Traffic lights (Delta del Llobregat)
Looking for a Saturday or Sunday destination near Barcelona , cheap and easily accessible? Fancy a bit of a bike ride overlooking dunes and sheltered beaches? Would you like to observe birds and other animals without leaving the metropolitan area? We have the perfect destination: the Llobregat Delta . Reasons are not lacking: it is the second largest delta in Catalonia (behind the Ebro Delta ), contains the most important wetlands in the region and, most importantly, it is beautiful.
Formerly forgotten by the different administrations and relegated to a second-class weekend destination, the Delta del Llobregat It has been reborn from its ashes and has become one of the favorite places of the people of Barcelona to enjoy nature and exercise.
The Delta de Llobregat, the most important wetland in the region.
The rehabilitation of fluvial spaces in the 16 municipalities that the Riu Llobregat Park It has allowed the citizens of the metropolitan area to reconcile with an environment that was previously hostile because it was surrounded by industrial zones. The work of the different Town Councils, as well as the creation in 2006 of the Consortium for the Recovery and Conservation of the Llobregat River (an entity that no longer exists) propelled the recovery of the final stretch of the river, which rises in Castellar de N'Hug and runs through 175 kilometers to its mouth.
The environmental balance in the territory of the Delta del Llobregat is not easy, since it combines urban, industrial, agricultural and environmental areas. Even so, a sweet understanding has been achieved between these different realities and a an ideal space to spend the day. The challenge in managing this natural space is now to reconcile human use and environmental preservation.
Bird on the back of a horse in the Delta del Llobregat
GET THE BIKES OUT!
One of the easiest options to go from Barcelona to the Delta del Llobregat, if you don't want to use the car and want to bet on a different day, is to do it in bike . Urban interventions have made this possible and, through a series of perfectly adapted and accessible road networks, It can be reached from Barcelona without taking public or private transport.
The network of paths is paved and is ideal for the whole family, since there are no slopes, the routes are very easy and are identified. In addition, along the different sections there are rest and recreation areas for the little ones.
Apart from the benefits of physical activity that means doing it on two wheels, the route involves crossing the Baix Llobregat Agricultural Park , an extension full of cultivated fields, where the peasants of a lifetime struggle to maintain their lifestyle between motorways, industrial areas, the airport and urban pressure.
NATURE AND A SURPRISE FOR THE LITTLE ONES
Throughout the delta you can see different types of trees, such as willows, poplars, fig trees, ash trees , either poplars , duly identified, as well as different animals, especially birds: ducks, kingfishers, herons, harriers, stilts and even flamingos.
Natural ponds and marshes, as well as maritime meadows and pine forests they have become the home of dozens of species that have found in it the ideal conditions to reproduce, search for food or take refuge.
This was not always so. During the eighties, the delta lost part of its natural ecosystem due to industrialization, but now, thanks to different plans and projects, it is recovering. Recently, specimens of red squirrels have begun to be seen in the area, which had left here years ago.
Horses in the Delta del Llobregat
However, if there is a star activity in the Prat River Leisure Park and that excites the smallest of the house, that is approach the aircraft viewpoint, usually full of curious people who are fascinated. Planes fly by surprisingly close and the first time people see it their jaws drop. Some can even tell the difference between the different Airbus models! The most advisable thing is to go first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon, to avoid the crowds and, if it is in the afternoon, to be able to enjoy the sunset.
To see the mouth of the Llobregat in all its splendor, a name that comes from Rubricatus , name given by the Romans in allusion to the red waters of its flow, colored by the clayey lands through which it passed further north, the ideal place is the Bunyola viewpoint.
Bird in the Llobregat Delta
CAL TET ESTANY, CA L'ARANA AND LA RICARDA
One of the most popular sites in the Delta del Llobregat is L'Estany de Cal Tet , where you can see different species of birds. Also from there you can observe the magnitude of the Agrarian Park and the artichoke fields, one of the star products and, in fact, with designation of origin.
Also worth seeing Ca l'Arana beach , a valuable natural space that has a permanent pool of salt water and another temporary one, fed by the rains. the beach is a resting and breeding space for numerous birds and the passage is prohibited.
The natural corner par excellence of the Delta del Llobregat, however, is the lagoon of La Ricarda , an area considered to be of Special Protection for Birds (EPA), which belongs to the Xarxa Natura 2000 for its great diversity of flora and fauna.
This wetland is a protected area and a unique ecosystem: a humid zone with fresh water of quality to touch of the coast. It is not found anywhere, which is why its preservation is one of the priorities of the managers. It is also a nesting space for migratory birds. Its access, as in the case of Ca l'Arana, is not allowed either.
CAN COMAS, THE SEMÀFOR AND THE CASERNA DEL CARABINERS
The Delta del Llobregat is not only a destination in which to enjoy nature, but also hides corners full of history.** In the River Park** you can visit a restored farmhouse typical of the area, can commas , which currently functions as the headquarters of the Baix Llobregat Agricultural Park . They are also very popular the traffic light and the Caserna dels Carabiners.
Until well into the 20th century, the El Prat coastline was a sparsely populated and inhospitable territory, and it was not until 1830 when the first carabineros began to arrive, whose mission was to guard the coast. Eventually, they also dealt with shipwrecks, but their main task was to fight against contraband, especially tobacco.
They were first installed in Caserna dels Carabiners , now half demolished but a perfect spot to take photos. In fact, its ruins are part of the Historical and Architectural Heritage of El Prat and constitute an excellent sample of military architecture. Later, in 1910, the carabinieri settled in the traffic light , built in 1887 to regulate coastal shipping traffic. It ceased to function as housing for this body in 1930. It is one of the emblems and the busiest places in the Park and a visit is a must. The police force was dissolved in 1940 by the Franco regime, in retaliation for its fidelity to the Republic.
Llobregat Delta.
The visit concludes, how could it be otherwise, with a dip on the beach and a soft drink or a cold beer in one of the most flowing beach bars, The squid , which for ten years has been one of the most popular places in El Prat. A must. Concerts and sessions of electronic music and chill out are usually organized. The perfect plan to end the day.
Bonus track! A little further south of the Delta is the Garraf Natural Park, which, like the Delta, is a protected area of high natural interest. Although it is already an excursion for another day, we warn you: you can see dolphins, humpbacks and more than 20 species of birds. The good conditions of the sea in this area a stone's throw from Barcelona favor the seasonal presence of humpbacks, which normally appear in spring in search of krill and plankton.