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I stayed here. http://www.hostalsantamaria.cat/Where do we stay here?
Well, this is what Laurie did:Where do we stay here?
That link still works, so I assumed it is still open.The new part of town has a pensión, the Hostal Santamaría, where I paid 25€ for a single room. http://www.hostalsantamaria.cat/
For some reason when I looked I found nothing.Well, this is what Laurie did:
That link still works, so I assumed it is still open.
If you're walking with friends, there is also:
•Celler Colltor (minimum of 5)
And
•Villa Santa Maria D'olo Villa (sleeps up to 18).
•And closer to the Camino and out of town there is Mas Torigues
In town, Cau del Segimon shows up on Googlemap as a b&b, but the webpage is not accessible, so it may be closed.
Perhaps these places are closed? The place Laurie stayed looks open, but it's labled as a cafe.For some reason when I looked I found nothing.
I had a look at my tracks and part of the reason is because I didn’t turn the GPS off as I explored the monastery at Navarcles. Though that would only be a km or two. But the rest of the tracks do seem to take an indirect route. I was just following someone else’s tracks on my GPS, and I remember feeling like they were taking a very convoluted route to get to the city. Manresa is a huge sprawling place, though, so getting from the camino to wherever you’re staying could add a few kms.Day 11 -- Santa María d'Oló to Manresa (35.2 km)
[Laurie's gps said 42?
This is a highly commercialized place (meeting space, restaurant, hotel) in a glorious setting with the church and monastery there as the backdrop. I remember the ticket to visit the monastery was pricey — the website says they are 12€ now. I was allowed to wander freely and not wait for the next guided tour only because of my status as peregrina. I also had a picnic on the lawn and no one told me to leave so I guess that’s within the rules.Navarcles is the monastery of Sant Benet de Bages. I don't tire of Romanesque easily, and this looks glorious.
Touring a monastery AND staying at a Jesuit retreat house? Yes please!Perhaps these places are closed? The place Laurie stayed looks open, but it's labled as a cafe.
About 8.5km after Santa María d'Oló, there's a turn-off to the left for this guest house, in what looks like the middle of nowhere:
So about 6.5km farther from the turnoff to Santa María d'Oló
From l'Estany that would be a further 16.5 kms
So there is this possibility of even shorter stages between Vic and Manresa (heads up @AJGuillaume):
Vic - l'Estany (19.9km)
l'Estany - Els Clapers (~16km)
Els Clapers - Navarcles (16.6km)
Navarcles - Manresa (10km)
Day 11 -- Santa María d'Oló to Manresa (35.2 km)
[Laurie's gps said 42? My distance is measured on the map to the middle of the old city, without the short detour to Sant Benet de Bages.]
However long it is, it's a long day. Mostly the walk is in the countryside, but it's an urban slog once we get to Manresa.
After a very quiet 17.2 we come to Artes. Second breakfast anyone? You can find me at the Pessics Pastisseria. The more sophisticated of us can meet up at Espai Artium - Celler Cooperatiu D'Artés. And there are several other options. But it doesn't look like there is anywhere to stay. Onward!
Navarcles is at 25.3 km. Anyone wanting a shorter day has the option to stop here, where there are lodging and services.
If we keep going, a bit off the camino and just on the outskirts of Navarcles is the monastery of Sant Benet de Bages. I don't tire of Romanesque easily, and this looks glorious.
There is a rather pricy hotel there, but it would certainly be comfortable:
Hotel Món - Dormir en un entorn natural únic
Hotel Món Sant Benet de 4 estrelles superior, està ubicat a la comarca del Bages, molt a prop de Barcelona i Montserrat. Gaudeix de l'estada en un entorn natural amb un ampli ventall de serveis i instal·lacions perquè et sentis com a casa.monstbenet.com
Manresa is sprawling, and a stark contrast to what we've enjoyed today of peace and quiet.
