The GR-1: Montañana to Castigaleu Montisonense Club runs the Ribagorza its historical path. (13-02-2011) This weekend a good group of 35 walkers we moved by bus to the beautiful town of Montañana in the area, the to traverse a section of the GR -1 Historic Trail, which runs from Ampurias (Gerona) to Finisterre (La Coruña).
This long journey took us from Montañana to Castigaleu, for which we start from the first population rediscovering its charming nooks and medieval air. Not only its stones, churches and towers awaken the nostalgia of what once was this population: also the path that climbs own between gall, walled with stones or slabs collected from the vicinity, and several houses still standing with their pens attached sample gives us a lot of life that came to house only a few decades ago, that today we have almost forgotten.
To make matters worse, the dim fog and cold of these places were so old even more authentic and lonely, until gradually gains altitude as the clouds disappear and the tempeature up.
soon arrived at the house of Mora Montañana, where we ate a snack to keep forces, following the path thing wild at some points. Between fields of work, take a track that continued to rise, passing through a small group of houses of which shows an inscription in the porch of the year 1658. Again the vision of those rough farm houses and structures arranged in the most advantageous for field work, aroused our juicy comments on what not many years ago can still see your eyes in the small towns. At the time, at a good pace, we watched a little valley with forests of pine and oak trees more vigorous than those which preceded from pillars of the Virgin.
The way we approach the Tozal of Monesma Elegant looming over the town of Puyol settles on the southern slope and semi sunken home abandonment. In a final effort to reach the peak Castle Monesma, aimed first and highest point of the route where the views a bit better with some brief ray of sunshine that allowed us to relax at home next to the ruins of the fort and chapel located at one end of the hill, inside the castle.
Again we return to the sharp peaking path to the point of having to dig a passage through a steep hillside, were now more fun than dangerous but at times aroused our attention. So we Badi, small abandoned town flirt who never should have lost their inhabitants, and made us feel students at his school, his great square walkers and spectators of landscape print with the peak Turbón, Sis saw, and in general the Pyrenees and its winter snow backdrop.
The next step was to point the canyon of San Antonio, through an old wooden bridge next to an upwelling of water, and thence by road in a few minutes we would reach the Ermita de San Antonio, restored and lined half a dozen great oak trees. It was the venue for the last bite, and just as we would descend to Castigaleu, that just a week inaugurated its rebuilt church that welcomes us and invites us to visit their homes and streets rejuvenated. Assuming
completing work, involving the blind and Jean Barbastro Javier Monzón, happy to have shared such beautiful moments, we said goodbye to waiting for the next route in March will lead to Peralta de la Sal and surroundings.
MONTISONENSE MOUNTAIN CLUB - WALKING