The Chapel in the Volcano.
In mid February 2008 Sylvia and I spent a month in the north-eastern corner of Spain, in the shadow of the Pyrenees, enjoying the wonderful walking the area has to offer. Part of our stay was on the ecological Lava Campsite in the Zone Volcanica of the Parc Natural de la Garrotxa, in our trusty Avalon camper-van.
One of these memorable walks started with bright sunshine but a cool breeze as we set off on our trek to scale the now very dead volcanic Volca Santa Margarida.
After a little while of steady uphill walking, amongst the small oak trees that covered the flanks of the hillside we reached a path that led off and circled around the volcano rim. Although not the highest extinct volcano in the area, at over 2,300 ft. it was still an impressive place to be. As you walk around the crater rim you are teased with partly hidden views into the now green vegetated crater floor.
Our biggest surprise was to catch a glimpse of a small chapel apparently floating on a sea of grass in the centre of the now defunct 12,000 year old volcano.When we came upon a convenient path that led down from the rim into the crater we trekked down, as the volcanic rock shingle,(like small particles of pumice stone ) was a little like treading on marbles care was needed to stay upright . On reaching the crater floor we were surprised that over the centuries a layer of dust/dirt had built up to produce a flat circular area. There in the middle like an oasis stands the tiniest of Chapels, built naturally with the local volcanic rocks. Sitting next to this ancient place of worship with the big blue sky above is a very, very, peaceful place to be, unlike its not too distant past.
We lunched here and after the steady climb out of this time capsule like place we headed down and back to our campsite in the hills.