It sounds like a bit of a slog into the city, but if we do that today, getting down to the old city and the river, that makes for a quick getaway tomorrow.
Laurie stayed at the youth hostel, www.xanascat.cat
But just a five minute walk from the Cathedral isis St. Ignatius' cave, overlooking the river to the east. Well. It's way more than that at this point - a massive complex of the cave, plus a basilica and Jesuit retreat house. You can stay there, but it would be wise to book, as of course it is popular with Ignatian pilgrims.
It's 35.9km for the day if go as far as the cave.
I remember walking right by a hostal in Navarcles, it must be the Hostal Baviera, yet clicking on the website for the Hostal Baviera takes you to a website for “the most beautiful hotel in South America “(?!). There are recent google reviews, however, one as recent as two months ago.Els Clapers - Navarcles (16.6km)
It's always worth a try. And it shortens the next day a bit.Rooms at the monastery are pricey. But maybe they offer good last minute pilgrim prices.
One can do retreats. Sign me up!Touring a monastery AND staying at a Jesuit retreat house? Yes please!
Umm, i may stay a day, but I’ll walk a double stretch and catch up with all of you…It's always worth a try. And it shortens the next day a bit.
One can do retreats. Sign me up!
I have advised G Maps and asked them to delete this reference to that websiteI remember walking right by Hostal Baviera, yet clicking on the website for the Hostal Baviera takes you to a website for “the most beautiful hotel in South America “(?!).
The first sight of Montserrat's outline from Manresa is both beautiful and a bit daunting. Somehow you've got to get up those unmistakable jagged edges. At least the ascent is significantly less steep coming from the south than the cliff-like path up from the Barcelona side.
There are many well marked trails, and I decided to leave the official Santiago one to go up the camí de les Ermites Romàniques. It starts with the pretty, small 12th century one of Sant Jaume de Marganell, passes near Sant Cristòfol de Castellbell and carries on (sometimes quite steeply - 200m in a km) up the GR4 to the larger bulk of lovely Santa Cecilia, followed by gorgeous views looking down onto the tower of Sant Benet (which the official trail passes) and enjoying hearing its bells.
After Castellgalí, there is a delicious fountain near the church of San Cristophol. We took a group picture there and then began the ascent, which is really not so bad at all. Another one of those legends -- I had heard how awful it would be, but the reports were greatly exaggerated
The Montserrat complex is impressive, imposing, mobbed, and highly commercialized. My sense is that there is a lot of taking advantage of the captive audience. The paths leading away from the monastery were much more enjoyable for me than elbowing my way through the crowds in church and near the lighted candles.
Vespers this evening in the basilica was memorable. The sombre, mostly baritone or lower voices of the monks entoned the often repeated words, but towards the end 50 of the young choristers appeared, all wearing pale blue masks and their curious black and white robes, and did a soaring adaptation of Ferrer's version of the Ave Maria.
Lauds yes, starting in the dark with 24 monks outnumbering the congregation by 6-1, and noticing for the first time the magnificent new organ they've installed since my last visit.
The albergue is free for pilgrims (not donativo, free, they do not want money, and when you see how much money they are pulling in from this massive commercial complex of restaurants, souvenir shops, and fancy hotels, you won't feel bad that there is no way for you to donate). The albergue itself is quite nice, it has a couple of "pods" with a common room, small kitchen off that room, and then a few little bedrooms
the wonderful museum is a covid casualty, closed for the foreseeable, as is the monastery albergue.
