Monday 28 September 2015

A Supermoon Lunar Eclipse and a hike along the Cami de Ronda.


Am I tired !? Hardly.... Well maybe a little. A siesta is probably called for later on today having been hiking all day on Sunday and then staying up all night to photograph the lunar eclipse on Monday September 28th 2015. The eclipse was visible from all over Europe and here in northern Catalunya, we had a warm cloudless night. Perfect for sitting back on the terrace and watching the events unfold. It was a beautiful spectacle. Unfortunately, the moon dipped behind the trees of the Gavarres Hills behind the Villa before the earths shadow (Umbra) had completely disappeared from the face of the moon. But anyway, what a great end to a fun-packed weekend !
The end of the total eclipse with the super moon of Sept 2015.

Anyway, before the all the excitement and celestial dark omens of Monday morning, we got up early on  a beautiful warm sunny Sunday morning and packed a picnic. We were meeting up with some friends to walk a part of the Cami de Ronda (Coastal Path) from the beach at Illa Roja to the lovely little seaside village of Sa Tuna, both of which are about 20 minutes to the north of Casa Cal Domino. The weather has been fantastic for early Autumn and the trees have only just started to change colour.  It's still too early yet to be heading up into the Beech forests of Montseny Natural Reserve to admire in the autumnal splendour, so as we were in the mountains last weekend at Vallter, we decided to try a little used trail on part of the Cami de Ronda.

The Lovely beach at Illa Roja
There is no car park at Illa Roja. You'll find the entrance to the beach on the far south side of Platja de Pals and there is very limited on road parking which will get very full, very quickly during the summer months. In September and October though, you'll have your choice of parking slots, the beach will be relatively empty and the water is still warm from the summer months. Illa Roja has quite course grain sand, but is a couple of hundred meters long and about 40 meters wide giving you plenty of space to stake out your spot. You'll need to forget your blushes and your swim-wear too as this beach is Naturist only.



Almost as soon as you arrive at the Illa Roja, there are steps to the right of the beach that take you up a steep track adjacent to the seafront and within 100 meters you arrive at the top of the cliff overlooking the beach. The first part of the this hike has well maintained steps that take you around the coastline hugging the sea. Many parts of the Cami de Ronda are well maintained and quite "manicured", but this track is one of the paths that has retained it's wild nature and the trail is not suitable for anyone with vertigo or mobility issues. Pretty soon, you come to the unkept wild part of the track through natural pine forests and it is not well sign posted, although its natural state is part of the charm of this particular part of the coastal path.

Sa Riera with the Ilas de Medas in the distance.
Illas de Medas.  An Aquatic Nature Reserve and excellent diving location.
The first small village that we came to was Sa Riera. A very small little fishing village with a few cafe's and restaurants and a small sandy beach. The locals still fish from here and to one side of the beach there are a dozen or so typical Catalan fishing boats hauled-up onto the sand. For those that are walking with dogs, there is also a trickle of a river that soon disappears into the sand of the beach, but is perfect for your pets to cool off and have drink. After Sa Riera, there is one further small cala and then a hike through the forests of about 3 kms until the next small cove of Aiguafreda.

The Cami de Ronda.
Cala    
Aiguafreda (meaning cold water in Catalan) has a small chiringuito open in the summer months (it was still open today serving cold drinks, coffee and ice creams) and is very popular with the diving clubs here for it's clear water and abundant aquatic life. There is also a nice Hostal with a good menu, although we found it a little on the expensive side.

Just a few kilometres further along the coast and you come to Sa Tuna. We like Sa Tuna, it's a small well kept coastal village with a small sandy beach and half a dozen restaurants and bars.

The colourful well kept houses at Sa Tuna from one of the beach bars.
The approach down to Sa Tuna from the Cami de Ronda.
All of these little fishing villages are situated on a part of the Costa Brava that is a little detached from the main tourist spots. They are quite remote and you need a car to get to them and even then, parking during the summer months is problematic as there are very few spaces. Put all of this together and you find these charming little villages that appear to be untouched by modern mass tourism and retain echoes of a slower pace of life. We highly recommend this walk. Allow a good 90 minutes to 2 hours each way, settle down in a beach bar at Sa Tuna and have a long lazy lunch with a bottle of cool dry white wine. Perfect !


Thanks to our friends for the great company and giving me the opportunity to practice my Spanish. Lovely day :)

#caldomino #girona #catalunya #costabrava #satuna #sariera #eclipse #supermoon #moon #camideronda


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About me… I have lived in Calonge (province of Girona) on the Costa Brava since 2003 after retiring as a pilot from the british Royal Air Force. My passions are hiking, biking, skiing, photography and discovering and sharing the hidden cultural treasures of this beautiful country. My day job entails managing a luxury self-catering rental Villa, Casa Cal Domino, and in my search for new and interesting things to do for my clients whilst they are here on holiday, I have been genuinely overawed by the beauty and diversity of this land. I’m not leaving any time soon. I love it here and I hope to inspire you to come and discover this wonderful country for yourself.

Tuesday 22 September 2015

Hiking the High Pyrenees at Vallter 2000.

