Last weekend I cycled to Castell de Miralles, located within the village of Santa Maria de Miralles. Below: a nice introduction, a fair extension, a neat ending, and a few photos 🙂
The birth of an idea
I have a feeling this is a crucial moment. I have no clue yet what might come of it or if anything at all, but I have a feeling. Until now, usually, the whole tour was my goal, even if it had the climax somewhere in the middle. Frankly speaking, this climax was often only an excuse to ride 222 km.
But now, as I’m still locked up in Anoia, I inevitably started looking for details that usually I’d pass by.
The idea of visiting Miralles Castle was born when I described my Rapha Festive 500 experience. While driving through the Carme River valley, I realized that I had not taken any photos for many kilometers! Although there were reasons for it, it did not give me peace. How is that? – I thought – Could it be that there is nothing here eye-catching enough?
During the next ride, I looked around more carefully, and, as if for the first time, I saw the castle. Then on the next occasion, I noticed a gravel road, where I could enter the castle hill from the mountains’ side. That day I had other plans, so I decided that it should be a separate trip.
Getting there
I suspect that human characters analyzing specialists would have something to say about how I got to the castle and why this way. But as the probability that someone of this profession will look at niche cycling blog is low, I feel safe sharing this story 😉
I noticed on the map the road leading to the castle earlier, and even one of the December days, I tested its beginning. The route starts right after the pass if you are taking the road C-37 from Igualada to Valls. You can easily overlook it when driving a car. It begins calmly – not too steeply and without stones. Then it gets worse, both in terms of the gradient and the surface. But this time I was prepared for it! Another adventure, with a different castle – Castell de Saburella – taught me that it is good to have another pair of shoes with you. They can allow you to walk normally and, if necessary, even climb, holding the bicycle on the shoulder. A quick estimate: what percentage of cyclists are carrying shoes for a change? Hmm… let’s change the topic, maybe.
As soon as the road was too demanding for me and my road bike, I changed my shoes and went on foot. At the same time, I had great satisfaction and probably smiled to myself. Then it turned milder again, so I was able to ride. This way, I got to the foot of the hill on which the castle was built. The last 300 meters gave me even more satisfaction with having second shoes because the road turned into a path, leading steeply among rocks and low trees. After a moment of climbing, I reached the meadow under the castle’s walls. From there, I could see… – and this is the embarrassing moment…
While walking through the meadow, I spotted a beautiful asphalted road and the parking lot at the end of it. In a split of the second, I reminded myself that I did see the other end of this road once! Even more! I also realized that one day I even stopped there to rest for a while! Do I have to add that reaching the castle with asphalt road is faster, more comfortable, and there is no need to change your cycling shoes?
The Castle
I know little about the castle. The Wiki article is nine sentences about the history and little else about architecture. But guess what? It bothers me, and who knows if I will start digging somewhere for more information. How is that? Isn’t it the case that every castle in Poland, no matter how small, was the object of at least one long article and many studies? For example, Radosno Castle, which – with all due respect – is today a pile of stones, has a description twice as long as the one about Miralles! Yet, historians also live here and have written many scientific or sightseeing works over the years. It means there has to be something more, somewhere, but today I don’t know how to find it. So what is what I do know?
Castell de Miralles is one of the first castles in Anoia, dating from the Anoia reiver’s valley resettlement around 960 AD. Again, more questions than answers! Re-settlement? Ah, so there was settlement sometime earlier. When? And then what? War, plague? You can see – there is a lot to rummage in. But it’s not today, not yet.
A place with potential and going home
Walking around the ruins and taking photos, I thought it was a place with good photographic potential (on the occasion of this walking, I appreciated changeable footwear again). That day was cloudy, windy, and I expected the rain. But I could imagine that the golden hour here can be satisfying. And the view of the sunrise at the end of the valley from the tower? It has potential!
With these thoughts, I rode down a beautiful, smooth, new road, and then, following my own trace, I returned home. After a long break from the bicycle, I was more tired than it would have been from a distance itself.
Thank you
