It's a natural park

The Suratell (Quercus suber) is located on the mountain of Sant Julià, very close to Mas Llong. We will take the forest track that comes out of the bridge that crosses the highway behind the BP gas station and the Quick restaurant. We will follow the forest track that gains altitude until we reach the intersection that would take us to Sant Julià. We must therefore be careful and take the fork on the left, following the track and trying not to take a second fork on the right that would take us to the Portell pass.
Once we reach Mas Llong we will leave the car and if we look up to the west we can distinguish with some difficulty the highest branches of the Suratell. Crossing the old fields of Mas Llong and with our eyes on the Suratell, if the forest is not dirty and we can access it with a path that comes from the previously mentioned track of the Portell pass.

Characteristics: the approximate measurements would give a height of almost 16 m. and a perimeter of more than 5 m. Currently the tree is in a clear process of senescence.

Curiosities: the Mas Llong trail to the Portell pass was built during the Great War with the aim of storming the Bellaguarda castle. Later it was used for smuggling.
Under the shade of the branches of the suratell and around its trunk, the Trabucaires de l’Albera group took their group photo to promote their activities. The Jonquerenc Hiking Center has also made numerous excursions there and in one of them a photo was taken in which you could see the number of people needed to hug the trunk of the suratell.

You will find a route that leads there on our Wikiloc: https://ca.wikiloc.com/rutes-senderisme/itinerari-de-el-suratell-i-st-julia-dels-torts-122164140

Source: https://www.infojonquera.cat/noticia/37549/arbres-monumentals-de-la-jonquera

The stone beech is a large specimen that supports a granite stone weighing about 700 kg at the fork of one of the main streams about 3 meters off the ground.

After contemplating it, one cannot help but wonder how this object ended up there. We do not have an irrefutable answer, we can only let our imagination run wild...

- Some think that the stone block was placed in this place, the result of a game between coal miners (there are coal mines nearby).

- Others suppose that those who placed it in this place were looking for the reinforcement of the wood of the tree in order to obtain a particularly resistant piece.

- Local popular culture has given a legendary explanation of strong and iron men: The grandparents said that about 100 or 200 years ago, the farmer of the Mas de Mirapols and the Mas de les Vinyasses were at odds, the two farms being equidistant from the Faig. In moments of greatest crisis and anger, to vent their anger, they had the habit, strong as they were, of throwing stones at each other from each farm. The Pedra del Faig would therefore be the result of these fights, a rock that fortunately did not reach its target. (Legend explained by Tomàs Masó in Lluís Serrano, 2011).

- Or perhaps an earth movement made the stone roll down the slope until the powerful gap stopped it...

You will find a route that leads there on our Wikiloc: https://ca.wikiloc.com/rutes-senderisme/itinerari-del-faig-de-la-pedra-itinerari-3-del-paratge-natural-de-lalbera-122165274

Source: https://mediambient.gencat.cat/ca/05_ambits_dactuacio/patrimoni_natural/arbres-monumentals/am_arbres_monumentals_fitxes/alt-emporda-12/faig-de-la-pedra/index.html

The lying beech (Fagus sylvatica) is located on the Albera ridge. The best way to get there is to take the track that leaves the Portús nord-català car park (in front of the volunteer fire station) and that takes us to the Ullat and Puigneulós passes. About 150 metres before reaching the telecommunications antennas installed by the French authorities, there is a path on the right, in fact it is the last one, and that goes up to the ridge. About 15 metres away it crosses a dirt track that goes down towards the west. Immediately you can see a group of beech trees worked by the wind. The beech we are referring to is the last one towards the west. From a bird's eye view the beech is 200 metres from the repeater.

Characteristics: the tree has different feet, but one of 1.70 m stands out. in circumference and a crown deformed by the tramuntana of 11 meters in length.
Status: tree that withstands strong tramuntana winds, a maximum speed given by Frederic Macau i Vilar made by indirect measurements of 172.9 Km/h is described. The average annual precipitation in Puigneulós and the ridge is 1,053 mm, with an average of 8.5 days of snow per year. On February 9, 2010, the temperature reached -16ºC.

