Legends of encircled beech forest
Fageda d’en Jordà – not only is the name of a famous poem by the Catalan poet Joan Maragall, but also the name of a legendary beech forest near Olot. book? In fact, a plant that is rarely found on the Iberian Peninsula. The fact that a whole forest has grown here has grown with the special geological properties of the garrotxa to do.
Several dozen volcanoes left a fertile subsoil made of lava rock, which not only the beeches are happy about. Hardly anywhere else in the country is the flora and fauna as diverse as here. However, you no longer need to be afraid of still hot flows of lava and ash rain: the last outbreaks were more than 10,000 years ago; The last activities of the volcanoes, which have not yet completely extinguished, have more than 500 years. To get to the forest, we drive from Olot on the GI-524 in the direction of Santa Pau to get to the Can Serra service area after four kilometers.
An information point and a large parking lot make them ideal as a starting point for our exploration. At a monument erected in honor of the poet Joan Maragall, we leave the area south through a tunnel under the country road.
Joan Maragall
Maragall (1860 – 1911), one of the most important representatives of a renewal of Catalan culture at the end of the 19th century, was fascinated by the uniqueness of the forest. in his poem La Fageda d’Jordà he praises the silence and beauty that every visitor inevitably falls for. How the lonely wanderer suddenly counts and slows down his own steps, sinks into clear and lush green, and slowly indulges in the sweet forgetting of the world; Finally, even the prisoner of the forest…
We embark on the adventure and after a few steps we are already between the trees. The canopy of the canopy arches like a fairy tale. The dark trunks structure the green. Sun reflexes dance around. Gorgeous chunks of stones scattered on the lava bed littered with leaves. Will the goblins hide behind it, which numerous legends tell of? We prefer not to leave the paths marked in red on Rundweg 1 to find out more, because some people got lost in the labyrinth of the trees. In addition to fables, highly profane creatures also live in the shade of the forest: in the middle of the Fageda d’en Jordà lies the well-known
Cooperativ de la Fageda
Cooperativa de la Fageda, whose dairy products and delicious natural yoghurt can be found in all Catalan supermarkets. The economically very successful farm is operated by around 200 mentally handicapped people, who not only delight consumers, but also enable themselves to live a dignified and fulfilled life.
volcano El Croscat
Meanwhile, we hike 550 meters above sea level, the flat slope of the volcano El Croscat along which the forest stretches. The air is pleasantly cool and quiet, even at the highest summer temperatures on the coast, you can enjoy nature here. Didn’t we just secretly listen to the rhythm of our steps? Aren’t we looking up the green tops a little too long? The magic of the forest is undeniable. No wonder, we think, this unique place has inspired not only poet but also painter, like the famous Olot landscape school. We need an hour for our tour. Full of impressions we get back to the car. This time the forest has released us again.
Note: If you want to strengthen yourself after the hike, you will find many restaurants with regional cuisine in the surrounding towns, e.g. in the picturesque medieval village of Santa Pau.
Saps on és la Fageda d’en Jordà ?
Si vas pels volts d’olot, Amunt del Pla,
trobaràs and indret verd i pregon
com Mai Més N’Hagis Trobat Al Món:
un verd com d’aigua endins, pregon i clar;
El verd de la Fageda d’en Jordà.
El Caminant, Quan Entra en Aquest Lloc,
Comença a Caminar-Hi Poc a Poc;
Compta els Seus Passos en la Gran Quietud
s’atura, i no sent res, i està perdut.
Li Agafa and Dolç Oblit de Tot el Món
En El Silenci d’Aquell Lloc Pregon,
i no pensa en sortir o hi pensa en va:
És pres de la Fageda of the Jordà,
Presoner del Silenci i la Verdor.
Oh company! Oh desliurant Presó!
by: Joan Maragall
