Montserrat: The Mysterious Mountain | | Travel features in association with |  |
|  |
Simon Kirwan, OUTDOORSmagic member and the force behind travel and mountain photography website www.the-lightbox.com, brings us this photo feature from Montserrat. All photos are copyright Simon Kirwan.
----------------
'When the sun sets, drinking from the fountain
I have discovered the secrets of the mysterious mountain'
Joan Maragall, Catalan poet, 1860-1911
 | | Les Agulles - the needles
|
|
 | | view of needles from Monastery
|
Montserrat, a mountain range 40km north west of Barcelona, is famous for two things: religion and rock formations. I have come to spend the day walking the mountain trails, but there is no escaping the all-pervading presence of the Benedictine monastery, and the thirteen hermitages dotted about the peaks of the mountain.
|
 | | Simon gets casual
|
The cable car deposits us at the main centre and the monastery at 720 metres. From there, two funiculars and several trails lead into the higher reaches of the mountain, which ultimately reaches a height of 1236 metres. The name 'Montserrat' means 'saw-toothed mountain' and it's not hard to see why. The peaks and pinnacles that rise dramatically from the massif were formed by the erosion of sedimentary deposits. These deposits had been left behind when geological disturbance caused the surrounding land to sink. The sediment, which resembles builders' aggregate, consists of pebbles bonded together by a hard natural cement of sand and clay. This was then eroded by the action of water, sun, rain, frost and wind, into a fantastic array of sculpted peaks, known as 'Les Agulles' or 'the needles'.
 | | the great explorer surveys the needles
|
Today, the monastery is anything but a haven of peaceful contemplation due to the infernal racket of cement mixers and cranes which have turned the main area into a building site. So it is a relief to take the path to the Sant Miguel vantage point and refuge, and soon the horrendous noise is left behind. It's fair to say that this is not a mountain wilderness, as Montserrat has been a sacred and religious site for over a thousand years. Man has left his mark in the form of footpaths and hermitages, but once away from the main centre, a real mountain spirit pervades.
 | | The Monastery from the Sant Miguel viewpoint
|
The vantage point at the Creu de Sant Miguel provides an impressive view of the monastery and down to the valley, and soon we reach the hermitage of Sant Miguel. At a junction of paths, signposted in the European style, we head up towards the Sant Jeroni peak, highest point of the Montserrat massif. Waymarked paths are not to everybody's taste, no doubt the cairn-demolition brigade would disapprove, but they are fact of life in European mountains, and anyone who has walked in the Alps will be familiar with the flashes of red and green paint to indicate which trail you are following. In all honesty I actually find it a pleasure not to be constantly consulting the map to ascertain exactly where I got lost.
 | | Refuge of Sant Joan
|
Soon we emerge at the head of the Sant Joan funicular, inoperative today due to the building work, and therefore deserted, despite the presence of large numbers of tourists at the main centre. In fact, I pass only two other walkers all day on the higher reaches, and have the pleasant sensation of having this spectacular mountain to myself.
I pause to admire the rocks of Sant Salvador before pressing on to the prominent needles of Gorra Marinera, Magdalenes, and Gorra Frigia, which I traverse around. |  | | needles of Gorra Marinera, Magdalenes, and Gorra Frigia
|
|
 | | last steps to Sant Jeroni summit
|
I now get my first glimpse of Sant Jeroni, and the unmistakeable upright tower of Cavall Bernat, Bernard the Horse. At the head of the valley a wooden bridge crosses the Torrent of Santa Maria, and the path, still dotted with patches of snow, leads through the pines to the refuge of Sant Jeroni. |
 | | Direction finder on Sant Jeroni |
From there it is short pull to the highest point, which consists of a railed platform and large direction finder. |  | | Heroic pose on adjacent summit - note absence of railings, and rocket launcher |
Alongside is another peak, this time devoid of rails, but it does possess a trig point and what looks like a rocket launcher, and creates a satisfying sense of exposure and of being on a mountain-top. So I set up my camera on the self-timer and pose for the obligatory summit shot. | | Looking down, I see two climbers who have just scaled one of the many needles, and we exchange waves before they set off. The first documented climb of the Montcau, one of Montserrat's peaks, took place in 1851, but it took over one hundred years to make ascents of some of the more difficult peaks.
 | | Climbers on peak below Sant Jeroni
|
 | | View from Sant Jeroni summit
|
The views from the summit platform are truly spectacular, to the north the snow-capped Pyrenees dominate the horizon, while to the south I can see the waters of the Mediterranean but the peaks of Mallorca are lost in the haze today. | |
 | | view north, Pyrenees in distance
|
I spend a happy hour gazing at the surrounding pinnacles, while two Catalan robins boldly approach my recumbent form but are disappointed by my lack of a packed lunch to share.
 | | Catalan robin on Sant Jeroni
|
All too soon I have to return. The route descends the valley by a precipitous path to the Pla dels Ocells, with great views of the needles silhouetted against the afternoon sun.
 | | needles against the afternoon sun
|
Before long I am descending the narrow path of Del Francis, which leads back to the monastery and the ghastly din of the building site.
I catch the last teleferic down to the station, and the train back to Barcelona. I have uncovered some, but not all, of the secrets of the mysterious mountain.
| |
Travel features in association with
|
| | Want to send this article to a friend? Please join here | | |
| | Discuss this article, 1 of 43 messages, read more: |  Alex Ford | |
| Posted: 07/03/02 21:42:00 00 | Simon....
Stunning photos mate, absolutely stunning!
I just wish I could take photo's like that. Thing is for pictures THAT good, it isn't just the gear that you need, it's a really good eye for the photo itself.
I have to say it again...The feature is superb! |
| | Related articles:
| |
|
Offers, Competitions and Promotions
|
