Camí Picasso

The route begins at the Guardiola station in Berguedà and climbs past the monastery of Sant Llorenç near Bagà. From here, the trail leads to the Coll dels Fangassos through steep country with rugged scenery, then drops into the Saldes valley. It crosses the river on an old lever bridge, passes the Castellot and the Molí de Bosoms, and crosses a torrent by way of a bridge left from the mining days before reaching Hostalets on the old royal road.

Beyond Hostalets, the path passes Cal Coix and climbs steadily toward the church of Sant Julià de Fréixens. The ascent continues more gently past Cal Francesc, where the chapel of Sant Antoni sits just off the route, before reaching Cal Susèn. From here, the views open to Maçaners and Pedraforca, whose distinctive silhouette will stay in sight for much of the walk.

At Maçaners, there is the option to detour to a spring before the route continues through Molers. It passes the medieval house of Sull, then climbs into the town where another fountain sits. The trail then runs along the Serra de Baix, joins the old coal road, and reaches the Molí de la Palanca on the Aigua Salada.

From here, the path heads to Saldes, crosses the town, and continues through the small neighborhoods of Cardina and Serrat. It crosses the main road to Gósol and follows the old road toward Feners and l’Espà. The restored path cuts across the clay cliffs of Coll de la Trapa and drops toward the torrent to rejoin the ancient road to Gósol. This section is striking: the eroded clay has left bare slopes in shades of red, ocher, and grey, a barren landscape of gullies and rock outcrops. It is easy to see why this scene influenced Picasso’s paintings so much.

After Coll de la Trapa, the trail crosses the road again and passes through l’Espà and Sorribes, both worth a short stop. From Sorribes, the path climbs to the Coll del Cap de la Creu with wide views of Gósol. Picasso arrived here in 1906 and later walked north to connect with the Camí dels Segadors, the historic trail used by locals to carry harvests across to Cerdanya in summer.

Leaving Gósol, the route heads north following the PR 124 waymarks. It passes the hamlet of Nas, then climbs a stony slope with broad views of the Gósol valley, the Aigua de Valls, and the Ensija range. The trail reaches the Coll de Font Terrers, where you’ll find a spring for water. From here, it crosses the Pla del Martí and continues gradually toward the Coma de Caners torrent. This is the access point if you’re aiming to reach Pedraforca by the Verdet route. The main path keeps to the forest edge before climbing steadily to Cap de la Portella.

Past the pass, the forest thins, giving way to open meadows with views into the Cerneres valley to the north. The route passes the Roca spring and climbs to Collell, a col that divides the waters of the Llobregat to the south and the Segre to the north. The track, a forest road closed in winter and dusty with traffic in summer, continues to the Pla de les Bassotes. This area takes its name from the small ponds scattered across the plain that serve as watering points for livestock.

From here, the route leaves the track and climbs again, passing the Prat Toixonés, the Costa del Clot dels Moros, and the Prat Socarrat before ascending to the ridge of the Serra Pedregosa. The final approach traverses toward the Clot de Palomar and reaches the Pas dels Gosolans, a notch between Comabona to the east and the jagged northern face of the Serra del Cadí. Below lies the Prat d’Aguiló, reached by zigzagging down stony slopes on the far side.

From the refugi, the path continues on a steep descent that eases into older linking tracks, passing the areas of les Eres, la Badaterra, and les Planes d’Hereus before reaching the villages of Nas and Pi. Near Pi, the way joins the GR 150, marked in red and white, and continues toward Talló. Here, an old forge has been restored as a small interpretation center where you can see how iron was once worked. Local lore suggests Picasso may even have stopped here to repair horseshoes on his journey. The final stretch climbs to Talló and then into Bellver, the endpoint of the route.

The best time of the year to hike the Camí Picasso is in late spring or early autumn. The weather is too hot in the summer, as the trail can be quite exposed. Hiking in May- June or September- mid-October will be cooler while still beautiful. It is best to check the forecast for the month and year you want to hike to be sure that the weather will be comfortable and not overly hot. Additionally, winter is not advised as the trail reaches almost 2500 meters above sea level and can be very cold.

It is important to prepare for the Camí Picasso by packing adequately. You’ll find it helpful to bring comfortable clothes that will protect you from the sun, as it can be an exposed trail. A suggested item to add to your hiking wardrobe for this is a sun hoody, which can have UV protection woven into the fabric and will keep you covered when there isn’t much tree cover. It’s also wise to make sure your shoes have good tread for the incline and descent.

Finally, be sure to pack enough water-carrying supplies (a reservoir, water bottle, anything you like), snacks for the trail, and a basic first aid kit. It’s always good to be prepared!

The Camí Picasso is a moderately difficult route because of its constant elevation gain until the peak at 2426 meters. While the trail is manageable when hiked over four days, halving it to hike in two days would make it difficult, with over 1000 meters of hiking per day. It’s best to train for the trail if you plan to attempt it in a short amount of time.