Discover Gurb: Hiking Trails, Hills and Churches

The PR C-41 de Gurb is a 19.296 km circular route of moderate difficulty through the Plana de Vic. The cycling route “Les Parròquies de Gurb” runs through the protected natural area Espai Natural Protegit dels Turons Ausetans and through the agricultural landscape of the plain.

Hiking Trails

The route “Pujada al Turó del Castell de Gurb. Ruta des de la Zona Esportiva de Gurb” is 3.5 km long, passes through Sant Andreu de Gurb and an area with blue marl, before reaching the Turó de la Creu de Gurb. The Sant Andreu de Gurb i Sant Roc route runs through cultivated fields, holm oak forests and forests of Scots pine. The local trail Sender local de Granollers de la Plana is 20.2 km long.

Landscape and Elevations

At 786 m, Sant Julià Sassorba is the highest parish in Gurb and lies in the more mountainous, sparsely populated part of the municipality. The chapel of Santa Perpètua de Vespella crowns a 790 m-high summit between the hollow of the Tuta stream and the Vall de Sorreigs valley, on the municipal boundary between Gurb and Santa Cecília de Voltregà. Serrat de Palau is home to one of the few remaining holm oak forests in this part of the Plana de Vic.

Castell de Gurb stands on a hill rising to 833 m; prominent rock formations there bear the surviving remains of the former structure. Scattered remains of the former Castell de Gurb structure survive on the hill’s highest level; from there, there are extensive views across the central part of the Plana de Vic. The landscaped area south of the church of Sant Andreu de Gurb offers panoramic views over the Plana de Vic.

Culture and History

The present church building of Sant Andreu de Gurb dates from the 12th century; it also retains a bell tower probably dating from around the 10th century, based on its features, and likely pre-Romanesque in style. Santa Maria de Palau has been documented since 1016, when it was referred to as Sancta Maria de Palatio. Santa Maria de Palau has a two-arched bell gable without any surviving bells.

Sant Vicenç de Vespella is a small single-nave church with a rectangular floor plan and a square apse facing east. The present-day church of Sant Cristòfol de Vespella was built between 1759 and 1784 and has a rectangular nave and two side chapels. Only small, badly damaged wall remains covered by vegetation, along with fallen stones, survive from the old church of Sant Cristòfol de Vespella. Beneath the visible wall is a partially preserved circular cistern made of natural-stone masonry.

At the Creu de Mitjavia, a monument was later Christianized by erecting a cross. It remained until 1936, when local residents toppled it, leaving only the base on site, and it was restored in 1988. The Festa Major de Sant Andreu de Gurb and of Gurb is associated with 30 November.

More local pages: Can Trabal, Sant Juliá De Vilatorta, Canovelles, Avinyó, La Ràpita, Matadepera, Montmajor, Santpedor

Routes and Getting There

Gurb can be reached via the C-17 or N-152a, or via the C-25 transversal axis. Sant Esteve de Granollers de la Plana can be reached by car via the Manlleu exit from the C-17, the Vic–Manlleu road or B-522, and the turn-off for Sant Esteve de Granollers de la Plana.

To the main travel overview: Barcelona.