LIVING

Far more than being just a geographic buffer zone, the park represents a natural and ecological treasure. Two climatic worlds come together on the mountain range: the Euro-Siberian and the Mediterranean, producing a diverse mosaic of landscape where one can find forests of Aleppo pines and nut pines, evergreen oaklands, riverside copses, scrublands, brush and Savannah grasslands. In the park, over 1,000 major plants have been catalogued. This environmental diversity enables the existence of a rich, varied wildlife. Some 300 species of animals have been recorded in the park: wild boars, genets, stone martens, badgers, rabbits and squirrels. Bird life is extensively represented, and includes blue tits, whitethroats, tree creepers, woodpeckers, doves and also birds of prey, such as the goshawk and sparrow hawk.

In spite of Collserola’s rich and wide-ranging bio-habitat, the park remains largely unexplored by most city residents. The uphill relationship of Collserola to the city means more effort is needed to get to it than the beach. Nonetheless, the park has its own rewards with something for everyone from poetry buffs to mountain bikers, medievalists to star gazers. While seemingly appearing remote and inaccessible, most of the park’s recreation areas, landmark sites, and trail-heads are located relatively close to public transport. A few lines of the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) traverse the park and the last stops of the L5 metro line leave you within a few hundred metres of the park’s perimetre.

The best way to get a glimpse of all the park has to offer is to simply walk across it from Barcelona to the Vallès valley. “The hiking trail from the Parc del Laberint (Mundet metro stop) to Sant Cugat showcases the diverse and varied features of the park,” explained Ana Preto of the Parc Collserola Information Centre. “This trail, like the entire park, can be enjoyed during any time of the year. Since the park is located in a Mediterranean zone, there are not any dramatic changes from season to season.”