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This is the path that comes in Catalonia by the right of the Valira and, without changing position, connected to the main trunk road by Segre Castellciutat.
It is said that this is the old Roman road that ran through this valley; and as there was life before the Romans, we must believe that the age of the plot is much higher.
Later, probably, it was also the road that followed the pilgrims to Compostela. Thus, we will name as the pilgrimage route in the valley of Valira.
We highlight follows the alternative route that ran through the courrent principality of Andorra and coming from the city of Foix FOIX→PAS DE LA CASA→ ENCAMP→ RANSOL (Canillo)→ ESCALDES→ ANDORRA LA VELLA→ SANT JULIÀ DE LÒRIA→La borda d’En Canturri (=Cal Sabater)→partida dita El Vinyer→LA FARGA DE MOLES. We stop to make comparisons with what has come to us orally and the current situation where the construction of the esplanade of the customs building has removed the signs of the past.
It seems that, in past times, there were a group of facilities below the Runer river, as was hobnails own forge horseshoes and footwear and also industry cut the slab made the traditional way. Above the tower of the Bastida of Ponts, which was destroyed by the French in the War of the Reapers she was. In this area there was a lever for safe passage of animals and people, not far from the actual passage of said bridge castle of Ponts Bastida suitable for people and carriages and the toll that the people are paying the Borda del Cavaller, which included the mill of Can Clotet who were millers, slaters and farriers.
→ Continue along the river right VALIRA; Cabanelles below, we will go down the road of Santa Lucia and to our right, we will find three old pretty well camouflaged nests of machine guns; leave a bit far, to our left, the said Poblador and Patau huts and Saint Lucia electric power plant. Let's stop the N-145.
The first rectification of this road N-145 damaged the path. Anyway, you can see stretches of road made with dry stone remaining in part, except one of about 250 meters that has disappeared and it is feasible to rebuild; as the mayor says, the Ministry of Development plans to fix it after completion of the current work on the N-145. We will have to rely on than another broken promise ... Continue along the curved bridge, where the road goes to the left side of the Valira- and enters the path of Civís to Cortingles→ Saint Serni de Tavèrnoles → ANSERALL → PARROTA PATH→ SANT ESTEVE DEL PONT → CASTELLCIUTAT→ and connection to the main trunk of St. James Segre Road → SEGRE onwards...
Now, it is up to other description in sections:
Catalan Section: La Farga de Moles, Anserall and La Seu d’Urgell /Castellciutat. 02:50 h 12,300 Km.
To study it better, we have to split into different sections the Catalan section which passes through the municipalities of Valls de Valira and La Seu d’Urgell.
Section A: From the Farga de Moles to the first cut caused by the ongoing reform of the N-145 (already explained).
Section B: The cut in the first modification of the course of the N-145 part (already explained).
Section C: From Section B to the Anserall old bridge. It is part of the old way to Civís and passing under the metal bridge on Cortingles comes to the new cemetery of Anserall, at the bottom of St. Saturnin de Tavèrnoles along some orchards for floodplain of the Valira and reaches the bridge over the Anserall (or Estelareny) ravine and proceed through the lower part of town to the old bridge.
Section D: This is the old road Parrota. It ranges from the old bridge down below Anserall to St. Esteve del Pont; as part of the path has been modified by new roads one of which complete the path to the connection to the central trunk of the St. James Segre Road in Castellciutat, and in order to make identification easy way for those who want to continue launching it from all Castellciutat, we specify the reverse route to the route made so far. So, put back in the Hotel El Castillo and taking our road left indicator that says "Castellciutat" observed a rural road fork: leave the right that climbs to some homes near the Solsona tower and we for the other. A few meters to our right we saw a fork that we will not and it is the way to Can Sellarés which then becomes the way of the monks who come to the south side of St. Esteve del Pont. We will continue, then, without turning and, a little later, we reach a crossroads in the place that people in the country says els pilars. We take the trail on the right and go carefully to find in the same hand at the beginning or end current (as our direction) Parrota old way. We find a signal that seems brought from elsewhere and tied to a tree; ← Rec Variant says Castle 10 m (minutes). Later we found another indicator that tells St. Esteve del Pont → Passeig d’Anserall 45 m (minutes). On the right side it makes a drop corresponding to the access to the ruins of the church and has been engulfed by the owner of the intermediate meadow. If we will go through the panel "Romanesque Road" which explains some characteristics; on the right side we will see the beginning or end of the road of the aforementioned monks.
We made our way and arrived at the old Borda de St. Esteve (now the headquarters of a company dedicated to horse riding). We will find another sign that says Borda de Sant Esteve - Walk Anserall.
From this point go straight on and ignore the fork on the left that can be found about 100 meters to the new Anserall bridge, cross it and go down next to the building of Cebrià (or Bordoll) that crosses the divide existing between the street and the mayor Settler Parrota own way up to the old bridge where it connects with Section C.
[We must thank the in situ guide made by Mr. Josep-Miquel Vila i Bastida and (†) Mr. Joan-Marc Ribó i Montané. Without them there would not have been easy to do this report.]
Toponymy of the pilgrims:
In conclusion, we note the different titles to St. James (=Jaume) that, perhaps, should have some bearing on the way the pilgrims to Compostela. Thus, in this section, we find, for example, the church of St. Jaume dels Cortals, Encamp; St. Jaume d’Engordany, Escaldes; St. Jaume de Ransol, Canillo. Valira down, we should mention that of St. Jaume de Llirt, (former annex Calbinyà 'Across the river) and St.Jaume and St.Miquel home and trowel in Ministrells (former annex of Ars), populations that Urgellet currently belongs to the municipality of Les Valls de Valira. Near La Seu d’Urgell, the St. Jaume Tower and two side valleys of Segre down there to make mention of the church of St. Jaume La Vansa (about Montargull) and St. Jaume de Les Masias de Nargó, it also known as St. Jaume de Remolins.
Currently:
Landslides, the first rectification of a section of the N-145 who moved to the right side of the Valira, the improvement of existing roads, irrigation renewals (Bellestar and 4 Pobles) etc, makes the recovery of this old road of pilgrims and ancient Roman road is not easy.
Anyway, we started from our Centre d’Estudis contacts to whet the old layout dimensions. Some stretches are integers: the stretch of road known as St. Lucia; Cortingles previous area, along the old path of Civís, by the municipal cemetery and the bottom of St. Saturnin de Tavèrnoles to Anserall ravine and bottom of the main street of the village; walk up to the old bridge and down to Anserall discontinued work on the new bridge. From this point you should make a connection with cut just sections of the old road Parrota and to connect with the route leading to the Borda de St. Esteve and St.Eseteve del Pont and purpose of the journey to the N-260 to terminate the connection (in the area of the Hotel El Castillo) with the main trunk of the Camino del Segre in Castellciutat old term.
We have informed all the respective administrations (City Council, County Council) and also in Andorra with a view to a public project recovery, preservation or maintenance of this road, which is classified as a greenway and alternatively walk starts the N-145 road with the aim of promoting knowledge of this area and, at the same time, can serve to revitalize the culture and economy of the territory.
Our partnership makes fieldwork data search and support of civil society of the environment with the intention of receiving public and private sponsorship to adequately develop this project. For this, we express no doubt are receptive to anything you want to give us your feedback on these tasks and contribute data to be asked.
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