Walk the Region: All around Reynès, le Chemin des Mas
with Tim and Chris Parker
Key Info A delightful circuit of 10.5 kilometres which takes about 3hrs 45mins and includes 250 metres of ascent. The official tourist guide book says it takes 2 hours 40 mins – unfortunately we are past the age of fell running! Much of the route is in forest so offers good sun protection if you’re thinking of doing this walk later in the year. Some open sections of piste on the way back. Good paths with yellow waymarks. Walking boots essential. An excellent medium level walk. Access: map IGN 1:25000 Ceret, Amelie-les-Bains-Palada 2449OT |
Start
Take D115 from Le Boulou to Pont de Reynès. Park in main car park next to ‘le Fournil’ former boulangerie/ opposite the D15 leading to Reynès village.
The walk
Cross road and walk up the Reynès road about 100 metres. Turn into the estate Mas Trilles, then take first road left which leads to woodland through a green gate.
A short steep slope leads up to a fast flowing water channel.
Enter woodland and gradually ascend the earth and stone path towards the top of the ridge. After 25 minutes from start reach an area with fence on left. Follow it and reach a wide piste (double track) straight ahead.
Piste soon bends left (ignore descending one on right). Continue to follow it, ignoring all other side tracks. Views are over to Amélie and beyond.
Around 40 minutes into the walk reach a sharp hairpin bend. Turn right on the bend, entering a more open section with several summer gardens/ huts and plots. Gradually head downwards passing 2 houses to emerge on small tarmac road (leading to Mas de Collet).
Turn left and after 20 metres take signed path on left, leading to village of Reynès.
After a descent on rock the path levels off and crosses a small river. A thoughtfully placed footbridge is there for when the river is more than a stream!
Arrive in front of the church at Reynès about 1 hour 15 mins from the start of the walk.
A couple of seats under the trees provide a good place for a break/drink.
The walk continues down the road to the right of the church. Pass a few houses on right to find a spring and the old village lavoir.
From here one option is to walk up the road for about 15 minutes. A more interesting option is to take the path behind the lavoir – at far side of the little green bridge – and follow it uphill to miss a few bends in the road and emerge at the road just where a long concrete drive leaves it.
Join the main road here and continue to a house named ‘La Creu Can Coste’, situated on a sharp bend. Turn left onto piste to left of the house.
Follow piste 150 metres, then take path on left signed ‘Mas Casals’. Descend gradually over rocky then earthy paths to arrive at the Mas.
Cross the bridge and turn left.
Go straight on at crossroad of paths (upper of 2 paths on left).
Continue to Mas Santol, noting, near the Mas, the overgrown remains of a 300 year old cork oak.
Pass the Mas, down the drive to meet tarmac road. Turn right. After 300 metres, road crosses a bridge. Notice the old Pont du Moulin on the left – detour to walk over it if you wish.
Walk up road about 50 metres to find narrow path on right going up into wood – yellow arrow on road facing out of the path.
The path crosses the road a couple of times to arrive at Col de Bossells.
Turn left at the sign. The tarmac road soon becomes a piste/double stony track. Great views open up over the hills and the valley below.
Follow piste to where it divides. Take left fork signed Pont de Reynès (right is Céret) and follow round the hill.
The piste weaves round the hills and gradually goes down to a small road where housing starts. Turn right to follow the road back to Pont de Reynès, arriving on the opposite side of the river from where you started.
Maybe relax with a drink at the bar/restaurant opposite the car park!