The baldie is fled, long live the baldie!
The business (basically a CRM database) passed into better hands in 2012. These materials remain here for cannibalisation and amusement.
The baldie meanwhile has found pastures new: as a singing organ-grinder for your event in the UK, France, Belgium, the Netherlands or Spain!
- Cruise & weekend favourites
- in 4 hours without feeling like a stupid tourist.
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- Why FollowTheBaldie?
- Language All our guides are native English speakers and speak the local language fluently.
- Knowledge Our local and subject knowledge is profound and up-to-date.
- Interactivity See someone interesting? We'll interpret. Tired/full of energy? We can adapt the programme.
- Individuality We don't do herd tourism. No silly flags. No headsets.
- Responsibility Unlike most "green" tour businesses, we only use public transport--cheaper and generally more interesting.
Barcelona tours - Bandit country, more wild boar than humans, spectacular views
asdaThe mountainous terrain between Manresa and Terrassa through which we pass is now a deserted natural park; in the C16-17th it was bandit country - Quijote probably met his bandoleros somewhere along here - and things only really quietened down completely with the reassertion of Madrid’s political authority in 1714. The so-called royal highways were ostensibly constructed (often by chain gangs) for the benefit of merchants and the military and funded retroactively by local taxation. However, the venality of public administration ensured that most remained miserable paths, incapable of supporting the carts for which they were intended. The royal highway that we use for parts of this walk was nothing more than a slight and partial improvement of an ancient and appalling donkey track. It constituted, nevertheless, the only means of exchanging agricultural produce from central Catalunya with value-added & other goods from the coast until the completion of an alternative route from Manresa to the Barcelona-Madrid road in 1835 and the arrival of the train from Terrassa in Manresa in 1859. Urbanisation with hordes of Central American servants. Walk up riverbed with occasional upward views of La Mola (1104m) and monastery Sant Llorenç del Munt. Large lodge-farmhouse (1330 or earlier). Bandoler terrain hereon. Royal highway with occasional sections with paving and/or primitive walls. Immediate detour to spring and C19th lime kiln (1/2/3) in wonderful mixed forest. Back to highway for climb to hilltop. Breathtaking long views at various points of Sant Llorenç (1/2), Llobregat valley, Montserrat (1/2), Bages, Pyrenees. Home of wild man exiled by Franco from his home town, Terrassa. Lunch by huge sandstone strawstack above cave of legendary bandoler Capablanca. Thief’s Spring hidden away near crime blackspot & gibbet. Small cave (other bigger ones off-track). Cavalier’s Rock, site of prodigious leap. Spectacular (ruined) fortified farms & lodges (1/2), one containing large snake (alleged). Stroll through valley, past church down to textile town with some nice quarries placed at (believe it or not) strategic rail/canal hub. Several interesting bars. Optional early start to view remnants of Terrassa’s industrial revolution.
Roughly how much will it cost?
N.B. This form and the B2C business have retired. Contacts here.| your group | |
|---|---|
| number of people in your group (kids 0-2 don't count, kids 3-16 = 0.5) |
This is the total size of the group. Unlike other (city) tours, you won't have to share your guide with a couple of dozen strangers. |
Book this tour
- Fill in your details and submit the form below.
- If you just want more info, we'll send you that.
- Otherwise we'll send you full information, a fixed price, and details of how to pay securely. (If you pay via Paypal or Google Checkout, we'll quote and bill you in British pounds. This marginally reduces our admin costs and, barring a sudden collapse of your currency, doesn't hurt you.)
- If after you have paid you change your mind about the day or the walk, or if the weather is really bad, then we'll try out best to offer you another option. Our cancellation and refund policy is here.
Note for travel agents
The B2B part of our business passed into fresh hands in 2012. Legacy contacts here.
Basic data
| Grade | strenuous |
| Base | Barcelona |
| Location tags | Bages, Catalonia, Els Hostalets del Daví, Manresa, Matadepera, Sant Jaume de Vallhonesta, Sant Vicenç de Castellet, Terrassa, Vallès Occidental, hostal de la Barata, |
| Theme tags | archaeology, gastronomy, history, nature, |
| Your guide | Mr Baldie |
| Walking distance | 18 km / 11.18 miles |
| Walking time, excluding breaks | 6 hr |
| Total return travel time from base to walk | 2 hr |
| Total time from "hello" to "goodbye" | 8.90 hr |
Where do we meet?
Not quite what you wanted?
Check out some more:
- Barcelona walking tours
- strenuous walking tours
- archaeology walking tours
- gastronomy walking tours
- history walking tours
- nature walking tours
- Bages walking tours
- Catalonia walking tours
- Els Hostalets del Daví walking tours
- Manresa walking tours
- Matadepera walking tours
- Sant Jaume de Vallhonesta walking tours
- Sant Vicenç de Castellet walking tours
- Terrassa walking tours
- Vallès Occidental walking tours
- hostal de la Barata walking tours