Stage 6: Albanyà - Sant Aniol d'Aguja

Lets start the sixth stage of the Trans-Pyrenees Crossing in the Emporda town of (1) Albanyà (0: 00 - 237m). Leave the town towards the west on the asphalted road that goes up the Muga Valley. You will soon arrive at the (2) Bassegoda campsite (0: 15 - 251m). If we spent the night as this site the stage would start at this point. Leave the campsite and continue on the track. Over the next few kilometres, you will alternate among paved, dirt and cement stretches. After about 20 minutes you will arrive at a track detour. Turn to the left, following the white and red GR 11 markets and the signpost for Sant Miquel de Bassegoda. At this point you will begin the long climb up Bassegoda Hill located more than 800m above where you are now. The track ascends winding inside the forest.  Throughout the climb there are several points where you will momentarily leave the track and take a little shortcut.

When you have walked about 11 km from Albanyà, you will arrive at (3) Can Nou (2:40 - 769m), a farmhouse that offers a bar service (food and drinks). If we wanted to spend the night at this point Can Nou has the for the free refuge Can Galan, also known as the Bassegoda refuge, which is located 10 minutes from Can Nou continuing on GR 11. From Can Nou, leave the track and continue to the stage on the path that leaves from behind the house (N). You will soon arrive at Can Galan. At this point, if you continued 200m to the west, you would arrive at the Romanesque church of Sant Miquel de Bassegoda. However, you will take a path that goes up the NW slopes of the mountain. The path makes some zigzags and eventually leads to a trail, a few meters before reaching (4) Bassegoda Hill (3:15 – 1,105m). The flat track surrounds the spectacular pyramid of Bassegoda and in about 8 minutes and you will arrive at the Bassegoda detour road and Principi Hill.

From this area the road starts that goes up to the summit of Bassegoda (1,373m). If you are doing good with time and energy, we recommend stopping the GR 11 for a moment and ascending this mountain, a marvellous vantage point in all directions: Alta Garrotxa, the Empordà plains, the Canigó Massifs... 

The GR 11's long descent to Sant Aniol d'Aguja starts at Prinicipi Hill, the end of the stage. Soon you will leave the track and take a path. All of the descents will take place on paths that will take you through beautiful beech forests. You will enter the heart of Alta Garrotxa, declared a Natural Interest Space. The wild and rugged terrain that lives up to its name as you advance: Garrotxa means "rough ground". Finally we come to Sant Aniol Stream, which we follow a few meters (N) until reaching (5) Sant Aniol d'Aguja (5:30 - 443m). You are in a beautiful place, lonely and full of magic. The 12th century Romanesque chapel was part of a Benedictine monastery. Around the church, there are the ruins of the old Cal Sastre rectory and the Sant Aniol Fountain, with its renowned freshwater.