Table of Contents
Day 4 – Gosol to Peguera
- Starting Point: Gosol
- Ending Point: Peguera/Cal Barbut
- Distance: 18 kilometers/ 11 miles
- Altitude Gain/Loss (in meters): 900 ascent, 700 descent
- Est. Time on Trail: 7 – 9 hours
The trail runs right by the Hostal Cal Fransisco, so minutes after we checked out we were back on the path again. This is the second longest day of the Spanish side of the Cami dels Bons Homes, and is just as physically intense as Day 2 was.
The first leg of the trail runs through farm land and the valley bed, past a couple of small villages, as the impressive Pedraforca mountain stands every vigilant to your left.
After a couple of hours you will find yourself in a quiet forest and the path begins to climb steeply, switch-backing up and up until you reach a mountain pass, where you will have great glimpses of the Pedraforca again.
Once at the pass prepare yourself for beautiful views as the forest gives way to a meadow. This is a great place for a picnic before you begin a steep and rocky descent. A few hours later you will find yourself at the abandoned town of Peguera. From there you can arrange to be picked up and driven four kilometers to the only real accommodation in the area, Cal Barbut.
The Hike – Gosol to Peguera
This section was arguably the most intense day on the Catalonian side of the Cami dels Bons Homes trail. The altitude gain and loss was not as great as Day 2 but the inclines and descents were more steep and slippery. Although this day was a challenge, it was also the most rewarding in terms of natural beauty and the wildlife we encountered.
The day begins in Gosol and the first section of the trail winds its way past farm land and small Catalonian villages. Cow bells and views of the towering Pedraforca mountain will be your constant companion for much of this enjoyable first stage.
Eventually the path begins to wind its way through a forest and suddenly you find yourself on a steep switch-backing trail. The trail levels off after a nearly 900 meter ascent and carries you through the now thinning woods. If you are lucky, and quiet, you will encounter deer on this leg of the trail.
Eventually, upon reaching the mountain pass, you will find yourself in a stunning meadow overlooking the next valley you will be making your way down into. Take a lunch here, and rest up a little bit, as the next path of the trail is a slippery, steep descent down a very rocky section of the Cami (see below).
Portions of the trail are akin to a dry river composed of various sized rocks and boulders making for a very slow and tedious climb up or down. These sections proved to be the most challenging we experienced on the Cami dels Bons Homes and at some points we had to maneuver our way in a crouched fashion using our hands to steady ourselves in order to make our way down without losing our footing. Good boots (and a knee brace if you need one) are recommended for this section.
Freshly upturned soil along parts of the trail indicate the presence of wild boar. A few kilometers from Peguera we spotted at least a half dozen deer as they carefully but gracefully lept across the trail in front and behind us.
A few hours in to the day’s hike we were rewarded for our efforts with what is likely the most beautiful natural surrounding either of us has experienced. A wide open field sits atop the mountain pass, with vast views of the surrounding areas, lush grass, an array of wildflowers, a smattering of evergreen groves, and big blue sky that appears to be only an arm’s reach away. A true reward for the senses. We had a picnic here and carried the memory of the beauty of the mountain meadow with us for days afterwards.
Where to Stay Near Peguera
We stayed at the small mountain hotel Cal Barbut, which means “the house of the bearded man”.
The original building on this section of property dates back to the 18th century. The hotel accommodates up to 14 guests and has a rustic, yet modern farmhouse design.
A delicious breakfast and dinner/BBQ can be had in the shared dining room. The owner, Charlotte, makes her own sausages from local meat, and is extremely knowledgeable about the surrounding area, and the hikes found in the vicinity.
Those interested in returning to the region can consider her an English speaking expert on outdoor activities for the area. Cal Barbut is 4 km from the trail, if you prefer not to make the walk Charlotte can pick you up at no extra charge.
Next is a breakdown of Day 5 of our hike on the Cami dels Bons Homes!
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Great article!! I’m in Spain now, learning a lot about its history but unfortunately won’t be doing this hike this time around. But next time, for sure!!
Thanks Goska! Where in Spain are you?
I hope you do get to hike the Cami dels Bons Homes, it was one of the best experiences we’ve had in our last 16 months of travel!