Curiosities: This is the beech forest closest to the Mediterranean. The northern slope of the Albera retains a lot of humidity, even in summer, thus allowing the development of a climax beech forest. As we approach the ridge, the trees suffer the effects of the tramuntana wind, and the branches facing the wind break. Right at the top, there is no forest; and on the south side, sunny and dry, only a few beeches are scattered among the oak grove.
There is a retreat between the beeches shaped by the wind and a cloud that in the region has its own name: the Ruf. It is very elongated, rounded at its ends and is arranged parallel to the mountain range, touching it only by the Puigneulós. It forms before the strong Tramuntana winds, and when the fishermen who are in the Gulf of Roses see the Ruf (also called Rufa or Rat), they return to port.
From the Puigneulós you can visit the snow pit, 150 meters east of the point where you find the forest track that comes from Requesens with the paved road that goes up to the summit. To the east of the summit you can reach the Tenyereda refuge in fifteen minutes. The arrival of autumn is a good time of year to visit this area, just when the forest offers a wide range of colors just before the beech leaves fall.

Source: https://www.infojonquera.cat/noticia/37549/arbres-monumentals-de-la-jonquera

Small-leaved lime of the castle (Tilia cordata) is located outside the walls of Requesens castle. The tree is located 25 m. southeast of the portal, in front of the battlements of the moat.

Characteristics: it is about 13 m. and has a perimeter of approximately 1.5. It is a leafy tree, with a “youthful” appearance.

Curiosities: apart from its remarkable shade, Josep Maria Dacosta, author of the report, recommended a suggestion in his book, which ironically could not be other than an infusion of lime tree!

Source: https://www.infojonquera.cat/noticia/37549/arbres-monumentals-de-la-jonquera

The fir of the Rovellada fountain (Picea abies) is located at the spring of the same name. It is located at km 5 and on the right hand side of the forest track that goes from Cantallops to Requesens. At this point, heading south and next to an old tower is the proud red fir tree.
Characteristics: it is about 25 m. high by 2.10 m. in perimeter. it is a well-planted tree, with good growth, centenary.

Source: https://www.infojonquera.cat/noticia/37549/arbres-monumentals-de-la-jonquera

The swamp cypress (Taxudium distichum) is found in the small reservoir of the Requesens stream, where the waters of the Coll Pregon and Roc dels Tres termes torrents flow into it.
Going up from Cantallops towards Requesens, at the height of kilometer five we first find a trencant and bridge that leads to the castle. It is the second trencant, a little further up, that takes us to the Requesens reservoir and where the cypress is.

Characteristics: non-native tree of our country that rises about 15 m. and has an approximate girth of 1.6 m. The tree was planted around 1898 or 1899 when the restoration work on the castle was being carried out.

Curiosities: visitors to the reservoir may be surprised to find a deciduous conifer that lives in flooded places. This common occurrence in North American wetlands takes on the character of an ornamental anecdote here.
At the end of spring it produces a shriveled leaf, giving an exotic note to a swamp that is more like a lake than a reservoir. In fact, the cypress can survive because there are no sudden changes in level. Meanwhile, the methane bubbles that form at the bottom slide between its roots.
Also among the conifers we can suggest reaching the swamp fir (Abies alba), which along the left bank of the swamp and up to the stream, about twenty meters away there is the fir on the other side of the river, 25 m. high and 2.35 m. girth.

Source: https://www.infojonquera.cat/noticia/37549/arbres-monumentals-de-la-jonquera

It is also located around kilometer five of the forest track from Cantallops to Requesens. At this point we find the old pipe factory or sawmill, which is very much in ruins. A hundred meters further down we find this large cedar (Cedrus atlantica). Characteristics: it is 22 m high and 2.70 m in circumference. It is a magnificent looking tree that belongs to a group of cedars planted years ago among the chestnut trees in the area. If visitors to the area just pay attention, they will soon be able to see how this species of cedar has proliferated in the Requesens area, where they have adapted very well.

Source: https://www.infojonquera.cat/noticia/37549/arbres-monumentals-de-la-jonquera

The London plane trees are found in the center of the municipality of La Jonquera. They are riverside trees, therefore, they like humid terrain. At the most prominent points you will find information stands within the Plane Tree Route.

These are the trees that Josep Maria Dacosta very accurately documented in his book “les 30 millors ombres de l’Alt Empordà”, but almost 25 years have passed since then. Currently there are trees that perhaps are not far from entering this select club. Perhaps, as firm candidates for “monumental trees of La Jonquera”, they could be the cedar of Plaça Àrias Comellas (cover Esquerda 83) or the cedar in the outdoor courtyard of the Josep Peñuelas school, plus some others located in private gardens...
Anyone dare to do a new search? Discover them, enjoy them and if possible, share them with the readers of L’Esquerda.

Source: https://www.infojonquera.cat/noticia/37549/arbres-monumentals-de-la-jonquera