The mountain that closes off Borredà to the south
From the masia del Pati, in Borredà, the Picancel is the range that blocks the southern horizon. We explore it every season, with the Defender along the tracks and on foot along the ridges, and this page is the result.
The range is a natural boundary. To the north it is bounded by the Mergançol river, with the villages of Vilada and Borredà; to the west, by Berga and the Baells reservoir; to the south, by the municipality of La Quar; and to the east it reaches almost as far as the riera de Merlès. Coming from central Catalonia it is the first range you meet: the sign that the Pre-Pyrenees begin. Its highest point, the Salga Aguda, rises to just over 1,170 metres.
Its shape is unlike any other range in the county. The north face is a succession of peaks and hollows that form parallel gullies, from east to west, and down each one a stream runs towards the Mergançol. The rock is conglomerate, and on the highest summits it takes on rounded shapes reminiscent of Montserrat. In between there are pine, beech and oak woods and the odd old holm oak.
It is also a range full of life. We almost always come across groups of wild goats and red deer, but there are also mustelids, peregrine falcons and long-eared owls, and in the water, grass snakes.
Walked, measured and photographed by Josep Heras Gomis, who has a house at the masia del Pati in Borredà, based on his book on the 4x4 and hiking route through the Picancel range (2019). The full route is published on Wikiloc. The historical data come from the Inventari del Patrimoni Arquitectònic de Catalunya, the Ajuntament de la Quar and the Enciclopèdia Catalana. Last revised: September 2026.
How the route works
It is not a single walk. It is a drive along mountain tracks that lets you reach the most interesting places in the range in one day and walk only the stretches that are worth it. Almost all the tracks are in good condition, but there are sections that need a 4x4; we do it in a Land Rover Defender.
Doing everything, with all the walks, allow about ten hours. The three long walks start from three car parks (Picancel Est, Roc de la Veu and Sant Miquel) and each takes between two and three hours depending on your pace, so they can be spread over different days for a more relaxed visit.
Before you climb. The route starts in the centre of Vilada (42.137026, 1.929962) and passes two bridges over the Mergançol that we already cover on the mills page: the Pont del Climent, below the Canals de Sant Miquel, and the Pont de Sant Joan, just before Borredà. From there the climb into the range begins.
The 26 points, sector by sector
| Point | Sector | What it is | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coll de Forcons | East | Col, start of the ridge | 42.118545, 1.986862 |
| Pi Escabellat | East | Summit, viewpoint over La Quar | 42.117426, 1.982101 |
| Serrat de l'Envista | East | Highest summit in the east | 42.117490, 1.975902 |
| Coll de la Creu de Salga | East | Col and path junction | 42.118584, 1.970493 |
| Casa de Salga | East | Abandoned farmhouse | 42.119550, 1.967595 |
| Font de Salga | East | Spring, often dry | 42.118907, 1.972612 |
| Font del Llop | East | Spring beside the track | 42.120611, 1.972896 |
| Sant Benet de Casamitjana | East | Ruined Romanesque church | 42.111352, 1.997030 |
| Riera de Merlès | East | Pools for bathing | 42.103391, 2.006299 |
| La Quar | South | Village and pla de la Quar | 42.105412, 1.981894 |
| Santa Maria de la Quar | South | Sanctuary on a crag | 42.105748, 1.973661 |
| Sant Pere de la Portella | South | Benedictine monastery | 42.103686, 1.951047 |
| Font de l'Abat | South | Spring below a rock wall | 42.105786, 1.955395 |
| Presa del Sois | South | Dam on the rec de Sois | 42.107158, 1.955395 |
| Pontet de Can Dou | South | Small stone bridge | 42.105009, 1.946113 |
| Sant Maurici de la Quar | South | Church and municipal seat | 42.081190, 1.961649 |
| Roc de la Veu | West | Summit and viewpoint | 42.111958, 1.944715 |
| Coll del Tei | West | Col between two summits | 42.116077, 1.944321 |
| Els Gira-sols | West | Conglomerate summits | 42.116388, 1.942387 |
| Salga Aguda | West | Highest point of the range | 42.119215, 1.951438 |
| Sant Miquel de les Canals | West | Romanesque chapel, 1168 | 42.110742, 1.921089 |
| Cingle de la Por | West | Little-known summit | 42.113763, 1.932257 |
| Collet dels Pins | West | Linking col | 42.114341, 1.931858 |
| Serrat del Migdia | West | Summit in the west | 42.118063, 1.931685 |
| Picancel Oest | West | Viewpoint over els Agullons | 42.116557, 1.924651 |
| Pic de Perris | West | Summit in the west | 42.117517, 1.938565 |
Coordinates and altitudes from the GPS track recorded on the ground. GPS altitudes may differ by a few metres from the official heights on maps. The three car parks for the walks are not places to visit: they appear in the "Getting there" part of each stretch.
