El Pla de Santa Maria, Alt Camp

About the place:

If you would like to discover part of the rural patrimony of our lands and enjoy of the different colours of the seasons, go to El Pla de Santa Maria. Among forests, olive trees, almond trees (in blossom at the end of the winter), vineyard or cereals, you will find small constructions of dry stone integrated in the environment. Without any kind of cement or mortar, the farmers raised singular booths to live in, leave their tools or find shelter while they worked in the fields. At the same time, it was a way to use the stones the farmers had to take away from their fields. Each booth is different; there are some in pyramidal, round, square or even in dome form.

An itinerary full of corners and hiding places, which converts the route in a pleasant game for the children. (See pictures)

Direction tips:

At the C37 between El Pla de Santa Maria and the Pont d’Armentera you will find a dirt track (well indicated with a board "Ruta de les barraques de pedra seca"). You have to take this path during 2,5 km until a parking lot in the middle of a small more wooded zone. Although the route starts at the parking place, whre you can leave the car, all along the way, you’ll find on your left side different nice booths. The walking itinerary starts at a narrower path which seems to penetrate into the wood at the parking place.  During almost two kilometers of a circular itinerary, following a flat path accessible also by bike, you’ll find shacks, booths, hiding places, margins..... Even though the itinerary is quite clear, we attach a map.

If you prefer to go by bike, when arriving to the Capona, you can opt to take the main path to go to return to the parking place. On both sides of the way you will find more booths. On your right almost in the end one of the stretches (at 1 km of the parking) in a field closed by margins and indicated as a hunting zone, you will find one of the largest constructions with two entries.

The best season:

winter, autumn, spring

Lunch tips:

If after the itinerary, you want to have lunch, you can stop at the Masia del Pla just 1 km waya from El Pla de Santa Maria. Besides of offering the traditional Catalan cuisine, they have a great escargot menu.

More info:

Difficulty: easy
Type: circular route
Duration: aprox. 1 hour and a half
Distance: aprox. 2 km
Accessibility: It’s a flat way. It is accessible with prams and wheelchairs, although you have to take into account it’s a rural path with some stones and holes.  The wheelchairs and prams won’t be able to get to the entry of most of the houses, since they are in the middle of the fields, which complicate the access.
Recommendations: along the way there isn’t that much shadow, so it’s an itinerary we do not recommend during summer. Use good footwear and take quite a lot of water with you. Even though you can enter in the stone houses, be careful since some have trash and other are in ruins.

Photo: © ExploraTgn.cat (See pictures)