By car
Vall Fosca, energy valley
Starting point: La Pobla de Segur
End point: Sallente
Distance: 36 km
The route
This georoute follows the Flamisell River, backbone of the Vall Fosca, from Pobla de Segur to Sallente.
From south to north, the route plunges into an area with geology that will transport you back in time. The colours speak for themselves. Greyish tones are limestone, representing former reefs. Reddish tones are conglomerates that represent the formation of the Pyrenees and the silt and sand deposited by rivers that carved through the region 250 million years ago. Whitish tones are granite, created by cooling magma. The darker colours represent the oldest rocks in the Geopark, 500-million-year-old sandstone and slate that are frequently used in the construction of roofs for houses, barns and churches.
The residents of the valley have exploited this rich geodiversity with different mines, such as the Castell mines. The head of the valley is also home to the first great hydroelectric power plant in Catalonia, built at the beginning of the 20th century. This exploitation of natural resources played an important role in the history of the Vall Fosca.
What not to miss along the route
- Museu Hidroelèctric de Capdella
- Erinyà Gorge: A narrow passage carved by the Flamisell River, home to treasures like marine fossil reefs and caves once used by Neanderthals around 200,000 years ago.
- Castell Mines: An outdoor interpretive route showcasing the uranium mineral extraction for nuclear power plants.
- Glacial Morphology from the Capdella viewpoint: From the Romanesque church of Sant Vicenç (11th century), there is a fantastic panoramic view of the route and the U-shaped valley carved by glaciers over the last million years
- Charming Villages: From the Romanesque church of Sant Vicenç (11th century), enjoy a stunning panoramic view of the route and the U-shaped valley sculpted by glaciers over the last million years.
Options
You can find this route on page number 32-35
of the Geoparc Orígens tourist guide.