Nature, history, adventure sports. Discover la Noguera, one of the most surprising regions of Catalonia,enjoy its landscape and its heritage.
A major agricultural area gives way to the northern part of the county areas of special interest to all those who want to enjoy nature, hiking, biking, climbing, caving .... The region is crossed by major rivers Catalan Segre basin: from east to west, the same Segre, Noguera Noguera Ribagorçana Pallaresa and that profoundly shape the landscape, as these rivers flow north-south, cross the mountains at right angles , forming close to be used to build dams and where we can enjoy many guns. Despite being a very large area, not too crowded nor too transformed.
Environmental tourism resources:
Montsec: integrated into the Plan for Areas of Natural Interest in Catalonia, it is a mountain range that extends from Pallars Jussà and Noguera, more than 18000h. The rivers Noguera Noguera Ribagorçana Pallaresa and two cannons are amazing (Mont Rebei and Terradets) with vertical walls that can reach 500 meters. It is a very pristine natural area and little known with an influx of tourists is very low. Welcomes wild animals such as otters, hawks, eagles, etc.. You can take excursions and visits to the various castles and shrines scattered across the territory.
Montrebei Gorge: This is a canyon formed by the river Noguera Ribagorçana passing through the Montsec, separates the Montsec d'Ares del Montsec de l'Estall and is the only canyon in Catalonia that is more or less virgin without not cross any road, railway or power line. Only the dirt road crosses a partially excavated in the rock which affords a very spectacular about this place, points where the width of the gorge is only 20 meters
Terradets Gorge: Flagship meeting point with the Pallars Jussà Terradets Gorge forms a beautiful natural setting, along with the Montsec and impoundment of the same name as the gorge. The area has tourism infrastructure (hotel, restaurant, cottages) and leisure (climbing, caving, horse riding, water sports).
Mur Gorge: One of the most beautiful trips that can be made by the Noguera is the crossing of the gorge Mur. Segre River crosses the municipality of Alòs de Balaguer and much of this route runs between cliffs and fantastic places like the Gorge Mur (or Mu), where the river is encased forming one of the most impressive sites of its course.
Serra de Montclús: One of the Cordilleras in southern Montsec Ager, lies between the towns of Ager, Camarasa and Les Avellanes-Santa Linya. Is a set of small hills and gentle slopes, never exceed one thousand meters in altitude and in which is steep is because the streams that carry the water to Pallaresa Noguera, the Camarasa reservoir where the terrain lal takes on a more mountainous. It is a fairly unknown territory for hikers, but not without interest.
Cultural Resources:
Rock Art: Cave of Cogulló, in Vilanova de Meià and the Vilas in Os de Balaguer are two of the 16 archaeological sites Lleida we can find in the Noguera, who have been recognized by UNESCO as repositories of cave paintings great value, this is one of the earliest artistic expressions of primitive man in the Mediterranean civilization.
Palaeontology: On the south side of the Montsec, have identified a large amount of deposits with fossils from the late Cretaceous period, highlighting tracks and Corçà Fontllonga. To learn more about the site is recommended to visit the Mirador de la Massana, where we can see a lot of footprints of large dinosaurs. Also noteworthy are the Montsec deposits of rubies, which have recovered a large number of remains of fish, crocodiles, birds, insects and plants for nearly 100 million years.
Mig Segre Route: This route is raised to enjoy the abundance of Romanesque churches to be found in the region, only in the municipality of The Barony of Rialb already 24. We stand out from other former Canon of St. Peter de Ponts (S. XII), the Benedictine monastery of Santa Maria de Gualter, Santa Maria de Rialb (XI), Santa Maria de Vilamajor ... are a good example of the rich heritage of Romanesque art to be found.
Montsec astronomical Park: Located in a unique place for observing the sky and in a privileged setting this center aims to study and popularization of astronomy and geology in our territory. The center houses a permanent exhibition guided tours both day and night to enjoy the world of astronomy, geology, etc. It is located in the town of Ager.
Ager Roman road: The first signs of life in the valley dating Ager at least the Neolithic period and is likely that urban life was formed from an Iberian settlement. Some tracks, such as the necropolis found next to the cemetery today, we testify to a past Visigoth. The result of the intense romanization of the valley are the archaeological remains, the third-century Roman sarcophagus and the second century Roman road, in fairly good condition.
Traditional Festivals:
Transsegre in Balaguer: the Transsegre has become almost a collective summer festival that takes place in the city of Balaguer, where heat, water and a festive atmosphere, are the main components this event, a celebration that claimed the recovery of the river by lowering crazy and non-competitive which gathers original participants on construction craft enthusiasts.
Balaguer Feast of Corpus Christi: with the help of volunteers, Balaguer celebrates the feast of Corpus. Early in the morning in the Plaza del Mercadal the event takes place volunteers who help make carpets that adorn the plaza Mercadal and Miracle Street, places through which the procession.
Meeting of ringers in Os de Balaguer: the municipality of Os de Balaguer and the Guild of Ringers of Catalonia Ringers organizing this meeting to pay tribute to all Ringers, which help keep this business alive.
Soap Fair in Montgai: a mid-April in Montgai soap tradition is particularly relevant. With Soap Fair is to discover, recover the tradition of crafts and craftsmen enjoy we will present related products and processed using methods recognized by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Enterprise of the Generalitat de Catalunya.
Active tourism
Mountain bike: Mountain Bike Centre in Montsec - La Noguera: The Centre is part of the BTT Centres Network of Catalunya and is approved by the Catalan Cycling Federation. This guarantees the quality of the circuits and facilities it offers. It has two reception points (in the Monastery of them and Camping Avellanes Ager) where all services related to mountain biking and from which depart and arrive several circuits. The peoples of Os de Balaguer, and Fontdepou Tartareu are information points where circuits also depart and arrive. In total, offers 490 km of circuits.
Hiking: The Noguera has numerous old trails in the mountains, which offer the traveler the opportunity to enjoy contact with nature and tranquility. It has become a choice of 10 walking routes in the Valley and Montsec Ager, marked in the territory of several levels of difficulty and pass through places of breathtaking beauty.
Paragliding: Due to geographical conditions, a meeting point of the plain of Lleida with the principle of the Pyrenees, La Noguera is a point of great importance in the practice of paragliding flight. The Montsec Rúbies d'Ares and are points of influx of practitioners of free flight, and celebrate the Paragliding World Championships women's European Championship in Spain and hang-gliding and Paragliding National Championships. The climbing enthusiasts can practice the sport in various parts of the region.
Kayak: Because the large surface reservoirs, the space becomes larger with calm waters of Catalonia, is an ideal place to practice. water sports like kayaking and canoeing.