a0264 - Montseny Santa Fe to Breda via Sant Marti de Riells

The route starts at Avet Blau hostel restaurant next to the Sagales 573 bus stop and follows a path via the Centre d'Informacio Can Casades through a picnic area to the Santa Fe Hostel.

Continue along the forest path parallel to the Santa Fe reservoir lake until reaching the dam wall. The trail crosses the dam taking a right forestall trail after exiting the dam wall path. Note the spectacular views from the dam and ends of the dam.

At the end of the dam the cami de can folguerrola takes us into a beautiful forest on a gradual downhill path until we reach a left turn uphill path in the forest. This trail remains in the dense forest until we reach a right turn that is a flat section of trail leading onto an area of thinner forest where we get views of the valley down below.

The route is down hill through the forest via a way point called Portel del bisbe (Bishops portel). The path is an old monks trail to santa fe de Montseny. The trail crosses several small streams as it snakes down the mountain through ancient forests interspersed with rock formations and views over the landscape.

The trail runs parallel to a mountain river, Sot de Gal Cat and crosses it several times. Here the trail changes onto a rural road leading into the tiny village of Riells with a small church and outlying farmhouses. This is a nice place to stop for a short break about half way along the route.

From Riells, behind the church the route joins the GR-83 trail continuing down through forests of cork trees along rural gravel roads and footpaths till it parallels the Riera de Sant Llop river into Riells i Viabrea town.

Riells i Viabrea is a small town of residential houses and not much else. Near to the station is a pizzeria but on the day that I did this hike it was closed. Passing the pizzeria the road reaches the railway lines with an underpass to cross into the Riells i Viabrea-Breda renfe station. This is an unmanned station with no facilities.

If you arrive and find a long wait for the next train, it is worth calling a taxi for the short trip to Sant celoni station which has frequent trains and a cafeteria for food and drinks. A taxi will cost about 25 euros.

Allow 6-9 hours to complete this route depending on personal fitness, it is down hill most of the way.