The outing will take place on 18 November. The meeting spot wil be the Salón de la Comunidad de Regantes of Vila-real at 9:30 a.m. (Av. de la Mura, 9). The activity is free, but registration is required. Limited places!

One of the Demetrio Ribes Chair's most firm commitments is to appreciate the most representative infrastructures of the Valencian territory and to make them known to the general public. What better way than to do it in the same place we want to defend? On this occasion, we invite you to enjoy the Weir of Vila-real on the path of the Canal Major and the Salón de la Comunidad de Regantes (Community Hall of Regantes).

This is a botanical walk along the bank of the Millares river where we will discover the use of its waters and the hydraulic patrimony that it has bequeathed throughout history and that is still preserved. All of this will be guided by experts and connaisseurs of the history of the irrigation system in a relaxed and interactive way.

The visit begins in the Salón de la Comunidad de Regantes, where we will enjoy its audiovisual show and the exhibition ‘Assuts: tradició, enginy i patrimoni’ ('Weirs, Tradition, Ingenuity and Patrimony').

Presentation

In one of the narrowest meanders of the Bajo Millares, the Vila-real weir has stood since the 13th century. Closely linked to the founding of the city, it is a parapet that has been transformed over the centuries and reformed by successive floods until it is as it is today. The weir diverts the water towards the Canal Major, from which the irrigation channels and small irrigation ditches that supply more than 2,400 hectares of crops originate. In 1869 the Comunidad de Regantes was set up which, from that time onwards, has regulated irrigation and maintained the installations of the water network. In 1886, the organisation built the headquarters where the meetings are held, which is richly decorated with paintings by Joan Bosch i Pons from 1913.

THE COMMUNITY HALL

The meeting point is the Salón de la Comunidad de Regantes, a spectacular open-plan space with allegorical paintings related to water, agriculture and the land. Here we will enjoy the audiovisual show that presents these wall paintings from 1913 and, at the same time, you can also visit our exhibition ‘Assuts: tradició, enginy i patrimoni’ dedicated to these essential elements in the Valencian historical irrigation.

THE ROUTE

After the visit to the exhibition, we will move to the Millares river to walk the route of the Canal Major, where a very rich hydraulic and natural patrimony is preserved. This is a 6.5 km long route (to and from the weir) with minimal difficulty.

The route starts from the Santa Quiteria bridge (where we will leave the vehicles), upstream to the Vila-real weir. We will see and enjoy a landscape with typical riverside vegetation and Mediterranean thicket, among which there are old hydraulic constructions such as the weir itself, mills and beacons. We will also visit the Casa del Azud del Termet (The Weir House of the Termet), restored by the Comunidad de Regantes, where we can see the lifestyle of the disappeared profession of the azutero.

PLACES AND REGISTRATION

The activity is free but registration is required. There are only 40 places available. After that, a waiting list will open. In any case, you will receive an email.

Important: If you cannot attend, cancellation must be requested no later than 48 hours before the activity to allow time for those on the waiting list to organise themselves.

The registration form is available here. It must be completed and submitted by email to the following address: catedradr@uv.es. 

TRAVEL AND MEETING POINT

The journey will be made in private vehicles and the meeting point will be the Salón de la Comunidad de Regantes. The route will start at 9.30 a.m. Punctuality is requested.

LOCATION

SALÓ COMUNITAT DE REGANTS (meeting point)

PONT DE SANTA QUITÈRIA  (start point)

Considerations

• It is absolutely essential that you follow the instructions of the organisers.
• Enjoy the route and respect the environment.
• You are responsible for your own safety and, indirectly, for the safety of other people in the area. When making decisions, use your conscience and good judgement. No smoking, throwing stones, running in dangerous areas, etc.
• To make the experience unforgettable and always positive, we remind you that haste, hunger, thirst and heat are bad companions. Take it easy, take some food (nuts, fruit...) and of course water. Don't forget to protect yourselves against the weather. Sunscreens, caps or hats will certainly prevent unpleasant consequences for those of you with sensitive skin. Finally, don't forget that we will be walking for a long time. Wear sports shoes or comfortable shoes.
• If rain is expected on Saturday 18 November, the outing will be postponed. If that happens, you will be notified via web or by mail on Friday 17 before 2:00 p.m. to avoid unnecessary travels.

• Form (Word)