In Llançà: Sant Pere de Rodes Monastery

November 1, 2024

The plan for today is that we’ll each make our way to Sant Pere de Rodes Monastery, an ancient site that sits high in the Rodes mountain chain south of us and is one of the most visited sites in Spain. were at sea level but the monastery sits at 1,800’ so we’ve each got a challenge ahead of us. Rachael’s is front-loaded and concentrated, with nearly all of her climb coming in a mile and a half before generally leveling off for the last several miles when she’s walking through pine forests up at about 1,700’ and enjoying breathtaking views.

It’s an outstanding walk for her, well-marked and safe the entire way, but she never actually makes it to the monastery. As it turns out there are multiple sites clustered near each other up here: the famous monastery, Santa Helena de Rodes Hermitage, and Verdera Castle that sits even higher up at 2,000’. I created routes for both of us, but mapped them only to the hermitage because I wasn’t aware that there were different sites until I arrived and looked around.

Rachael made it to the hermitage -a scenic and evocative site in its own right, and especially so in the high elevation fog that was just starting to break up - but didn’t have time to continue on to the monastery and still be able to make it back in time for lunch - not to mention that her 12.5 mile hike/climb was plenty challenging as it was.

Sound track: For All We Know, by Keith Jarrett and Charlie Haden

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My ride starts out easier, with a reasonably level five mile ride west on the coast road to the outskirts of el Port de la Selva, a scenically place town jammed against the slopes of Cap Creus. I hope to bike back this way at least once more before we leave Llançà so I don’t stop for photos until right at the end when I come to a clear, broad view of la Silva, a town we at first thought we’d stay at before deciding on quieter, less expensive Llançà instead.

My first view of el Port de la Silva is stunning.

Looking back east the way I’ve just come isn’t bad either.

The sky is mostly overcast still but is starting to break up. I wait at this spot for about five minutes hoping a window will let the sun through onto the town, but this is the best I get.

The fun ends as soon as I leave the coast for the climb to the monastery. The next five miles are an unrelenting climb averaging 8-9%, sometimes less, sometimes more - like the first three blocks out of town, that feel like a cliff at 15%.

I’ve been just a bit afraid of this climb, the most challenging one I’ve tackled probably since back in northern England, but it’s fine. I’m in no rush and there are plenty of excuses to stop and contemplate the breathtaking views. And it’s a quiet ride nearly the whole way, once a convoy of about fifteen Porches zips past me and disappears around the next blind curve.

Steeper than it looks here, and steep enough that after the first block I stop to shed a layer.

This gives a more accurate view of the climb though.

Looking back down, I’m glad to see that la Silva is in the sun now while I’m still near enough to see some detail.

Pausing at the halfway point in the climb: 800’ down, 800’ yet to go.

Looking up, I wonder if I’ll be in the fog when I reach the top. The coming stretch looks like it should be interesting.

I’m not far below the monastery now, and not far below the fog either. I enjoy a few last clear shots before climbing the rest of the way.

As I near the marked destination I’ve been tracking Rachael’s progress on the Garmin and can see that we’re quite close together, maybe a half mile apart. For a time it looks to me like she might get there first, and I send her a text to meet me there. It doesn’t happen though, and the closest we come to each other is about a quarter mile as the crow flies, but closer to a mile if you’re staying on the foot path.

I’m surprised when I reach my end point, lock up the bike and see that I’m not at the monastery after all - I’m at Santa Helena ‘s church. It’s a fine, evocative ruin though and I enjoy walking around exploring it as the fog gradually breaks up.

The church of Santa Helena has a Pre-Romanesque origin, first referenced in the late 10th century. It was the church of the middle-age town of Santa Creu de Rodes.

Spreading before the church are the ruins of the ancient town.

The sun is starting to break through when I approach the upper gate.

When I arrived here I was thinking I’d just head back to town, concerned that I don’t want to be late for my lunch date. Once I see that Rachael isn’t even here yet though I decide there’s time for me to bike the quarter mile to the monastery and check it out too. It’s a good thing I did, because it’s definitely a striking site, its bell and fortified towers standing tall above the surrounding pines.

I’m here for probably a half hour or so checking it out from various angles inside and out (there’s a small entrance fee) before I decide I’ve seen enough and need to be heading back to town. While I’m here I get a call from Rachael who has just arrived at Santa Helena. She says it will be slow going walking back down the steep trail, so I’m not worried about being late for lunch. I’m more concerned that she’ll be late actually, and we’ll have to wait for dinner instead - which, if you know Spain, you know means a late evening meal.

The residual fog gives an eerie look to the monastery when it first comes into view.

Doors within doors, always a favorite subject.

The bell tower, from within the upper cloister.

The upper cloister has been almost completely rebuilt.

Only a few of its original capitals remain on site, but I think others are scattered about in museums somewhere.

I could just backtrack to return to town, but for the same distance I can drop off the opposite side of the range and get different views, so I do that. As good as the views are though I don’t stop for many of them as I drop 1,500’ in the next four or five miles because I don’t have time. Looking at the Garmin I see that I’ve almost waited too long at the monastery because Rachael isn’t all that far from town already. She’s made much better time than I expected and now I’m worried that it will be me that’s late to lunch.

And it’s close. I’m just biking into town and a few blocks from our apartment when I see her briskly walking along the sidewalk just ahead. We stop, check out restaurant locations, and after passing up our first two ideas (we don’t care for the menu at one, and the other is full up) we end up at a nice Italian place where I have spaghetti puttanesca and she gets a pizza large enough to take half home for dinner.

The fog has almost completely burned off by the time I leave the monstery. This shot is taken from the same spot that the earlier one was.

The fog has almost completely burned away Santa Helena’s church too when I bike past it again.

The views toward the sea from the top are clear and impressive now. Here, we’re looking across a lower ridge toward our town, Llançà.

And a last look down at La Selva before crossing to the other side of the range.

I only stopped for one shot from my descent off the western side of the range. Here we’re looking across Alt Empordà at what I think must be Figueres. In the distance, Mont Canigou rises behind the mountains along the international border.

Huh. I don’t know what this fort is and can’t find it on the map for some reason. We’ll get another look when we come back this way on route to Roses, so I’ll figure it out then.

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Today's ride: 23 miles (37 km)
Total: 4,570 miles (7,355 km)

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Rich FrasierGood climb, Scott! That's not an easy hill to get up on a bike!
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2 weeks ago

Patrick O'HaraNice work, Scott. What a great day ride!
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1 week ago