Associations
Federación Española de Asociaciones de Amigos del Camino de Santiago http://www.caminosantiago.org
Associació d'Amics dels Pelegrins a Santiago de Barcelona http://www.amicsdelspelegrins.org
Asociación de Amigos del Camino de Santiago de L'Hospitalet de Llobregat http://www.peregrinoslh.com
Associació d'Amics del Camí de Sant Jaume de Sabadell http://www.camisantjaume.com
Asociación Amigos del Apóstol y del Camino de Santiago de Barcelona http://www.rutasjacobeas.com
Asociación de Amigos del Camino de Santiago de Zaragoza http://www.peregrinoszaragoza.org
Asociación de Peregrinos del Señor Santiago de Galicia de Calahorra Http://peregrinossantiagocalahorra.blogspot.com.es
Asociación Riojana de Amigos del Camino de Santiago http://www.asantiago.org
Associació d’Amics del Camí de Sant Jaume de Cervera i la Segarra. http://cami-sant-jaume-cervera.blogspot.com
Amics del Camí de Sant Jaume de Terrassa. https://amicscamisantjaume.wordpress.com
Perhaps! The route is certainly more straightforward and well known. (And yes, Huesca is where I'm headed, day by day, here at home)I don’t know if there would be more interest in the better knkown “second half” of this camino - from Montserrat through either Huesca or Lleida (bottom line — GO THROUGH HUESCA!!!). So never say never, and maybe a groundswell of demand and interest will emerge!
Hmm, now that you mention it, I do remember something about parallel options, one up in the woods, one along the road. I took the one up in the woods, which was also a popular bike trail. I think that these options come together in Castellgalí, no?@peregrina2000 , how was the waymarking out of Manresa? On the map it looks confusing, with a spaghetti bowl's-worth of options.
Yes. The way you took is a tad longer but looks more pleasant, at least on the map.I think that these options come together in Castellgalí, no?
I was going to answer that earlier in the thread, but didn’t know quite what to say. It is true that Manresa has a large immigrant population. I think 15-20% is of Moroccan origin, which is unusual in Spain, at least in the communities most caminos go through. To the extent stereotypes were at work, well, I just don’t know. But I walked out and about till 9 or 10 at night (staying in the centrally located youth hostel) and my time in the tapas area was very enjoyable.Yes. The way you took is a tad longer but looks more pleasant, at least on the map.
Another question, for those (especially solo women) who've walked through Manresa: one account I read here on the Forum made the city sound a bit sketchy. Did you ever feel uneasy there?
The museum is amazing. And the variety of walks around the mountain, to hermit’s caves and the path to Santa Cuerva. If I get a next time I’m booking two nights at the hotel.Day 12. Manresa - Montserrat (25.6 or 25.8 km)
Getting out of Manresa
The Dutch tracks show two possibilities that diverge as soon as we cross the Pont Vell. One roughly parallels the main road south, while the other takes off in a more westerly direction and zig-zags up on a more indirect path this is the slightly longer distance. The two ways merge after about 11.5 km at the top of Castellgali. There are a bazillion other paths, too, so this is a section where we have to pay attention, lest we wander about in endless circles.
Here is the big picture, showing the two options, beginning to end (turquoise lines):
View attachment 107115
And here's a close-up of the choice-point at the beginning:
View attachment 107117
Six of one, half-dozen of the other. The more direct way is likely least confusing. But can anyone speak to waymarking? The zig-zaggy one's labelled as the Ignacio, so it would likely have its own waymarking.
Onward
It's 'only' 25km, but it's a bit of a hill at the end. And once at the top of Castellgado, we all just go inexorably towards the snaggle-toothed wall of rock ahead of us.
Here's what @alansykes did:
Laurie went together (a slightly different way? I'm not sure) with a happy gang of Amigos from Cervera:
Once at Montserrat, we are amonst throngs of daytrippers until nightfall. So it sounds like a bit of a circus. But at the end of the day, there are peace, quiet, and magical vespers, and Lauds in the morning before leaving.
Laurie and @LTfit stayed in the Albergue, but there is a flash hotel, as well.
The museum has a Caravaggio, highly recommended, if it and the albergue have re-opened:
General Note:
Montserrat marks the end of the Cami Sant Jaume, and the beginning of the Cami Catalan., from here on out the landscape changes dramatically as we head westward.
