Beyond the vineyard: the dry stone heritage

CODE: CAT02/26

Work:

Beyond the vineyard: the dry stone heritage workcamp is a camp based on dry stone works, which were declared cultural heritage by UNESCO.
Participants are going to recover a huge stone wall in a vineyard area and also a shepherd's stone hut. They are also going to work in a Civil War trench area in order to make them more accessible to visitors.
Subirats is a rural area with little towns and villages, so the impact is quite big. Participants will have the support of experts from CESUB Subirat's historical study group, and will meet local people to collaborate in the conservation of the historical and cultural heritage of the area. The working hours will be in the mornings from 8:00 to 13:00 from Monday to Friday. There would be a break in the middle of the morning to rest and have a snack. However, depending on weather conditions, the schedule can be modified. Weekends and off-work hours are organized for visits and self-managed activities.
The technical tasks will be:
- Restoration and maintenance of the dry stone margins between the cores of Ordal and Saint Paul of Ordal. -Restoration and maintenance of the remnants of trenches from the Civil War that are in the same area.
- Restoration of a shepherd's hut located near the Archaeological area of Subirats.
- Location of dry stone constructions using the Wikipedra portal.
-Maintenance Tasks in Saint Paul's Ordal (maintenance of public banks and children's park)
- Build and place nest boxes.
The rest of the time will be for leisure, swimming pool, and other activities, and weekends will be organized for visits and other activities.

Accomodation and food

The participants of the workcamp will be installed in “ZER Montcau”, a multifunctional space of a school in the center of L’Ordal.
There is a large patio, toilets, indoor showers, a kitchen, and a large room where they will sleep. Volunteers will sleep indoors in bunk beds, all together with no gender separation. Volunteers need to bring a thin sleeping bag, pillow, and bed linen.
Volunteers will also have the pool near the school, and because the area has high temperatures in summer, bring cotton and fresh clothes.
The hosting organization highly recommends long-sleeve shirts and t-shirts for working hours and a hat to protect themselves from the sun, and the volunteers will have the chance to go to the pool near the accommodation.
There will be catering providing the food for the volunteers, and snacks and fruit will be provided during breaks. There are vegetarian/vegan options, also other cultural reasons, and any allergy options.

Location and leisure

The privileged geographical situation, a plain protected by mountains by the sea, the mild climate of the Mediterranean coast, and a permeable land, rich in phosphorus, make the region of El Penedès the main producer of wines and cavas in Catalonia. This wine history goes back to at least the 4th century B.C.
The vineyard structures are thus a distinctive cultural feature of the area, and they have been refined over time. The Subirats area, halfway between the Vilafranca plain and the Ordal mountains, has steeper terrain than the rest of the region. That is why, in this area, the structure of dry stone walls and constructions, which are necessary for leveling the ground and plotting the vineyards, is quite important.
Free time and leisure activities will include group games, workshops, and cultural activities to learn more about Catalan culture and the vineyard tradition in the area. Participants will visit cultural and historical areas and museums in Subirats, a wine and champagne factory, and also Vilafranca del Penedès, the Catalan’s wine capital. They will also visit the city of Barcelona, which is only 45km away from the accommodation area, and will participate in the rehearsals of a group of “castellers”, learning how Catalan human towers are made.

Project hosted by

The organization in charge of the workcamp is "Fundació Catalana de l'Esplai" well-known in the volunteering field of Catalonia, as it has been educating children and youth, strengthening leisure organizations and the third sector, improving the environment, and promoting social inclusion and citizenship, with a desire for change since over 30 years ago. The organization organizes a wide range of leisure time and education activities, such as school camps, training camps, or training for trainers. In 2024, Fundesplai projects reached 417.664 people, and every year more than 500 took part in workcamps.

Directions to meeting point

The meeting point will be in Ordal on 18th of July, in front of the local school "El Montcau d’Ordal" (Del Pi street, 1, 08759, Ordal). The meeting time is 15:00h, but the camp leaders will be there waiting for the volunteers from 12:00h.
How to arrive at the meeting point by public transportation:
From Barcelona’s Airport, volunteers have to go to the train station in Barcelona called "Estació de Sants": they can go by train (go to Terminal 2 and take the RENFE train R2) or by metro (from Terminal 1 take metro L9 to Collblanc, and there change to L5 and stop in "Estació de Sants").
From "Estació de Sants" train station, take the train line R4, destination Sant Vicenç de Calders, and stop at Lavern-Subirats. For information and schedules check: https://rodalies.gencat.cat/web/.content/02_Horaris/horaris/R4.pdf
From Lavern-Subirats, take the bus up to Ordal. For information and schedules, check here: https://subirats.cat/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/HorarisAutobusos2016_3.pdf
By car: Take A2 route to Lleida and take the way off at 559 to Vallirana. Then take B-24/N-340 up to L’Ordal.
Volunteers will receive an email with detailed information before the camp from the hosting organization.
LAST DAY OF THE CAMP: Volunteers can leave any time after breakfast and for the ones leaving in the afternoon, lunch will be provided.

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