Prades Mountains

Prades Mountains
Muntanyes de Prades
File:Puig den Cama.jpg View over the Puig d'en Cama
Highest point
Elevation
Coordinates
Geography
Prades Mountains Catalonia, Spain
Location	Conca de Barberà, Garrigues, Priorat, (Catalonia)
Parent range	Catalan Pre-Coastal Range
Geology
Mountain type	Limestone
Climbing
Easiest route	From Prades

Prades Mountains, also known as Muntanyes de Prades, is a large calcareous mountain massif straddling the comarcas of Alt Camp, Baix Camp, Conca de Barberà, Garrigues and Priorat, in Catalonia, Spain. They are a Site of Community Importance.

These mountains have characteristic large and rounded rocky outcrops. They are mostly heavily forested with oak and pine trees, and the non-native chestnut tree has adapted to the local forests.

Geography

The range runs in an east to west direction and is part of the Catalan Pre-Coastal Range. The main peak is Tossal de la Baltasana (1203 m), other summits are Mola d'Estat (1127 m), Mola dels Quatre Termes (1117 m), La Mussara (1055 m), and Punta de la Barrina (1013 m). The 731 m high Tossal de la Creu is a visible landmark from the Poblet Monastery, located at the feet of the range.

The Francolí River has its source in these mountains as well as other minor local rivers.

Municipalities

The Prades Mountains are a large massif with many smaller subranges extending over the following municipal terms: L'Albiol, Alcover, L'Aleixar, Alforja, Almoster, Arbolí, Capafonts, Cornudella de Montsant, L'Espluga de Francolí, La Febró, Montblanc, Mont-ral, La Pobla de Cérvoles, Prades, La Riba, La Selva del Camp, Ulldemolins, Vallclara, Vilaplana, Vilanova de Prades, Vilaverd, El Vilosell and Vimbodí i Poblet.

Gallery

• Pena roja.jpg

  The massive Pena Roja

• Esglesia de la Mussara 2006.jpg

  The ruined church of La Mussara, an abandoned town in the Serra de la Mussara, a subrange of the Prades Mountains

• Catalunya capafonts-prades (8).JPG

  A forest near Capafonts

See also

• Poblet Monastery
• Catalan Pre-Coastal Range
• Mountains of Catalonia

Bibliography

• Domingo, Màrius. Muntanyes de Prades. Excursions naturals. Valls: Cossetània, 2000 ISBN 84-89890-82-X
• Domingo, M. i Borau, A. Muntanyes de Prades, Paisatge i Fauna. Valls: Cossetània, 1998
• Ferré Masip, Rafael. Les Muntanyes de Prades. Guia itinerària. Barcelona: Piolet, 2001 ISBN 84-923984-9-3
• Insa, Josep. Les Muntanyes de Prades. Caminant de poble a poble. Valls: Cossetània, 2005 ISBN 84-9791-124-5

External links

• Tourist information
• Tretzevents: Les Muntanyes de Prades
• Associació d'Amics de les Muntanyes de Prades
• Protected areas in CataloniaGeneralitat