Length of walk: about 7km
Time: 3hrs
Level: Easy to moderate
Location: Montsant Natural Park.
Starting point: Ulldemollins
This is a walk that we did last September, and it was dramatic in both senses of the word! The scenery was certainly dramatic but there was a little extra drama too. We had booked ourselves on a guided walk with a charming Catalan couple who lead excursions in the mountains of Southern Catalonia. We have been out with Txell and Serge several times before, and, whilst we enjoy the peace of walking alone we do also enjoy their guided walks as they share a wealth of information about the flora, fauna, history and legends of the area. This time they had planned something a little different – a dramatised walk!
The walk was on the North side of the massif of Montsant –the Holy Mountain, so called because for centuries it has been a place where people go to seek solitude, spirituality and contemplate the natural world around us. No wonder then that it has been the home of several religious hermits who have lived their lives in remote corners of this mountain.
The gorge (in Catalan = Congost) where we walked was named after one such monk – Fra Guerau. He took up residence here in 1160 and probably lived in a spot where there is a cave under the overhanging rock. Later a stone hermitage –named Sant Bartomeu -was built adjacent to the cave and is the oldest of all the hermitages in Montsant.
The walk was fabulous. Apart from the hermitage of St Bartomeu and a peek into Fra Guerau’s cave which is in a very pretty spot, it included woodland areas, open scrub, natural pools and a couple of easy scrambles through rockfalls.
As you can see from the photos below, the gorge has high rock walls that have been eroded into the most fascinating and whimsical shapes. They really do give an air of drama and mystery to the area! It was great fun imagining all kinds of objects and faces in the weird shapes. Oh, and talking of drama – I must tell you what Serge and Txell did!
……………Actually, on second thoughts……I don’t think I will, because it will spoil the fun if ever you choose to go with them!
If you are coming on holiday to the River Ebro or Tarragona area and you would like to join them on one of their guided walks please see the El Brogit website. It’s a superb way to get to know something of the area and to mix with local people.
Rock formations in Congost de Fraguerau
Faces in the rocks
Crossing the Rope Bridge
Addendum 11th Oct 2011: For self guided walks – this walk is now featured in the new walking leaflets produced by the Priorat Tourism Office , and is named ”The Soul of Montsant”. However Serge and Txell of El Brogit are official guides for this series of walks and occasionally are sponsored to offer free walks. You can contact them or ourselves for information.
