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| Mediterranean Sea at the river Llobregat delta as seen from "Torre de la Bunyola" |
Last Friday there was an official holiday in Spain, and since Catalonia, as for now, still forms part of that country, we too had to celebrate the coming into existence of the devine and untouchable Spanish Constitution. Untouchable for Catalans that is, for Frau Merkel could change it by just mentioning the possibility of a bailout of Spanish banks...
Anyway, I decided to celebrate on my bike. My plan was to follow the river Llobregat downstream to its delta where it flows into the Mediterranean Sea. Two or three years ago I already had done so twice, but instead of making it the whole way down, I then abandoned the river and entered Barcelona.
click here to read on
The River Llobregat traverses the better part of Catalonia from North to South. It originates near the pintoresque village of Castellar de n'Hug at an altitude of 1259m, flows by numerous towns, villages and company towns, and finally, after a covered distance of 170 kilometers, enters the Mediterranean Sea between Barcelona and El Prat de Llobregat. There, it forms an important delta where, as a matter of fact, Barcelona's harbour and airport are located.
Anyway, I decided to celebrate on my bike. My plan was to follow the river Llobregat downstream to its delta where it flows into the Mediterranean Sea. Two or three years ago I already had done so twice, but instead of making it the whole way down, I then abandoned the river and entered Barcelona.
click here to read on
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| Monistrol de Montserrat |
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| Vista of Montserrat |
The surroundings of the Llobregat, as I suppose is the case with most rivers, are very interesting and well worth an exploration. I don't actually know most of the upper parts, where the Llobregat traverses more pristine territory, and where at one point it even is retained by the Baells dam to form a rather impressive artificial lake, but from the village of Gironella on downstream, I'm more or less familiar with the Llobregat's course. Unfortunately there's no continuous path on the river's bank so to follow its track in its totality, but at least it features a cyclable path in the more exploited parts. Between Martorell and the river delta, for example, it's possible to cycle the whole distance of more or less 35km right next to the watercourse.
Between my village and Martorell, on the other hand, things are different and to follow the river by bike not always is an easy task. It's helpful, however, that one can find guideposts where the proposed biking route differs all to much from the river's natural course.
What I like most about the route is the fact that one passes through a wide variation of different environments. Whereas close to my village, the river has a quite natural aspect with occasionally interspersed, often abandoned, textile companies, the more southwards one gets, the more industrial the surroundings turn. From Martorell on, the Llobregat flows in a straight line trapped between highways and railways of all kind. On both banks heavy industry installation prevail, but even so lots of long-legged and long-necked birds are to be seen standing in the water waiting for fish to prey on.
During the last kilometers, already in the thick of the densely populated Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, there is an agricultural area right in the river bed which also contrasts with the surroundingsn and finally, upon arriving at the sea, a natural park is to be found in the river delta. There, one can find ornithological stations and lookout points - a considerable counterpoint to the installations of the commercial harbour to one side, those of the airport to the other and the incoming planes above.
After 75km and about three and a half hours I reached the sea. Three more kilometers brought me to the airport where I fetched the train back home.
Between my village and Martorell, on the other hand, things are different and to follow the river by bike not always is an easy task. It's helpful, however, that one can find guideposts where the proposed biking route differs all to much from the river's natural course.
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| Devil's Bridge in Martorell |
During the last kilometers, already in the thick of the densely populated Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, there is an agricultural area right in the river bed which also contrasts with the surroundingsn and finally, upon arriving at the sea, a natural park is to be found in the river delta. There, one can find ornithological stations and lookout points - a considerable counterpoint to the installations of the commercial harbour to one side, those of the airport to the other and the incoming planes above.
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| Mediterranean Sea |
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| Entry lane at Barcelona airport |
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