Discovering Sorteny Valley and Parish of Ordino
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What will we find in this excursion?
In October 2020, UNESCO officially designated the parish of Ordino as a biosphere reserve and it joined the European Network of Biosphere Reserves as part of the Mountain Thematic Axis. Today the three levels will be held in the parish of Ordino.
Walk grade
Car park N.P. Sorteny-Sorteny refuge-Pleta de la Cebollera-Pic de Sal- Car park N.P. Sorteny
Today we will move through one of the less frequented sectors of the Sorteny National Park. In particular, through the sector of the Sierra de la Cebollera, where the peak of Sal, at 2.741 metres, the objective of the day, is located. We leave the Sorteny N.P. car park and follow the GRP. Once we have passed the refuge, we reach the crossroads that will take us to the peak of La Serrera. Here we leave the GRP and, passing the Pleta de la Cebollera and the large esplanade of the same name, we arrive at the Portella de la Cebollera. From here, following the border crest, we will reach the objective of the day, the Sal peak. The descent follows the ridge and its different summits to Port Vell, where we descend to the Rialp refuge and through the valley of the same name we reach the Sorteny N.P. car park.
Car park N.P. Sorteny-El Serrat-Llorts-Ensegur Bordes-Les planes de Sornàs Bordes-Ordino-Farga Rossell
The walk starts at the Sorteny N.P. car park and will end, as in the lower level, at the Farga Rossell. To reach our destination, we will have to overcome two objectives, the first one, the Ensegur bordes. To reach them, we will have to go through El Serrat and Llorts and, from here, a steep path will lead us to the Ensegur pass and then to the picturesque Ensegur bordes. We will return to the pass and start the descent to the village of Arans. After a short and easy stretch, after the Cortinada, we will begin the second objective of the day, the Planes de Sornàs bordes. A short but intense ascent following the GR11 will take us to them. From here, now descending, we will reach Sornàs, pass through Ordino and finally arrive at Farga Rossell, the end of the day.
Car park N.P. Sorteny-El Serrat-Llorts-Ordino-Farga Rossell
This long route of about 14 kilometres has two main characteristics: The first is that, except for the initial part which runs along a path, the rest is on a wide track called the "Camí Ral". The second characteristic is that the entire route is downhill or flat. This means that, although it is a long walk, it is comfortable and pleasant. We will start the excursion at the Sorteny N.P. car park and take the GRP that will take us to the village of el Serrat, first near the Sorteny river and then following the Rialb river. From here and until the end of the excursion we will follow the course of the river Valira del Nord all the time. Passing through the Salines, where we will find a fish farm, we will arrive at Llorts, where we will leave the GRP and take the "Camí Ral" (Royal path) until the end of the day. This path, known as the Iron Route, starts at the iron mine of Llorts up to La Cortinada, where we can learn about the metallurgical activity that took place in Andorra until the end of the 19th century. Following the river, we will pass through Ansalonga and Ordino to finally reach the Rossell Forge, an iron interpretation centre, the ideal place to end today's day.
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