One stage of the Ruta del Montgrí y el Baix Ter passes through the Sobrestany neighbourhood and by Torre Ferrana. Together with the circular route around the former lake of Bellcaire, these offer two different types of route; natural and architectural history add further themes. When planning your trip, it is worth taking a closer look at which place, season, and type of route is meant in each case.
Landscape and wintering waterbirds
Since 2010, the areas of the former lake of Bellcaire have been part of the protected area of the Parc Natural del Montgrí, les Illes Medes i el Baix Ter. In the January 2021 winter waterbird count, the Sobrestany area was one of the three locations included. This brings together protected-area status dating from 2010 and a specific winter event. The first describes the inclusion of the areas around the former lake; the second gives the topic of waterbirds a clear seasonal focus.
Two different types of route
The circular route around the former lake of Bellcaire can be walked or cycled. The fourth stage of the Ruta del Montgrí y el Baix Ter, by contrast, passes through the Sobrestany neighbourhood and by Torre Ferrana. The lake circuit focuses on a loop around the lake, while the other route follows a specific stage through the neighbourhood. This distinction helps put the two route themes into context without combining them into a single route.
If you are interested in the circular route, walking and cycling are explicitly mentioned options. The fourth stage offers a different route: it passes through Sobrestany and by the tower. This connects the neighbourhood’s name to a specific route, while the circular route has its own connection to the former lake.
Santa Maria del Palau and medieval architectural history
The medieval hermitage of Santa Maria del Palau lies halfway between Sobrestany and L’Escala. It is a rural Late Romanesque church with Cistercian influence. Its construction is thought to date to the latter part of the 13th century. The stylistic classification and dating differ in certainty: the Late Romanesque style and Cistercian influence are identified, while the construction period remains an estimate. For those interested in cultural history, the church offers a concrete glimpse of medieval architecture without requiring a more precise date.
Torre Ferrana along the route
Torre Ferrana is a tower with a square floor plan and machicolations on all four sides. The four-sided arrangement and the basic shape provide two specific architectural features by which the structure can be described. The floor plan indicates the shape of the tower; the machicolations are a detail repeated on each side. On the fourth stage, the tower also serves as a named landmark along the route.
Rice cultivation as part of the landscape
In the area of the former lake of Bellcaire, rice is once again an important crop of excellent quality. This adds an agricultural perspective to the themes of protected areas, waterbirds, and routes. Rice cultivation describes a different aspect of the area from its medieval buildings: here the focus is on a crop, while there it is on the form and history of individual buildings. When considering Sobrestany and the surrounding attractions for a trip, you can choose between different focuses, including nature, activity, architecture, and agriculture.
Discover more destinations: El Mas Pinell, Els Griells, La Torre Vella, Estartit.
Go to the main travel overview: Torroella De Montgri.
