Puig de Bassegoda

The Puig del Bassegoda (1,373 m) is one of the most emblematic peaks of the Alta Garrotxa region, although not its highest. It stands out for its unmistakable pointed silhouette and isolated position, making it a privileged viewpoint situated between the Garrotxa and Alt Empordà comarcas, at the heart of the Alta Garrotxa Natural Interest Area.

Geologically, Bassegoda is composed of Eocene limestone rocks, resulting from complex Alpine folding. It is an antiformal stack formed by multiple thrust sheets, with historical evidence of galena and baryte mining in the surrounding areas.

The ascent is a classic but demanding route, often listed among the "100 essential summits" by the FEEC (Catalan Federation of Mountaineering). The final section requires scrambling (level I/II) up a rocky "keep," which is currently equipped with chains and metal staples. From the summit, an impressive 360-degree panorama unfolds, stretching from the Gulf of Roses to the Canigó, Montseny, and much of the eastern Pyrenees.

The peak holds significant cultural importance, as Marià Vayreda set the beginning of his renowned novel La Punyalada in this very setting, a landscape historically associated with 19th-century bandits. At its base lies the Romanesque church of Sant Miquel de Bassegoda (12th century).