I am continuing in my walking at home - to Jaca and the Aragones. But there has been relatively little engagement here, so I'm considering closing this planning thread (unless there are howls of disappointment and interest in me keeping it going, which I'm happy to do, but just not talking to myself). @Rick of Rick and Peg and (I think?) @Anniesantiago have expressed interest.
Heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined this first leg from the sea, particularly to @Doughnut NZ who single-handedly did the heavy lifting in gathering information and whose map wizzardry is legendary!
I did not even realize there was a museum there! It looks like they received several big donations of private collections. Sparrow, am I right that there is not much in the way of art from the monastery itself? I guess most of it is already on display.The museum is amazing. And the variety of walks around the mountain, to hermit’s caves and the path to Santa Cuerva. If I get a next time I’m booking two nights at the hotel.
The Museum of Montserrat houses an important collection of ancient paintings. Most of the paintings in this section come from the acquisitions of Abbot Antoni M. Marcet in Rome and Naples between 1913 and 1920. Abbot Aureli M. Escarré extended the collection with new acquisitions to which other donations have been added.
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610)
Penitent Saint Jerome
1605
Oil on canvas
145,5 x 101,5 cm.
R.N. 200.16
Ok!Please leave the thread open.
I think that since most of the very few people who walk the Catalán start in Montserrat or Barcelona, it makes sense to start a second thread from Montserrat, which is where Gronze’s route starts. Your first post in that thread could refer people back to the end of this one, OR you could have a separate Barcelona to Montserrat thread, totally up to you!Ok!
Laurie, would it be easier in the editing end to start a part 2 thread, from Montserrat to the Aragones?
I will start a new thread and re-name this one.I think that since most of the very few people who walk the Catalán start in Montserrat or Barcelona, it makes sense to start a second thread from Montserrat, which is where Gronze’s route starts. Your first post in that thread could refer people back to the end of this one, OR you could have a separate Barcelona to Montserrat thread, totally up to you!
And when you do start, here is the updated info from the amics, which will also help with stage planning.
8 kms Sant Esteve to Olot - 2 hours or less if non-stopBTW. Olot is not a place of interest only to geophiles - it has history and much else, too:
(From Wikipedia)
Lots of information here; it really looks fantastic:
สล็อตเว็บตรง ฝากถอนไม่มีขั้นต่ำ สล็อตทรูวอเลท ใหม่ล่าสุด 2023
สล็อตเว็บตรง ผู้ให้บริการ เว็บสล็อต ถูกกฎหมาย เข้าไปเลือกวางเดิมพัน สล็อตแตกง่าย แตกจริง ได้อย่างปลอดภัย ทำให้นักพนันสามารถสร้างกำไรwww.catalonia-valencia.com
To get there, just keep going in the Via Verde from Sant Esteve. There look like there are alternatives that are more adventurous, but that VV is gorgeous, and most expedient. It's about 5km from SEdB.
Les Preses. Went to Vertisol for breakfast this morning (June 2022). They even offered a ready freshly made vegan bocarillo!I did like Olot very much. I actually preferred it to Vic.
Very friendly atmosphere.
I do not remember where we had lunch ( seeing we drove by car we might have stopped somewhere in between ) but this places in Olot seems nice.
11.90 € for a menu del dia.
"Alan's recommendation: 'I stayed at a very nice hostel called the Vertisol, about half way between Olot and San Esteve in a village called Les Prises. Very easy to get to Olot along the vía verde.' "
"This video contains content from SME, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds"This video nicely captures the cami: Cami st Jaume Catala and includes wikiloc profiles and screenshot maps.
The hidden blessing here is that you can walk the Camí unencumbered by the expectations that the video will give you. It is an amazingly beautiful camino, both in terms of nature and architecture, so I say go for it without seeing any videos!"This video contains content from SME, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds"
ThanksThe hidden blessing here is that you can walk the Camí unencumbered by the expectations that the video will give you. It is an amazingly beautiful camino, both in terms of nature and architecture, so I say go for it without seeing any videos!
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