Alt Urgell - Serra del Cadí e Moixeró (E)

05/09/2011: La Seu d’Argell (580 m)

Visit of the Tourist Office where we got a good map for bike tours. First we wanted to rent mountain bikes but then we thought we could do it with our own ones, so there we went on two tours on a row: Tour nº 13 to El Pla de Sant Tirs and then tour nº 14 through Castellciutat (22 km, 300 m elevation, 2,5 hours). On our way back we visited the modern cloister with the heads of some famous people. We were dead after all this. In the evening we went for a stroll into town and were happy to find the map shop open! Overnight at the parking lot of the Ayuntamiento (N 42º 21.528’ E 1º27.900’)

06/09/2011: La Seu d’Argell - Estana - Bagà (860 m): 81 km

Today, Tuesday, is farmer’s market day in La Seu, with many stalls in the streets close to our parking selling beatiful vegetables, fruits, and many other products like clothes etc. We then headed west to Martinet and tried to drive the forest road to the Refugio de Prat-de-Aguiló but the road was too rough so we had to turn around. We then drove to Estana, and just after driving a kilometer or so, there was a pannel with “Bunkers’ park of Martinet and Montella”. Short after 10h a lady opened the museum (3€) and told us we could have the key to visit the bunkers and watch the documentary about them in English. These bunkers are the remain of a fortified line - something like a Spanish Ligne Maginot- that was built from 1945-1948 from Franco as a defense line to keep the Allies from crossing the Pyrenees. After this very interesting visit we drove up to Estana (1500 m) and walked up to Prat de Cadí (1832 m). We were driven by curiosity to see where the pass (of the former smugglers) goes through so we walked up to 2130 m to be able to see it from closer and notice that there were still 370 m to climb... Total time of hike: 4 hours with pauses. Drive to Bagà through the Cadí tunnel (1245 m - 5 km long - 11,63€ for our camper). We parked at the parking next to the old town (N 42º 15.218’ E 1º51.774’)

07/09/2011: Bagà - Saldes (1200 m): 64 km

We first went to the Park’s visitors’ centre which was superb with its German beautiful documentary film and with the pamphlets provided with information about hikes, drives etc. We then drove up to Greixer and tried to see the black woodpecker (the symbol of the park) but had no luck with this. On the other hand it was worthwhile the walk because of the idyllic places we went through. Then we drove further up to do the Crossbill’s Way (4 km) where we were supposed to see a lot of this bird kind, but we were not very successful at that either, but from the Mirador dels Orris we enjoyed gorgeous views over to the Monserrat Mountains, located northwest of Barcelona and also on the Pedraforca which is the main attraction in the Natural Park. Drive up to Coll de Pal (2070 m) and then to Saldes where we settled at the Camping Repos de Pedraforca (20€/night with electricity after complaining that 25€ without electricity was rather expensive). (N42º 13.184’ E 1º 45.551’)

08/09/2011: Saldes (Camping Repos de Pedraforca)

A relaxing day on the campground with reading, BBQ, ping-pong etc.

09/09/2011: Saldes - Montserrat

Hike up to Gallina Pelada (5,5 hours, 12 km, 630 m elevation) where we were able also to see the mountains of Montserrat. We decided to drive to these mountains which are close to Barcelona. We drove up to the Monastery and arrived there at 17h30. We were amazed by the huge buildings, the number of people that visit this place! Overnight at the parking lot (5,50 €).