Irresistible road

A trip to Mare de Déu del Mont sanctuary.

For this month’s adventure, we headed out (and up) to explore the Santuari de la Mare de Déu del Mont. This mountain sits at 1,124 metres, the highest mountain in the Alt Empordà county, whose impressive figure beckons one on just about any ride, hike, or drive in the surrounding area. With the odd weather of late, we had the chance to experience this mountain in every weather condition Catalonia was able to summon. Our faithful car, Gaspar, was lucky enough to reach the summit in the sparkling sunshine but our deadline forced us and the dogs to hike in a torrential downpour. Meanwhile, when climbing on our bikes, the clouds began to roll in, engulfing us in quite a dramatic sea of fog at thetop.

The ride

Looking up at Mare de Déu, we simply could not resist the striking road that winds its way up the side of this mount. So, we hopped on our bikes to explore the climbup to the sanctuary. The summit can be attacked in a variety of ways. For the über-ad-venturous, we recommend leaving from Banyoles, heading toward Esponellà, continuing on to Crespià and arriving at the base of the mountain just before the town of Cabanelles. You then face an 18km climb, which offers you very little respite, as the twisting road hits curves of up to 16 percent. On any occasion you do get to catch your breath, it is immediately taken away by the stunning views below. But don’t be intimidated, as the mountain isn’t totally cruel. It eases you in for the first 6 km, during which the road slowly narrows and the trees grow slightly taller, and, as you ride past numerous hamlets and leave civilisation behind, your respect for the mountain and the daunting task ahead grows exponentially....

Read the full story in the June issue of Catalonia Today magazine, available at your closest newsstand, or suscribe for only 36 euros/year.