East sector: the ridge above Borredà
The first walk follows the ridge that separates Borredà from La Quar, from east to west, and returns along the north face. It takes about two or three hours, with short but repeated climbs.
Getting to the Aparcament Picancel Est: from the Pont de Sant Joan, go back about a kilometre along the C-26 towards Vilada. Just after kilometre marker 164, on the left, a turning drops down to the Mergançol; cross the river by the bridge and keep climbing southwards for 1.5 km to a junction. There take the left-hand track, heading east, and after about a kilometre leave the car (42.120734, 1.990185). Keep the map handy on this stretch.
Coll de Forcons and Pi Escabellat
Right beside where you leave the car, on the right, a paint mark shows the start of the climb. After about 300 metres of path you reach the Coll de Forcons, the first breather, with a good view over the Borredà valley.
From the col, follow the ridge. The path is more sensed than seen, but you cannot go wrong: always upwards along the crest. At the top is the Pi Escabellat, the first summit of the day and an excellent viewpoint over the valleys of La Quar and Borredà. From here you can already make out the sanctuary of Santa Maria de la Quar, perched on its crag.
Getting there: from the Aparcament Picancel Est, along the paint-marked path on the right; about 300 metres to the col and then up the ridge.
Coordinates: Coll de Forcons 42.118545, 1.986862 · 978 m · map — Pi Escabellat 42.117426, 1.982101 · 1086 m · map
Serrat de l'Envista
Also known as the Serrat de les Tallades, it is the highest summit in the east sector. To get there you lose a little height at the Coll dels Tres Roures and climb again along the same ridge.
From the top, looking west, the sharp outline of the Salga Aguda appears: the highest point of the range and the goal of the second walk.
Getting there: carry on along the ridge from the Pi Escabellat, with a short descent to the Coll dels Tres Roures before the final climb.
Coordinates: 42.117490, 1.975902 · 1135 m above sea level · open in map
Coll de la Creu de Salga and Casa de Salga
About 500 metres west of the Serrat de l'Envista, still on the ridge, you drop to the Coll de la Creu de Salga, the low point between the summit and the path up to the old Salga house. It is an important junction: one path goes down south towards La Quar and another north towards Borredà.
The Casa de Salga is an abandoned farmhouse in ruins, but its very high position gives it magnificent views. In front there is a dry pond and a large meadow. Inside you can still see the wooden beams and floors, and from the meadow La Quar is visible to the south.
Getting there: from the col, go down the northern path; after a few metres there is a junction and the left-hand branch, heading west, leads straight to the house.
Coordinates: Coll de la Creu de Salga 42.118584, 1.970493 · 1019 m · map — Casa de Salga 42.119550, 1.967595 · 1076 m · map
Font de Salga and Font del Llop
These are two very different springs, and it is best not to expect too much. The Font de Salga is often completely dry, among vegetation and a few fallen trees, although it is not hard to find. To get there, go back to the Coll de la Creu de Salga, cross it at right angles and follow the path signposted "Font".
The Font del Llop lies on the north face, right beside the path. It is not particularly pretty and the surroundings were a little messy on our last visit, probably because of forestry work in the area. It is useful mainly as a landmark on the way down.
