. It is thanks to Eduard Toda, a diplomat born in Reus who bought the abandoned monastery of the 12th century, that the monastery is known as a castle. When he fixed the  garden he constructed an extra tower. Suddenly for the villagers the fortified monastery seemed a castle.

And if you want to continue discovering this zone, we propose you to take the car until the l’Argentera,  a very tinny village with an old quarter with huts of stone. The route will finish at the same point where we will have started it: in Riudecanyes, which gives the name to the reservoir at the entry of the village.

Direction tips:

We propose you route by car with riudecanyes as starting point. You have to enter the village from the T313 and take the TP3211 in direction to the Castle of Escornalbou (4,9 km - 15 min). Once you arrive to the castle, leave the car at the parking zone. You can pay a visit to the castle or do three itineraries on foot. The path of the friars is a circular route that starts behind the sanitary services and finishes at the castle’s courtyard in front of the church.
Detached of having pulled the legs and having enjoyed of an incredible view, we continue the route by car. Return to the TP3211. Take the first diversion to the right direction l'Argentera. At some point you will arrive to a crossroads. Turn to the right in direction to l’Argentera (aprox. 4 km - 15 min). L’Argentera is a very small village, therefore, for visiting it you better park the car (if the children need to burn some energies, there is a playpen at the village). Once you have visited the village, te route continues. You have to cross l’argentera to take the road to (2,3 km - 5 min). In Duesaigües you can stop to have lunch at the Cunirri restaurant or you can continue towards the reservoir of Riudecanyes where there is a zone of leisure with tables and big zone to play the ball (5,7 km – 15min). The route finishes here.

The best season:

spring, summer, autumn, winter

Timetable:

Tuesday to Sunday, including public holidays. From 1 October to 31 May: from 10:00 to 13:30 and from 15:00 to 17:30. From 1 June to 30 September: from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 16:00 to 19:30.

Lunch tips:

There are two pick-nick zones: at the Camí del Castell in Vilanova D'escornalbou (N 41º 06.651', E 0º56.011') there is a leisure area with benches and barbecues. To arrive to it you have to divert a little of the route (at the crossroads you have to take the way to the left towards Vilanova D'escornalbou). The other pick-nick can be arranged at the the reservoir of Riudecanyes (N 41º08.054', E 0º57.6791).

If you prefer a restaurant of home cooking, we recommend you the restaurant Cunirri in Duesaigües.

More info:

Route by car: Riudecanyes - Escornalbou - The Silversmith - Duesaigües - Reservoir of Riudecanyes
Difficulty: easy
Type: circular route (aprox. 17 km)
Duration: aprox. 50 min (without stops)
Accessibility: paved ways
Recommendations: there are stretches with bends, therefore for those that get dizzy easily, it is advisable to take some antiseasickness before going out.

Path of the Friars
Difficulty: really easy
Type: circular route (500 m)
Duration: aprox. 20 minutes
Accessibility: paths of stone (they are not accessible with prams, nor with wheelchairs)
Recommendations: the path is quite wide, even though you have to watch the children, because on a side of the path there are cliffs. In winter take warm cloth with you. In warmer periods use lighter coth. Use good footwear and take water with you.

Castle of Escornalbou
Ctra. d'Escornalbou, s/n.
Tel. 977 83 40 07

Opening times
Closed Monday unless a public holiday, 25 December and 1 January.
The ticket office and entrance close 20 minutes before closing time.

Admission charges
Normal: 5,10€ (adults and cildren older than 7 years)
Reduced: 4,10€ (young people holders of the youth card)
Special: 2,10€ (Holders of the numerous family card)
Free: childeren under 7 years

Photo: © Patronat de Turisme de la Diputació de Tarragona