Roundtrip Montserrat-Santa Magdalena-Sant Jeroni-Trompa de l'Elefant-Montserrat 14 km

Great hike in the spectacular Natural Park of Montserrat, ‘the serrated mountain’. The park consists of spectacular rock formations formed from conglomerate, a form of sedimentary rock. The hike starts near the Benedictine Abbey Santa Maria de Montserrat, from the paid parking. Alternatively, you can get to the start with the cable car. You can only find something to eat or drink around the abbey, at the start. It is recommended to start early to beat the crowds. Most of the paths are straightforward, partly paved, and/or consisting of stairs. There are two minor paths requiring scrambling and orientation skills, the one to the top of Sant Salvador/ Trompa de l’Elefant being the most difficult, with a very steep slope and then ending at a crack in the rocks, through which you can climb to the top, but I decided not to try. This latter part made me mark this track difficult, but the largest part is quite straightforward. I saw an ibex, raven and common firecrest among others. Views across the mountains and the surrounding countryside are great: choose a clear day for this hike. The GPS was sometimes a bit off in gorges or close to steep rock faces.
From the parking you walk along the Carretera de Montserrat to the square in front of the abbey. You can have a look in the abbey as well, as I did. From there you walk to the start of the path Escales deis Pobres, a path with steps taking you up through a canyon towards the Pas deis Francesos. Looking back once and a while you will have a view of the abbey. Shortly after the Pas you get to Plaça de Santa Anna, where the path bifurcates. You keep left, pass the Ermita de Santa Anna, and continue to follow the path through the woods towards Cami vell de Sant Jeroni, and then on to Cami nou de Sant Jeroni. You climb a bit further and then a bit towards Ermita de Sant Jaume. I did not scramble all the way to this Ermita, returned to the path and continued to the Capella de Sant Joan. Shortly after you follow a path below cliffs in which to hermitages can be found, Ermita de Sant Joan and Onofre, both ruined. The path takes you to steep stairs between two cliffs. You climb these and shortly after keep left towards the Ermita de Santa Magdalena. The path climbs further to the top of a big rock, the Miranda Santa Magdalena. After enjoying the view, you return on the same path to the bifurcation and then descend to the Cami nou de Sant Jeroni. This easy path takes you for 2 km on the southwest side of the Torrent de Santa Maria valley with views to the countryside below Montserrat on the left, and the peculiar serrated rocks all around. The path then joins the Cami vell de Sant Jeroni and starts to climb towards the Ermita de Sant Jeroni. You continue past this Ermita to get to the foot of the climb to the summit of Sant Jeroni, the highest peak of Montserrat at 1236 meters. This climb is partly on stairs. There is a platform at the top with great views. I also took a look at the peak next to the platform and then descended. On the way down I took a look at the Monument a Verdaguer and took another path down by way of Coll de les Pinasses, bypassing the the Ermita de Sant Jeroni. You then return on the same path until the bifurcation of the new and the old path to Sant Jeroni (Camí nou de Sant Jeroni and Camí vell de Sant Jeroni). Here you take the old path left through the valley floor of the Torrent de Santa Maria. You walk through the stream bed of this stream part of the way (almost completely dried out during my trip). You follow the path to Pla deis Ocells, and then take another path taking you out of the valley. Shortly after you take a minor path left which takes you up to Coll de la Canal Plana. This minor path is sometimes hard to follow and requires some orientation and a bit of scrambling. You get to the pass and follow then the Camí de la serra de les Lluernes, an easier to follow path with yellow dots. Before de Coll de Sant Salvador you have to take another minor path left which takes you up to a small pass below Roca de Sant Salvador and Trompa de l’Elefant. From this pass a very steep ‘path’ across a steep rock face takes you up further. The path ends at a crack in the rocks, with great views on the way. You can go further here climbing the crack to get to the summit, but I decided against that and returned to the pass, and then descended to the Ermita de Sant Salvador, below the rock face of Trompa de l’Elefant, a rock looking like an elephant’s trunk. When descending further you have an occasion view towards the trunk. The path descends past the Sant Benet shelter and the viewpoint Miranda deis Ermitans to the Plaça de Santa Anna. From here you take the Escales deis Pobres back to the abbey. On the way back to the parking I passed by the Stairway of Understanding.