AJUNTAMENT DE
SANTA MARGARIDA I ELS MONJOS
With a route that definitively enters the southern part of the Penedès plain, this stage begins at the Santa Margarida i els Monjos train station. It starts in a highly industrialized area, but the asphalt and chimneys soon give way to farm tracks surrounded by vineyards, not far from the Foix River. The stage also has the merit of visiting some of the most important Roman remains in the Penedès. The routes for hikers and mountain bikers (both mountain and gravel) coincide.
Shortly after leaving the starting point at the train station, still near the industrial area of Els Monjos but already in the vineyards surrounding Penyafort Castle, lies the Roman site of Santa Tecla – La Gravosa. Only a section of wall, known as the Santa Tecla Wall, remains visible, which would have corresponded to the rural part of the settlement. The route continues along the Les Mases path, crossing the Foix River a couple of times, until reaching the BV-2117 road, which is followed to the hamlet of Les Masuques (Castellet i La Gornal). In Les Masuques, the road is left behind, and continues through the path leading to the Romanesque church of Sant Esteve de Castellet. Near the church are other Roman remains: the Les Masuques bridge, built of stone and mortar with a single arch, and some tombs where a Roman milestone was originally identified.
Before reaching L’Arboç, the route passes through an old sluice gate, also of Roman origin, which regulated the flow of the Marmellà stream. This fairly well-preserved sluice gate marks the entrance to the municipality of L’Arboç, the end of this stage. After crossing the TP-2115 road, you’ll enter the Moliner path, which crosses a vast plain of vineyards to L’Arboç. To continue to the next and final stage, proceed straight ahead to the Clariana boundary cross. If you follow the track to L’Arboç, it ends at the train station, but first takes you through the historic center of this town in the Baix Penedès region.