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Keeping Cool This Summer
Here are our team's latest ideas for keeping you cool during your stay.
LAST UPDATED - 27/07/2022
We are very happy to let you know that from today, Wednesday 27th July, the access restrictions to our closest lake and our valley, the Vall d'Ora have been lifted.
That means that our local lake, Pantà de Sant Ponç will be accessible. You can drive all the way round the lake (please observe the one way, anti-clockwise rule!) and find lots of great places to go swimming.
Also at the lake, you will find the kayak hire hut, Caseta de la Pantà which will be open again from tomorrow (10am - 8pm). Here there is a also a nice bar by the lake with a lovely terrace.
This means you will also now be able to drive up our valley and access the river Aigua d'Ora that runs alongside the road.
There is also a pretty little cascade nearby, just at the bottom of our track. To get to it, it is easiest if you leave your car at the bottom of our track, just before the gate on the left.
It's a bit of a hidden gem so instructions to find it are as follows:
Turn right onto the road and walk ~200m and you will find a small car park with an obvious track leading down to the river. Follow this track, cross the river (not deep at this point) and continue to follow the path along the bottom of a field. In another ~25m you will find a small hole in the brambles on your right and the cascade is just through there.
It can get busy in the afternoon, so mornings are the best time to visit. If it is busy, just walk up the river, there are lots of little pools all the way up.
If you want to explore the valley further, wherever there is space to park the car, it usually means there is a nice spot in the river. Please just make sure you park completely off the road, or you could be fined.
One great place to visit is the Rasa de Comadescales. Follow the small stream on the right of the road up hill and there are some really lovely, cold deep pools.
Right at the end of our valley, the river enters a little short gorge at Sant Pere de Graudescales and there are some great pools and waterfalls to explore there.
Below you will continue to find the alternative options for cooling off spots, higher up in the mountains, depending on what you are looking for. There are also lots of other ideas on our 'Adventures' page.
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KAYAKING / LAKE SWIMMING :
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If you fancy going for a swim or a kayak, the reservoir of Llosa de Cavall, at 800m, currently has no restrictions and the K1 Kayak station is currently open. The Relleus kayak rental station is currently closed (as of 27/7/22).
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Whilst the lake is currently at quite a low level, there are still options to go swimming (although it is more tricky than usual to get to the water). The best place is behind the Vilasaló restaurant. Park your car near the K1 Kayak station (look out for the vertical canoe!) and follow the track in the opposite direction to the kayak station, crossing a chain, and pass by the back of the Vilasaló restaurant. There is an obvious path down to what is usually a small island and to the water. The water levels are changing every day so just see where other people are swimming when you get there.
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WILD RIVER SWIMMING :
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About a 50 min drive to the other side of the Vall d'Ora river, there are a couple of great spots you can visit and maybe combine them with a day out in Sant Llorenc de Morunys or a walk in Tuxient.
The Cascada de Llinars, set at nearly 900m, is a really beautiful spot and is the same river that runs past Forest Days a few kilometers later.
There is lots of space for picnics and a lovely deep pool for cooling off, or head down river for some exploration!
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Another good river spot is about 5 mins before you get to the Cascada de Llinars. at Guixers. There are some more lovely pools, close to the road which are easy to get to and enjoy
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Just make sure you park off the road at either of there places and enjoy!
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A little bit further away (~45 mins drive) is another kayak and wakeboarding station on the lake of Baells.
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OUTDOOR SWIMMING POOLS :
All the local, outdoor municipal swimming pools are open, most of them with a reduced entry fee.
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Santa Lucia : - this is our nearest pool, about 5 mins drive away and has a lovely bar / restaurant attached to it.
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Cardona : set at the bottom of the very impressive castle in Cardona, this is a big pool with lots of shady, outdoor grass space. There is a simple cafe next to the pool and a great choice of cafes and restaurants in the town (which is a few minutes walk away).
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Pi de Sant Just : 5 mins drive outside Solsona, a smallish pool with nice grassy sides. There is a nice restaurant next door.
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Solsona: this is the biggest of the 4 set in our local town of Solsona. Not as picturesque as the others but useful if you want to combine it with sight seeing or a meal out in Solsona.
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HIGH MOUNTAINS :
The other option to water in this hot weather, is to get up high and this is also an easy option from Forest Days.
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Our recommendation is to head to the cross country ski station of Tuixent - a really lovely drive of just under an hour from Forest Days.
Starting at 2000m, even on the hottest day it is much cooler up there - at least 10 degrees cooler than the altitude we are at.
There are lots of nice walks you can do (there are maps at the station or you can see them here).
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There is a also a nice mountain refuge - Refugi de l'Arp - where you can eat or get a drink.
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You can also visit the downhill ski station of Port del Comte, which is at a similar altitude to Tuxient.
Again, there are nice walks you can do from here and there is also an adventure park which runs lots of fun activities.
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If you do head to either of these, a great spot of a picnic lunch is the Fonts del Cardener . It is the source of the Cardener river and a really nice spot.
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One final option, which requires a bit more driving and a toll tunnel (~13 Euros each way), is the ski station of La Molina.
Here there is a great adventure park, you can go downhill mountain biking or you can simply catch a cable car to the top of the mountain for lunch and a stroll at 2.500 metres.
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We hope this helps you plan your days here at Forest Days but if you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
- Forest Days Team -
