Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Hiking at Montserrat Spain


Montserrat, Spain – 4/10/19 - 4 Miles


How lucky am I to go from exploring a North Carolina state park to hiking in Spain?

Luck: where preparation meets opportunity!

Our oldest daughter, Megan, moved near Barcelona with her partner, Jordi, in the fall of 2018, so Jim and I planned a visit to experience all things Catalonia with these awesome local guides. The trip coincided with my birthday (61!) so of course there was a hiking requirement. Or two. First up is Montserrat – “serrated mountain.” Just an hour-and-a-half north of the city, Montserrat rises dramatically out the valley floor, majestic and mysterious.

Montserrat has been considered a holy place since the 9th century when a group of shepherd children reported hearing singing and seeing bright lights descending upon the mountain. The light and voices were witnessed by many others, and soon thereafter a wooden carving of Madonna and Child was found hidden in a cave on the mountain.  Referring to the dark wood of the statue, it is called La Moreneta or the Black Virgin. Santa Maria de Montserrat, the Benedictine monastery, was established and has existed on the mountain in some form since then.  La Moreneta is on display there and Montserrat is considered the most important pilgrimage destination for the Catalan people.

“Montserrat in Catalonia Spain means a lot of things to a lot of different people. To some it is a monastery, to some it is a natural park, to some it is a mountain and for others it is all of these things. Whatever your reason for coming to Montserrat, you will be amazed by its unique beauty and spirituality - there is something special in everything from the stunning basilica to a flower on the side of a mountain path.” ~ from this website with related links that contain about all you need to know about this special place.
 
Looking up from the valley floor

A day trip excursion from Barcelona to the village at the base of Montserrat is easy by train and then you choose the cable car or the rack railway (funicular) to get up to the monastery (or you could hike it…) However, we were continuing on to Costa Brava for a few days so we traveled by car all the way to the parking lot up top.  

The basilica


With many hiking routes to choose from, we went for simplicity. First, the four of us walked to the Creu de Sant Miquel and then back down to the basilica. Photographs barely convey the immensity and grandeur of the mountain and words are useless.

Can you see the cross on the cliff edge?

Jim, Megan and Jordi


 
Coins left at the base of the cross

Back at the monastery, Megan and Jordi opted to explore the basilica and museum while Jim and I took a walk out to Santa Cova (the Sacred Grotto). [Link to the history and hike description here.] The way is steep and it slowed me down until I felt that I was on a little pilgrimage of my own. The crowds were gone. Along the path are sculptural representations of the 15 mysteries of the Holy Rosary, which I am not familiar with, but the depictions were compelling to stop and contemplate along the way.

The cable car we did not take

Looking over my shoulder

Stained glass panel over the doorway

Jim and I returned to the monastery and met Megan and Jordi for a bite to eat.  We entered the basilica but didn’t join the long line along the balcony waiting for a close look at La Moreneta.


We were blessed with fine weather and good company on a perfect day. There will be a “next time” for Montserrat – those other trails to the spires atop the mountain await!  For now, on to L’Escala on the Costa Brava!

“The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.” ~Eliza Doolittle


1 comment:

Sharon said...

It's always an adventure in itself to see where in the world you are going to be in your next post! One expects another state park report or a trip to the Smokies and you turn up in Spain! I so enjoy reading.