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Coming from Perpignan, cross Prats-de-Mollo via the road bridge over the Tech. At the roundabout, turn right onto the D115a towards La Preste. Park immediately on the right in the car park, which is set up as a rest area, below the right bank of the Tech (pronounced "teck").
Yellow markings from the roundabout
(S/E) From the car park, climb up to the right through the grass and find the steps on the left to access the roundabout. Cross at the pedestrian crossing. Continue along the cul-de-sac under the D115. Very quickly climb steeply to the right towards this road. Follow it on the left for 2 or 3 metres.
(1) Turn left onto theGR®® T83 Red-White, thePR®®, and also towards Cami de la Retirada.
Leave the road that climbs to Coll d'Ares.
Stay on the hillside, do not descend towards the houses. Cross a long footbridge over El Canidell.
(2) After 50 metres, at the crossroads, turn right onto thePR®® (Yellow) trail over an old footbridge.
Leave the Cami de la Retirada opposite and theGR®® T83 on your left.
Continue along the grassy track above, alongside El Canidell on your right. You will come to an old car park. Continue along the track, still alongside El Canidell on your right.
(3) D115. Cross carefully and turn right/left onto a track.
Leave the track on the left, marked by an old yellow cross.
Go around a large gate where there is a sign authorising access for hikers.
Continue along the right bank of El Canidell. Climb the wooden log steps. Cross two footbridges and exit the dense undergrowth, after changing banks, to join a forest track.
Yellow-white markings
(4) Turn left, on the left bank of El Canidell, and continue for 500 metres until the track bends to the left.
(5) Continue to the right along another grassy track, which is a little overgrown. Pass Còrrec de la Freixeneda.
The path now climbs steadily for about 40 minutes through this beautiful beech forest. Follow the yellow-white markings. Leave a track on your left. Keep climbing, staying on the path that climbs steadily. Cross the Còrrec de la Freixeneda again.
(6) Fork in the path. Old wooden signpost. Turn left and head south-west. The area is a little ravined following the bad weather at the beginning of 2020. The path becomes a small grassy track. The view opens up to reveal beautiful landscapes.
A final right turn off this track leads to another, much wider track suitable for vehicles.
(7) Fork in the road. A small wooden signpost is fixed to the ground at this point (March 2020).
Continue right along this comfortable, level track.
Note: a little further on, near a spring on the left, you can access a hut that appears to have been damaged by vandals. It is normally possible to take shelter there.
Continue along this wide track until you reach a large open area before a wide left-hand bend.
Red-yellow markings for theGRP®® Tour du Vallespir
(8) Turn right and descend along a forest path. Directional signs. I have noted: Tour de Mir.
(9) Fork in the path. Cross the pedestrian gate in the fence. Continue through the forest along a pretty path that turns northwards and climbs uphill. The tower soon comes into view.
(10) Torre del Mir (Mir Tower). A beautiful restored building, the upper part of which is accessible and secure. It is a lovely place to stop for lunch.
Do not descend via the track.
Return by the same path to the pedestrian crossing in the fence.
(9) After this passage, at the fork, continue left, descending south-west, and after 120m, you will come to a wide track.
(11) Keep to the far left, heading north-east. The markings are clearly visible and have been renewed (March 2020).
Pass a water catchment on your right below in the forest, then cross a fence via a pedestrian crossing. Arrive at Coll d'en Cé (1,305 m).
(12) Continue up a very slight incline. You will arrive at a cleared area: old fences and barbed wire have been removed, the grass has been cut, and new wooden posts have been put in place (March 2020). Grazing is resuming. Keep an eye out for the red and yellow markings and the few cairns.
A raised hunter's hut (made of sheet metal) is the focal point. There is a very pretty viewpoint behind this hut.
Just before this hut, turn right onto a track, still following the red and yellow markings. The track then leaves the forest. A landscape of green meadows opens up before you. Continue downhill until you reach a few farm buildings and an inhabited building.
(13) El Mir: please respect the peace and quiet of this place. The marked path runs along the edge of the property. Reach the end of the small road (altitude 1078 m). Head opposite along a wide grassy track, ignoring the road.
The path has been mowed and maintained up to (S/E) (March 2020).
Descend while admiring this beautiful place, which was once a densely populated and heavily used area. Join a small road (980 m). Directional signs. Turn left onto the road and continue for about 100 metres.
Pass the beautiful Mas d'el Xatart farmhouse on your right. Pay attention to the markings.
(14) At the fork, turn right and descend along a small, very rough track (cleaned in March 2020).
Note: find and follow the red and yellow GRP®® markings.
At the next fork (at around 895m), keep to the right, descending quickly towards Prats-de-Mollo.
When you reach the houses, turn left, walking alongside them and staying in the forest. Join the D115a (at the bottom of the steps) and walk a few metres to the left to cross it carefully at the pedestrian crossing in the bend and return to the car park (S/E).
(S/E).
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Difficult 
