There are two routes to get to Santa Magdalena from the Hotel. The first is to walk there from Sant Llorenç, starting at the mouth of the Boadella reservoir, climbing up to the ridge of this pre-Pyrenee mountain range, and working your way across this ridge, with the beautiful views it affords, until your reach the chapel. At a brisk pace, this route should take about 2 hours.
The second route (the one we took) starts at the church of Nostra Senyora de la Salut, in Terrades. From the hotel, we drive until the turn-off on the left, before reaching Terrades, to Boadella, and then, after a few windy turns, we take another turn-off to the left, following signs to "Centre Socio-Sanitari La Salut".
We park the car at the large expanse above the church, and quickly find the foot path to the chapel. The first twenty minutes of the path is under a canopy of trees and tall bushes, and we trudge on soil, and over tree roots, and small pebbles. It's quite lush. Of course, we are still in April. By August, rains are but a distant memory. In any case, the more interesting part of the hike is the second half, when we leave behind all this lushness, and enter the arid, windswept area.
Greenery is now at a minimum, and we are walking on loose slate and large boulders, eroded from the strong forces of the Tramuntana wind and water. These bald rocks are infinitely more fascinating. They seem man-made. Some have cavities in them, from which desert-like plants grow. I spot what is either a large green gecko or the common chameleon scampering into one of these cavities as it hears me approaching with the camera. Too bad! I find a rather large piece of loose quartz. This is a gold mine!
When we finally make it to the top, I'm feeling less tired than I did in the first five minutes of the hike. I know part of it is well-warmed muscles, but the views are exhilarating. The peak greets us with a panoramic view of the area, from the snowy peaks of the Pyrenees to the hazy glimmer of the Mediterranean. Closer, we see the rows of leafy cherry trees in Terrades, or the dinosaur-looking ridges of the Roca de la Penya. On the other side, we can see the Boadella reservoir in its entirety, Sant Llorenç de la Muga, and the isolated and abandoned "masias" that dot the up and down mountains. Minding our step, we look down the hair-raising cliff to the north.
The chapel itself is small, and in much disrepair. A small enclosed garden leads to the metal doors, filled with graffiti and scratches, which surprisingly do not offend, most of them are just names. The inside of the chapel is plastered in white lime, but otherwise bare. Instead of an altar, a shrine to Mary Magdalene. In any case, she stands under the round apsis, surrounded with flowers and other offerings. A visitor's book lies open, with a pen by it, inviting you to write a thought.
This chapel was built in the XIVth century. A priest from the Terrades parish presided over this hermitage until the early XVth century, when the chapel was destroyed. No documents survive, but it is likely that it was the result of the strong earthquakes that devastated the region between 1428 and 1438. The chapel was originally dedicated to the Virgin of Codó. It was then rebuilt (the date is uncertain), but it was consecrated and dedicated to St. Magdalene in 1681. The sisters of St. Anne (from the nearby sanctuary of La Salut) were put in charge of its care, and they still are.
Back at the church and sanctuary of La Salut, Stephan and I go into a little bar and buy some refreshment. The bar owners are fixing up their kitchen and dining room. "We're opening in May," says the owner, with a bucket of paint in one hand, as we pay for our drinks.
I snap a few pictures of the church from outside. It is a site of pilgrimage, and the Virgin is known for her curative powers, in particular to those with sports injuries.
The gardens below, and the statue of a VIRGO CLEMENS, standing on an obelisk, at then end of a daisy carpeted aisle, lined with lilacs. Stephan is waiting for me at the steps by the Church.
Click here for more pix.
The second route (the one we took) starts at the church of Nostra Senyora de la Salut, in Terrades. From the hotel, we drive until the turn-off on the left, before reaching Terrades, to Boadella, and then, after a few windy turns, we take another turn-off to the left, following signs to "Centre Socio-Sanitari La Salut".
We park the car at the large expanse above the church, and quickly find the foot path to the chapel. The first twenty minutes of the path is under a canopy of trees and tall bushes, and we trudge on soil, and over tree roots, and small pebbles. It's quite lush. Of course, we are still in April. By August, rains are but a distant memory. In any case, the more interesting part of the hike is the second half, when we leave behind all this lushness, and enter the arid, windswept area.
Greenery is now at a minimum, and we are walking on loose slate and large boulders, eroded from the strong forces of the Tramuntana wind and water. These bald rocks are infinitely more fascinating. They seem man-made. Some have cavities in them, from which desert-like plants grow. I spot what is either a large green gecko or the common chameleon scampering into one of these cavities as it hears me approaching with the camera. Too bad! I find a rather large piece of loose quartz. This is a gold mine!
When we finally make it to the top, I'm feeling less tired than I did in the first five minutes of the hike. I know part of it is well-warmed muscles, but the views are exhilarating. The peak greets us with a panoramic view of the area, from the snowy peaks of the Pyrenees to the hazy glimmer of the Mediterranean. Closer, we see the rows of leafy cherry trees in Terrades, or the dinosaur-looking ridges of the Roca de la Penya. On the other side, we can see the Boadella reservoir in its entirety, Sant Llorenç de la Muga, and the isolated and abandoned "masias" that dot the up and down mountains. Minding our step, we look down the hair-raising cliff to the north.
The chapel itself is small, and in much disrepair. A small enclosed garden leads to the metal doors, filled with graffiti and scratches, which surprisingly do not offend, most of them are just names. The inside of the chapel is plastered in white lime, but otherwise bare. Instead of an altar, a shrine to Mary Magdalene. In any case, she stands under the round apsis, surrounded with flowers and other offerings. A visitor's book lies open, with a pen by it, inviting you to write a thought.
This chapel was built in the XIVth century. A priest from the Terrades parish presided over this hermitage until the early XVth century, when the chapel was destroyed. No documents survive, but it is likely that it was the result of the strong earthquakes that devastated the region between 1428 and 1438. The chapel was originally dedicated to the Virgin of Codó. It was then rebuilt (the date is uncertain), but it was consecrated and dedicated to St. Magdalene in 1681. The sisters of St. Anne (from the nearby sanctuary of La Salut) were put in charge of its care, and they still are.
Back at the church and sanctuary of La Salut, Stephan and I go into a little bar and buy some refreshment. The bar owners are fixing up their kitchen and dining room. "We're opening in May," says the owner, with a bucket of paint in one hand, as we pay for our drinks.
I snap a few pictures of the church from outside. It is a site of pilgrimage, and the Virgin is known for her curative powers, in particular to those with sports injuries.
The gardens below, and the statue of a VIRGO CLEMENS, standing on an obelisk, at then end of a daisy carpeted aisle, lined with lilacs. Stephan is waiting for me at the steps by the Church.
Click here for more pix.
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