Cim de Estela, Roc de Auró and Torreta del Ingeniero

We leave the car at the Corbera Sanctuary. To get there we will have to have gone up the Rasos de Peguera road and turn right when there is the Espinalbet signpost (after the Robles and at the same crossroads as on the left it would go to Fuente Fría).

From the Corbera Sanctuary we take the path that comes out to the right of the paved road. Immediately we arrive at a disused forest track that we need to cross and take the path that goes up the right. We will follow the PR marks on a well-marked path that passes through a well-dense boxwood forest.

The start is damn and the climb will make us stick our tongue out with a constant and determined slope. But don't worry, this is almost the most straight leg of the entire route, once passed we will already have a lot of cattle.

After about 10-20 minutes, depending on the rhythm and gasps, we will reach a disused forest track that descends slightly. It may seem contradictory that after the intense climb we have made now we have to go down, but yes, we must continue straight down gently until we reach the house of Can Déu. Shortly before reaching the ruined house, we will take a narrow path that skirts above the house and the surrounding plans.

After this one planned, now the road returns to make a comeback of good work. We enter a pine forest that smells like a good mushroom forest in autumn. At one point in this section we will see a cattle fence, at the time we went it was wide open for the two-legged beasts that we passed by so we could continue on our way to the Source of Tagast.

Shortly after we come across a signpost indicating the path leading up to Coll de Tagast. This is the route we will take back, although you can also choose to circulate in reverse. We recommend starting at the Summit of Estela and going down the Coll de Tagast as it has spectacular views down.

In this section, very well signposted and bounded, we will find a disused forest track. The way up climbs the curves of the road, but if you want to take some time doing it more calmly, you can meander and slow down the gap. Do not suffer, all roads lead to Rome and pass through the Tagast Fountain.

By one way or another we reach a plan with bushes and at the top of the plan, we find the Source of Tagast. If we strictly follow the goals we will have to turn to the right to visit the Tagast Fountain. This point, with excellent views towards Figuerassa and the mists of Baix Berguedà, is an excellent place to have breakfast when we have been walking for 35-45 '.

To continue, we now turn to the left to go looking for the path that leaves Plan de Tagast heading south and that, planning and going up gently, is going to look for Estela's neck. We will soon see the first two objectives of the day: the top of Estela in the background and the Roc de Auró above us, apparently much more upright than it finally will be.

All planning we arrived at a forest track that we followed for a short section until we reached Estela's neck, where a meadow opens before us. We follow it until we reach a wire fence, where it should go to the left. We continue walking along the spinning side and face the Cima de Estela. We pass through an area of meadows from where our objective is perfectly visible, with a well-looking setting from this point.

Before long, the meadow gives way to the black pine forest and the green and blue markings. A sign shows us the way to the Summit of Estela in case we had any doubts. We make a smooth comeback and see how the blue marks deviate to the right, going to look for the edge of the crest of the summit. We continue on the most obvious path, with green marks.

The presence of the stones becomes more evident when we pass a first rocky outcrop without difficulty and finally we reach the section equipped with a rope where we will have to climb. The rope can help us so that the stone is quite smooth and worn by the passage of people. Overcome this section, we enter a small rock chimney that is easily overcome. We turn around towards the southern slope of the summit with some easy climbing section and finally we crown the Summit of Estela, a very straight summit that, due to its rocky and pointed character, enjoys a fantastic aerial panorama on all sides. The view from here of Montserrat and Central Catalonia is unbeatable, and if we are lucky enough to stumble across a day of sea of fog, the postcard is already heavenly.

After gaping at the top, it is time to go down the same path we have climbed, watch out for the difficulties and in a short time we return to the neck of Estela. Now we continue there, heading north, towards the Roc de Auró and the Rasets. You will see that it is very well indicated with signs and goals.

We started to climb and we found two signs indicating two sources very close to both sides of the road. We continue up and after a while we will see the deviation indicated to go up to the Roc de Auró. This summit will be called in a thousand ways on multiple websites: Roc de Oró, Uró or Auró. There are even those who confuse it with the Roc or Engineer's Turret.

Be that as it may, the path is lossless. We follow the milestones for the point that seems easiest to us, we cross a rocky area and begin to climb with flag marks. It seems that Wifredo el Velloso has passed through here! Soon we arrive at the rock section equipped with a chain that will be very helpful. (That it reads that there is a rope should not scare you to make the route, conversely, it is a safety reinforcement in the two most straight sections). Once this section is over, the arrival at Roc de Auró will be imminent.

We go down from the Roc de Auró and now we go up towards the Torreta or Roc del Ingeniero. To go we have two possibilities: undo the path of the Roc de Auró and continue from the deviation towards the path of the Rasets (making force turn). Or directly face the Engineer's Turret through the ridge in a more direct and steep way.

In the GPS track we take this second option. We will have to follow some yellow marks along the ridge and we will have to climb some rocky ridges that if we are used to climbing will not be difficult for us. Finally, we have just reached the highest point of the Turret or Roc del Ingeniero where there is an antenna and a geodesic vertex.

To go down we will go back through the Tagast neck and we will do an interesting circular route. From the Roc del Ingeniero you can go directly east until you find the way down (more direct) or you can go down first towards the Collada de los Rasets and from there, take the road that goes east to Pla de la Bassa and the Coll de Tagast, where we will arrive after half a kilometer.

From this point, we will have a fantastic panoramic view of Baix Berguedà. We descend from the Tagast neck to the plane of the Tagast Fountain in a significant descent section. Once at the entrance of the plan, we can either continue on the path that goes to the left or cross the meadow and went to find the way up. If we take the first option, we will find the way up a few hundred meters below.

Finally, having completed the circular section, we undo the path until we reach the Corbera Sanctuary.

Authors photographs and text: Sergi Boixader