More than a reality, heat waves have already become a tradition. Thus, during these five hot months—which one might call swift—in Catalonia people have long enjoyed their own peculiar rural exodus. Because in this season of the year it feels more inviting than ever to lose yourself in the greenery of nature, to seek a swim in the coldest waters of natural pools and ponds, and thereby ease the suffocating sensation that climate change imposes on us. And these are some of their favorite destinations.
Gorg Blau de Sant Aniol d’Aguja (Girona)
Nearly reaching the border with France, you arrive at one of the most distinctive corners of the northern Catalonia landscape, very close to Perpignan. In the heart of the Alta Garrotxa, there are green trails that lead to what is regarded as one of the most picturesque lagoons in Catalonia, permanently adorned with the turquoise hues of its waters, which have been shaping the rock that guards them for thousands of years.
To access it, you must plan the hike well, generally starting from Sadernes and crossing the landscape along marked paths. The route advances following the course of the Riera de Sant Aniol. It becomes inevitable to stop to photograph yourself on its stone bridges, surrounded by the dense vegetation of the riverbank. These are not particularly difficult trails, and soon the massive pool of crystal-clear water appears, whipped by a small waterfall. Swimming is allowed, although your bones may be the ones applying the brakes when the first toe makes contact with the water’s extremely low temperature.
Besides the incomparable ecological value of the site, many Catalans take advantage of this excursion in La Garrotxa to discover other gems of their cultural patrimony. Very close to the little lagoon, tucked away among the vegetation, lies the Romanesque hermitage of Sant Aniol d’Aguja, built as a monastery in the ninth century and from which you can observe Salt del Brull, the waterfall located a little higher than the Gorg Blau and reached by following the Riera de Sant Aniol.