Getting there: from the Font de Salga, go back to the main path and head down north to a wide track; about 300 metres to the left the Font del Llop appears on the right. Following the track some 500 metres further you reach a junction you have already driven past: the path climbing to the right takes you back to the car park.
Coordinates: Font de Salga 42.118907, 1.972612 · 1006 m · map — Font del Llop 42.120611, 1.972896 · 913 m · map
Sant Benet de Casamitjana or de Vila Plana
It is a small, simple Romanesque church in the municipality of Borredà, with a single nave and a semicircular apse. It has an oculus and a bell tower, facing west.
Over the centuries it has undergone every kind of change: of the original only parts of the walls and apse remain. The roofs were replaced between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, when the door in the south wall was also blocked up and a new one opened in the west wall. On our last visit that door had gone, the roof is caving in and the woods are swallowing it up. A shame.
Very close by is the Casamitjana farmhouse, documented from 1417 in the will of Guillem Besora. In 1444 Joan Casadejús also left it in his will, along with a sum of money to restore it.
Getting there: back at the car, drive on along the same track for 1.5 km. There are a couple of junctions: at all of them, keep right.
Coordinates: 42.111352, 1.997030 · 881 m above sea level · open in map
Riera de Merlès
After so much ridge, this is where you will want to stop. Looking to the right of the road, heading south, there is a stretch of the stream full of small pools where you can bathe and rest for a while before carrying on.
The riera rises near Sant Jaume de Frontanyà, where several streams meet at the Rasos del Tubau, crosses the Ripollès, the Berguedà, Osona and the Bages and flows into the Llobregat between Puig-reig and Navàs.
Getting there: from Sant Benet, follow the track for 1.5 km to the riera de Merlès road.
Coordinates: 42.103391, 2.006299 · 670 m above sea level · open in map
South sector: La Quar and the Portella valley
This stretch is done almost entirely by car. You drop down to the riera de Merlès, climb up to La Quar and its sanctuary, and carry on to the monastery of Sant Pere de la Portella, where the tarmac ends. From there a forest track runs up the Portella valley, with a spring, a dam and a little bridge that are worth a stop. Sant Maurici de la Quar lies off the route and we leave it for the end of the day.
La Quar
La Quar is a municipality of about 38 km² bordering Borredà, Vilada, Cercs, Sagàs, Olvan and Lluçà. It was the centre of the old barony of la Portella and has always been very small: today it has just a few dozen inhabitants, isolated at the foot of the south face of the Picancel.
The nucleus regarded as the head of the municipality is up above, on a great mountain of rock, with the hamlet and the sanctuary of Santa Maria. At its foot lies the pla de la Quar, a string of houses and farmhouses among fields. It is all so scattered that the town hall is not even here, but further south, at Sant Maurici de la Quar.
Getting there: from the riera, drive about 300 metres south along the road to a track climbing on the left. That track leads straight to the La Quar road; there turn right and follow it to the village.
Coordinates: 42.105412, 1.981894 · 883 m above sea level · open in map
Sanctuary of Santa Maria de la Quar
The sanctuary crowns a great rock formation that can be seen from the whole range. At the top there is a broad platform with two viewpoints at either end and, in the middle, the hamlet and the sanctuary.
It is a very old place. It already appears in the consecration record of the cathedral of la Seu d'Urgell in 839, was resettled in the time of Guifré el Pilós (Wilfred the Hairy) and was consecrated by bishop Nantigís in 899. When the monastery of la Portella was built nearby it lost importance: the lords of la Portella gave it to the monastery in 1069 and from then on the monks looked after it, adding a bell tower in the sixteenth century and chapels in the eighteenth.
The statue of Santa Maria de la Quar, a Romanesque wooden Virgin 1.35 metres high, seated with the Child on her lap, is now kept at Sant Maurici for safety. One piece of folklore survives: the holy water in the stoups was said to cure warts, which is where the Font de les Berrugues (Warts Spring) at the top comes from.
