Vall de Llo

This interesting excursion will allow us to cross the beautiful gorges formed by the river Segre at its beginning. If we want to reach the source of this river, we must continue the walk towards the Finestrelles pass and branch off, before reaching it, towards the Fonts del Segre.

Technical Data

Access: Take the N-116 towards Sallagosa. In this town we turn right to take the road that leads to Llo. Before entering this town we find a detour to the right that leads to the car park of Banys de Llo, where we will leave the vehicle.

Home: Llo Baths car park.

Difficulty: Easy

Maximum altitude: 1,834 m

Elevation gain: 450 m

Total duration: 3.15 h (1.45 h one way + 1.30 h return).

Time of year: All year round. In winter it is highly recommended to do a snowshoeing hike to the Culassa refuge.

Note: Currently, the access to the Llo valley is closed to vehicles at its very beginning, at the height of the via ferrata of Les Escadilles.

Route

We start walking under the suspended bridge that leads to the beginning of the via ferrata of Les Escadilles. Leaving this road on the left, we continue along the paved road for a stretch in which we also have the Segre river on the left. Soon we see the impressive south wall of the hill of Sant Feliu de Castellvell and the first narrow bends that form the gorges of the Segre. Later, the road crosses a small bridge from which the river is located on the right. Surrounded by slender and impressive walls, and admiring the beautiful shapes of the river, we reach the end of the road, where we find a last bridge, the detour to Mas Patiràs and some signs (35 min).

This is where the start of the unpaved forest trail begins. We follow it until we reach a metal fence and a Canadian pass for cattle (1,604 m). We continue along the track to the south. The river now descends to our left. The route of the track is gaining height at first and then flat path until river. We cross a beautiful black pine wood and continue along the track to the south. The river now descends to our left. The route of the track is gaining height at first and then flat path until river. We cross a beautiful black pine wood and continue along the track. On the left stands the Serra dels Clots, which separates us from the Vall d’Eina. The route of the track is gradually gaining height, and the river is now sunk to the east. We follow it, always to the south, until in the background, a little to the left, we can already see the Culassa refuge.

Finally we reach the last bridge of the route. Here we leave the fork that continues to the right and ascends, in a sharp curve, to the Pla de la Creu. We, however, have to cross this bridge, turn left and head to the vicinity of the visible Culassa refuge (1,834 m, 1.45 h). Some landmarks located at the top of the meadow in front of the refuge indicate the beginning of the path that leads to the Fonts del Segre and the Coll de Finestrelles.

Map and altimetry

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