The 12 km of railway have been transformed into an ideal trail for enjoying a long walk or bicycle ride, and for reminding us of the industrial past that is an important part of our heritage.
The section of railway going from
Sant Joan de les Abadesses to
Toralles remained in use until the mines closed down in 1967. The
Sant Joan de les Abadesses - Ripoll section remained active until 1980, the year of its centennial anniversary.
The route links Ripoll, at an elevation of 682 metres above sea level, with Sant Joan de les Abadesses (775 m).
The entire route is paved and flanked by vegetation. The total vertical rise is 160 metres, and there is a gentle 1% incline. This section of the track starts at km 9, right in front of the old train station at Sant Joan de les Abadesses. Some 300 metres past the station, the track crosses the road to Ogassa and begins to rise gradually along
valley of the Malatosca, a tributary of the Ter River that rises from the
Cavallera range. You are alerted at each road crossing by cobblestones along the trail and proper signposting throughout the whole itinerary. The track crosses a long-distance (GR) hiking trail some 500 metres from the station, and then crosses the highway again just beyond the GR trail.
Santa Maria monastery in Ripoll
The route is placid and runs without problem to a point some 2 km before Sant Joan, at the Torralles loading station, where the coal from the mining railway of Ogassa was received. The section of greenway running from Toralles to Ogassa is currently under construction, so for now, you have to go to Ogassa along the highway. Fortunately, though, the highway is very lightly travelled, and it’s only 2 km to the town of Ogassa, which is located 4 km from Sant Joan de les Abadesses and 13 km from Ripoll.
The linking section of greenway with Olot begins at the Sant Joan de les Abadesses train station.