Montserrat: climb to the Monastery from Monistrol
By Artem Kazachkov
Distance
8.5 km
Gain
588 m
Grade
6.9%
Time
40 min
31-70
Moderate to hard
A must ride in Catalonia
Start
Monistrol de Montserrat
Finish
Montserrat Monastery
Distance
8.5 km
There is nothing more iconic for the Catalans than the Montserrat mountain, which is considered sacred. The monastery here attracts pilgrims by the hundreds of thousands. Same time the sheer beauty of nature here makes it a Mecca for hikers and cyclists alike. So we won't exaggerate to say that climbing this mountain is a must if you want some truly unforgettable and very local experience. The views are surrealist.
MIND-BENDING LANDSCAPES
Vertical finger-like towers of stone is a unique feature of this massif. Some hundreds of meters high vertical walls and the road twisting up through the morning fog. You might have seen lots of unusual mountains but Montserrat will fill you with awe. Keep pedalling up as the valleys beneath you unfold.
CULTURAL HERITAGE
The Monastery of Montserrat is main Catalan sanctuary. You can ride up and see the buildings. Besides that you will get great views from several terraces where there are also cafes so that you can rest up and refuel. The box is ticked!
TECHNICAL ANALYSIS
Gradient | |
---|---|
1 | 6.5 |
2 | 7 |
3 | 7.1 |
4 | 6.7 |
5 | 6.6 |
6 | 7.2 |
7 | 6.1 |
8 | 7.2 |
9 | 8.4 |
Fairly gentle climb for most, averaging 8.5% with some ramps maybe as steep as 10% but very short. It gets a bit steeper in the last part of the climb, though generally it is quite consistent. The road surface is excellent which makes you faster. You will see that Strava has this climb extremely frequented so it get super competitive here!
Nearby Climbs