Autumn is one of the four seasons of the year in temperate zones which, astronomically, begins with the autumn equinox (in our region between September 22 and 23) and ends with the winter solstice (near December 21). Autumn is a time of major changes in the landscape, climate, etc., which makes it a “special” time to go on foot or bicycle trips that will fascinate us.
While walking or cycling through the natural environment is very relaxing in itself, doing it in autumn, with the falling leaves of deciduous trees, is even more so. In the Tourdera we have large forest masses where you can enjoy this time of the year and this spectacle of colors and textures. Much of the shadier slopes of the Montseny are full of beech and chestnut forests, which give us this landscape of yellowish and reddish colors that are so characteristic and mesmerizing. While the most characteristic and emblematic point of the route to observe this phenomenon is the source of the Tordera River, at the Font Bona in Sant Marçal, there are many other points where you can observe the falling leaves.
But autumn is also that season that brings us many traditions, some more related to gastronomy, such as chestnuts, mushrooms, panellets, etc. Above all, keep in mind that you cannot pick chestnuts everywhere, since in many cases their collection is prohibited, so you must be attentive to the signs that warn you. Or you must also be respectful with the collection of mushrooms. We suggest that you take a walk through a section of the route and enjoy the landscape and let the fruits of the forest follow their natural life cycle.
In our lands, as in many other points on the planet, we also have traditions such as All Saints’ Day, the holiday we dedicate to remembering our ancestors, and the well-known castanyada, a festival that derives from ancient funeral meals, where there was an abundant presence of legumes and nuts and where breads were made based on these ingredients, which ended up deriving into another of our most deep-rooted traditions, the panellets. All these meals had a symbolic sense of communion with the souls of the deceased. Although traditionally the castanyada was celebrated on November 1, in recent years it has become popular to bring it forward one day and celebrate it on October 31.
We hope that in the coming weeks you will be encouraged to discover autumn along some section of the Tordera route and that you can enjoy this very special season, taking the opportunity to approach one of the nearby establishments to buy panellets, chestnuts, sweet potatoes, etc., and thus make the getaway a whole experience! And remember that you will find activities related to autumn in the municipalities of the region, such as the Chestnut Festival of Fogars, the Autumn Fair of Arbúcies, etc. We look forward to seeing you!!!
