Ruta del Ferro
The name of the Ruta del Ferro i del Carbó (the Iron and Coal Trail) is a reference to the important tradition of iron forging in the Baix Ripollès area and the extraction of coal from the mines of Ogassa. The 12 kilometres of the route, following an old railway line, are now the ideal way to enjoy a day out walking or cycling, a reminder of an industrial past to which we are all the heirs. The Sant Joan de les Abadesses -Toralles section worked until the mines were closed in 1967. The stretch from Sant Joan de les Abadesses to Ripoll, on the other hand, remained open until its centenary year, 1980.
The trail links Ripoll, 682 metres above sea level, to Sant Joan de les Abadesses (alt. 775m). The whole route is paved and bordered by vegetation. The total height difference is 160 metres and there is a gentle gradient of 1% (1 in 100). This section of the route begins at kilometre 9, just in front of the former Sant Joan de les Abadesses station building.