CIRCLE WITH A DOT

[1/2] Roques de la Vila is a geological formation also known as Muralla (China) de Finestres | the (Chinese) Wall Of Finestres. We followed online & local advice to ️ at Puente de Penavera, a bridge NE of Estopiñán del Castillo, given the state of the dirt road. The 6.4km drive from our pitch in town took ~30 minutes. Although we sighted the formation ~4.5km into the hike, we first came to the former settlement of Finestres (1). It was depopulated in 1960 due to the filling of the Canelles reservoir; only one house, Casa Coix, is seasonally inhabited. A short & easy signposted walk links the village centre to Ermita de San Marcos | the Hermitage of Saint Mark; this is the best spot for panoramic views of the ~840m long formation (2). Folding of strata ~100 million years ago & subsequent erosion have created two primary parallel lines of vertical limestone that resemble a wall (3). Some of the formation is now partially submerged in the reservoir (4). #spain #aragon #europe #travel #camperVan #nomad #roadTrip #vanLife 🥾 #hiking #nature

[2/3] From the second pasarela we could anticipate the upcoming descent to the suspension bridge spanning the 35m gap between Aragón & Catalonia (1). From said bridge at Congost del Seguer, looking into the gorge of Mont-rebei, we could readily appreciate the depth of canyon the river had cut here (2); the cliffs reach over 500m high. Camino Natural de Montfalcó al Congost de Mont-rebei ascends a short way on the Catalonian side to intersect the Camí de Mont-rebei, itself a segment of the long-distance GR-1 (Sendero Histórico). As we climbed to join it we got a good look back at the second pasarela we’d used on the opposite bank (3). We also looked down of course (the path is uneven here) & avoided trampling this big darkling beetle (4); Blaps lusitanica can release a foul-smelling secretion from glands at its rear when threatened. #spain #aragon #catalonia #europe #travel #camperVan #nomad #roadTrip #vanLife 🥾 #hiking #nature