The Via del Nicolau

The Via del Nicolau is a route previously built for timber transport and later modified for tourist purposes. This place generates a lot of attraction for its tunnels and suspension bridges, so if you have in mind a family tour, you should go through this place and enjoy all its attractions, besides that, the Bastaren River Valley is a beautiful place to relax.

History of La Via del Nicolau

This road was built by Tomas Nicolau Prieto at the beginning of the 20th century to transport wood from Gisclareny to Guardiola de Berguedà. Years later, with the arrival of new means of transport, it ceased to be used and was later restructured for tourist purposes and converted into a nature trail.

The whole way along the route is very special, as it passes through several tunnels and bridges, one of which is a 35-metre long suspension bridge that will impress the little ones in the family.

Route towards La Via del Nicolau

The excursion along the Via del Nicolau is approximately 12 km long and must be guided by experts in the area. This route takes at least 3 hours and its starting point is at the Ecomuseum of Sant Joan del Avellanet and must always be travelled in a straight line for 6 km, so it does not require much difficulty.

The route along the Via del Nicolau is suitable for the whole family and has only a few slopes. The only drawback is its length, as the route is a straight line section of at least 6 km outward and 6 km back, although it does not require much physical condition to walk it, it does take energy and time, so it is advisable to go at a slow pace to avoid fatigue. The estimated time to cover the whole route is about 4 or 5 hours, but it all depends on the pace and the number of stops you make.

A very attractive option to make the route shorter is to do it one way and return by car to the starting point.

As it is a long walk, this trail should be visited with comfortable sports clothing and footwear to avoid foot injuries. Your luggage should be light, but your backpack should include several bottles of water and food, as there are no food or water stops anywhere along the trail.

Do this walk without fear

It is important to know that the whole of the Via del Nicolau is well signposted along its entire route, so it is completely impossible to get lost along the way. However, the most attractive part of the route are the tunnels and bridges that must be crossed, the most outstanding of which is the 35-metre long suspension bridge.