Getting there: from La Quar, follow the road north and, after about a kilometre, a well-signposted turning branches off to the right. You can go all the way up by car or on foot; there is also a fairly steep path climbing from the pla de la Quar road.
Coordinates: 42.105748, 1.973661 · 1054 m above sea level · open in map
Monastery of Sant Pere de la Portella
It is a Benedictine abbey in a great hollow on the right-hand side of the Portella valley. The church dates from the eleventh century and is well preserved, although it has been altered many times. Beside it is a two-storey cloister from the fifteenth century.
It is documented from around the year 1000 and the church was consecrated in 1035. It went through a long decline, made worse by the plague of 1348, which left it abandoned; in the sixteenth century it suffered an attack by bandits in which the abbot was killed. In 1617 it was united with the monastery of Sant Pau del Camp in Barcelona, which gave it new life until the exclaustration of 1835. Its last use was a curious one: between 1839 and 1840, at the end of the First Carlist War, it housed the studies of the University of Cervera, moved here from Solsona.
Getting there: from the sanctuary, go back to the main road and follow it to the end of the tarmac. The monastery is straight ahead.
Coordinates: 42.103686, 1.951047 · 800 m above sea level · open in map
Font de l'Abat and Presa del Sois
The Font de l'Abat is one of the prettiest springs we can remember. It is surrounded by vegetation and set between semicircular rock walls that rise high above; in rainy spells threads of water fall down the vertical face. In the middle there is a stone table, perfect for lunch.
A little further on is the Presa del Sois. The rec de Sois is a small stream that flows into the riera de la Portella, and it is surprising because, depending on the season, it can carry a lot of water. It has a dam of considerable size.
Getting there: in front of the monastery, about 30 metres before the tarmac ends, a forest track branches off. After about 100 metres the spring appears on the left, on a bend and well signposted. The dam is about 200 metres further along the same track, on the right.
Coordinates: Font de l'Abat 42.105786, 1.955395 · 786 m · map — Presa del Sois 42.107158, 1.955395 · 772 m · map
Pontet de Can Dou
It is a very small bridge, but a pretty, old and fairly well-preserved one, crossing the rec de Sois. On top, the crossing still keeps the two rows of stones that edge it. It is worth stopping for a moment, especially since it is right beside the track.
Getting there: it is on the valley track, about 200 metres past the junction at the large farmhouse that leads to the Aparcament Roc de la Veu, on the right. On the route you visit it on the way back from the Salga Aguda.
Coordinates: 42.105009, 1.946113 · 732 m above sea level · open in map
Sant Maurici de la Quar
It lies a little outside the Picancel, but it is worth the visit. It is one of the liveliest spots in the municipality and home to the La Quar town hall. There are three things to see: the hostal, where you can eat home cooking; the church; and an old cemetery reached by climbing the ridge, well signposted.
The Baroque church was begun at the end of the sixteenth century, was not finished until well into the eighteenth and was enlarged in the nineteenth. It is listed under the number IPAC-3532 and is very well preserved. The Romanesque Virgin of Santa Maria de la Quar is kept here.
Getting there: at the end of the route, retrace your way to La Quar and follow the tarmac road south.
Coordinates: 42.081190, 1.961649 · 868 m above sea level · open in map
West sector: the Salga Aguda and the Canals de Sant Miquel
This is where the two finest walks are, those to the high summits and to the chapel of Sant Miquel. It is also where the 4x4 is most appreciated.
Getting to the Aparcament Roc de la Veu: from the Presa del Sois follow the track for about a kilometre to a large farmhouse and a junction. Take the right-hand track, as if heading to the farmhouse, which stays on your left, and after about 50 metres take the turning that climbs to the right up the mountain. Some 500 metres further up, on a sharp right-hand bend, leave the car (42.111600, 1.947450). On the left, a spot of yellow paint marks the path.
