Hill Walk - Poblet to La Pena

Summer heat is not conducive to long hikes, so i've been studying a bit of history by visiting the Monasteries in this area, reading, and taking friends up to these places. While I was at Poblet, the tourist office there gave me guides (In perfect English) to three walks in the adjacent hills and today I did the first of these - from Poblet to the viewpoint of La Pena.

This trail takes you through the oak woods of the Sant Bernat ravine and on up to a magnificent summit overlooking Poblet and the plains towards Lleida. Some of these forest walks are a bit dull, unless you're into trees in a big way, but this one is an exception. You pass old quarry works where stone was mined for the monastery and the town of Esplugues. The geology here is very varied and you can see Granitic rocks, white sandstone, red sandstone and black shale. A little further on they have reconstructed a charcoal oven where, from the 12th century to as recently as the 1960's, charcoal for cooking was produced.

It was bright and calm today and there was plenty of birdsong. I spotted a Robin holding forth and there were plenty of finches in the rushes down near the stream. The water is running freely and adds a nice background in the hush of the oak woods. Several mushroom hunters were out, scratching around the leaf mould for "rovellons" and other edible fungi which are in season.

The trail, which is regularly and clearly signposted, crosses the El Boixets stream several times and brings you to a strange heaxagonal building which is an old ice well where ice and snow were stored for use in Summer. I snacked on some blackberries which were growing by the stream. I always seem to find something, Oranges, figs, cherries, grapes, even a Pomegranate once!

The strange Ice House structure.

Just before reaching the top there is a small waterfall which presumably was the source of the ice. It falls 20 metres into a series of ponds then overflows into the stream. In this area there is also the restored forestry workers house which has typical Catalan tile and brick work and a bronze plaque with the geographic and height co-ordinates.

You arrive at the La Pena lookout which has been fenced with timber and furnished with benches and waste bins (the whole area of the walk was spotless). There is a photo guide showing the names of all the peaks in view. It was pretty clear today and the Pre-Pyrenees up around Huesca could be seen with a dusting of snow from the recent wet spell. The oak trees are also showing the first hint of Autumn gold which is something we don't see much of in the pines of Tarragona.

"La Pena" lookout with Poblet Monastery centre left and the town of Esplugues on the right.

The return to Poblet is mostly by the same route but with a deviation onto a path called "Mata Rucs" which ominously means "Donkey Killer"...though if it didn't harm me it shouldnt bother any reasonably healthy Catalan Donkey!

On the drive back I discovered, just between Poblet and Les Masies village, a public fountain which has three spouts. Two of these give Iron rich water and the central one, Magnesium rich, which I tasted. It wa fine, nice and cool and with a definite hint of metal, bit like Andrews Liver Salts. I filled one of my empty bottles!

Poblet Monastery surrounded by laden vines in the Autumn



How to get there : From Salou take the C14 towards Reus then the T11 towards Tarragona, rejoining the C14to Montblanc. As you approach Montblanc follow for Lleida, pass through the industrial estates and turn right to Esplugues and Poblet. Pass the monastery on you left and keep on for about 1 kilometer 'til you see an information sign on the right. Park there and the trail is signposted. You can get the route guides free at the info office at Poblet. This is a pretty steep walk so you need to be in reasonable condition and wear good hiking shoes, have some water and the usual common sense items.