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Cova dels Encantats de la Massanella

Cova dels Encantats de la Massanella

Interessant cova de 26 m de recorregut a l'Alta Garrotxa

Albanyà • Alt Empordà26m0

A 26 m long cave in l'Alta Garrotxa, known as the balma dels Encantats de la Massanella, near Sant Andreu de Lliurona.

Characteristics

Location

A little less than a kilometre south of Sant Andreu de Lliurona. Hanging about 12 m above the bed of one of the streams that form the headwaters of the torrent de Lliurona, left bank, just south of some houses that form the hamlet of la Massanella.

Mapa

Entrances

Always verify coordinates and access conditions before setting out.

  1. Cova dels Encantats de la Massanella

    Elevation: 678 m

    42.286305, 2.685452
    UTM 31T (ETRS89) 474067 4681613
Download all entrances as GPX

Photos

Cova dels Encantats de la Massanella - Photo, Albanyà, Alt EmpordàView image
Click to enlarge

Espeleoindex · CC BY-NC 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ · Image © its author.

Image 1 of 8

Description

Morphology

The entrance appears as a small rock shelter 10 m wide. Immediately after comes a vertical step almost 1.5 m high that leaves an opening 6 m wide but very low, so that we have to enter almost lying down. It gives way to a chamber 12 m long by 9.5 m wide. The ceiling is completely flat and horizontal, coinciding with a bedding plane. In the centre of the chamber we can walk upright, but towards the sides we have to stoop. At the end of the chamber there is a low, descending passage that leads us to a sort of gallery which, after making an elbow, comes out into the chamber again.

The dominant morphology of the cave is clastic, with the floor almost entirely covered by slab-shaped blocks originating from strata that have come away from the ceiling.

Speleothems

A later phase of lithogenesis covers a good part of the blocks, so that these have become cemented to one another by the concretion. Through this same lithogenic phase, the cave has concretion-covered corners, with stalactites and small stalagmitic masses.

Progression

To get there, we will set out from Beuda and take the partially asphalted track towards Lliurona. On reaching the coll de la Creu we will take a track that leaves to the left in order to leave the car when it passes beside the stream, which soon becomes a gorge. We will go down to find the stream and follow it a little downstream. Just when we have left on the left a shady corner where a tributary stream arrives, we will go up the left bank and shortly reach the cave. Since the cave hangs 12 m above the bed of the stream, a traverse with an awkward step is necessary just before reaching it. From the car to the cave, about 12 minutes.

History

Known to the people of Lliurona and a few other people, but in general very little known. Albert Sancho heard of its existence and, with some references he had been given, went to locate it. He found it but could not explore it all, since he had not planned to bring a light, as he had been informed that it was a rock shelter.

On 27 September 2025, Albert Sancho together with Manel Cortizo and Ferran Cardona went there in order to carry out the cataloguing work.

For the local people, the cavity is known as the balma dels Encantats (perhaps there is someone who calls it 'de les Encantades'). Since there are many caves 'dels Encantats' in Catalonia and even in l'Alta Garrotxa, we have added de la Massanella in order to be able to differentiate them.

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Bibliography

Totes les dades, topografia i fotografies han estat extretes del web: geb.cat (del Grup d'Espeleologia de Badalona). Apunt del 7-10-2025. Dades: Albert Sancho, Manel Cortizo i Ferran Cardona (ECM Barcelonès)

Source: Espeleoindex (espeleoindex.com), modified. CC BY-NC 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/