Getting to the Aparcament Sant Miquel: from the Pontet de Can Dou follow the track for about 1.2 km to a very sharp turning on the right that drops down to the stream. The turn is so tight that you may need to manoeuvre, and if you are driving fast it is easy to miss because it is barely visible. Cross the stream and climb a fairly rough track, a shortcut that saves about twenty minutes. After a kilometre you come out on the main track; follow it uphill to the right as far as a barrier that blocks the way, and park there (42.108825, 1.926104).
Roc de la Veu
It is the first summit of the second walk and the easiest to reach. The climb follows yellow marks and has stretches of scree and a steep gradient, but it is short.
From the top a good view opens to the south, over the valley and its farmhouses. It is a good warm-up before the Salga Aguda.
Getting there: from the Aparcament Roc de la Veu, follow the yellow-marked path for about 250 metres to a junction; the left-hand branch leads to the Roc de la Veu.
Coordinates: 42.111958, 1.944715 · 924 m above sea level · open in map
Coll del Tei and Els Gira-sols
The Coll del Tei is a hollow between two summits: the Salga Aguda on the right, to the east, and Els Gira-sols on the left, to the west. It is the hub of this walk.
If there is time, it is worth the detour to Els Gira-sols. From the col, climb left along the ridge to its summits; from the top there are splendid views over the whole northern side of the Picancel, the Catllaràs range, the Ensija range and the Salga Aguda to the east.
Getting there: from the Roc de la Veu, go back to the junction and, instead of going down, carry straight on uphill to the col.
Coordinates: Coll del Tei 42.116077, 1.944321 · 977 m · map — Els Gira-sols 42.116388, 1.942387 · 1053 m · map
Salga Aguda
It is the roof of the Picancel. Maps give it just over 1,170 metres; our GPS recorded a few metres less at the spot where we logged the summit. At the top there is a cross and one of the best views in the county: the whole Picancel, the Cadí and, to the south, on clear days, even Montserrat.
The climb from the Coll del Tei is direct, always along the ridge. To return, retrace your steps to the junction and take the left-hand branch downhill to the car.
Getting there: from the Coll del Tei, turn right, to the east, and follow the ridge to the summit.
Coordinates: 42.119215, 1.951438 · 1163 m above sea level · open in map
Sant Miquel de les Canals
For us it is one of the most attractive spots in the Picancel: broad meadows at around a thousand metres, the Sant Miquel farmhouse alongside and the chapel at the far end of the meadow. It is a small twelfth-century Romanesque chapel in the municipality of Vilada, listed under the number IPAC-3724.
It was consecrated in 1168 by the bishop of Urgell, Arnau de Preixens, at the request of Bertran d'Avià, who had had it built privately. It has a single rectangular nave with a barrel vault and an apse that opens straight onto the nave, facing east. In 1937 it was set on fire and looted, and no original furnishings survive.
Outside it is well preserved; inside it is plastered, with modern paintings and an altar covered in visitors' offerings. On our visits we have always found it open. Antoni Viladomar i Sant Miquel was born at the Sant Miquel farmhouse in the early sixteenth century; he later became abbot of la Portella and of Breda and is known for his support of Counter-Reformation monasticism.
Getting there: from the Aparcament Sant Miquel, walk along the track to a large meadow; the chapel is on the far side.
Coordinates: 42.110742, 1.921089 · 978 m above sea level · open in map
Cingle de la Por and Collet dels Pins
The Cingle de la Por is a little-known summit, but it is worth the climb: the difficulty is minimal and the views spectacular.
From the Cingle, go back a few metres and head north towards the Serrat del Migdia. Before tackling the climb to that summit you go up for a while through the Collet dels Pins, a wooded pass linking the western summits.
Getting there: cross the Sant Miquel meadow again and, instead of going down the track, take the path on the left at the northern edge of the meadow, heading north-east, to the ridge that climbs to the Cingle de la Por.
Coordinates: Cingle de la Por 42.113763, 1.932257 · 1029 m · map — Collet dels Pins 42.114341, 1.931858 · 979 m · map
Serrat del Migdia
It is the main summit of the last walk, the one starting from Sant Miquel. The final climb follows the ridge, always northwards, with the Cingle de la Por lying directly to the south.
