Guilleries-Savassona Natural Area

Start at the Tavèrnoles information centre. The route links the village viewpoint with the Savassona plain, the Pedra del Sacrifici, the chapel and the carved stones. The last climb to Sant Feliuet uses old stone steps beneath a rock overhang. Back below, the enormous Dau is an easy landmark. Follow the complete signed circuit rather than trying to link the features across fields.

A rocky ascent, steps and a road crossing make this a walking route for sure-footed visitors. The upper outcrop requires close child supervision; turn back before the ascent if it feels unsafe.

This circular route starts and finishes in the village and visits the Font del Foquers and its steps. The interpretation, accompanied by the Fadrineta de Sau character, invites children to discover insects while exploring woodland and local heritage. It is the better first choice when the full Savassona walk would stretch attention or energy.

The municipality rates it low difficulty and family-suitable, but it includes steps. It is not a wheelchair or pushchair circuit. Allow generous pauses and keep hands free on the steps.

A separately arranged nature walk combines woodland, a pond and a small bird-observation point, with views towards the Sau landscape. Ask the natural-area office on 938 847 888 or [email protected] to confirm availability and the appropriate circuit before setting off.

The operator describes an adapted route with accessible interpretation, parking and a shelter. Confirm the exact route length, current surface and assistance requirements for your group. The published approximate time is 30 minutes.

Start with the information centre if it is open, then walk SL-C 125 with time for the rocks and chapel. Keep the afternoon flexible rather than booking a second demanding activity. If the first climb already feels too much, return safely and enjoy the village; the success of the day does not depend on completing every stop.

Choose the insect circuit, then return to Tavèrnoles for a rest and the exhibition if opening hours fit. This keeps the outing within one starting point and avoids turning a short walk into a tour of distant car parks. Arrange lunch separately rather than relying on trail-side services.

At the Pedra de les Bruixes and Pedra de l’Home, compare the shapes you can see from the path. A photograph or sketch is a better souvenir than a rubbing. Leave interpretation open where dates or meanings are uncertain, and resist the temptation to trace faint lines with a finger.

On the shorter circuit, choose a few pauses to watch a flower or a patch beside the path. Let children describe movement and shape before trying to name anything. Observe animals where they are; collecting them or dismantling shelter adds nothing to the walk.

If paths are wet or visibility poor, use the Tavèrnoles exhibition during confirmed opening hours. For a day when travelling is unwise, the park’s official virtual exhibition introduces the natural area through ten panels and linked material. Neither option requires finding a safe-looking gap in bad weather for a cliff-top walk.

Scots pine grows among the Savassona circuit’s oaks and holm oaks. The pines around the boulder plain give you a chance to compare conifer foliage with broad leaves without leaving the route. Keep cones and other fallen material in place.

European beech belongs to the cooler, more humid woodland side of Guilleries-Savassona. Together with the evergreen woods, it makes the natural area’s meeting of Mediterranean and Central European influences tangible. Autumn is a rewarding season for the deciduous forests.

The Catalan word guilla, meaning fox, is associated with the name of the Guilleries massif. Foxes may cross tracks around dusk, although a daytime family walk is no guarantee of seeing one. Let any animal pass without following or feeding it.

Wild boar is one of the natural area’s characteristic large mammals. If you encounter one, give it ample space to move away and keep dogs close. Binoculars are useful precisely because you can watch from a distance.

This woodland mammal is part of the park’s monitoring programme. Researchers examine specially placed nest boxes to study its populations; visitors should leave boxes and cavities undisturbed. Knowing that the forest supports a hidden animal can be rewarding without trying to find its resting place.

El Dau means ‘the die’. Its large, tilted cube-like form makes the name easy to understand on the ground. Archaeological finds around it show that people were using this place long before it became a walking destination.

The Sau reservoir submerged the former village of Sant Romà de Sau. Its church tower became a recognisable landmark, but how much is visible depends on the water level. A photograph from another season is not a promise of what you will see.

Build a warm-weather visit around one morning route. Bring enough water for everyone and check fire and heat notices. Insect activity is part of the attraction, but sightings depend on conditions; the story trail still works without a particular find.

Use the shorter daylight window conservatively. Forest colour can reward an autumn visit, while winter fog may hide viewpoints. After rain, choose dry footing over completing a circuit. If you meet signed hunting restrictions, change the plan rather than walking through them.

At Carrer Montseny, 2, the centre has an exhibition, toilets and nearby public parking. The current municipal listing gives Saturdays and Sundays, 10:00–14:00, plus selected 2026 holidays. Check before relying on an opening, particularly on a weekday. Telephone: 938 122 036.

For 2026, a visitor-information service is announced at Sant Feliuet on weekends and public holidays from 5 September to 8 December, 10:00–16:00. Follow staff guidance and respect private-property signs. This seasonal service is distinct from the village centre.

During regulated dates, book vehicle entry online before travelling. The 2026 programme runs on weekends and public holidays from 7 March to 1 November, plus the week beginning 10 August; extra busy days may be added. In October and November the published visit window is 10:00–18:00. The ticket allows one entry for one day and is non-refundable. The booking page currently lists €5 per car and €2 per motorcycle, and says vehicles over 2.1 m cannot enter. Check all details again for your date.

Use designated places for eating. Fires, camping, overnight stays and loud music are prohibited in the regulated recreation area; do not bring furniture or shelter structures to spread along the shore. Keep dogs leashed. Leave any water activity to a separately planned outing with current permissions and conditions checked.

For Tavèrnoles, the park directs drivers from C-25 exit 183 via C-153 to BV-5213. For Vilanova de Sau and the reservoir, it gives exit 187 and N-141d. Choose the actual trailhead before starting navigation, and park only where permitted without blocking field gates or access tracks.

Vic is the main interchange, reached from Barcelona by R3 rail or the e12 coach. The park lists Sagalés 485 towards Tavèrnoles as demand-responsive transport, 487 towards Folgueroles and Sant Julià de Vilatorta, and 488 towards Vilanova and Sant Romà de Sau. Check operating days, booking requirements, disruptions and the return journey with the operator; none should be assumed to deliver you directly to a woodland trailhead.

An accessible information centre does not make the path beyond it accessible. At Can Mateu, discuss the approach, parking, toilet needs and the entire agreed circuit. The network also lists adapted equipment loans there, including third-wheel attachments and a handbike; reserve and check suitability rather than assuming equipment is available on arrival.