The River Walk, the old Camí de Sirga

One of the most pleasant walks you can take from Sant Jaume is undoubtedly the one that runs along the river bank to the mouth. There are almost thirty kilometers of path with areas of riverside forest and reedbeds that can be crossed either on foot or by bicycle. From Sant Jaume you can choose to go upstream towards Balada and Amposta, or follow the water course towards the Buda Island. Both directions are recommended. You will find panels that will inform you of the type of vegetation that surrounds you and the birds that live there.

The tour of the River Walk is a very pleasant experience that not only helps you get to know the territory, but also allows you to enjoy it.

The bank of the river has had a determining role in the life of the Delta, old way by which the “sirgadors” went up the river the lutes loaded with merchandise, especially of sacks of rice, with the force of their arms or thrown by animals. The Camí of Sirga stopped being operative at the beginning of the 20th century, when the transport began to be done by train or by road.

Today, walking this path helps us to remember the hard work of those “sirgadors”.

The excursion along the River Walk is also a good way to get to know the journey of the small elvers when they arrive at the Delta. The so-called Eel Route allows you to contemplate the final stretch of the Ebro, the scene of the extraordinary feat of this species that spawns in the Sargasso Sea and whose offspring travel nearly 4,000 kilometers to Europe. Their great challenge is to become adults in the fresh and brackish waters of the mouths of the great rivers such as the Ebro.

From Lo Pasador, if we take the River Walk to the left we go to the small town of Balada located 2.9 kilometers from Sant Jaume. The path is shady, protected by a wooden railing, full of bushes and native trees such as poplars. In Balada we found an oleander that by its size is catalogued like monumental tree. We will pass in front of the island of Gràcia. In about nine kilometers we will arrive at Amposta, the capital of the region of Montsià, with its spectacular hanging bridge. A visit that is worthwhile.

The route to the mouth of the river also begins at Lo Passador and for 8.7 kilometers crosses the most representative river landscapes of the Delta. The road begins to be asphalted until the end of Sant Jaume. In this section there are rest areas and small footbridges over the river to fish and also to contemplate how the calm water flows towards the sea, surrounded by total calm. The itinerary consists of panels where we are informed about the birds that we are seeing and the vegetation of the area, they also indicate us the process of formation of this land. The most outstanding stops are the forest of the Comandanta, one of the few formations of riverside forest that is preserved in full – from here you can see the Mas Illa de Riu, a beautiful manor house dedicated to rural accommodation-, the river Migjorn and, further on, the beach of Migjorn and its viewpoint, the Alfacada lagoon and the Island of Buda.

Duration: three hours round trip.

Special recommendations: Don’t forget to bring a drink and something to eat. There is no fountain along the way, nor any place to buy food. In summer, you should bring a hat and sunscreen. Put on mosquito repellent.