From the top, looking west, the nearest summit is els Agullons, which can be climbed another time.
Getting there: from the Collet dels Pins, climb about 200 metres north-east to the path up; there turn left and follow the ridge to the summit.
Coordinates: 42.118063, 1.931685 · 1077 m above sea level · open in map
Picancel Oest: els Agullons and the last summits
This point is not a summit but a place to look from. To the west you can see the last summits of the Picancel, which are not part of the route because they are lower and less well known, although they can also be climbed another day.
The nearest are els Agullons, three consecutive summits. Much further west come the Serrat de Boumort, the Cap de la Canal del Carlí, the Cingle de Boumort, the Serrat del Duc and, finally, the Castellot, right by the Baells dam.
Getting there: from the Serrat del Migdia, following the track about 600 metres to the west.
Coordinates: 42.116557, 1.924651 · 1026 m above sea level · open in map
Pic de Perris
It is the last summit of the day and closes the west sector. It has the typical Picancel shape: a smooth conglomerate dome topped by a rounded block with a few holm oaks.
From here all that is left is to retrace your steps to the car and, if there is time, drive down to Sant Maurici de la Quar to end the day.
Getting there: from the Serrat del Migdia, go back down the same ridge. When you reach the Collet dels Pins again, instead of dropping to the right, go left until you find the ridge climbing north-east, and follow it to the summit.
Coordinates: 42.117517, 1.938565 · 1028 m above sea level · open in map
How to organise it and where to stay
Done in full, the route fills a long day. The most comfortable option is to split it: one day for the east ridge and the riera de Merlès, another for La Quar, la Portella and the Salga Aguda, and a third for Sant Miquel and the western summits. In summer it goes very well with a swim in the gorgs of the Mergançol, right at the foot of the range.
An ordinary car will get you to Vilada, Borredà, La Quar, la Portella and Sant Maurici, but some track sections, above all the shortcut towards Sant Miquel, need a 4x4. Take water with you: the Font de Salga is usually dry.
Our three places to stay in Borredà are at the foot of the Picancel, are let whole and take pets at no extra cost:
- Masia El Pati: a farmhouse of 1600 with 6 bedrooms, 20 beds, a swimming pool and 1,000 m² of garden.
- Apartment ideal for couples: open-plan, with a large window and a fireplace.
- Charming rural apartment: with air conditioning and a chill-out area.
Frequently asked questions about the Picancel range
Where is the Picancel range?
In the Berguedà, between the Mergançol river, with Vilada and Borredà, to the north and the municipality of La Quar to the south. To the west it reaches Berga and the Baells reservoir, and to the east almost as far as the riera de Merlès. It is the first range of the Pre-Pyrenees when coming from central Catalonia.
What is the highest summit?
The Salga Aguda, at just over 1,170 metres. From the summit you can see the whole Picancel, the Cadí and, to the south, even Montserrat.
Do you need a 4x4?
For the whole route, yes. Most of it is on mountain tracks in good condition, but some sections, above all the shortcut towards the Sant Miquel car park, call for a 4x4. La Quar, Santa Maria de la Quar, la Portella and Sant Maurici can be reached by tarmac road.
How much time do you need?
Doing all the visits and walks, about ten hours. The three long walks, from the Picancel Est, Roc de la Veu and Sant Miquel car parks, take between two and three hours each and can be done on different days.
What churches and monuments are there?
The Benedictine monastery of Sant Pere de la Portella, consecrated in 1035; the sanctuary of Santa Maria de la Quar, consecrated in 899; the Romanesque chapel of Sant Miquel de les Canals, from 1168; the church of Sant Benet de Casamitjana, now in ruins; and the Baroque church of Sant Maurici de la Quar.
What wildlife can you see?
Most often you will come across groups of wild goats and red deer. There are also mustelids, peregrine falcons, long-eared owls and, in the streams, grass snakes.