The high summer with scorching temperatures and packed beaches is over and Autumn has started. Time to relax, kick back and enjoy some of the things that fantastic Catalunya has to offer. For me, September is the Goldilocks month and everything is just about perfect. The sea is still warm, the beaches are more or less empty, you have a choice of tables in the restaurants and the kids have gone back to school. I love September.... September signals the start of the outdoors lifestyle without the incessant heat of July and August and for the next 4 months or so, the whole of Catalunya becomes a playground for hiking and biking, culminating in the skiing season which kicks off in late December.

This week, we went to the High Pyrenees and the ski resort at Vallter 2000. At an altitude of 2881 mts, the peak of Bastiments offers cracking views of the Pyrenees, France, Catalunya and in the distance, the Mediterranean Sea.


A Panoramic view from the top of the mountain, the peak at Bastiments.

From Casa Cal Domino, it's 40 minutes by car to the north of Girona, then another hour past the medieval village of Besalu and the pristine lake at Banyoles until we reach a fantastic little pastry shop situated in the village of Llaners. Llaners sits at the base of the mountain below the ski resort of Vallter 2000 and there they sell fresh warm petit pain au chocolate / Napolitanas. Deliciously buttery croissants with a generous filling of chocolate. Mmmmm just the thing to stretch the legs and get ready for the days hiking.

The start of the hike.
"The tree"

Crossing the river Ter.

We park the car on the road just below the ski resort's main car park and head up to the refuge half way to the peak at Bastiments. The path winds its way through pine forest by the river Ter which at this stage is just a small mountain stream trickling its way down the mountainside to become one of the biggest rivers in Catalunya on its 208 km trek to the town of Estartit and the Mediterranean Sea.

Approaching the tree line.
The sign post by the refuge.
The refuge at Ulldeter.

Today, the air is clear and temperatures hover around 15ÂșC. Perfect hiking weather. After about an hour, we start to reach the tree line, the point at which the forest gives way to mountain proper and to mark the transition, there is the Refuge at d'Ulldeter at an altitude of 2200 mts (http://www.ulldeter.net/en/). Here, they serve hot and cold drinks, snacks and hot meals. There is a warm, rustic wooden-panelled dining area with long trestle tables and benches where everyone sits down together for communal meals. Outside, you'll find a grassy area to sit and relax in the sunshine with a few benches and boulders to sit on. There's a font to replenish water bottles and good views of the mountain and the hike to come.

The top of the Vallter Valley just below the peak at Bastiments.

After leaving the refuge, the climb begins and you follow what would be one of the the ski pistes to the top of the Vallter Valley. This area is a delight to walk through. It's full of alpine flowers, small streams with fresh ice-cold water. If you're lucky, you'll see families of sure-footed mountain goats tearing along the escarpments at breakneck speed and almost certainly will hear the warning cries of the Marmots that thrive here at Vallter. In just 40 minutes from leaving the Refuge, you'll find yourself at the top of the Vallter Valley with the impressive mountain peak of Bastiments in front of you.

Marmot.

Here the climb starts for real and the path zig-zags its way to the very top where the cool mountain air and exquisite views await. Bring a picnic, find a rock, sit yourself down, breath and relax..... What is it about hikers ? Everyone is in a good mood, chatty, sociable and friendly. The minimum that you'll get all day is a cheery, "Bon dia" (good day) or show willing to practice your Spanish or Catalan and you'll find many locals happy to chat to and maybe be keen to improve their English too. This is what it is all about.... a well earned respite from modern life. Clean fresh air and gorgeous views.... food for the soul.

The top of the mountain and my picnic spot for the day.
Marta and Casi waiting for me.
The peak at Bastiments.

I can stay up here for ever... but eventually, the rock that I'm sitting on becomes just a little bit too uncomfortable, the picnic is but a fond memory and a full belly and the descent back down the mountain beckons. It's not all over though. The views on the way down are just awesome. I've always said to friends that come here that there is something special about Catalunya.... It's the light. Some of the worlds greatest painters have made a pilgrimage to Catalunya to capture the light here and today, with my camera, I am spoilt for good views with the most incredible "blue" that you could imagine.

"Blue"

Half way down we stop for a coffee and a sandwich at the refuge. As usual, the same cheery bonhomie seems to infect everyone here and we get chatting to a young couple from Sweden and their 8 month old daughter. They are hiking the GR11 Pyrenean trail from Andorra to Setcases, a small village just below Vallter. Their trek is almost over and they have been wild camping for over a week. What a fantastic adventure for them, but with an 8 month old.....Now that is brave !

#caldomino #girona #catalunya #pyrenees #vallter #ulldeter #bastiments


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About me… I have lived in Calonge (province of Girona) on the Costa Brava since 2003 after retiring as a pilot from the british Royal Air Force. My passions are hiking, biking, skiing, photography and discovering and sharing the hidden cultural treasures of this beautiful country. My day job entails managing a luxury self-catering rental Villa, Casa Cal Domino, and in my search for new and interesting things to do for my clients whilst they are here on holiday, I have been genuinely overawed by the beauty and diversity of this land. I’m not leaving any time soon. I love it here and I hope to inspire you to come and discover this wonderful country for yourself.