The river of life

A walk through the Sebes nature reserve, on the banks of the Ebro, in front of Flix

Technical data

Other eyes have seen the Ebro from up here. What must this territory have been like during the first Iron Age? What was going through the minds of the inhabitants who sat on top of the hill of Sebes when they beheld the majestic river? The lives of those ancestors must not have been idyllic, worried about a never-guaranteed subsistence. Now, one thing is for sure, for them the river was synonymous with life, as it still is today. The river is an identity, it is a soul, it is a will for the future, it is something big, immemorial, almost atavistic, a spatial and psychic reference that is very difficult to grasp from the offices where transfers and public works are planned.

The proposed walk passes through Sebes, a natural area of great ecological value, declared a wildlife nature reserve in 1995. It is now one of the largest reedbeds in Catalonia, with an excellent riparian forest that has become in a fantastic shelter especially for a large number of birds. The walk also allows you to get closer to the place where the protohistoric village was built. The remains of some walls and the space where the burials took place are visible. However, probably the most evocative are the views from the hill to let your imagination fly four thousand years ago.

Tracks

Recommended map

Flix 1:20.000 Ed. Piolet

Route description

From the Director’s farmhouse (1) take the main road, parallel to the river, in the upstream direction. The route coincides with the El Camí de l’Ebre route (GR 99), to the Cigonyes observatory. Not long after, on the left hand side is another of the wooden walkways that go into the fantastic riverside forest that treasures Sebes (2); the rainforest-like environment that can be found in a Mediterranean climate. Continuing along the path, you come to the Pitoia farmhouse (3), where a visual screen has been installed for wildlife observation and the Camí de Sirga interpretation center dedicated to men who sailed up and down for centuries. de l’Ebre (the entrance is managed in the farmhouse of the Director). Next, on the left, is another of the wooden walkways that lead into the fantastic riverside forest and the Lo Galatxo observatory. In the meadows near the river it is easy to find grazing horses from the French Camargue managed by the floodplain grasslands of the Reserve. Its hooves are especially adapted to the wetlands of wetlands.

Finally, we come to the Cigonyes observatory (4). In 2001, the interesting project of reintroducing white storks to the Ebro began and today there are fourteen couples living in the reserve. Contemplating them in their nests, or walking with their long legs in the middle of reeds and horses, a few meters from the observatory, is a truly fascinating life show and highly recommended for all audiences.

After the observatory there is a fork (5). Follow the path on the right that goes up the corner of Xineta. Immediately, on the right (6), you leave a road that takes the direction of the return, gliding between fields of olive trees.

You leave several paths to the right and left until you reach a fork (7) almost at the height of the Director’s farmhouse. The path on the left passes by the hill in front (8), where the protohistoric village was located. From the burial area you can go directly down to find the access track to Sebes; however, it is usually more comfortable to go back a little (7) and go down the road to head, again, to the Director’s farmhouse. From here you can also access the wooden walkway that takes us to the La Llacuna observatory and the Vall de Sant Joan observatory.

Recommendations

Coming from the south along the C-12 road (Eix del Baix Ebre), at the Flix exit, just after crossing the bridge, on the left, you will find the dirt road that enters the Natural Reserve of Sebes and which gives access to the Mas del Director, information center of the reservation and start of the walk.

You can find more information about the Sebes Nature Reserve at www.sebes.cat. You can also consult the agenda of Natura en familia activities that the Grup de Natura Freixe, the Reserve’s managing body, offers throughout the year at www.freixe.cat/agenda. It is worth visiting the wildlife observatories early in the morning, when the wildlife is most active. Bring binoculars if you have any. The show can be unforgettable.

To be able to follow the route correctly, you need to download the track. The route has interpretive signs for the nature reserve itself and differentiated signs indicating the Iberian village. However, at some point the signage does not provide the necessary directional information.

Ajut pel projecte estratègic “Desenvolupament de l’oferta de senderisme i cicloturisme a la Ribera d’Ebre”. Operació: Ajuts destinats als projectes de cooperació dels grups d’acció local.

Actuació del Programa de Desenvolupament Rural de Catalunya 2014-2020, cofinançada per:

Consell Comarcal
de la Ribera d'Ebre

Plaça Sant Roc 2
Mora d’Ebre 43740
977 40 18 51 · 8h a 15h

The river of life

A walk through the Sebes nature reserve, on the banks of the Ebro, in front of Flix

Technical data

Technical data

Introduction

Map and tracks

Description

Recommendations

Images

Introduction to the route

Map and tracks

Tracks

Recommended map

Route description

Recommendations

Image gallery

Consell Comarcal
de la Ribera d'Ebre

The river of life

A walk through the Sebes nature reserve, on the banks of the Ebro, in front of Flix

Technical data

Technical data

Introduction

Map and tracks

Description

Recommendations

Images

Introduction to the route

Map and tracks

Tracks

Recommended map

Route description

Recommendations

Image gallery

Consell Comarcalde la Ribera d'Ebre

Consell Comarcal
de la Ribera d'Ebre