The Castle, the Guillera Gorges and Pic Pedrous via Casesnoves

Coming from Perpignan, after the dual carriageway (D66), turn right at the Rodès roundabout to enter the village. Head north and turn right at the school, then left onto the "ruta nova de la Conquilla" until you reach the shaded car park.

(S/E) From the car park, continue along the street towards the north-east and turn left into the^second street (Rue de l'église) until you find a long staircase on the right. Follow the path marked "Castell", which continues along a footpath.

(1) At the first intersection, take the path on the left which climbs steeply to the castle ruins, then take the steps to rejoin the path and follow the stony track eastwards.

Yellow markings

(2) After the track turns right, turn left onto the path that descends towards the Têt river and follow it upstream along the Corbera Canal in the Guillera Gorges.

(3) Cross the canal via a concrete footbridge and turn left, following the irrigation canal of the Catalan plain until you reach Mas d'en Colom. On the way, note the ruins of the Pont Aqueduc d'en Labau aqueduct bridge that crossed the gorges and the remains of the retaining walls on the other bank. Join a tarmac road.

(4) Turn right, cross the Têt river and, after the bridge, take the gravel track (DFCI) on the left.

(5) At the first path on the right, climb up the hillside towards La Devesa. This climb offers beautiful views of the village of Rodès, its castle and the Canigou massif. Pass under some old buildings (probably quarries) and above extraction areas.

(6) Ignore the return path on the left (elevation 350) and turn right. The path descends towards the Têt river and arrives at a tarmac road (elevation 167) leading to the village of Casesnoves.

(7) Before reaching the village, take the path on the left which climbs steadily along the dry Còrrec de Casesnoves (left bank). Pass under a large conglomerate cliff of remarkable size. Soon, the path heads generally northwards.

No markings

(8) Leave the marked trail at this three-way junction, letting it continue to the right, to find a gravel track a little further on. Then leave the main track to take a smaller track on the left and quickly turn right to rejoin the original track some 350 metres further on. Continue on the main gravel track and, at the next fork, turn left, still on a gravel track. (This entire hilly area of heath is dotted with the famous round rocks that look as if they were deposited and stacked by giants).

Yellow markings

(9) Join a marked track and follow it to the left, leaving the next track on the right.

(10) Before the track turns right, turn left and after about 300 metres, take the path heading south-west. At the next intersection of paths, turn left (leaving the markings) to reach Pic Pédrous (Puig Pedrós), at the top of which there is a cross (elevation 435). Continue along the path downhill to rejoin the marked trail (elevation 380). Turn left, join and then leave a track (elevation 360) to continue southwest, still on the marked trail, which then heads due south.

(11) At this intersection of paths, continue straight ahead, south, to reach a fork you passed on the way up.

(6) Turn right onto the path you took on the way there until you reach the tarmac road.

(4) From there, continue along the road to enter the village of Rodès via Carrer de la Blanquerra, cross Carrer de las Femades to the next street, Carrer de la Porta Bonica. Turn left, then immediately right into Carrer d'en Molins to return to the car park (S/E).