Collserola: Montbau to Sant Cugat via Font Groga and Sant Medir

 HIKERS:

PEZ

K3

Mix

Pau

Nati


And the very special guests:


Charlie

Nina

Stephane

Nico

Matthew


Could the record number of hikers on a Friday evening be related to it not really being a midweek hike??


TRANSPORT:

Start at Montbau Metro (L3); return with FGC S1/S2  


THE ROUTE:

Barcelona-Sant Cugat via Sant Medir is a classic route; as an alternative to the shorter Mundet-Sant Medir route, going from Montbau via the Reserva de la Font Groga is a great option which takes us through the only tiny patch of old-growth forest in the Collserola (no Aleppo pines here). Also the riparian forest along the Torrent de la Salamandra between Font Groga and Sant Medir is a rarity. However due to the ongoing drought this Torrent was dry as a bone and the vegetation a bit limp this time.


The original plan was to go from Sant Medir to the Panta de Can Borell (as in the guidebook route shown); however since K3 and Nati were in a hurry we took the straight piste through from Sant Medir to Can Borell. In any case K3 and Nati ran away from the rest of the group and the Panta would have been completely dry, from what others who visited it recently wrote.


HIGHLIGHTS

All being here together, according to Nati!

Being a big group.

A beautiful and not at all shy red-billed leiothrix / rossinyol japones serenaded us in the undergrowth in the Torrent de la Salamandra.

Pi d'en Xandri is always a pleasure. Nearby was an adorable black lab puppy, and some bats out at dusk.

Sant Cugat was looking shiny and golden in the evening light; Pez, Charlie + Nina stayed for a nice meal.


PHOTOS








Bonus pic!


Not one of ours, but to illustrate the japanese nightingale. 
"A plump, brightly colored babbler of dense forest understory."



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