I’m so impressed that you did this hike and it looks as if you had fabulous weather. What a fascinating history. Did you see many other hikers on the trail?
Hi Carol! Thank you! Yes, we got really lucky with the weather!
We only saw one or two other hikers on the trail. It is an interesting experience because you are completely immersed in nature without another soul around for most of the time. It gave me the opportunity to do a lot of thinking and observing. Those five days were incredible.
HI Randi! I just came across of your article. We are planning to do the hike early this June but were wondering if one needs to book all accommodations ahead of time. Also, does one need to be prepared to carry much food or are there reliable sources of food on the path? From your article, it seems so.
Hi Tanya, I’m really happy you are doing this hike. It is an amazing experience and can’t wait to hear what you think about it.
Regarding accommodations, I’d suggest that you book in advance. There are a few days that are strenuous and looking for a hostel/hotel is probably the last thing you’ll want to do. Also, I’m not sure if you’re planning on following the exact route we did, but if you book in advance you can get advice from each hostel/hotel to better map out your route. Additionally, you can reach out to the Cami dels Bons Homes Regulatory Counsel for guidance. They are very helpful! Let them know we recommended them.
As for food, I didn’t bring a thing with me before arriving. The Regulatory Counsel was amazing at communicating with each of the hotels/hostels to accommodate my dietary requirements, and there was always something for Michael to eat. Each day the hotel/hostel we were staying at packed a lunch for us, and we ate breakfast/dinner on-site. Once you’re on the trail each day, there are very few places, if any on some sections, to get food. So, you do need to bring lunch/snacks each day.
I hope that helps, feel free to send more questions over and have an amazing time.
Dear Randi, thank you so much for your extremely helpful response! It looks like The Regulatory Counsel is a very helpful place indeed. We would like to use their services, but it appears they are only available in Spanish. Can we write to them in English? We speak French but not Spanish. And how do they work? If we give them our dates and itinerary, will they be able to help us with booking our accommodations? what other help were you able to get from them? Thank you for your help! Tanya
Dear Randi, many thanks for your very helpful reply! Your pictures and description of the hike made us even more excited about the hike. If you don’t mind, I have a few more questions. The Regulatory Counsel appears like a very helpful place indeed, but they appear to be in Spanish only. Is it possible to write to them in English? What kind of services/support do they provide? Can we give them our itinerary and ask their help with booking accommodations?
Tanya
Hi Tanya,
We communicated with them in English. They are the same as a tourism board for the area. You can request information from them about the area and hiking. Regarding accommodations, they may be able to make suggestions on where to stay or you can see the individual articles (Day 1, Day 2, etc.) where we give details about where we stayed and booking links.
I hope this info is helpful. All the best.
Very good article indeed, both interesting and informative.
We have a great range of holiday properties in Catalonia and many of our clients like to do walks in the hills and mountains (we even have a group of geologists coming out to survey some mountain areas this summer) so we can help anyone planning a trip wanting somewhere with a private pool to stay.
All the best
Peter Horrocks – Villas du Monde
What a great hike and summary! I was wondering if you could let me know how you got yourselves to the starting town, Prullans. Did you rent a car and leave it there, and then get a ride back to it after the 5 days? I’ll be getting there from Barcelona so any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
Sara
HI Sara, glad you enjoyed the summary. We arrived in Prullans by train from Barcelona. At the end of the hike we, in the last town, we too a bus back to BCN. When will you be going?
We are bringing a tent. Is it possible to camp along the way?
Hi Randi! What a great read, really informative! I’m looking to do part of this at the end of May this year and was wondering if you could lend some answers on a few questions!
– How scarce is the water out there? Were the natural water sources safe to fill up from if using a water purifier and if not, were there any water dispensers along the route besides the towns?
– How successful would you say your experience was of resupplying in each town food wise? If you were to hike in the area again would you considering carrying your own food instead (freeze dried meals etc).
– How were the mosquitos/bugs? Especially at night!
– Were there any parts that proved surprisingly tricky for you? For instance, navigation (lack of signs/clear trail)/finding the trail to and from towns/getting to the trail from Barcelona/dealing with people in towns?
Thanks in advance!