Montserrat & Multi Peaks!

[dooterbang]

"Montserrat" literally means "jagged (serrated) mountain" in Catalan and is a multi-peaked mountain located near the city of Barcelona, in Catalonia, Spain. The main peaks are Sant Jeroni (1,236 m), Montgrós (1, 120 m) and Miranda de les Agulles (903 m).

It is well known as the site of the Benedictine abbey, Santa Maria de Montserrat, which hosts the Virgin of Montserrat sanctuary.

I spent 8 days in Barcelona, catching up with old friends and making new ones, with my intention to visit Montserrat on 1 of these days. I had been years ago, before catching the "hillwalking disease", and was interested to see how different my mindset was.

Joining me on this evening trip would be Ana (spanish - lives in Barcelona), her partner Jimi (scottish - lives in Barcelona) & Fiona (Glaswegian - lives on the moon).

We left Barcelona around 5pm and got to Montserrat around 6pm - the plan was to watch the sunset.


The main area has a Funicular taking you to higher ground but you can walk from here also (which we did), you can actually walk from the base of the mountain but we chose to drive up. The main area also has a shop, the monastery and a hotel...all very geared towards the tourist.






We followed a path left which would take us to a few peaks and viewing points. Due to the cloud level we would not see the sun setting, but we where rewarded in other ways...




Didn't take long till we reached first viewing platform






We had a bite to eat and continued upwards. There is many paths all leading to different peaks.










This was a nice mountain and the views pretty special with all the varying rock formations.






So no sunset but we sat around this cone shaped rock, steep faced, and had a bite to eat...again!


It was then some Mountain Goats got very curious - firstly this one!


It must have called on its friend...






These goats showed incredible agility, the rock dome was so steep i wondered how they didn't fall! They stared at us all for around 10mins, it was thrilling

After our little encounter we cut through some minor paths to pick up a stairs which led back down to the main area. We would finish in darkness, not unusual for me...but no headtorch






Back at the main area and we spent some time checking out the buildings.




This is a fab walk which i recommend. You can catch a train to the foot of it and a cable car takes you up.
A full or half day could be spent here depending on choice of route, starting point and transport.

Next time i visit i shall start from the bottom and spend the whole day doing every peak, but for now this was just fantastic.

[monarchming]

Great wee report with fine pics especially of the goats! Well done!

[ChrisW]

What a beautiful location DB, some spectacular rock formations there, looks like you had a lucky escape with those goats though.... harbingers of doom that they are Must have been hard work making your way back in the dark with no head lamp

[SusieThePensioner]

Pity about the sunset but, some great photos, Paul, and an enjoyable read as ever
Loved those goats!

...but no headtorch

What's happened to you......totally unprepared???

[SMRussell]

Nice report as usual. The place looks very James Bond. Love the 16th photo down (well, shame about the foreground). Snaps of the goats are great also.

[malky_c]

Ahh Barcelona - there's somewhere I'd happily go back to in an instant . Looked at visiting here when we were over, but I wanted higher, so plumped for a couple of nights in the Pyrenees instead. In retrospect, I think we should have gone here, as I just stuck a pin in the map and took us to one of the least impressive bits of the Pyrenees (although it was still really nice).

Some of those rock formations wouldn't look out of place in those mad photos you see of Huashan in China!

[garyhortop]

Great report DB and some stunning scenery there!!

[dooterbang]

Pity about the sunset but, some great photos, Paul, and an enjoyable read as ever
Loved those goats!

...but no headtorch

What's happened to you......totally unprepared???

Ha, i know...am slacking

Ahh Barcelona - there's somewhere I'd happily go back to in an instant . Looked at visiting here when we were over, but I wanted higher, so plumped for a couple of nights in the Pyrenees instead. In retrospect, I think we should have gone here, as I just stuck a pin in the map and took us to one of the least impressive bits of the Pyrenees (although it was still really nice).

Some of those rock formations wouldn't look out of place in those mad photos you see of Huashan in China!

That place looks pretty awesome. Shame about your Pyrenees lucky dip. I think you would have great fun wandering the peaks of Montserrat.

Thanks everyone else for comments.

[Johnny Corbett]

Nice place, i like it.

[Lenore]

Haha those goats are so funny!! The cones look a bit like something Dr. Seuss would come up with. Also, didn't know there's a mountain called this, thought you went to that volcanic island of the same name! (forget whereabouts that is exactly).

[dooterbang]

Haha those goats are so funny!! The cones look a bit like something Dr. Seuss would come up with. Also, didn't know there's a mountain called this, thought you went to that volcanic island of the same name! (forget whereabouts that is exactly).

Very funny Montserrat is an island that is a British overseas territory located in the Leeward Islands, part of the chain of islands called the Lesser Antilles in the West Indies...this is the one your thinking about, i think!

[mountain thyme]

Lovely ..ive never been to Barcelona and its somewhere id like to see
Did you take the car half way up the hill because youre getting on a wee bit noo Doots?

Even the goats are checking out the DB pose

[dooterbang]

Lovely ..ive never been to Barcelona and its somewhere id like to see
Did you take the car half way up the hill because youre getting on a wee bit noo Doots?

Even the goats are checking out the DB pose

I attract allsorts eh MT....erm, i'm still younger than you