is the isolated mountain outcrop and the Monastery of Montserrat. Recommended to me by my sister in law - a closeted geologist - I was expecting big things.......and I wasn't disappointed!
Wow! I mean Wow on so many levels!
The train ride out through the suburbs of Barcelona and across the countryside...wow!
The transfer onto a small rack railway funicular and the stunningly steep climb to the monastery - double wow! The views were amazing, the drops, terrifyingly impressive in the odd place or two, on a par with one or two in the Alps but not quite the same height drop.
The funicular railway up to the highest peaks - insane! Nothing should be able to go up rails at that angle - insane! Wow, wow, wow - we survived and the cable didn't break!
And Wow, Wow, Wow, wow and double wow again! The mountain scenery...breath taking. Loved it, absolutely loved it! But firstly the museum................
the view from the station
waiting for the lights
getting there early to avoid the crowds
the only passing loop on the rack railway
the train journey up on the little rack railway
the cable funicular - the photo really doesn't show HOW steep that incline was!
Wow! I mean Wow on so many levels!
The train ride out through the suburbs of Barcelona and across the countryside...wow!
The transfer onto a small rack railway funicular and the stunningly steep climb to the monastery - double wow! The views were amazing, the drops, terrifyingly impressive in the odd place or two, on a par with one or two in the Alps but not quite the same height drop.
The funicular railway up to the highest peaks - insane! Nothing should be able to go up rails at that angle - insane! Wow, wow, wow - we survived and the cable didn't break!
the monastery lying beneath the conglomerate cliffs with the cable funicular in the foreground
a climbers paradise?
And Wow, Wow, Wow, wow and double wow again! The mountain scenery...breath taking. Loved it, absolutely loved it! But firstly the museum................
some of the paintings in the small but rather good museum in the monastery complex
this painting shows all the small churches and retreats across the Montserrat mountains range
the small town of Montserrat
Then there was the monastery itself, well hidden!
the outer facade
the inner courtyard
inside the Basilica
And the mountain scenery? Well a walker and climbers paradise - bought back the days of my youth when knees were stronger!! Quite envious!
my geology is rusty and I didn't have a guide book but I'm going for 'conglomerate'
a conglomerate formed under water with lots of rounded pebbles - so river estuary? Coastline?
lots of conglomerate spires
hidden somewhere are little churches and retreats
somewhere up there is a French climber we met and her partner
so many mountain paths to choose - spoilt for choice
yep they were going to climb it
don't let perspective fool you - its steeper than it looks
I felt quite envious!
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Thanks for taking a look at my blog. All comments and advice are welcome - drop me a few lines. You can always find videos about Arwen at www.youtube.com/c/plymouthwelshboy. Look forward to hearing from you.
Steve