Foix river valley to Penyafort

The oldest part of this architectonic complex is the circular tower, which probably dates from the 12th century and corresponds to the remains of the birthplace of Raymond of Penyafort (1185-1275). In addition to this medieval tower, the complex includes various buildings erected as of the 17th century, which were a Dominican convent up until the confiscations of Mendizábal in 1836. Afterwards, the building passed into the hands of the bourgeois Puig i Llagostera family, who made it their summer residence. This building has had several owners over the decades, who have implemented various improvements and projects, until in 2001 it became the property of the municipality.

The river Foix is approximately 40 km in length; it is born in the pre-coastal mountain range (near la Llacuna) at an altitude of some 900 metres, and then crosses the Penedès basin and coastal mountain range until it reaches the sea near Cubelles. Along its course it is fed by various other streams and torrents, although the water regime is typically Mediterranean with notable variations in summer.

It preserves wetlands of great natural and ecological value, especially in the area of the reservoir in Castellet. For this reason, in 1993 the Foix Park protected natural area came into being, currently protecting over 3,100 ha, seeking to preserve and enhance the area’s nature and heritage.

Along the way, we can admire mature riverside woodland, notable for its silver poplar (Populus alba). Poplar trees line the course of the river on the plains, where the groundwater level is always high enough. There are also elm trees (Ulmus minor), plane trees (Platanus x hispanica) and narrow-leaved ash (Fraxinus angustifolia). In the undergrowth we find other plants such as thornless blackberry (Rubus ulmifolius), the elder (Sambucus nigra) and the intermediate periwinkle (Vinca difformis), which flowers in spring leaving the undergrowth tinged blue.

Continuing along the right bank of the river, in the section beneath Penyafort Castle we can find a sizeable reed bed. The common reed (Phragmites australis) is a similar grass to the cane reed, but does not get so tall and has a much thinner stem.

Reed beds are very important for various animal species to breed and shelter, especially birds like the mallard duck, the moorhen, the kingfisher, as well as amphibians like the Iberian green frog and reptiles like the viperine water snake and the Spanish pond turtle.

It is vitally important to keep the riverside ecosystem in a good ecological state to preserve the flora and fauna and to ensure continuity of these habitats as green corridors to help preserve the region’s biodiversity.